A glimpse of Bengali Club Durga Puja’s past
Mahishasura Mardini brings to the people an age old tradition of invoking Goddess Durga. And when one talks of the city of Nawabs then the tradition dates five decades back to the year of 1964.
While the classic tale of Durga and the Buffalo demon Mahishasura has been told and retold to usher in the Sharodiya festivities, one of the Lucknow Pujas has a history of it’s own.
While the mood of the average Bengali in Lucknow is upbeat. Theme based pujas, exemplify how different communities come together and a harmonized atmosphere with added attractions mark the Pujas.
While the city ahead of Mahashashti gears up for a power packed four days of Durgotsava, it is widely believed that in Lucknow started the traditional rendition of Mahishasur Mardini by virtue of song and dance in 1964.
Lucknow holds a special place in this regard as it was this very city where the live rendition of the Chandipath started and then others followed suit. Few years back the city observed the Golden Jubilee year of the invoking of Durga.
For Bengalis in particular the rendition does hold a special place, which was turned epic initially by the original Chandipath of Birendra Krishna Bhadra. Those part of the first rendition in Lucknow were felicitated few years back at Bengali Club in Lucknow.
The first live Mahishasur Mardini in Lucknow was due to the result of efforts of a trio including music director Shandhya Bandopadhay (popularly known as Bouma), Chandipaath by Samir Sinha and initiative taken by former president of Bengali Club Robin Mitra, who was then office bearer.
Apart from Dwijen Mukhopadhyay, other artistes who were part of the first team to render Mahishasur Mardini live at Bengali Club, include Santosh Chatterjee (violin), Nitai Lahiri (khol), Sapna Sinha (tabla) and singers Anjana Banerjee, Gopal Sarkar, Ajit Banerjee, Baren Chaterjee and Nita Bose. The duo of BP Chaterjee and Mukta Chaterjee, directed the rendition of Chandipaath.
After 5 decades, faces have changed, new members have come and old ones have either retired in their homes or have passéd away but the traditional Chandipath in Bengali Club continues till date.
Till 1964, Mahishasura Mardini was a popular radio programme which was broadcast on Mahalaya day. This then used to be an integral part of Mahalaya day ushering in Navratri.
Robin Mitra who was then a senior advocate conceptualized the idea and got a team to implement the Chandipath. People who had a similar thought process and a musical bent of mind came together to stage a show on an experimental basis.
With the Chandipath receiving a thumping response it became an integral part of Bengali Club.
It is believed while the organizers understood that getting people to reach the venue early in the morning was difficult, Robin Mitra then sent drummers to inform people.
Areas like Sunderbagh, Risaldar Park, Jogendra Pathak Road, Model House, Nazarbagh, were targeted. People turned up in large numbers on the first day of the show. The first show was staged at Atul Singho Natya Manch.
Comments