Tracing the Roots of Bangla Songs

Dr. Mridul Kanti Chakrobarty is a noted singer, instrumentalist, writer, researcher, music critic and Professor at the department of Music, Dhaka University.
Born in Sunamganj in 1955, Dr. Chakrobarty completed his B. Mus (1980) and M. Mus (1982) with distinction from Visva Bharati University, Shantiniketan, West Bengal. He earned his PhD (1994) from the same university, for his dissertation on “Trend of Bengali Music and Rabindra Sangeet Inspired by Folk Tunes (Eighth to Twentieth century)”. During his stay at Visva Bharati University, Dr. Chakrobarty took lessons in ancient Bengali songs, Rabindra sangeet and classical music from Monmoth Nath Roy, Ashesh Bandyopadhayay, Mohon Singh Khangura, Kanika Bandyopadhyay, Nilima Sen, Gora Sarbadhikari, Manju Bandyopadhyay, VV Oajhalwar and Deben Das Baul.
Recalling his days in Shantiniketan, Dr. Chakrobarty said, "I was amazed when I first saw Kanika Bandyopadhyay at Sangeet Bhaban. She looked like goddess to me. I can still remember the Raga Bhairo performance on Pt. Ravi Shankar's sitar; Raga Gaur Malhar, Nat Behag and Yaman performances by Mallika Arjun Mansur; Tagore's monsoon songs rendered by Nilima Sen, Mohor di [Kanika Bandyopadhyay] and esraj recital by Deshikottom Ashesh Bandyopadhayay [the last representative of the Vishnupur Gharana]."
"Folk and classical music have emerged and developed through mutual give and take for ages. The surfacing of classical music dates back to the Vedic era. The ballads of 'Wrigveda', 'Shyamveda', 'Yajurveda' and 'Atharvaveda' refer to the origins of our music. We find four musical notations in 'Shyamveda'. The notations increased to seven; 'komol' (soft) and 'kori' (sharp) notations were added later. 'Charjageeti' of the ancient era, 'Vaishnav Padaboli' of the Middle Ages also enriched Bangla musical traditions. Ragas like 'Bongal' and 'Shabori' developed from the 'Charja' traditions," Dr. Chakrobarty said.
Speaking on the difference between classical and folk music, Dr. Chakrobarty said that the main difference lies in rendition.
There are two styles of classical music rendition in the subcontinent. South Indian classical music has 72 'thaat', whereas its North Indian counterpart has 10. Bengali music is influenced by the latter.
Dr. Chakrobarty has also devised a music instrument called 'surashree'. It is actually a refined version of 'tat' instrument that resembles dotara. With steel brass and four strings --'Ma', 'Sa', 'Pa', 'Re' -- surashree produces melodic tunes and can be an ideal substitute for tanpura. Not only folk, but also Rabindra Sangeet, Adhunik and even classical tunes can be played on surashree.
Dr. Chakrobarty has been hosting a programme, titled "Bangla Gaan-er Dhara", featuring the journey of Bangla songs over the last thousand year. The programme has been on air on BTV since 2009. He is also the founder chairman of music troupe SURMA (Students' United for Research in Musical Activities).
Dr. Chakrobarty has written and edited a number of research-based books on music and music composers. Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Papyrus, Aboshor, Shikha, Anupom and other houses published “Hason Raja, Taar Gaan-er Tori”; “Bangla Gaan-er Dhara”; “Gaan-er Jhorna Tolaye”; “Loko Sangeet”; “Sangeet Sanglaap”; “Hajar Bochhorer Bangla Gaan”; “Baul Kobi Lalon O Taar Gaan”; “Pancho Kobir Gaan”; “Bhasha O Desher Gaan”; “Harano Din-er Gaan” and more. His essays on music, published in several national and international dailies and journals, are considered authoritative.
The artiste's father, late Monoranjan Chakrobarty, was a flautist and mother, late Dipali Chakrobarty, was a sitarist. Dr. Chakrobarty had his first music lessons from his elder sister Ratna Chakrobarty. During the Liberation War, the siblings sang at the Shilong, Balat and Mailam refugee camps in India to boost the morale of Freedom Fighters.