| Told by | Samar Saha |
| Obtained by | Abishek Chatterjee |
| Date | 17 November 2014 |
| Place | Samar Saha’s residence at the ITC-SRA, 1 N.S.C. Bose Road, Kolkata 700040 |
| On Samar Saha | Eminent Tabla Player. Attached to ITC-SRA, Kolkata |
| Key-words | Rela, Krishna Kumar Ganguli [Natubabu], Hirendra Kumar Ganguli [Hirubabu], Raichand Baral, Anath Nath Bose, Shobhabazar, 1970s, riyaz, practice, attitude |
| Language | Bengali |
Samar Saha speaks
| Told by | Partha Pratim Choudhury | ||
| Obtained by | Sanjoy Bandopadhyay | ||
| Date | 04 December 2014 | ||
| Place | At teachers’ room of the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University, 56A, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700050 | ||
| About Partha Pratim Choudhury |
Guest Faculty of the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University. Pakhawaj player |
||
| Key words | 1906, Shibdas Lane, Murari Sangeet Sammelan, Shiv-Pasupati, Benaras, Dhrupad, Pakhawaj, Kolkata, Durlabh Bhattacharya, sam, phank | ||
| Language | Bengali |
Partha Pratim Choudhury speaks:
| Told by | Jon Barlow | ||
| Obtained by | Sanjoy Bandopadhyay | ||
| Date | 14 December 2014 | ||
| Place | At Kolkata residence of Jon Barlow 91/1B Bondel Road, Kolkata 700019 [Ballygunge Phari] | ||
| About Jon Barlow |
|
||
| Key words | 1934, Pramatha Nath Banerjee, Badal Khan, Inayet Khan, Hafiz Ali Khan, Bimala Prasad Chatterjee, Khadim Hussein [Rampur], Mehedi Hussein, Buniyad Khan, therapy, Allahabad Music Conference, K.L. Saigal, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Bhismadev, Vishmadev Chatterjee, opium | ||
| Language | English |
Listen to Jon Barlow
| Told by | Kareem Shahabuddin |
| Obtained by | Sutapa Chaudhury |
| Date | 17 November 2014 |
| Place | Dacca |
| About the anecdote teller | Kareem Shahabuddin of Bangladesh was an Inspector for Bangladesh ShilpaKala Academy, Teacher at Nazrul Academy and Bulbul Academy, musician |
| Key-words | 1982, winter, Rabindra Sadan, Amjad Ali Khan, Jayanta Bose, Shwal, Tabla |
| Language | Bengali |
???? ????? ???????? ???? ????????? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ????????????? ????? ??? ??? ??????? ??????????? ??? ??????????? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ??????????? ??????? ????? ??????? ????? ??? ??????? ???? ????????? ???? ???????? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ?????????? ?? ???????? ????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ????? ??? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ????? “???????? ?? ?????? ?????! ???? ???? ??? ???? ! ?? ?? ????? ????? ??? ???” ???? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ??????
???? ??? ????????? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???????? ????? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ????????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ??????? ???? ? ??????????? ???? ?? ??? ??, ???? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ????
| Told by | Jon Barlow |
| Obtained by | Sanjoy Bandopadhyay |
| Date | 14 December 2014 |
| Place | At Kolkata residence of Jon Barlow 91/1B Bondel Road, Kolkata 700019 [Ballygunge Phari] |
| About Jon Barlow | A man in pursuit of Indian Classical Music for more than fifty years. Learnt sarod, vocal music, music collector, music craftsman, photographer, artist, music theorist. |
| Tags | Calcutta, Radhika Mohan Maitra, Jon Barlow, sarod, Nikhil Banerjee, learning, 1962, 1963, Australia, Ali Akbar Khan |
| Language | English |
It’s just a personal anecdote about chance and I suppose fate. It is the recollection of my first encounter with Radhika Mohan Maitra, when I first visited Calcutta in 1971 to buy a musical instrument. I had been to Maihar in 1968-69 for a few months but found Allaudin Khan very old and frail. I was with my fellow Australian friend Alan Posselt who actually had some lessons with the old man but mostly we learned from Mr David, a Sri Lankan who was charged with the unenviable job of keeping the Allaudin Khan School there up and running and the Maihar Band in practice. It would be fair to call the learning process a bit desultory but we had a great time with visiting with Khansaheb and watching the Maharaja with a pop-gun chasing langurs off the tin sheets that he had covered decaying branches of his palace with. Shortly after this time I was living in London where I made a quite respectable sarod from an Elm wood log that a friend of my father had given me, it was half invented half reconstructed from a few instruments I had seen and though eccentric it was a fair stab in the dark. Studying sarod was important to me but I had no clear idea or instinct about what to do next. All I knew was that I wanted to get a good instrument as the one that I had bought in Delhi was miserable and the first instrument I had made was bizarre. Everyone said you have to go to Calcutta and ask Hemen to make a good instrument, so finally I resolved to do just that. In Australia before leaving I got to know a chap by the name of John Bucklow who had befriended Radhubabu when the latter went to
