Category Archives: Year

1921-1947, Teaching-Learning, Kolkata

Pt. Satkari Malakar teaching Pandit Tarapada Chakraborty— disadvantages of being overly-talented

Told by Pt. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 24th October, 2016
Place S.A.P. Lab, Instrumental Department ,Rabindra Bharati University ,B.T. Road Campus.
About the speaker Sitar Maestro, Chair  Professor, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University
Tags Manas Chakraborty, Tarapada Chakraborty, Teaching and Learning, 1920’s, Bandish, Satkari Malakar, Satcowridas, shrutidhar
Language Bengali

Pt.Sanjoy Bandopadhyay speaks :

Verbatim:

?????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?????????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ????? ???????? ???? ???? ?????????, ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ????????? ????, ?? ???? ????? ??????,

Pt Tarapada Chakrabarty

?????? ????? ???? ???? ????, ??? ??? ?????? ?????????? ???????????????? ???? ?, ?????? ??? ????? ???? ????, ?? ????? ????, ?? ???? ???, ????? ??? ???, ????? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ??????, ???? ???? ??? ??? ????? ???, ?? ?????? ??? ????, ??????????????, ?? ?? ????? ????????? ?? ?????????????? ?????, ???????, ?????? ????? ??????, ?????? ????? ??????, ?? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ?????????? ???? ????? ???????, ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????, ?????? ????? ???? ?? ?? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ?? ??? ????? ????? ??? ????????? ????? ??? ?????, ?? ???? ????? ??? ???????, ????? ???? ???? ???, ????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ?????, ????? ???, ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????, ???? ????? ??? ???, ?? ??? ??????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ????? ????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ?? ?????, ????? –“?? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????, ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?? ???????, ?? ?????? ??? ???????? ??? ????? ?????” ?? ??? ???????, ?? ??? ?? ????, ??? ?? ???????? ?????, ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?????, ??? ??????, ?? ?????? ?????? ?????, ??? ??? ??? – “??? ??? ???”, ???? ??? ???? ?????, ?????? ???? ??, ???? ?????? ?????? – ?????? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ?????, ?? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ???????????? ??????? ??????????, ??? ?? ???????? ???? ??????, ??? ?????? ????? ????? ?????, ????, ?????? ???? ??? ?? ??????????? ?????? ??? ????, ?????? ??? ???? ???, ????? ??? ???????, ?? ???? ???????? ????? ????? ?????? ????????? ????????, ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ???????, ?? ???? ???????, ???? ?? ??????????? ???????, ???? ??? ???? ?????, ?????? ???? ?? ??????????, ???? ?????????? ??? ?????? ??? ??, ???????? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ??, ???? ??? ???? ??? ??????, ??? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??? ?????, ???? ???? ??????? ???, ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ??, ??? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????, ??? ????? ???? ????, ????? ???????? ???????? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ??? ?????, ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ????

Verbatim: Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 Translation: 

 I had heard a story from my Guru  Manas Da, Pandit Manas Chakraborty, about his father  Pandit Tarapada Chakraborty when he was taking lessons from Satkari Malakar.

Pt. Tarapada Chakrabarty with his young Disciple

We know that Pandit Tarapada Chakraborty  was born in 1909. Probably in n the 1920s  he used to take lessons from Satkari Malakar.  We can see this  in that  a memorial program of Sri Manmotho Ganguly , held in 1940 both Satkari Babu and Tarapada Chakraborty performing  on the same stage. Satkari Babu was visually challenged. Tarapada Chakraborty pleaded  Sri Satkari Makalkar and started taking his training under  him, Tarapada Chakraborty used to walk miles to reach that venue. He used to walk to Satkari Babu’s house and learn music from him. After each day’s learning of the Bandish, he used to ask him about when he should come next. Satkari Babu used to ask him to come only after mastering the Bandish properly.  And he visited him the next day. Satkari babu, knowing who has come by the sound of people’s footsteps would say, “You had come just yesterday, and now again you are back! You have already became an Ustad or what” Then  he would ask him to sing what he has picked up so far and he sang the Bandish exactly the way he was taught a day back, since he was a ‘Shrutidhar’. Ultimately Satkari Babu  had to teach him another new Bandish, and this would continue. Manas Da also had told me that Satkari Babu could sing by hearing the sound of tarapada babu’s footsteps. He never got a chance to sit, and would sing from the threshold of his Guru’s house. He did not like the fact that his extremely talented pupil could learn and pick up the Bandish so easily and so fast. We have a notion that classical music is tough to learn and it takes a long time to pick up, but Tarapada Babu was very different in this respect. It was a great thing to be able to learn it so fast. A Bandish is so difficult to pick up, and to be able to learn it was considered a great thing to learn. From the side of the educators, they were extremely conservative about teaching it to others, and today, I feel the situation has somewhat changed.

