Surendra Narayan Das
| Surendra Narayan Das | |
|---|---|
| Native name | গায়নাচার্য সুরেন্দ্র নারায়ণ দাশ |
| Born | 1908 Comilla, Bangladesh |
| 💀Died | 10 April 1986 Comilla10 April 1986 |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Other names | Pandit Suren Das |
| 🏫 Education | B.Ed |
| 💼 Occupation | Vocalist, songwriter, music composer |
| 📆 Years active | 1925–1985 |
| 🏢 Organization | Sangeet Shikhharthee Sammilan(সঙ্গীত শিক্ষার্থী সম্মিলন) established in 1942 |
| Known for | Hindustani Classical Music |
| Notable work | Raag Manjusha – A book of Classical Music |
| 🏡 Home town | Comilla, Bangladesh |
| Title |
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| Successor |
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| 👩 Spouse(s) | Bela Das (died 1996) |
| 👶 Children | 4 daughters and 5 sons |
| 👴 👵 Parents | |
| 👪 Relatives | Sudhin Das (Brother) |
| 🏅 Awards | Gold medalist from Comilla Foundation in 1977 |
Surendra Narayan Das (সুরেন্দ্র নারায়ণ দাশ)[2] (1908–1986), prominently known as Pandit Suren Das[3] (সুরেন দাশ)[4] was born in a reputed family at Talpukur Par (West), Comilla, Bangladesh. His father, the late Nishikanta Das, was a renowned businessman. Nishikanta Das originally resided in Bikrampur, Dhaka. During the early 1900s, he moved to Comilla and resided there permanently. Suren Das was his first child. He was a vocalist of Hindustani classical music. He was also known for the khyal form of singing, as well as for his popular renditions of devotional music forms Bhajan and Kirtan.
Early life and musical training
During the 1930s, Suren Das went to Kolkata for a private job in a life insurance company. Simultaneously, he started his music career as a student of Pandit (Pt.) Sree Harihar Roy. He then began learning from Ustaad Allauddin Khan. Later, taking advice from Kha shaheeb he started learning classical music from eminent vocalist Dr. Jamini Nath Ganguly [5] and Acharya Pandit Grijiza Shankar Chakroborty.[6]
After studying there for several years, he returned to Comilla in 1935 and started learning from the Maharaja of Gouripur, Bangladesh, Sree Brajendra Kishore Chowdhury[7] and later his son Pt. Sree Birendra Kishore Roy Choadhury.[8] Both these individuals were eminent scholars in Mymensingh. During this time, to learn and gain musical knowledge, Suren traveled to Gouripur from Comilla, a distance of 392 kilometres (244 mi) each week. The music classes were held at Gouripur House.[9] Suren collected approximately 350+ Raga (known and unknown) from the king and his son. He also received training in instruments such as tanpura, tabla, and sitar.
Music career
After gaining extensive knowledge from his respected gurus, Suren Das[10] began his music career by working with Kolkata Betar (radio). He also undertook research on various aspects of Hindustani Classical Music. During this period, using the names Sadananda and Sudas, he composed over 1000+ bandish of various ragas. In addition, he wrote more than 100 Bhajan and Kirtan, as well as raag-oriented songs. During this time, he became acquainted with many notable personalities in Comilla, one of whom was S. D. Burman.
Music institution
- In 1942, Suren Das established a music school in Bangladesh, Sangeet Shikhharthee Sammilan (সঙ্গীত শিক্ষার্থী সম্মেলন) in Talpukur Par Comilla, and began teaching music to students. He served as the principal of this institute until his death in 1986. From 1942 to the present day, over 5000+ students have been trained at this institute. Many of them have become well-established musicians in Bangladesh.
- During the 1940s, he served as principal of Kumar SD Barman Music School in Agartala, India.
- From 1963 to 1977, he was the Head Examiner for music courses at both secondary and higher secondary levels in Comilla schools. Due to his efforts, the Comilla Board school authority included music in the syllabus at these levels.
- From 1975 to 1978, he served as principal of Nazrul Parishad, Comilla.
