Some songs don't die

Utpal K Banerjee The Pioneer September 05, 2005

Those were the harrowing times for the mighty colonial powers of India - worried about those volatile Bengalis in the closing years of the nineteenth century - finding them too 'seditious'. The litterateur Bankim Chandra wrote Bande Mataram in 1875. The National Congress was founded in 1885: with a large modicum of the Bengali intelligentsia. The sarcastic play Neel Darpan (the Indigo Mirror), in 1860 taunted the colonial indigo planters, showing a full-frontal rape of a pregnant maid by her British master. Others of that ilk were Chakar Darpan (the Tea-garden Mirror), and Samudra Darpan (the Sea Mirror). The British promulgated the Dramatic Policies Act in the 1890s - to curb blatant 'sedition'.

Assam was carved out in 1874 and, before long, Bengal was to be 'cut down to size'. Bengal was 'partitioned' in October 1805. India's first-ever mass movement - with a profound articulation of the common men was born. With national leaders, Surendra Nath Banerjee, Bipin Chandra Pal and Sri Aurobindo providing the political lead. Tagore came over to Calcutta to be in the intellectual vanguard. By September 1805, he began presiding over massive public meetings, pouring out indignant articles in journals and, composing an outstanding crop of patriotic songs. This became political action in the whole country. Tagore himself lead processions to tie rakhis on the Muslim brethren's hands at the Nakhoda mosque. It was an unheard-of upsurge of mass solidarity!

Bidhir Bandhan Katbe Tumi (How Dare You Severe Our Sacred Bonds?) was the centenary celebration by Impresario India at the Sai Auditorium of that momentous event: Banga Bhanga Andolan (the Bengal Partition Movement) under Tagore. Scripted and introduced by scholar Pabitra Sarkar, reading and recitation by thespian Soumitra Chatterjee, conceived and choreographed by Pramita Mallick, the programme offered a delectable fare of songs - now intimate part of history. Among the 23 lyrics, all penned and tuned by Tagore, they were based on rural melodies - Baul, Sari and Keertan - with simple yet appealing diction. "they had spread like wild fire in agitating Bengal - sung by the thousands who protested against the 'Partition'", says Sarkar.

He adds, "They became the most poignant, expressions of love for one's motherland. There was no boasting, nor any grandstanding of one's devotion towards the country, but a strong feeling of loyalty, one's obeisance to the land and a promise to serve till one dies. Imagine the powers eventually undoing the 'Partition'!" In this comprehensive presentation, one could hear a treasure of lyrics. Most of these came with expressional dances by Sanjeev, Purbita, Balaka and Jayita. All did ample justice to the spirit of the songs. Incidentally, the songs transcended history and became a mighty weapon in another 'Partition' in1971: the creation of Bangladesh from the erstwhile Pakistan. Some songs simply do not die!