It was 1971. Their Bhita of Purba Bangla in what was now Bangladesh was fighting for its existence. All the Bangals who had made another world their home after the cruel partition of British India- but more so, Bengal in the East and the Punjab in the West- joined in the fight in whatever way they could.
Gouriprasanna Majumder was born in Pabna. After the cruel partition of Bengal that lead to the partition of British India, he left his Bhita for West Bengal in India and established himself as a master lyricist of songs in West Bengal in India. He was enjoying a regular Adda at a tea stall in Goriya of Kolkata. Everybody was busy gossiping. Gouriprasanna was paying attention to a piece of paper where he was writing something. He aired the piece of paper pointing to Angshuman Roy and Dinendra Chowdhury- two composers who were pioneers of Bengali folk music. He asked them for their comments on what he wrote.
Angshuman Roy had left his Bhita in Bikrampur like Gouriprasanna. Angshuman jumped like a fish to water. ‘Gouri Da’, nobody but I will compose music for these lyrics. Nobody but I will sing the tune’.
The ball was now in Angshuman’s court. He composed a tune. He checked the rhythm beating the table as if it were a tabla. Thus was born one of the most influential songs of 1971: Shono Ekti Mujuburer Theke Lakkhya Mujuburer Konthaswarer Dhwani’.
শোনো একটি মুজিবরের থেকে The rest was history. Joy Bangla!
Asrar Chowdhury
Aug 15, 2016 CE. Sraban 31, 1423 BE
asrarchowdhury 