Translated by:   Ankana Das.

Picture Courtesy: Google

 https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=YxX0WuHOFcnJ0ATbqajwDA&q=tarapada+chakraborty&oq=tarapada+&gs_l=img.1.0.35i39k1j0l6j0i24k1l3.11138.12944.0.15446.9.9.0.0.0.0.258.1128.0j2j3.5.0….0…1c.1.64.img..4.5.1124…0i10i24k1.0.3L1LekF7M7w#imgrc=ZyJ3ivPXMubQmM:

https://www.google.com/search?q=tarapada+chakraborty&client=firefox-b&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:CQLrbAVi6BowIjjbczyTxiBOvNnwXle0r_1zQisrRDTf7OZpxnfvv6SCQGmcid4rz1zLms0jEKiZb99U89ABZ0-tGRCoSCdtzPJPGIE68EeC0R6UjvkTBKhIJ2fBeV7Sv_1NAR3xwy6DCc63EqEgmKytENN_1s5mhEy1H2rMuLdKCoSCXGd–_1pIJAaEb-PTC68Dl6SKhIJZyJ3ivPXMuYRAcZg3SVS6cMqEgmzSMQqJlv31RGlw92CWTVJNyoSCTz0AFnT60ZEEbd2nj6cfV73&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjTkfvp9PraAhXBuI8KHbLKA58Q9C96BAgBEBs&biw=1366&bih=631&dpr=1#imgrc=cZ377-kgkBrySM:

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 

 

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.

 

Performance, North, 1921-1947, Music Allied, #Press Reports

MUSICAL SOIREE, MONMOTHO NATH GANGULI ANNIVERSARY—Amrita Bazar Patrika, 18 February 1940

tributemanmathag

Amrita Bazar Patrika | 18 February, 1940 | Page 14

MUSICAL SOIREE

MONMOTHO NATH GANGULI ANNIVERSARY

The seventh anniversary of the late Mr Manmothonath Ganguli, Attorney-at –Law,Late Deputy Register, High Court, original side, and Honorary Municipal Magistrate Cosipur Branch, Corporation of Calcutta, the famous amateur ostad  of “Tabla” was held at the  house of late Tarak Chandra Bose at no 10 Raja Nabakissan Street, Sovabazar, Calcutta, on Saturday last the 10th February 1940, under the presidency of Mr Nirmal Chandra Chatterjee, M.A., B.L, P.R.S, Barrister-at –Law, Secretary, All India Hindu Mahasabha. Distinguished amongst those  present were Mr.  N. Ghatak, M.B.E, Barrister-at-Law, Official Referee and Master, High Court, Calcutta, Mr. K.L. Mitra Attorney-at –Law, Deputy Register, High Court, Calcutta, Deputy Register  High Court, Mr.  Sachindra Nath Banerjee, Assistant Master and Referee,High Court, Mr. M.B. Dasgupt, Attorney-at –Law, Assistant Register,High Court, Mr. M.N. Sen Solicitor, Mr. Probhat Ghose, Solicitor, Mr. Sarat Kumar Mitra, Advocate, Mr. P.K. Banerjee, Advocate, Mr. Sudhir Chandra Roy Chowdhuri, Attorney-at –Law, Councillor, Calcutta Corporation, Mr. Mrigendra Kumar Mazumder, Coucillor, Calcutta Corporation, Dr. Bhupendra Nath Basu Councillor, Calcutta Corporation, Mr. Bhupendra Krishna Ghose, Mr Upendra Nath Ganguli, Mr. B.N. Basu, Mr. J.P. Ghose, Mr Haripada Chatterjee and others.

Speeches eulogizing the many sided qualities of the head and heart of Manmotho Babu specially his unostentatious life, and literally silent charities were made by Messrs Asutosh Chaudhuri, Anil Kumar Roy, Jagadindra Nath Bhattacharya , Upendra Nath Ganguli, Editor, ”Bichitra” and Mr.  K.L. Mitra, Deputy Registrar, High Court. The President in a brilliant speech feelingly referred to the personal knowledge that he had of the deceased at the High Court. He  charecterized Monmotho Babu as a true Brahmin, who combined in him all the qualities of a real Brahmin. The speaker further opined that in Monmotho Babu one could see a living example of what music can make of a man – to what height of ennoblement a man can be raised by being a true votary of music. In the opinion of the speaker, the rare qualities Monmotho Babu were really the result of his lifelong devotion to music and Bengal will remember him long not only as a true “Sadhak” of music but as the father of the revival of classical music in all its branches and truly will his memory live longer through his worthy son Hirendra Kumar Ganguli,  Attorney-at –Law,  who is an All-India figure in the domain of music and of whom Bengal is really proud.

