Sunday, February 14, 2016

The Superannuated - 8


"If you learn correctly
To place your ear on earth
You'll listen to the silent resonance
Of their uprising".......................................Paresh Dhar.


The above lines of his Bengali poem was reproduced in my book as a tribute to the great musical maestro of Bengal during 1950s. An IPTA musician tuned to many favourite Bengali songs include one that was sung by late Hemanta Mukherjee. 'শান্ত নদীটির পটে আঁকা ছবিটি', the song is still in our memory. I was fortunate enough to have closely associated to Paresh da on many counts, the memory has not yet erased. It was Dhar felt the job I had been doing for my wage earning was a waste of my talent and should have quit it. I thought of doing so, but later refrained under domestic compulsion. Paresh Dhar is now resting in the heaven where he must be playing flute but his wonderful tune will not be relayed by All India Radio or Television as we used to hear on a regular course. 

Another fire brand communist party member and organiser of Indian Peoples Theater Associatin (IPTA) and a great Rabindra Sangeet singer Late Suchitra Mitra once visited our office cultural programme to deliver her best musical creations. The stories of party movement she privately narrated to me that made me speak to not listening to her. It was golden days of Bengali culture during 1940s, 1950s, 1960s. The time had produced lot of genius personalities and are unmatched till date. The same holds good for another noted singer Sumitra Sen who also paid her gracious visit to our office cultural platform and we simply enjoyed what now a days are missing particularly when I depart from the office forever. The prevailing situation in my present office is no different to the present degraded Bengali culture as a whole.

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