Australia as the leader of an Indian cultural mission sent by the Government of India in, I think, 1962 or 63. Radhubabu had made quite an impression among jazz aficionados. This just a year or two before Ravishankar and Ali Akbar explored the southern route. Anyway, John Bucklow had given me a bottle of Scotch whisky to present to Radhubabu. I did not know where to stay and went to Grand Hotel. I stayed there for one day. It was of course very expensive for me but I wanted to deliver the gift so first thing the next day, without checking out, I went to Radhubabu at his house in Kali Bari Lane at Jadavpur, to give him his bottle of whisky. He was delighted and asked ‘where do you stay’ and ‘what are you doing’, and told that I was looking for a sarod. ‘Oh, yes.’ and probably told me the names of some karekars. I knew that he was a sarod player but it did not register as an opportunity because I was so obsessed with Ali Akbar Khan that, strange as it may sound, I did not think asking for his advice. He said ‘Mr. Barlow if you want to spend a week or two in Calcutta finding what you need , I have a spare flat and you are very welcome to stay there.’. It was opposite his house on the ground floor and was a nice simple roomy apartment. So he gave me a place to stay and he treated me fantastically well but never suggested that I should learn with him. Radhubabu was a superb cook and was very kind and courteous. He treated me to wonderful food and taught me to eat Ilish [Hilsa] without choking on the bones. I had previously met Nikhil Banerjee in Sydney at the house of Nadine Amadeo who was a great enthusiast for Indian Music and belonged to one of Australia’s prominent musical families. So having settled momentarily in Radhubabu’s flat I went to meet Nikhilda who lived not far away in Jodhpur Park, which in those days was very open with just a few apartment buildings and houses standing in the fields. I told him that I wanted to learn the sarode but didn’t know what to do and that Maihar was certainly not the best place any longer. He asked me where I was staying. I said that I was staying with Radhika Mohan Maitra and explained how it had happened. He started laughing and said that ‘you are laying on the lap of sarod!’ and so with Nikhil Banerjee’s hearty recommendation I requested Radhubabu to teach me started learning with him.
| Told by | Goutam Ghosh |
| Obtained by | Sanjoy Bandopadhyay |
| Date | 17 December 2014 |
| Place | Sangeet Bhavan, B.T. Road Campus, Rabindra Bharati University, 56A, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700050 |
| On Goutam Ghosh | Faculty member of the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University, Sarod player [disciple of Ustd. Dhyanesh Khan], Music Director, Music Critic, Composer |
| Key-words | Wajid Ali Shah, Oudh, Ayoddha, thumri, biriyani, instrumental music, chamber music, tabla, Khidirpur, Metia Buruj |
??? ?? ?????? ???, ??? ??????? ?????? ????? ???????? ????? ??? ?????, ??? ????? ?????? ???????? ????, ?? ?????? ????????, ?????? ?????? ??? ???????? ??????? ??????. ????????? ?????? ??? ????? ???????, ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ?????-?????? ????. ??? ???, ???? ???? ???, ??? ????????? ???????? ????????? ?????????, ??? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ?????? ???. ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ??? ???. ?????? ??? ???? ????
?????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ???? ????????? ??? ?? ???????. ?????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?????????, ???? ????? ???? ???? ???????? ????????? ????. ??? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ??, ???? ?????? ???????? ?????, ?????????? ????????, ???????? ??? ???????????. ? ???????? ???? ????? ?? ???????? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ????. ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ????-???? ????? ?????. ????-???? ????? ????? ? ???? ?? ?????-???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ?? ????? ??????? ????? ???? ??????? ???? ??????? ???? ?????. ????? ??? ?????? ??? ???-???, ???-???? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ?????????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ?????????? ??? ??. ? ???????? ???? ???????? ???, ??????? ????????. ????? ??? ??????????? ???? ??? ????????? ??????????? ?????, ????? ???????? ?? ????-????? ????? ????? ??? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ??????. ?? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ?????, “????, ??????? ? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ??????, ?????? ???? ???? ???????????? ???? ??. ?? ????? ??, ?? ????? ????? ??????? ???. ??? ?? ??????? ???. ??? ??? ??????? ???? ????.. ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??????, ??? ???????? ??? ????. ??? ????????? ??? ???????, “?? ??? ??? ??????? ????…” ???? ??????? ?????. ???? ?? ??????? ????? ???????? ???????? ???? ???? ???–???? ?? ??????-??-????? ???. “?? ??? ??? ??????? ????…” ???????? ???????????? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ???????????? ???? ????? ????? ???????. ??? ???? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ????????. ???? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ????, ???? ????? ?? ?????????? ?????, ???? ? ???????? ?? ????? ?? ??????, ?? ????????
????? ??? ????? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????. ?????-????? ????? ???? ???, ???? ???? ???, ?? ???????? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??????. ???????? ?????? ??? ???????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ????. ???????? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???????? ?? ??? ??? ?????. ??? ???-???? ???????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????. ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ???????.
????????? ???????? ???? ????? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?????????. ??? ????? ????? ?????, ???, ????? ??? ???????? ??? ??, ???????? ???, ??? ????? ????? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ?????. ?????? ???????? ????? ???? ????????????? ???, ??? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??? ???????????? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ?????.
