Bangla Ganasangeet
Comrade Gurudas Pal was born inthe month of January, 1913 at Badartala area of Metuaburuz in the outskirts ofKolkata. His father Late Monohar Pal used to work in Clive Jute Mill and was a‘TARJA’ singer as well. Mother Kusumkumari Debi had a great influence on Gurudaswho was the third son among the four sons and three daughters of Monohar &Kusumkumari. Mother Kusumkumari was a leader of the local Mahila Samity (Women’sOrganisation). Kusumkumari, before joining the Communist Party of India,actively participated in the anti-British movement. During the period 1948-51when Communist Party of India was banned, many secret meetings were held intheir house. Many leaders and workers of the party used to take shelter there,too.
Gurudas could read only upto the secondary level. He read in the local Kailash Free Primary School and then a for fewyears in the High Schoolof Metiaburuz.
His‘TARJA’ singer father and political actvitist mother both had great influenceon Gurudas. Gurudas used to run a small tea, biri, betel shop near Akra Fatakat Metiaburuz for his living.
He did not marry. Poverty was his life-longcompanion. Still when Salil Chowdhury invited him to Mumbai, he refused becausehe did not want to leave his native place.
As a performer Gurudas was unparallelwith his own unique style of singing. In the year 1951 in the film “ BARJAATRI”Gurudas sang the song ‘ Punti Maachh Da angaay Uthe Fut Kaate’ in his own voice.He was a member of the Communist Party of India since 1939. In all probabilityGurudas was arrested twice when the Communist Party of India was banned. He wasamong the 125 wounded when the Congress Police fired upon a processiondemanding unconditional release of the political prisoners in December, 1949.Gurudas breathed his last in Beleghata I D Hospital on after a severe attack of Meningitis in his shop at Akra Fatak.
Songs of Consciousness and AwakeningAs you can see, most of these songs were composedduring the '40s and '50s. I definitely believe that this was the most important period in Salil'slife.As a young man, just after school, he started writing songs and according to his childhood friends who later joined IPTA with him, his main musical influence were Rabindranath Tagore, Pankaj Mullick, Jyotirindra Moitra (who wrote the 23-song epic 'Nabajeebaner Gaan') etc. However, quite quickly Salil found his own niche and with his increasingly developing political ideas and his brilliant writing and composing skills he started composing songs which till today are considered landmarks in modern Bengali music. These songs were his political and social statements. Musically and lyricallyunparalelled.
To know and understand Salil one must know these songs. A completecollection of these songs is very difficult to obtain. In fact, I still discoversongs composed by Salil, never recorded but they are known to the handful of IPTAmembers still around.Recently a wonderful book called 'Ganasangeet Sangraha' waspublished compiled by Subrata Rudra. This book has managed to print most of thesesongs uncensored. Some of the lyrics of Salil's songs were so fiery that theywere censored before they were performed or recorded. Good examples are 'Naakerbodoley noruun peluum' and 'Hei saamaalo dhann ho'.
The most recent (2005) publication of well-researched 'Sei Baansiwaalaah' by Gononatya Prokashon has now published quite a few of Salil's mass songs along with his writings. A must have book for all Salil lovers.Nr. YearMS1One of the earliest compositions for IPTA.
Basically a rural folk song in twoparts expressing the joy of sowing and harvesting by Bengali peasants.A wonderfulHindi version of this song 'Hariyaalisawaa.n dhol bajaata aaya' appears in that famous film '.1944/45MS2Composed for IPTA. Salil was experimenting with vocal-harmony and singing in parts.This song says that if there's a dreamland anywhere, it's here in our motherlandand it has to be created by sacrifice and hardwork.
Recorded first time in the US in 1982. A much better (unavailable) home recording was made later in Kolkata by Salil with Sabita,Antara and Sanchari.1945/46MS3After the second World War there was a worldwide youth movment for peace.This song was composed to celebrate that. A call to the youth to unite for peace. This version was recorded in the '80s with Salil's commentary.1946?MS4Composed on 29th July 1946, the day when Indian people rose to support the NavalMutiny.This song is an amazing composition.
Considering the fact that it was 1946 oneis astonished to find the maturity in Salil's musical capabilities. The harmonyin this song was never before or since heard. A gem in Bengali music.1946MS5This song was composed during the '40s when the freedom fighters were imprisonedin the Andaman Islands. Very revolutionary. Inviting the masses to break the prisonwalls down.This song was never recorded. Salilda dot com has rerecorded this song with the current IPTA singers.194?MS6Every farmer has a right to the produce of the land he harvests.
