Bangla Kheyal

Azad Rahman (R) and co-artiste presents Bangla Kheyal

The chief guest of the programme was the Acting Secretary of Cultural Ministry, Md Abu Solaiman Chowdhury. The chairperson of the show was Wakil Ahmed of Bangla Academy.

Amir Khusro of the late 13th century was the propagator of Kheyal. This style was very popular with its regal lyrical beauty as it unfolded the various moods in different rhythms.

This sophisticated style of classical music is practiced mostly in Hindi and partially in Urdu. So far, the venerable artistes had been practicing Kheyal in those languages.

Azad Rahman felt the incompleteness of singing the verses in Hindi rather than in Bangla, which is widely spoken. With tremendous devotion, patience and endeavour, the noted composer and artiste gave a new life to that incompleteness by setting the words in Bangla. This is a new example set by him.

By maintaining all the specialties of classical music, correctness of the ragas, the depth of music, clarity in pronouncing lyrics and the style of singing classical music, he established the originality of Bangla Kheyal. This will be a valuable addition to our culture for the promotion of classical music.

Azad Rahman is well known as a composer in the country. He is equally adept in Tappa, Kheyal, modern songs, and orchestra composition. He has made a noteworthy impact in the western world by adapting and translating the classical music of the subcontinent and composing Raga On Piano, a composition on piano.

The singers at the programme were Dr Ashit Ray, Ustad Yasin Khan, Dr Harun ur Rashid, Karim Sahabuddin, Shamima Parvin and others. Dinbandhu Paul and Semson Sarkar played the Pakhwaz and Tabla respectively.