The two-day Radharaman Music Festival at the open field of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy ended on Saturday in presence of hundreds of audience.
Around 50 singers from the greater Sylhet region presented Radharaman’s songs in the signature style at the festival, which was jointly organised by Radharaman Sangskriti Charcha Kendra and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
A few Dhaka-based singers also performed at the festival that was organised to observe the legendary bard Raja Radharaman’s 97th death anniversary.
When the sentiment of Radharaman’s songs had been supplemented with the melody of flute and rhythm of dhol, an ecstatic moment was created.
Such a unique and ecstatic moment was created when veteran singer Chandrabati Roy Burman began a mid-stave of a song Tilek matron a dekhile hoiya jai atmahara. The passion in Burman’s voice and gestures were transferred to the hundreds of audience at the programme.
This signature feature of Radharaman’s songs was clearly present in the octogenarian Chandrabati Roy Burman’s voice modulations while narrating the urge of Radha (the human) to cross the river Jamuna (the death) and to unite with Krishna (the lord) is the salient signature story of Radharaman’s songs.
Chandrabati Roy Burman presented three Radharaman songs in the truly ‘boithaki’ (in-house) style.
Her presentation made it clear that most of Radharaman’s songs are from the perspective of Radha whose suffering and sorrow can only be understood in the allegory of a lover’s constant desire to meet the beloved.
Songs like Ki chad mukh deikha ailam and Shunogo poran soi in her voice featurised the agony of the soul to meet the lord.
Apart from Chandrabati, a number of singers from Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar performed on the concluding day.
The famous Radharaman song Binodini go tor bridabon kare diye jabi presented by Devdas Chowdhury was enjoyed by the audience. Devdas Chowdhury, from Sunamganj where Radharaman was born, had the distinctive style that is followed by the traditional singers of the eastern region of the country.
A little varied performance was presented by the folk music band Lokorong. The artistes of the band presented two Radharaman songs Sara nishi koi chhilare and Bole na chhilam piyari with mandolin-led composition. Other performers who got applause from the audience include Syed Ashikur Rahman, Ataur Rahman Atab, Chinu Chakraborty, Pritibhusan Chakraborty.
Almost one thousand music lovers enjoyed the programme till the end. ‘I am a fan of Radharaman’s songs, and today’s presentation by traditional singers was a joy to me,’ said Ashutosh Sen, an audience at the event.
‘BSA should produce a number of albums of Radharaman’s songs in the traditional singers’ voices,’ opined Khaled Salauddin.
-With New Age input
