A voice with passion and perfection

Rezwana Chowdhury Banya

Rummana and I both recalled Banya as a quiet, simple and modest girl with two plaits firmly set in place, hardly venturing out of her own world. Today Banya , despite her success, remains unchanged. This is a major achievement and her compatriots look upon her with great pride.

On January 21, I had the privilege of witnessing Banya's performance in Mumbai, India. The show was organised by a Tagore- based organisation, titled Sadhona who marked their 30th year with renderings from Tagore. The programme began with Rezwana's song, Anondodhara bohiche bhubone. It was a unique rendering and when she presented songs in succession, each song was like a complete offering to Tagore. She had learnt the last song from her guru, Konika Bondhyopadhyay. Clearly her relationship with Mohordi, as she called her, was marked by a close friendship and exemplified the traditional guru-shishya practice. This song, Banya says, is set to Teora taal in the notation, yet Konika had taught her without any taal and maintained that it was better without one. This song was the very famous song of the rainy season, Emon dine tare bola jay. The rendering was one of the best that I have ever heard.

Banya has opened new vistas by recording with recitations by veteran actor Shoumitro in one of her CDs. She also recorded the songs of Ponchokobi (Tagore, Nazrul, Atul Prasad, Rajnikant and DL Roy). She has been working towards attaining mastery in Atul Prasad songs. Her most recent tribute to Konika, jointly presented with recitor Brototi Bondhopadhay, is another landmark in her life. The recordings narrate the life and work of Konika and Banya punctuates it with her songs. One of the songs from Kalmrigoya, Jao re onontodhame is sung with so much passion and perfection that I felt that even this song alone could be a good example of Banya's achievements.

She has imbibed Tagore's philosophies in her life and it was as if she was able to internalise these thoughts while singing. This was exactly her message in the popular chat show Aloy bhubon bhora on channel I.

Rezwana's family wanted her to study economics. She in turn had no inkling that she would be a singer, nor that Tagore songs were going to be her forte. Shantiniketan, the heaven, in her own words showed her the way and enabled Rezwana to hold the lamp so that others could follow her. She has her own school `Surer dhara' where the students learn not only the Tagore songs but also develop an ear for music and aesthetics.

Despite Rezwana's success, her mission is not over. In the footsteps of Konika, she wants to involve herself with a grassroots organisation titled Elmhurst Foundation. In the make up room of S channel in London, she confides to me, 'Nashid, my songs have only reached those with CD/cassette players. I want to do something for those who have none, the teeming millions must be benefited through my songs.'

I could see that the humble Banya is not only a singer or a Tagore exponent, she is much more, and many more times than my pen can express.

By Dr Nashid Kamal -- an eminent artiste and academician.