Awards and recognition
- In 1992, after his death, Comilla Town Hall (বীরচন্দ্র গণপাঠাগার ও নগর মিলনায়তন) honored Panditji by adding his name to a memorial stand. [11][12]
Literature works
- Acharya Surendra narayan Das (সুরেন্দ্র নারায়ণ দাশ),[13] during his musical career, collected many known and unknown ragas. During his teaching period, he also composed a large number of bandish in different ragas. He intended to publish a book on classical music, but due to various challenges, this was not possible. Twenty-five years after his death, in 2011, his successors Alaka Das and Manas Kumar Das published his book on classical music, Raaga Manjusha – A book of Classical Music. This book was edited by both of them. The book was published under the banner of Sangeet Shikhharthee Sammilan (সঙ্গীত শিক্ষার্থী সম্মেলন).[14] A senior student of Sangeet Shikhharthee Sammilan, Babul Kumar Ghanta, also made significant contributions to the publication of this book.
- In 2015, Panditji's daughter Alaka Das published a book of classical music called Raag Manjori (রাগ মঞ্জরী).[15] This book was essentially a second edition of Raaga Manjusha, based on the compositions of Pandit Suren Das.
Personal life
Panditji married Smt. Bela Das in 1943. They had four daughters and five sons. Among them, Alaka Das is considered one of the finest Hindustani classical music singers currently in Bangladesh. She has also served as principal of Sangeet Shikhharthee Sammilan since 1986. Elder son Advocate Ram Prasad Das is a well-known tabla player, Pranab Kumar Das is a retired government employee and organizer, Subrata Das is also a noted Nazrul Sangeet artist. Manas Kumar Das is recognized as one of the finest Nazrul Sangeet artists in Bangladesh, and Tapas Kumar Das is also a prominent Nazrul Sangeet artist. All of them have been involved in Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar (radio) since their early musical careers.
This musical family of Comilla is well known in the music scene of Bangladesh. The family's contributions are briefly described in chapter 2, pages 87–88 and 102 of the research paper "Forms and styles of Hindustani music in Bangladesh: A special reference to khayal and thumri in context of gayaki and tantakari"[16] published on 17 December 2015 by Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
Disciples
Some of Panditji's disciples are:
- Sudhin Das
- Alaka Das
- Manas Kumar Das
- Tapas Kumar Das
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "সুধীন দাশ সুরের আকাশে শুকতারা" [Shuktara in the air of the gentle music]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 10 April 2010.
- ↑ "রবীন্দ্রনাথকে হৃদয়ে ধারণ ও নজরুল চেতনায় উজ্জীবিত হতে হবে" [Rabindranath must be excited by the awareness of Nazrul]. Comillar Kagoj (in Bengali). 29 May 2016.
- ↑ http://www.gunijan.org.bd/GjProfDetails_action.php?GjProfId=103
- ↑ http://www.gunijan.org.bd/ViewGalleryDetails.php?ImageId=1059&GjProfId=103
- ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Vocalist-Jamini-Nath-Ganguly-dead/articleshow/19202474.cms
- ↑ http://www.itcsra.org/TributeMaestro.aspx?Tributeid=11
- ↑ Hamilton, James Sadler (1994). Sitar Music in Calcutta: An Ethnomusicological Study. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 6. ISBN 978-81-208-1210-9. Search this book on
- ↑ http://davidphilipson.com/music/tansen/
- ↑ http://www.thedailystar.net/gouripur-house-needs-urgent-attention-35277
- ↑ http://dainikazadi.org/details2.php?news_id=293&table=june2015&date=2015-06-04&page_id=1&view=
- ↑ https://etrigg.com/location/comilla-town-hall-town-hall-road-kandirpar-3500-bangladesh/767384/
- ↑ http://vromonto.com/birchandra-gono-pathagar/
- ↑ http://www.betarprogram.org/songeet
- ↑ https://www.rokomari.com/book/publisher/5190
- ↑ https://www.rokomari.com/book/125960
- ↑ http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/60527
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