ecoTrain Question Of The Week #20
How bengali islamic music became a trend..
Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh- also popular as the adjective Rebel poet, created a lot of great religious song in Bengali literature. His grave is now in Dhaka University, besides the mosque as per his wish on a islamic song to be engraved besides a mosque so that he can here the call for praying everyday.
The Islamic song of Kazi Najrul is still now so powerful that most of the religious singers like to use his lyrics. But first time Kazi Nazrul was not intended about Islamic song. Because on that time, the market of Islamic song was not well developed in this subcontinent.
The national poet of Bangladesh- also popular as the adjective Rebel poet
Shyama music, a category of Hindu Religious Song of offerings, was the trend in the Indian subcontinent market then. Most of the singers of that time became famous by singing Shyama music here.
Even some muslim singers took nick names to use with their shyama song as: Munshi Mohammad Qasim became K. Mallick, Talat Mahmud became Tapan Kumar and so on. It was happened because as singing Hindu songs by the name of Muslim Artists would not create emotion on the audience's mind.
So Kazi Nazrul Islam, the then country famous poet as well as the lyricist, also followed the trends. He even himself wrote Shyama music and composed the melody. But he was changed by the repeating requests of the most popular singer of that time, Abbas Uddin, who was being famous by singing the lyrics written by Kazi Nazrul. It was the classical combination of singer and lyricist that time.
Yeah, that was Abbas Uddin who insisted poet to write some lyrics for Gramophone records. Abbas Uddin mentioned the history of Kazi Nazrul's writing of Islamic music first time in his autobiography, Diary and My Singer Life.
Abbas Uddin insisted poet to write some lyrics for Gramophone records
That day, poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was returning home after recording a Shyama music. On the way, Abbas Uddin blocked his way. He had come with a whim that was circulating on his mind on last few days. He would not let Kazi Nazrul go until the poet heard that whim.
Kazi Nazrul liked Abbas Uddin very much, so he agreed to hear about the whim. Abbas Uddin got the chance. He explained,
-Kazi da, I am thinking of telling you something. You know better about Peer Kawal, Kallu Kawal who are singing beautiful Urdu Qawali. I have heard that their songs are sold very much even more than that of about Shyama music. There are not many Islamic songs in Bengali language. Isn't it possible to sing Islamic songs in Bengali? If you write Islamic songs, you must be hailed in the homes of Muslims.
The then market trends was not supporting the whims of abbasuddin as I mentioned about the Shyama music. Then what should Nazrul answer in response to Abbas Uddin's whims?
Abbas Uddin was not be answered positive directly at that moment instantly. The poet didn't be overwhelmed by emotions. If one wanted to record a song, he required a lot of investments as well as equipments too. So the poet had to go to Bhagwati Babu.
Bhagwati Babu was the rehearsal-in-charge of Gramophone Company. Kazi Nazrul answered,
-First see if you can convince Bhagwati Babu.
Abbas Uddin thought that he got the green signal from the poet, then the second part of convincing Bhagwati Babu would not be impossible for him.
the classical combination of singer and lyricist that time
So Abbas Uddin requested Bhagwati Babu, but he was not willing to take the risk of arrangement new trend opposite to the ongoing trends. He claimed that if he went outside the market trend and invest for new experimental work, the business may face a lot of challenges.
Abbas Uddin was begging him as much as he is strictly opposing and on the other hand, Abbas Uddin was also stubborn. The request effort lasted six months long time. It's like trying hard to bloom flowers on the stone!
One day, he found Bhagwati Babu in a cheerful mood, Abbas Uddin said,
-Try it only once. If it doesn't sell, don't repeat it again.
And how much more would Bhagwati Babu say negative answer to the country famous singer? So that time he laughed and replied:
_Howbstubborn person you are! Well, it can be done once. Bring the song. Let have an experiment.
Abbas Uddin was about to shed tears of happiness! Everything had been managed. That was the time to bring an islamic song.
Kazi Nazrul liked drinking tea very much. So Abbas Uddin went to Nazrul's home with a sip of tea. With the motivation of Abbas Uddin, Kazi Nazrul entered on a room with pen in his hand and closed the door from inside.
Standing outside the house, Abbas Uddin was just counting the times. About half an hour passed. Nazrul opened the door and came out with a piece of paper by his half hour pursuit. It was the result of six months hard work by Abbas Uddin.
Abbas Uddin took the paper in his hand and started reading: -
O mind, happy Eid has come at the end of the fasting of Ramadan
You give it to me today, listen to the heavenly admonition.
The recording started within four days. Abbas Uddin had no experience of recording any Islamic song before. He had not even memorized the song. The gramophone company was very much worried about whether the song would be able to capture the market by creating a new trend. However, Kazi Nazrul Islam was quite excited about it.
The album supposed to be released during Eid occasion. Eid came after Ramadan fasting. Abbas Uddin spent Eid at his village. He did not know the status of the song. He returned to Calcutta after a short holiday.
When Abbas Uddin was returning, he found a young man sitting next to him started humming that lyrics-
O mind, happy Eid has come at the end of the fasting of Ramadan
You give it to me today, listen to the heavenly admonition.
He became astonished. When he was coming to the office in the afternoon and he was doubly surprised seeing another scene. A few boys were sitting in the field, singing that lyrics.
He ran to Nazrul and found him playing chess. Generally Nazrul used to forget his surroundings when playing chess. He has no idea what is going on around him. But that day, as soon as heard Abbas Uddin's voice, Nazrul jumped out of the game and hugged him saying:
-Abbas, what a hit your song is! Thousands of records of the song were sold in few days.
Bhagwati Babu was also very happy as his business investment was in highest profit. Hence a new trend of Islamic music had started in the Indian subcontinent. That trend has not only touched Muslims, it spreaded beyond the religious border and touched people of all faiths.
Few days ago, Muslim artists changed their names to Hindu nick names for singing Shyama music. That time Hindu artists even started using Muslim nick names to sing Islamic music.
