Manna Dey A desolate departure

Death is mankind’s destiny. Manna Dey had a long journey- 94 years. But it was a desolate departure; away from home, unheralded and a forsaken funeral. He shifted to Bangalore (now Bengaluru) two decades back and his wife Sulochona died in 2012. His elder daughter Suroma, an expatriate living in America, is suffering from cancer. He was critically ill during the last five months. The matter was confounded by allegations of defalcation of Rs12 lakhs in cash and jewellery worth Rs 15 lakh rupees by his nephew. It created resentment in the family when there was no action from the West Bengal government even when its help was solicited. So the irate younger daughter Sumita would not have anything to do with a grand funeral in Kolkata.
And Manna Dey went unsung with a handful of mourners present. The funeral procession to Hebbal crematorium was lamentable. His dead body was placed on the hay covered hold of a tempo carrier with a white shroud overhead.  ‘Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, / As his corse to the rampart we hurried; Not a soldier discharged his funeral shot…’ It was a deeply touching scene to the lovers of his songs, nay, all Bengali songs.
He was an artiste of indomitable qualities, a singer who carried his own unique mark. His singing style was his own, the intonation set him apart as an inimitable singer endowed with a natural gift; his articulation was impeccable, be it in Bengali or Hindi. Many Hindi songs for a number of actors have created memorable visual impressions. Calm and composed Balraj Sahni had a mystic appeal on his face in the film “Seema” with Manna Dey singing “Tu pyar ka sagar hai teri ek bund ke pyase hum”.  The same Balraj Sahni in the film “Kabuliwala” had Manna Dey singing “Ay mere pyare watan” that sounded like recital of verses from a holy scripture.
Ashok Kumar was in the lead role in the movie “Teri Surat Meri Aankhen”. Manna Dey sang that gem of a classical song “Pooncho na kaise maine rain bitae ek pal jaise ek jug bita”. For the movie “Anand” Manna Dey sang for Rajesh Khanna “Zindagi kaisi hai paheli haye”. For the blockbuster hit movie “Sholay” Manna Dey sang “Ye dosti hum nahin torenge” with Kishore Kumar. Raj Kapoor’s dependence on Mukesh was broken when Manna Dey sang “Yet Raat Bheegi Bheegi” for the film “Chori Chori”. “Pyar Hua Iqraar Hua”, a duet with Lata Mangeshkar, was no less popular.
Manna Dey was Bengal’s very own son. The genres in the variety of his Bengali songs are amazing! Human emotion with all its diversity finds harmony in the mastery he displays in articulating it. Love in Manna Dey’s songs explores many thoughts-”Kotodin dekhini tomae” pines over a beloved lost. This kind of song softly settles on the pain of loss and heals the wound that won’t go away. Manna Dey’s songs dwell on everyday pain and pleasure that make life a wonder. The quest of happiness is a co-traveller of rigours of living. When Manna Dey sings “Sobai to sukhi hote chaye keu hoi keu hoi na” the heart tries to come to terms with it. Yet the pursuit goes on. The cardinal fact about Manna Dey’s songs is that he kept on experimenting with the Bengali ethos, thoughts and fulfillment in relationships and in exploring the nuances of life. His melancholia – when his tune casts a spell “Ami aaj akasher moto ekela” or his deeply modulated anguish, “Ami sara raat shudhu jege bhebechi”, or “Ami phool na hoye kanta hoyei besch chhilam” or “Deep chhilo shikha chhilo” or the earnest pleading of a lover “Abar hobe to dekha e dekhai shesh dekha noy to”.
His self-introspection “Majh raate ghum bhenge jai” is deeply felt. He defines love in terms of sacrifice and the depth of commitment singing “K phota chokher jol phelecho je tumi bhalobashbe”. Manna Dey’s songs have a whole range of pictorial elements. When Manna Dey sings of courtship in love he endows it such romantic flair that listeners find enchanting – such as “Sundari go dohai dohai maan koro na”, “mishti ekta gondho royeche gharta jure”, “O keno eto sundari holo” and many more. His Radha-Krishna love lore style evergreen song “O sokhi onno ghate cholna o Lolita”. His love-lorn lover’s wistful longing “Khub jante ichche kore”. Some other songs of the same genre are “Jani tomar premer joggo ami to noi” and “Ami niralae bosey bhedhechi amar shorono bin”.  Perhaps “O amar mon jomunar ongey ongey bhab toronge” is an offering to love of the highest order. “Ami Sri Sri Bhojohori Manna” and “Na na na aaj raate aar jatra shunte jabo na” a are happy go lucky ringleader’s rambunctious song.
Where one can righteously end while dwelling on Manna Dey’s Bengali songs? It will be proper to leave the matter to the listener; as Mohammad Rafi said, “When you listen to my songs I listen to Manna Dey’s songs”. What a classic camaraderie. Let this effort go on when I speak of “Menechi go haar menechi”, “Pousher kachakachi roud makha sei din phire aar asbe ki kokhono”, “Se amar choto bon boro adorer choto bon”. A popular Bengali song by Hoimonti Shukla “Amar bolar kichu chilo na” is a composition by Manna Dey. When nostalgia is a blissful state what can be better than “Coffee Houser Addata” – the everlasting melody.
Manna Dey is the stage name of Probodh Chandra Dey. He was born in Simley, a place near Vivekananda’s birthplace in Calcutta. Sangeetacharya Krishna Chandra Dey was his uncle and he went to Bombay with him in 1942. There he debuted as playback singer for the film “Tamanna” under Krishna Chandra Dey. He started working as assistant director under Krishna Chandra Dey and later under Sachin Dev Burman. Onwards he started composing his own songs. His duet with Suraiya, “Jago Aayee Usha Ponchi Boley Jago”, was a super hit. In his lifetime he sang 4,000 songs. He was born on May 1, 1919 and died on October 24, 2013.

The writer is a music and film buff.