THE 21st February drew some artistes from across the border, who performed at the Fine Arts Institute on the invitation of 'Paddatik' and speaking to them one felt one's knowledge of Bengali music and poetry to grow.

Mitali Sen Gupta, one of the visiting artistes, sings all sorts of Bengali songs such as Rabindrasangeet, Nazrulsangeet, Otul Prasad, Rajani Kanta, Palli geeti and modern Bengali songs. Of the lot she enjoys Nazrul sangeet and modern Bengali songs. She went into Nazrul sangeet as it had a classical base and so attracted her and at the same time her voice is suited to modern songs. She picked up music early from her mother Protima Sen Gupta and her elder sister. It was while her sister learnt that Mitali first learnt to sing rather than speak out words like normal children.

Her guru for modern songs was Sudhin Das Gupta and Jotileshwar Mukhupadhaya. She learnt her Nazrul sangeet from Biman Mukhopadhaya. She also does classical music. She learnt music moving around place to place from Coochbihar to Jalpaigori etc in West Bengal as her father was posted at different places. She sings in the radio and TV since her childhood and gets the encouragement of her husband. She says, "In Nazrul sangeet one does have to be confined although one does have to keep within a framework of notations

even in this. Keeping within some confines one can still express oneself.

"As for 'Rabindrasangeet' it is above so many other forms and one naturally enjoys it. I don't confine myself to any one particular form of songs. Regarding 'uchchangasangeet', I learnt it at the different institutes, wherever my father was posted. I used to sing playing with the 'tanpura' and 'harmonium'. I hum all the time and practice whenever I can, specially in the evening. I have sung in different places in West Bengal, Delhi and have been in Dhaka before. The people in Dhaka are so enthusiastic about music that it is heartening. The people are very warm and friendly and receive you with invariable cordiality. I like Manobendhra Mukhop-adhaya, Purobi Dutta and Indrani Sen's songs very much. In Bangladesh I like Mita Huq and Rizvana Chowdhury Bonna's songs very much. I came to Bangladesh twice during the 21st February occasion. I find it very clean and pleasant and have bought a lot of handicrafts and saris. I have two CDs and cassettes of my songs.

Sobhun Sundor Bosu said that he did recitation and he said that his group selects those poems that express the thoughts of the masses rather than those of individuals. He said, "We do the poems of Subho Das Gupta from West Bengal, Nirmolendu Gun from Bangladesh, Sunil

Gangopadhaya, Joy Goswami and Joydev Bosu. My wife, Oisharya Bosu and I have a band 'Brishti' to go with our recitation and this is the first of its kind. We use live music with our recitation and there are four musicians who play the guitar, octopad, keyboard and effects like 'dugi', 'ghungur' and 'ghanta'. The music is compiled by Raja Sen Gupta. Throughout the year we work for the different TV channels. We have been using live music for five years and have been doing recitation for ten years. During the February 21 celebrations at the Fine Arts Institute we were brought in by 'Mitali' and 'Padatik'. We had recited many of Tagore's

Somoronrey Sen Gupta's Sumon Chattyapaddya's , Dip Mukhopaddya's Joydev Bosu's poems. I got an invitation to go to New Jersey on the 50th anniversary of Indian independence but then they realized that I had taken part in reciting antiestablishment poems. In India I've been to Delhi, Jaipur and Bombay."

Shudipto Ghosh said, "I have learnt

'Rabindrasangeet' basically but I sing a variety of songs such as the ones I sang on the 21st that is 'Ganga amar ma Padma amar ma' and 'Gupi Gain Bagha Bain'. I've been singing 'Rabindarsangeet' from the time I could utter my first word as I have grown up listening to the songs of Devobroto Biswas, Konika Bandopadhaya and Suchitra Mitra. I've studied at 'Gita Bitan' at Kolkata and then under Maya Sen. At present I'm studying with Subash Chowdhury. I've now been singing on stage for 15 years. I like 'Rabindrsangeet' as you can identify both your happy and sad moments with them and the songs are eternal so that what was sung 50 years ago applies even today. I do like some 'Nazrul sangeet' too but when some of its singers try to show their expertise it irritates me. I do business on the side. This is the third time that I've come to Bangladesh and I like it very much as I can use my own language here. The response of the people to my singing is that I would like to come back again and again."

Samir Kanti Das who teaches 'Rabindrsangeet' said that Tagore had a strong link with Tripura from where he himself comes, and it was popular during the reign of the four rajas there. Das said, "During the 40s I heard this type of songs. I had no teachers and learnt by myself. I cannot explain how I managed this myself although I got the 'Rabindra purashkar'

this year. I got the opportunity to go to Kolkata but stayed back at Tripura and many of the students there have learnt under me. I like all songs, that of Otul Prasad, Dwijendra Lal, Nazrul and I listen to all of them. I even like band music. As for myself, I work on TV and radio too as in 'Doordarshan' and 'Akashbani'. I have, incidentally, learnt a lot from the books of Sanjida Khatun. I have been singing on stage for 50 years now and I'm now 68. Till 1945 I was in East Bengal. Coming here reminded me of my childhood days which was a time of innocence and joy. I was originally a student of Bangla Literature. "

Shostika Mukhopadhaya said, " I sing Rabindrsangeet mainly as I'm a teacher of that song . I also sing songs of Dwijendra Lal, Otul Prasad and Rajini Kanta. I studied at Santiniketan as a child and I

got introduced to 'Rabindrasangeet' through my family. I did my Masters from there too staying at the hostel. I began singing before I went to school and at Burdwan, as a child, learnt from Nilima Sen. I am now teaching formally at the university for seven years now and before that I've been tutoring from home. My experience as a teacher is something different from that of a singer and the joy one gets out of teaching is something unique. Being in Santiniketan I sing 'Rabindrsangeet' more than any other types of songs. I like Otul Prasad and Dwijendra Lal Roy's songs too. I came to Bangladesh twice. I feel very much at home as the people here are so sincere and warm. The eagerness of the students here to learn

'Rabindrsangeet' is something rare. I have created students here like Oditi Mohsin, Tuhin and Azizur Rahman and they are like my own children. I was amazed to see on February 21 how performance went from 10 am to midnight and beyond and yet the audience was not the least restless."

Tushar Kanti Sen Gupta, who belongs to "Mitali" said in conclusion, "Our organization brings artistes from West Bengal to Bangladesh and similarly takes Bangladeshi artistes to West Bengal. So far we have done about 10 programmes all together. I love listening to songs and feel that since our language is the same there must be exchanges."