?? ????? ??? ?? ? ????????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ??????? ????? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ???????? ? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ??. ?????? ??? ?????? ????????? ???? ??? ????? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?? ???????? ?????, ??? ?????, “??? ?????? ????”. ?? ???????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??. ??? ?????? ???????? ????? ????, ?????? ????????? ????? ???? ????? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???????? ???? ???? ????????, ??? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ????. ??? ??????? ??? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????? ???????? ??, ??????? ??? ??????? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ???????- ?????? ??, ?? ??? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ??. ???? ????????? ?? ?? ????-????? ?????? ??? ??? ???-?????? ????? ???? ??. ??? ????? ??????? ???? ????-???? ????? ????. ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ???? ?????? ????.
| Told by | Biswajit Bhattacharjee |
| Obtained by | Sanjoy Bandopadhyay |
| Date | 11 December 2014 |
| Place | Sangeet Bhavan, B.T. Road Campus, Rabindra Bharati University, 56A, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700050 |
| On Biswajit Bhattacharjee | Faculty member of the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University, Tabla player of Lucknow gharana. |
| Key-words | 1970s, Tapan Theatre, South Kolkata, Music Conference, Tarapada Chakraborty, Manas Chakraborty, Anil Bhattacharjee, Lucknow Gharana, effect of music, Shiva, Stotra, tears, vocal |
???? ???? ???? ???. ??? ??????? ??? ???. ?????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ??? ??????? ??. ????? ???? ?????? ????????? ??????. ??????????? ????? ??? ??? ??????. ??? ??? ??? ??? ?? ????? ??????-??????, ???????????? ?????? ????????? ??? ?????????. ??? ?????? ???? [???? ?????????], ?????? ?????? ???, ??????? ???? ? ????? ???????? ???? ?????. ???? ???? ?????? ???? ??????????? ????? ?????. ????? ????? ???????? ?????. ?? ???… ????… ????? ??? ????????????? ??… ???? ??? ??? ???? ????. ???? ????????????? ?? ??? ????????. ?? ?? ??? ?????? ??????? ?????, ???? ????? ?????? ? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ????? ??????, ????? ??????? ???? ???, ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ??????; ??????.. ??? ????? ?? ????? ???, ????????? ?????? ????? ????????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ????… ?? ??????-?????? ???? ??????? ?? ??-??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??????, ????? ???? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??????? ????. ???? ?????? ??????, ???? ??? ?????, ???? ??? ?????? ???? ????. ??? ???? ???? ??? ????????? ???? ???????. ????? ?? ?-?? ???????? ????? ????? ???????; ??? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????????, ?? ??????? ???? ? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ???????. ?????? ?????? ???? ??, ????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?????!? ??? ????? ??? ?’?! ??? ??? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ?????, ??????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ?????. ? ???? ??????? ????. ??? ?? ??? ??? ????, ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?????! ? ???? ??????? ?? ?? ????????? ??? ??????? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ?????????.
Paraphrased in English
Told by: Biswajit Bhattacharya
Around 1970, a musically remarkable incident happened in southern part of Kolkata. A musical concert was arranged in Tapan Theatre. It was in Bhawanipur area near Sadananda Road, Kalighat. It was a wonderful evening, and that evening gave the listeners a memorable music listening experience; the reminiscences of the melody are still echoing in the air. Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty along with his son Pandit Manas Chakraborty was rendering khyal. Pandit Manas Chakraborty was accompanying his father with tanpura and also providing vocal support. Pandit Anil Bhattacharya was on the Tabla in a very supportive mood. He was following Sangeetacharya very closely. Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty was completely engrossed in his music. After some time he started Shiva Stotra. He had such a unique and beautiful voice! As he continued with the beautiful melody, his son stopped his vocal rendering and kept aside his tanpura. Pt. Bhattacharya on tabla was spellbound. Sangeetacharya Tarapadaji was so absorbed in his creation that water started flowing through his eyes. There was deep silence all around. The audiences got memerised as they began to feel the ultimate connection with the cosmic energy. They were so captivated in the melody that they also could not restrain their emotions. Instead of the sound of clapping there were weeping and hiccups all over.
This is one of the mesmerizing incidents, which still a music lover love to cherish.
Notes:
Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty: Born on 1st April 1909 in Kotalipara, Faridpur, Bangladesh. He died on 1st September 1995. He was felicitated Sangeet Natak Akademy Fellowship from Sangeet Natak Academy in 1972. He was also conferred State Academy award from Rabindra Bharati University in 1972.
Pandit Manas Chakraborty: Born on 9th September 1942 in Kolkata. He died on 12th Deccember 2012. He was the son and disciple of Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty. He was the torchbearer of Kotali Gharana.
Award list of Pt. Manas Chakraborty:
Pandit Anil Bhattacharya: Renowned Tabla player of Lucknow gharana of Tabla playing. He was the disciple of Wajid Hussain Khan and Chhottan Khalifa of Lucknow Gharana.
Kotali Gharana: Pandit Tarapada chakraborty was the prime architect of Kotali Gharna.
Paraphrasing and notes by Dr. Suranjita Paul, Research Fellow
Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.