Thereupon followed the musical soiree which formed the principal feature and chief source of attraction to the music loving Calcutta public. Amongst those who took part in the demonstrations were Mr. Rabindra Nath Roy (Vandemataram song), Mr. Gopal Banerjee(Dhrupad), Prof. Satcowriedas Malakar (Kheyal), Mr. Sudhindra Nath Mazumder (Kheyal), Mr. Jamini Kumar Ganguly (Kheyal), Mr. Krisna Chandra Dey (Kheyal), Pandit Ram Kissen Missra (Kheyal), Mr. Tarapada Chakraborty (Kheyal), Master Ranen Das (Kheyal & Thumri) Mr. Shyam Kumar Ganguly (Sawrode), Mr Radhika Mohan Moitra (Sawrode), Mr Paresh Bhattacharyay(Tabla), and Surendra Nath Dass.

The disciples of Late Mr. Ganguly had reasons to congratulate themselves on the grand success of the function which terminated Late in the morning of the 11 th instant at 6 A.M.

 

Source:

“Amrita Bazar Patrika [Daily]. Vol: 72; Issue:48 (18 February 1940).” Accessed October 21, 2016. http://eap.bl.uk/database/large_image.a4d?digrec=4262614;catid=226617;r=491.

 

 

Identified by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee, Research Fellow

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Teaching-Learning, Central, 1975-2000

How Ustad Munwar Ali Khan used to Teach Voice Modulation—Vidushi Sanjukta Ghosh explains

Told by Vidushi Sanjukta Ghosh
Obtained by Surojato Roy
Date 26 November, 2015
Place P 54 Senhati Colony, Kolkata 700042
About Vidushi Sanjukta Ghosh Disciple of Ustad Munwar Ali Khan. Well-known vocalist.
Tags Munwar Ali Khan, awaz, sakal, pyramid, shadaj, belly, lungs, sound box, air, head-voice, modulation.
Language Bengali

Vidushi Sanjukta Ghosh speaks:

 

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
1900-1920, Kolkata, Music Allied

Forgotten stories of the golden Gramophone days—from a musician’s diary

Told by Bishoke Kumar Sil
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 29th September 2016
Place 84A, Ahiritola. Kolkata- 700005
About the speaker Bishoke Kumar Sil is an eminent Sitar and Rudraveena player of Seni gharana
Tags Sailasekhar Mitra, Bagbazar, Gauharjaan, 1902-03, Theatre, Sashimukhi, Indumukhi, Voice record
Language Bengali

Bishoke Kumar Sil speaks:

Verbatim:

?????????, ??????? ?????…??? ????? ?????? ????????? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ??????, ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ????, ?? ?????? ??, ???? ?????? ????? ????, ???? ???? ????? ???? ??????? ?? ???

                   Gauhar Jaan

??? ???? -?? ????? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ????? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ???????, ????????? ……??????? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ??? ???????????????? ?? ????????? ?? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????, ??????? ?? ??? ??-??? ??? ??? ????  ??? ???? ??????? ????? ? ??? ?? ??? ????? ??????????, ??????? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ??? ???, ???? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ????? ??? ??? ????????, ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ??????????, ????? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ???

Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

 Translation:

SailashekharMitra is a mine of old stories, he is a record collector lives in Bagbazar. He told me that in early days of gramophone records one had to put his face almost inside a huge cone like microphone to record a song. Presently in an upcoming film about Gauhar Jan which we have seen in a press show, announces that Gauhar Jan was the first recorded voice of India. But it is not true. In 1902 or 03 when foreigners came with recording equipment they could not find any female to sing through their instruments. Someone suggested them to go to theatre where women artists used to sing. So they went there and recorded the voice of Shashimukhi first. Then on Friday they recorded the voice of Indumukhi.

Gramaphone record of Gauhar Jaan

After then on Monday it was the voice of Gauhar Jan that they recorded. So, she was not the first woman, she became the third woman as far as I know. I asked him, how could you remember whether it was Friday or Saturday? He answered thatit is all printed in the outer cover of the disk, time, date everything. After they recorded Gauhar Jan they returned back to London and then to Germany where the discspublished. Later in 1911 they again returned and recorded a few more. They were quite famous then and it posed no problem to find voices. This is the first recording stories of gramophone.