A song of protestagainst the profit motivated landlords who exploited the farmers. Later recordedby Salil in the 80's in an excellent album called 'Ghoom Bhangaar Gaan'.
A musthave album for all.Another not so nice version is in the film 'Haraaner Natjamaai'1946?MS7This song was composed before the independence and during an all out students strike in Calcutta. It refers to the two well-known martyrs Rameshwar and Kadam Rasul who were killed by the police in Dharmatala in 1948.
In fact the reference to these two martyrs and Dharmatala appears in a couple of more songs of Salil. No recording of this song was ever made.It took us many years before we could find the melody of this song. The lyrics were published before. Salilda dot com has rerecorded this song with the current IPTA singers.1948MS8Calling people to get united and break down this prison door. A prison made upof lies and false hopes. No one can stop the force of truth.
Composed during thestrike called by the freedom fighters imprisoned in the Andaman Islands in the'40s. No recording was ever made of this song.
Salilda dot com has rerecorded this song with the current IPTA singers.194?MS9Composed during the independence movement. A hard look at the unfair British justicesystem.
American horror s02e06. It's asking the british judge 'who will judge you, your honour?' Thissong is based on the Bengali 'kirtan' style. In one hand it can be sung as a typical'kirtan' with a traditional 'khole' and on the other hand it can be sung withbeautiful vocal arrangement and harmony which Salil has done. One of the mostimportant compositions in Bengali music.1947MS10Possibly the first record released of Salil singing with his comrade Geeta Mukherjee. Listening to the lyrics it appears that this song and the song below must have been composed much earlier - I mean before the independence, possibly early '40s. Both the songs are about freedom and the struggle of the freedom fighters and the future.1948MS11Another beautiful song sung by Salil and Geeta Mukherjee.
A salutation to the motherland and a call to everybody to celebrate the glorious motherland. As a composition its quite unique. First time recorded in 1948.1948MS12Composed during the 'tebhaaga aandolon' (tripartate movement), when the farmersdemanded that 3-part of of the produce should be theirs and 1-part to the landowner. This version with Salil's own commentary. Salil used this song is several films.
One of them is.1948MS13A forceful song refusing to accept the unfair social justice, abject poverty,black marketeers and corrupt politicians. The song demands a better society andthe right of freedom. Its a wonderful recording. The version on this page is a re-recording in the '80s with Salil's commentary.1948MS14One of the earliest compositions of Salil. It's in one way a prayer and in another way a promise.
Reminding people to resistexploitation of the oppressed by the oppressor. In 1963 on 78rpm. Later it was re-released on a 45rpm record.
The current version which you can hear on this page is another and more modern re-recording by Salil in the '80s.1948MS15There were numerous casualties in the bloody riots during the strikesand movements in '48-'49. These were the Free-the-political-prisonersmovement, Food riots, right-of-land-ownership for the farmers movementetc.
Ganasangeet List
Salil wrote this song the day his close friend the great poetSukanto Bhattyacharya died of tuberculosis, but its also in the honourand remembrance of those who died during this period. First recordedby Sunil Mukherjee of IPTA in 1948 and released by Megaphone. Thisrecord was long unobtainable. I was very fortunate to find this rare song. Later this song was re-recorded by Sabita Chowdhuryin 1982 and also by HaimantiShukla in the film 'Haraaner Naatjamaai'1948MS16This song was composed after the independence. The lyrics are verybitter and full of sarcasm.
Telling the masses if they are not prepared to starveto death then they should be ministers or a black marketeers. No room for an honestperson.
This song was never recorded by Salilda. Salilda dot com has rerecorded this song with the current IPTA singers.1948/49MS17Calling all countrymen to fight the men in power who are trying to divide and rulethe nation.
Fight against discrimination and racism. This song was based on the'Bihu' folk style from Assam.One of the few IPTA songs recorded in the '40s. It was and with his commentary.1949MS18An IPTA song singing about the power of the masses. It was first recorded by the IPTA singers in 1949. One of the very few IPTA songs which were recorded in fact.Hemanta Mukherjee recorded this song once again in 1981.Sadly one can hear his voice is not what it used to be.1949MS19One of the most well-known mass songs of Salil.
After the independence a reminder to the nation to wake up and not slumber intoa lazy existence. Later at least two more versions were recorded with different vocal arrangements but. The version played on this page is from the album 'Ghoombhangaar Gaan' with Salil's commentary.
