April 28, 2008	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 21, 1429

KARACHI, April 27: I received the invitation on Saturday, at the eleventh hour. It was from the deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh to celebrate the Bangla New Year 1415. A 20-strong ensemble of musicians, singers and dancers from Bangladesh was performing at the FTC Auditorium the same evening. It was difficult to miss it, for one has lived one’s beautiful boyhood years in Bengal and the sounds and sights of songs and dances of “Sunar Bangla” are still lush green in one’s consciousness.

The programme started after speeches by High Commissioner Yasmeen Murshed and Deputy High Commissioner Saquib Ali.

The first to appear on stage was Khairul Anam who has a rich, typically Bengali voice – voice more in the mould of Hemant Kumar than Jagmohan or Pankaj Mullick or K.C. Dey. His songs were romantic compositions of Nazrul Islam’s poetry in raags Pahari, Behag and Khammach. The supporting musicians were on tabla, flute, violin and guitar. Keyboard was played by a Pakistani musician.

The second item was a colorful dance choreography that was applauded by the select audience. Next came Alam Ara Mino who was perhaps so touched by the occasion that she decided to sing two Noor Jehan numbers: “niyat-i-shauq bhar na jaye kaheen” and “kabhi kaha na kisi se tere fasanay ko” – both very difficult songs. She also sang a Bengali number.

After another group dance that was very well rehearsed and executed, came Zubayeer Alf-e-Swani who showed his classical flair by rendering the famous Pahari number “baaghon mein parey jhoole” and a thumri in raag Piloo. But his Bengali song was liked and appreciated more by the audience.

Before the break for refreshments, a folk dance was presented which was brilliantly choreographed using western beats.

The expression on the face of my senior friend, retired Brig A.R. Siddiqui, who I am sure has lived some of his glorious years in the former East Pakistan, indicated that he was transported back into time, good old days, when things had not turned acerbic. My own nostalgia was not any different. I thought of Debu Bhattacharia, Afroza Bulbul, Ghanshyam, Shahnaz Begum, Dina Laila, Runa Laila, Dilara Hashim — all these Bengali artists who lived in Karachi and one had the privilege of knowing, who were so much a part of this city’s cultural life. I even thought of the famous music director, Timir Baran, whom I had heard in Karachi in the early 50s.

It is believed in certain quarters that classical music did not flourish in Bengal as much as it did in northern India. It may be true to some extent but the fact is that Bengal produced not only some of the greatest classical musicians but also many great composers of film music. The legendary Ustad Alauddin Khan came from a village near Comilla, in Bangladesh. His son, another great Sarod player, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, needs no introduction either. Even in the early years of undivided Pakistan, we find many great well-known classical artists living in Dhaka alone — Ustad Gul Mohammad Khan, Ustad Ayat Ali, Ustad Mohamad Husain Khusru of Comilla, Ustad Yasin Khan, Ustad Maqsood Ali Khan, Ustad Wilayat Ali Khan (my guru), Ustad Munir Husain Khan, Bela Islam and others. Among the music composers, who can forget people like Pankaj Mullick, R.C. Boral, Kamal Dasgupta, Anil Biswas, Salil Chaudhry and S.D. Burman.

All these thoughts — and names — racing through my mind I did not have the heart to stay for the pop music presentations that were to follow the tea break.