Epitomising the grace of Tagore songs

Shama Rahman

This correspondent caught up recently with Shama Rahman, an epitome of grace and beauty, at the India International Centre, a hub for the culture vultures in the capital. Clad in a grey sari with red orchids in her hair, around her neck and wrist, Shama was here to perform for the Delhi audience, comprising largely Bengalis.
Shama regaled the crowd with devotional and monsoon ("Barshar Gaan") songs of Tagore, and songs of the "Teen Kobi" -- Atul Prasad Sen, DL Roy and Rajanikanta Sen. Among her renditions were "Megher porey megh jomechhe," "Godhuli gaganey meghey," "Purano jania cheona" and "Ami tokhono chilem magan." She also improvised some songs based on requests from the audience.
Complementing her performance were the Kolkota-based artistes, Biplob Mondol (tabla), Shubayu Sen (esraj) and the keyboardist Aniruddha Chowdhury from Delhi. Credit for the show must of course go to the Bengal Foundation and the Delhi-based Impresario India.
In India, Shama has visited the Taj Mahal in Agra, Sikandrabad, Srinagar and Jaipur.
I asked Shama about her current music projects at hand. “I am working on a CD sponsored by Bengal Foundation, which will be released soon,” she said. As for her future plans she is set to go to the Atlanta Bangla Mela this month and later to Canada in September.
Music for Shama is a passion. “I love music and it gives me immense satisfaction to sing,” she says. She does a lot of love songs as well. “I am a thorough romantic,” she smiles. She is also “in love with nature.” As for her favourite season it is definitely the monsoon in Bangladesh. “I have never seen anything like it and I also enjoy the other hritu.”
Despite her success, Shama has her feet firmly on the ground. She has traversed the villages of Faridpur, Chittagong and Jessore districts. In fact, she says she travelled a great deal with her family in the course of the Liberation War.