Kamol Das Gupta

Fond memories

It was the year after Independence. An enthusiastic nation celebrated the birth anniversary of our National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Bangladesh Television chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day. Selected artistes were chosen for a live telecast from the Engineers Institute.

Amongst the senior artistes were Kamol Das Gupta, the incomparable composer of the modern art songs of the1930s, his wife the renowned Feroza Begum, my teachers Sohrab Hossain, Shudhin Das, Nilima Das and Sheikh Luthfur Rahman from Bangladesh, while Shiddeshar Mukherjee, Krishna Chaterjee, Dr. Anjali Mukherjee, Nazrul's sons Shabhbhyasachi, Onirudhya and his wife from India were invited to sing on that day. Rowshan Ara Mustafiz, a university student and myself, then a school goer, were the only two young performers.

By afternoon my mother hastened me to get prepared for my performance. The opening piece, Prio Emon O Raat, was to be my song.

When we reached the Institute, guest artistes were already arriving. Wide eyed, I stared at all the legendary singers sitting right before me. Quickly I pulled out my song book and held it out firstly to Kamol Das Gupta for an autograph. He asked me which song I would sing that night. Little did I know that the song I had chosen was amongst Kamol Das's first Nazrul songs recorded for the HMV. He looked at me for some time and wrote, Songiter Akashey Tumi Ujjolotomo Nokhkhotro Hou, 'May you be the brightest star in the sky of music'.

That night Kamol Das Gupta sang Kuhu kuhu koyelia, a semi-. classical song based on raga Misra Khambaj and Nilambori Sari Porey based on raga Nilambari. Kamol Das's presentation was effortless and magical. The audience were totally mesmerised.

Background

Born in village Kalia of Jessore on July 28 in 1912, Kamol emerged during the golden period of Bangla art songs. Lyricists like Kazi Nazrul Islam, Hiren Basu, Hemendra Kumar Ray, Tulsi Lahiri, Pranab Ray, Himangsu Dutta, Krishna Chandra Dey, Chitta Ray, Subal Das Gupta and Pankaj Kumar Mallick during that period made immortal contribution to enrich the realm of music in Bengal. Vocalists like Kundalal Saigal, Kanan Devi, Jaganmoi Mitra, Sachin Dev Barman, Angur Bala, Indu Bala, Harimoti, Kamala Jharia, Abbas uddin, popularised Bangla art songs blended with lyricism, tune and rhythm.

Kamol Das Gupta was the most popular composer of that time. Within a very short span of only 22-23 years of age he turned into a capable successor of Ustaad Zamiruddin Khan as a trainer at HMV Recording Company. His first song Ami Sanjher Taroka ushered in a new era of modern Bangla songs and was an instant hit at HMV. From then on, Kamol began composing songs effortlessly.

Kamol Das continued as a composer for about 15 years during which he set about 7000 songs to tune. These ranged from kirtan to Mira's bhajan and modern songs, both in Hindi and Bangla. About 400 songs of Kazi Nazrul Islam including Ghazal, Naat and Shyama sangeet were composed by him. Among these acclaimed songs were Projapoti, Proojapoti, Ami Jar Nupurero Chondo, JobeyTtulsiTolai Prio, Prio Emon Raat, Ekon Modhur Sharab Diley, Adhkhana Chand and many more. Equally popular were his music compositions for the film songs in Hindi, Bangla, Tamil and English documentaries. It is believed that Kamol Das composed approximately 45 songs a month.

His evergreen songs Prithivi Amarey Chai, Ghumer Chaya, Tum Bhulaye Na Gaye and countless other songs are still recorded by artistes both upcoming and popular. At the age of 62 in the year 1974 on July 18, he passed away. To Kamol Das Gupta goes the credit for creating an eternal musical legacy.