There was, till the day before yesterday, perhaps no one else but Feroza Begum among the living singers who had the opportunity to learn music from none other than the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Feroza Begum, the nightingale of Nazrul Sangeet, died aged 84 on Tuesday. She has left forever but she will not let herself be forgotten.
Born in 1930 in an aristocratic Muslim family in Faridpur, music was not an easy option for her. But she had sang songs for long 70 years.
She was perhaps the youngest singer to sing for a HMV record. Feroza Begum was just 12 when she had an Islamic song recorded for HMV in 1942 under the supervision of Chitta Roy, an assistant of Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Before this, she captured the attention Nazrul at an informal meeting where she introduced was introduced to the poet by her uncle. Although Feroza did not recognise Nazrul that time, she was requested to sing a song by the man in ‘topee and big glasses’. Feroza, with much discomfort at being in the presence of many men, started singing the song: Jadi Parane Na Jage Akul Piyasa | Shudhu Chokher Dekha Dite Esona.
Kazi Nazrul Islam instantly recognised the talent of the young girl who, without any proper instruction, could be of much delight to the experienced ear of music connoisseurs. For the next two years and a half, Feroza took lessons from Kazi Nazrul Islam until he fell ill.
Feroza also took lessons from Kamal Dasgupta, an associate of Nazrul. It was Kamal Dasgupta who Feroza married in 1956 amid reservations of her family.
It was not only in her marriage that Feroza demonstrated her determination, in music also, she was no less resolute. Although she learnt how to sing songs of diverse genres — songs of Tagore and Pankaj Mallick, folk music from Abbas Uddin and Jasimuddin, modern and other songs from Kamal Dasgupta, she decided to concentrate on Nazrul’s songs.
The decision was not easy. Nazrul’s songs were not even called Nazrul Sangeet back then; they were merely known as ‘modern songs, written by Kazi Nazrul Islam.’ Feroza Begum must be credited with contribution to bring those modern songs under the imposing title of Nazrul sangeet, and to be recognised as a genre.
There are other instances which display Feroza’s strength of character. To speak of another event, in the inaugural ceremony of the Islamabad radio station, Feroza was invited to sing. It was expected that Feroza would sing an Urdu ghazal, in which she excelled too, but the singer demanded that she would begin with a Bangla song and sang O Bhai Khanti Sonar Cheye Khanti.
The singer earned prestigious awards in long music career — the Independence Award, Ekushey Padak, Netaji Subhash Chandra Award, Satyajit Ray Award, Nasiruddin Swarnapadak, Nazrul Academy Award, Churulia Swarnapadak, Shilpakala Academy Award, Sangeet Mohasammanana, and honorary DLitt from Burdwan University, to name a few.
The country has lost a jewel, a nightingale heard by people across the sub-continent, in her death.
The entire nation mourns her death. Public figures have offered condolences on Feroza’s death. The president, Abdul Hamid, the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the opposition in the parliament, Raushan Ershad, the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, the speaker, Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, the cultural affairs minister, Asaduzzaman Noor, the chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee and many others have offered condolences.
How dearly Feroza was loved and how highly she was regarded was seen when her body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar for public viewing on Wednesday. Hundreds of her peers, fans, cultural activists and relatives thronged the place to pay their last tribute.
‘The name of Feroza Begum is inseparable from Kazi Nazrul Islam. Her contribution to Narul sangeet is immense. Her death is a great loss,’ said Nazrul singer Khalid Hossain.
‘She was an iconic Nazrul sangeet singer. We have learnt many things from her and there are many things we can still learn from her songs,’ said Nazrul singer Khairul Anam Shakil.
‘Since 1942, Feroza Begum had been active in music. Her career was illustrious, though uncontentious. She had a signature style,’ said Nazrul singer Sujit Mostafa.
‘Feroza apa was like an elder sister to me. I will never see a person with so much integrity,’ Nazrul singer Fatema-tuz Zohra said.
‘Ma (Feroza Begum) was never negligent about the family. Even when she was immensely busy, we did not feel her absence. She had always been encouraging and supportive. Though a head-to-toe Nazrul devotee, she strongly encouraged us when we walked towards rock music,’ said Hamin Ahmed, son of Feroza Begum.
-With New Age input
