Exhibition on Rabindra Sangeet icons a hit at Bangla Sangeet Mela

KOLKATA: Did you know that singer Chhabi Bandopadhyay’s talent as a singer became evident when, at just six-years-old, she performed ‘Bande Mataram’ at Albert Hall in front of Sarojini Naidu. Her singing was so mesmerising that even Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose visited her home to listen to her. If you are a fan of Bengali music, especially Rabindra Sangeet, you’ve likely heard the timeless voices of legends like Suchitra Mitra and Kanika Bandopadhyay. As part of the ongoing Bangla Sangeet Mela, an exhibition has been organised to celebrate the lives of four icons of Bengali music: Utpala Sen, Suchitra Mitra, Chhabi Bandopadhyay and Kanika Bandopadhyay. This centenary exhibition is on display until January 9 at Gaganendra Shilpa Pradarshashala.

Interestingly, it was Rabindranath Tagore who gave Kanika her name — her original name was Anima. She trained in classical music and Rabindra Sangeet at Santiniketan’s Sangeet Bhavana and was fortunate to be taught by Tagore himself.

Her other mentors included Dinendranath Tagore, Indiradevi Chaudhurani, Sailajaranjan Mazumdar and Santidev Ghosh. Suchitra, another legend of Rabindra Sangeet, joined Santiniketan’s Sangeet Bhavana with a scholarship just 20 days after Tagore’s death in 1941. She trained under his disciples, including Indiradevi Chaudhurani, Shantidev Ghosh and Shailajaranjan Mazumdar. Suchitra’s first record was released when she was just 24, in 1945. She later founded Rabitirtha, an academy dedicated to teaching Rabindra Sangeet, which nurtured many talented singers. While it was often rumoured that Kanika and Suchitra were rivals, the exhibition offers a glimpse into their genuine friendship.

Utpala Sen, born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, was involved in Dhaka’s cultural scene, engaging in music, recitation and acting. She joined Dhaka Radio in 1940 and in 1941, recited Tagore’s Nirjhorer Shopnobhongo after his passing. Later, she moved to Kolkata and became associated with All India Radio.

From rare images to clippings of newspaper, this beautifully curated exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the lives and journeys of these four musical legends. For 68-year-old Ranjita Majumdar, a resident of Ballygunge and a singer herself, the experience is highly nostalgic.

“To us, Rabindra Sangeet means Kanika Bandopadhyay, Suchitra Mitra, Hemant Kumar and Debabrata Biswas. So, when I heard about this exhibition, I knew I had to come,” she said.