There's also an excellent Hindi version arranged for Doordarshan.1949MS20Composed after the Bengal famine. Relates to Rabindranath Tagore's 'Krisnokoliaami tarey boli', the song about that dark doe-eyed girl. Salil's'Sei Meye' continues the plight of that dark girl who lived through the famine.Sung by Bengal's most famous Rabindra Sangeet singer Suchitra Mitra. Oneof the most memorable songs in Bengali. There is also a wonderful and rare version of this memorable song.1950MS21A song of boatmen, rowing through a stormy river and symbolises the struggle ofIndian people. Begining of this song was taken from a well known '50s song '.' 50sMS22A celebretory song for the motherland, performed originally by Suchitra Mitra (memberof IPTA) and later.
Salil's very effective use of 'glory glory hallelujah' from in the interlude gives this song a very different dimension. There is also a wonderful Malayalam version of this song in the film 'Thomasleeha' sung by Yesudas. Suchitra Mitra, the renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent also recorded a for an unreleased stage play.1951MS23After the second World War several nations were building a socially democraticsociety when others were trying to divide us. A warning to this threat and a callto unite. The lead voices were Salil himself and Suchitra Mitra.
This was one of the very few IPTA songs which wes recorded. An excellent Hindi choral version of this song was performed for Doordarshan in the early '90s.1951MS24Salil used this song first in the Bengali film 'Rikshawaala' (1953).As far as I know no record was ever released. However, this song, a celebration of the new harvest was frequently performed by the IPTA singers. The lyrics of this songis in the Salil Chowdhury song book and it's Bengali notation (very bad!) isalso available in the book published by Suhas Chowdhury.
I have been looking forthis song for years without any luck until recently (Feb 2002) when I met oneof the IPTA veterans - Montu Ghosh who sang it for me and I taped it. Just atthe same time I found out that Salil also did a wonderful hindi version of thissong 'naach re dharti ke pyaare' (sung by Lata,Hemant and chorus) in the film 'Heera Moti'. The MD was Roshanexcept for this song.
This was confirmed by none other than Lata in an interview withDada Saheb Phalke in 1990. Later Salil also mentioned this in a radio interview.1953MS25Brilliant song and brilliant lyrics.Sanat Banerjee recorded this song sometimes in the early'50s on Megaphone label. That is a long unobtainable 78 rpm! The other side has 'Nowjawan, Nowjawan'.195?MS26Another rather dated but very important song calling the youth of the world tounite. A call for unity and harmony. Sanat Banerjee recoreded this song sometimesin the early '50s.195?MS27Another highly political and rather sarcastic song. Very anti-British but at thesametime very critical of the people who became the rulers after the British left.Thelyric of this song was heavily censored when it was recorded by Sanat Chatterjee(along with 'E je andhakarey bosey (MS23)'.
Much later IPTA's Montu Ghoshsang this song for AIR,Calcutta.195?MS28One of the most forceful and passionate songs composed during the IPTA days, most probably in the '50s. Debabrata Biswas recorded it first in 1963 and its a wonderful recording.It was re-released later on a 45rpm record.Very spirited song with powerful lyrics.195?MS29Another well-known song composed during the IPTA days. A call for unity and a call to stand against oppression. This song was composedin the beginning of the '50s during the West Bengal-wide teachers strike whichwent through the whole night in front of the 'Raj-Bhawan', the prime ministersresidence. Wonderful composition.
First recorded in 1954 by Hemanta Mukherjee. Another quite and in the late '80s a wonderful Hindi choral versionwas performed for Doordarshan1954MS30Composed for Bombay Youth Choir. A song of hope, better days to come, for peaceand prosperity.
A hindi versionwith fairly modified melody appeared in the film 'Netaji Subhaas Chandra Bose'.1959/60MS31Composed for the AIR, Calcutta on the completion of 25 years of Indian independencefrom British rule. A tribute to the unity in the midst of diversity of the peopleof our country, India.A beautiful version of this song by Antara is in the film1972MS32The original song in Hindi 'Tu zinda hai to zindagi ki' was composed for Bombay Youth Choirback in 1957 and the lyrics were most probably by Shailendra. Salil wrote theBengali lyrics in 1982 in the US when he was recording the album 'Uttaran' there.Salil also used this song in the Hindi Film 'Memdidi' ('bhula do zindagi ke gam'- Lyric: Sailendra).1957/82MS33I don't really know exectly when this song was composed. Calcutta Youth Choirsang it regularly at concerts and they even have a record with this song. Unusualand powerful composition about the better days to come.Recently I heard another much better version performed by ICA (Indian Choir Academy) conducted by Arun Basu, a longtime Salil admirer and a choirmaster.
