Mahiganj, Rangpur, Bangladesh. 17 January 2006. Biswanath Mahanta & Digen Roy

1. maao baro dhan sona re

Artist:
Biswanath Mahanta and Digen Roy
Composer:
Traditional
Form:
Bhaoaiya
Song region:
Rangpur

2. Bishwanath Mahanta interview and song

Artist:
Bishwanath Mahanta
Composer:
Traditional
Form:
Bhaoaiya
Song region:
Rangpur

Bishwanath Mahanta, the music teacher from Mahiganj in Rangpur, whom we had met in 2006, passed away on 2 March 2020. As I have contact now through Facebook with one of the Rangpur girls we met on that trip, she gave me the news of his death. We have often thought of going back to Rangpur, just to see how the young musicians we had recorded all those years ago were doing now. Then we would meet the teacher too. But time is always in short supply and there is always so much to do that so much just does not get done. And now, Time, like the bird, has flown away.

একবার ফাক্কাও করিয়া, ময়না যাবে উড়িয়া…

Bishwanath Mahanta and Moushumi

Here we are adding an extract from our conversation with Bishwanath Mahanta. It feels strange now to listen to his story about so easily crossing the border to go to a wedding on the other side, giving a small tip to the guards.

People like Bishwanath Mahanta are great storehouses of local knowledge, essentially living archives; when they are gone, there is a hole that cannot be filled with anything. Not with any travelling archive, not with any recording stored in some Cloud somewhere.

Bishwanath Mahanta singing

Bishwanath Mahanta was a music teacher of Rangpur in the north of Bangladesh and what he taught was primarily a body of song called bhaoaiya. During this recording session, which was more like a lecture-demonstration, he talked about bhaoaiya being the music of the region and, using the harmonium for accompaniment,  explained its many variations and styles. He talked about Coochbehar across the international border—it is the same region, he said. There are artists who cross the border to come and give concerts in Rangpur, Ayesha Sarkar being a local favourite.

Many of Biswanath’s students had become ‘successful’ bhaoaiya  singers. ‘Successful’ of course only in their small-town or regional context—they sang for the radio and some had CDs in the market and they also performed at local events. Not Digen Roy, who is featured in this session along with his teacher. We had met him the previous evening at a recording session in Barobari, also in Rangpur. He seemed different from the rest of the singers, and so we asked him to join the session with his teacher the next morning. ‘Digen is very good but somehow lacks confidence,’ Bishwanath Mahanta said. ‘I have to send word to him through other people to come and see me.‘ Digen sold paan in the local market (maybe that is what he still does). There seemed to be a special bond between this shy and quiet student and his teacher.

Bishwanath and Digen

When I told Sukanta about his passing. he reminded me of the story of the egg that Digen had told us. Bishwanath, like a caring parent, would feed Digen an egg, first thing before starting lessons, for a bit of extra nourishment. Digen was so touched by this act of kindness, that he had to mention this while talking about his teacher. You can feel that parental touch in the way he passes on his song to Digen in the recording that we have uploaded here.

Digen Roy

Mao boro dhon shona re, Bishwanath sang; a verse in praise of the mother. Then he nudged Digen. ‘Kao,’ he said.  Say it. Mayer maya shital chhaya; she shades you with her love, Digen continued. You hear a sad strain his voice. With his parent gone now, Digen’s vioce must sound sadder.

Written by Moushumi in 2010, revised on 28 April 2020.