Translation by: Arundhati Banerjee

 Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/gauhar.htm

Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
North, Listening, Music Allied, After 2000

A surrealistic story shared by Bishoke Sil

Told by Bishoke Kumar Sil
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 29th September 2016
Place 84A, Ahiritola. Kolkata- 700005
About the speaker Bishoke Kumar Sil is an eminent Sitar and Rudraveena player of Seni gharana
Tags Chatubabu, Veena, Sandip Dev, Tabla, 2012, Pakhawaj, Ranjita Mukherjee, Sarod, Anahata Nada
Language Bengali

Bishoke Kumar Sil speaks:

 

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Teaching-Learning, South, 1975-2000

On Teaching technique of Sangitacharya Jnan Prakash Ghosh

Told by Mukul Roy Chowdhury
Obtained by  Dr. Suranjita Paul
Date 28th September 2016
Place All India Radio, Eden Gardens. Kolkata- 700001
About the speaker Mukul Roy chowdhury is a renowned Tabla and Pakhawaj player 0f All India Radio.
Tags Jnan Prakash Ghosh, Sangitacharya, Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad, Fingering, Tala, Layakari, Bol, Teental, Tihai, Sound, Ironside Road, 1975, 1996
Language Bengali

Mukul Roy Chowdhury speaks:

 

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Central, Music Allied, 1975-2000

A missing Mizrab—Not easy to buy one during evenings!

Told by Bishoke Kumar Sil
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 29th September 2016
Place 84A, Ahiritola. Kolkata- 700005
About the speaker Bishoke Kumar Sil is an eminent Sitar and Rudraveena player of Seni gharana
Tags Subarnabanik Samaj, Mijrab, Mizrab, Ganesh Avenue, Lal Bazar, 1985, 1986
Language Bengali

Bishoke Kumar Sil speaks:

 

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
North, Music Allied, After 2000

Oil-applied flour ready for cooking failed to serve the pakhawaj And Maya-Vasant’s auto-transition to Kafi

Told by Bishoke Kumar Sil
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 29th September 2016
Place 84A, Ahiritola. Kolkata- 700005
About the speaker Bishoke Kumar Sil is an eminent Sitar and Rudraveena player of Seni gharana
Tags Kacher Mandir, Glass Temple, Baranagar, 2004, 2005, Pakhawaj, Vivekananda society, Maniktala, Veena, Pakhawaj, Tanpura, Harmonium, Sarat Ghosal, Sudip Pal, Maya Vasant, Kafi, 2006
Language Bengali

Bishoke Kumar Sil speaks:

 

Translation:

                       Glass Temple

It was a unique experience I want to share. I went to perform in a glass temple in Baranagar in 2004 or 05. The pakhwaj player wanted atta (wheat flour ) to put in his instrument and they gave him some. But a little while later he did not feel the desired effect and it was quite oily, so we asked about the flour and they answered that it was dough made for luchi. So we had to remove all oil and then put the correct flour and then perform.

Another experience was that I was playing veena in Vivekananda society in Maniktala in 2004-05. It was a hurriedly assembled lot of musicians, a tanpura, harmonium and pakhawaj player was their own. Sarat Ghoshal in pakhawaj, Sudip Ghosh in tanpura and I can’t remember the harmonium player’s name. I play in G sharp scale, it was quite high but the other instruments collided and kept a lower scale. I played raga Maya Vasant and recorded it on my own player. I came home and replayed it and I heard Raga Kafi was being played. I did not play that raga. I know it but I did not play it. So, I heard quite keenly and still it was raga kafi. Because of the scale difference the other instruments became prevalent and I played with their scale and I played raga Kafi.

Translated by: Arundhati Banerjee

 Picture courtesy: Google

https://cityseeker.com/kolkata/402173-kancher-mandir

 

Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Kolkata, 1921-1947, Accompaniment, #Press Reports

Harmonium Ban on All India Radio – News 02 March, 1940

Amrita Bazar Patrika reports

A Report on the ban on the usage of  Harmonium by all A.I.R studios. Stalwarts like Sir Raza Ali, Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, Dr Zakir Husain, K.V.Krisnaswami Aiyar and L. Muthla expressed their logical views against the usage of harmonium as the accompanying instruments.

“Amrita Bazar Patrika [Daily]. Vol: 72; Issue:61 (02 March 1940).” Accessed October 20, 2016. http://eap.bl.uk/database/large_image.a4d?digrec=4262810;catid=226630;r=16827.

amritabazarp-2march1940-harmoinumban-air

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identified by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee, Project Fellow.