Basu claims that ICA sings the original version.196?MS34Composed just before the election when Indian Congress Party led by Indira Gandhi was trying to get re-elected after the draconian 'emergency' rulings. Right to live free,right of education,right of freedom, right to say the truth.Who didn't have to fight for these basic rights? Don't expect these rights tobe given to you for free. You have to fight for them. Brilliant song and brilliantcomposition. Quite unusual chord progression and rather difficult to sing, but Subir Sen did a goodjob in 1981.
The Hindi choral version presented in Doordarshan wasn't so great.Thelyrics sounded terrible. However, the Bengali choral version by Calcutta Choir,arranged by Salil was brilliant.Recently (January 2005) we discovered a completely new version of this song sung by none other than Salil with chorus! The melody is different but very powerful. Sadly this version was never recorded.1982MS35In a rare and excellent album called 'Ektu chup kore shono' (Just be quiet and listen) Salil composed some memorable songs. This song is urging people to listen, look and think about the desparate poverty, suffering and hunger in this world.
It reminds you about the nations who toture and exploit their own people. It asks why in this beautiful earth so many people should suffer only because a small minority has the power to control everything.1982MS36Another excellent song in the same album. This song is a warning to everybody that we really have to go much further. A call to lift your anchor from the port, set the sails and sail forward to the land where there's no poverty, no sufferings and no war. It then reminds you that that world in inside all of us - we need to re-discover that world and leave the sufferings behind. A really interesting composition and you can hear Salil singing with Sabita and Antara.1982MS37This song is a call to every Indian to rise above regionalism and be proud to be an Indian. It reassures us that no matter which part of India we are from we are all united as one.
Bangla Ganasangeet English
In a way this song reminds me of Salil's earlier composition 'aamaader naanaan mate naanaan dale dalaadali' (Shantir Gaan) from 1951.1982MS38This was the only song Salil composed during his stay in US during 1982. Thissong is an invocation to the spirit of Indian people to leave behind the sterilevalues of life and go forward to create a new land of promise thru unity and struggle.This song was recorded for the first time in the US and is included in the album 'Uttaran' released in the US in 1982. Later Salil got Saikat Mitra to recorda solo version in 1990. Don't ask me why.Excellent Hindi Choral version performed for Doordarshan ,lyrics by Yogesh.There's even a Malayalam version. Check.1982MS39An anti-war song asking the age-old question.
Why there are so many wars, why Hiroshima, why Nagasaki? Who benefitted from the millions who died? Why people can't live without violence? Why some nations start wars? Very relevant question but is there an answer?1982MS40This song was composed on September 1,1982 during the peace-march in Calcuttawhen Salil along with hundreds of others walked shoulder to shoulder and sangthis song. He used this song in one film called 'and Shibaji Chattyopadhaay sang beautifully.
There's also an excellent Hindi choralversion performed in Doordarshan in the '80s, conducted by Salil (lyrics: Yogesh).1982MS41A beautiful classically based song in 7/8 rhythm.Recorded first time by CalcuttaChoir with fascinating harmony arranged by Salil. An optimistic song. Lookingfor the day when this country will be rich, green and happy again.
An excellenthindi choral version was performed for Doordarshan ) and a rather disappointing Bengali soloversion by Haimanti Shukla.1985/90MS42This was definitely the last mass song composed by Salil in the early nineties. This song was composed during the racial violence which spread throughout India just after the burning of the Ayodha Mosque by the hindu fundamentalis.Till the end he dreamt of an united India without racial and religious intolerance. His urgent plea to everybody is not to forget the glorious history of India and not to allow the spread of hatred and a divided India.
A powerful song with classic Salil style. It was recorded for Doordarshan (TV) by Dwijen Mukherjee with the Calcutta Choir backing him up but sadly the recording is not available. I managed to get Calcutta Choir sing this song for me on a stage. Of course the magic touch of Salil's arrangement is missing and the recording is not brilliant but you can at least hear the melody and the lyrics.1993MS43A beautiful song composed to welcome the Bengali New Year. Salil composed it for the Doordarshan (TV) and it has never been released.
I had to beg Doordarshan for three years to get the song. It welcomes the new year and hopes that new blood will carry foward our values and our hopes. It is a wonderful song for Bengalees all over the world to sing during the New Year (Nabobarsa). Performed beautifully by Salil, Sabita and Antara.1990/91.