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
North, Teaching-Learning, 1921-1947

Pt. Manilal Nag talking on the Teaching Style of Pt. Gokul Nag

Told by Pt. Manilal Nag
Obtained by Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay & Dilip Mukherjee
Date 12 February, 2015
Place Residence of Pt. Manilal Nag, 13G Gobinda Mondal Lane, Kolkata 700002
About the speaker Manilal Nag is a renowned sitar player and an exponent of the Bishnupur Gharana of Bengal. His sitar recitals have been featured in many National Programmes of Music & Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan since 1954. He is a recipient of several prestigious awards including Sangeet Natak Akademy Award in 2001 and

Government of West Bengal’s Highest Civilian Award, Banga Bibhushan in 2015.
Tags Gokul Nag, vocal music, dhrupad, sargam, riyaz, practice, repetition, bol, sargam, right hand, left hand, reflex action, Mita Nag, 6-7 year old, beating, 1945, 1946
Language Bengali

Pt. Manilal Nag speaks

Verbatim:

– ????? ?????? ???? ????…

– ????? ??? ????? ????

                            Pt. Gokul Nag

– ?????, ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ????? –‘??? ??? ?????’? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?????, ?????, -‘? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ??’? ??? ????? ???????? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???? …???? ???? ???? (???? ????????)?

– ?? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ????????

– ?????????

-?? ?????, ?? ??????

– ?? ?? ??? ?? ?????, ?? ????? ??, ?????? ???, ????? ???, ?????? ???? ??????? ???

– ?? ??? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ? ??? ???? ??????

– ?? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ???? ???-?? ???? ????? ???-??? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ????

-??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?????????? ???? ?? ?? ??????? ???????? ?? ?? ???????? ????????? ?? ?? ????

– ?? ?? ?????? ???????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ??, ???? ?? ????

– ???? ??? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???????

– ????? ???? ???? ??????? ?????, ????? ????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????

– ?????????? ??????? ???? ??? ????????? ????? ???????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ????? ??????? ????? ????? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ??????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ??? ?????? ????????? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ????, ??? ????…? ?? ??? ?? ????? ????? ??????? ??? ????

Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

 

Translation:

Father used to teach us how to sing before he would teach us how to play the sitar. We learnt Dhrupad. Once we picked up the raaga, he showed us the sargam on the sitar and asked us to play. That is, he asked us to do riyaaz. We had to play the same thing for a long time, accompanied by bol or sargam. So, for instance, in case of sargam it could be: “g? re s?, g? re s?, g? re s?, m? g? re m? g? re m? g? re, p? m? g? p? m? g? p? m? g?, s? re s? g? re s?, re g? re m? g? re, g? p? m? g? p? m? – inverting it – s? g? re s?, re g? m? re s? g? re g?, s? g? re g?, re m? g? m?, re m? g? m?…”

– How long would you play these?

                      Pt. Manilal Nag

– For a long time.

– Two hours? One hour?

– No, not one or two hours on every occasion. Forty times, thirty times. Then we changed it again. It’s not like we played the same thing for an hour.

– Was the riyaaz different for your left hand and right hand?

– No. If the right hand moves, the left hand will move automatically.

– Okay.

– The rule is that if the right hand moves well, the left hand will follow suit. I didn’t do anything special for the left hand. If the right hand moves, so will the left.

– You know, I think it is reflex. For every person, the matter of riyaaz is different depending on the reflex.

– I wanted to find out about his.

– I think reflex is the main factor.

– How old were you when you father was training you?

– I was around six or seven years old.

– Even at that age you had a rigorous riyaaz?

– Yes. Otherwise we’d get a beating. I’ve been beaten up many times.

– Beating doesn’t aid in the process of development.

– He was kicked from the first floor and fell to the ground floor because he played football. Such stories are there. He still has a mark on his arm.

– I used to play football. There was a rajbari in Uttarpara where there was a football ground. I was addicted to sports. I played football. At that time Salil Manna’s shots were famous. I stopped that shot. My wrist was dislocated. I had to figure out what I had to do next. I couldn’t go home and say I broke my wrist playing football. If I said that then father would get angry and give me a good thrashing. So, I came up with a plan. I was already quite mischievous by then. So, I made a loud noise and screamed that I had fallen down. Otherwise, I would have received a sound thrashing!

Translated by: Sarbajaya Bhattacharya

 

Picture Courtesy: Google

http://www.mitanag.com/adver/106803foundation.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfbWk_Tipis

Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.