Interview

Let’s read Tagore beyond his songs and poetry: Chanchal Khan

Rabindra Sangeet exponent and researcher Dr Chanchal Khan is well known both in Bangladesh and India. He has mastered a style, a ‘gayaki’, which is unique and easily distinguishable from that of his fellow singers. He has released eight albums so far, one of which was in 1995 with the support of the Visva-Bharati Music Board. HMV (Sa Re Ga Ma) released another album in 2016. Khan has also directed two documentaries. One of them was in Bangla, titled ‘Bangladeshey Rabindranath’. It was released on Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary. The other one, in English, was released in 2015. Titled ‘Timeless Gitanjali’, it was funded by the Indian high commission in Dhaka.  DhakaLive’s Afsana Khanom spoke to the singer about his love for Rabindra Sangeet, his plans for Baishe Sraban (22nd Sraban marks the death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore), and much more. Here are some excerpts:

What made you choose Rabindra Sangeet as your professional genre?

I didn’t choose Rabindra Sangeet consciously. Tagore inspired me to choose it. To me, and to many others, Tagore is no longer merely the philosophical foundation of Bengali sensibility. The blend of his unique aestheticism and philosophy is what appeals to me the most, though songs and poetry constitute only a third of his creations.

What is your opinion of the media’s role in promoting Tagore songs?

The role of Bangladesh Television has always been very supportive, positive and proactive. In a word, it can be called ‘excellent’. However, the private channels play a very marginal role. They reserve such programmes for two days a year—the poet’s birth and death anniversaries. It all depends on the owners’ whims and fancies. Having said that, some private channels do invite Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul Geeti singers in their morning and late-night musical shows.

What do you think about Indian artistes’ regular shows in Bangladesh?

I think the more cultural exchanges we have between the two countries, the better it would be. These allow cross-cultural learning among the artists of the two countries. However, I am really baffled to see some substandard Indian artistrs singing distorted songs on various club stages in Bangladesh. Very often, the sponsors are guided by the gender and glamour of the artistes. I know very well how my fellow artistes feel about this. These Indian artistes are paid an astronomical sum in dollars, entertained lavishly and hosted in the best hotels.

You are also a development professional and a teacher. How do you balance the various facets of your life?

It’s all about being disciplined and being able to prioritise the work we have in hand. I think we naturally multitask in life. All we need is a bit of discipline in what we do. Having said that, I often feel sad that a few aspects of my creative life have been suffering for a while. One of them is painting and another is the translation of Tagore songs, which I started but have left untouched for a while.

 Any special events on Baishe Sraban?

 Channel i’s Impress Audio Vision Ltd will publish a CD of mine around Baishe Sraban. It has been titled ‘Maharaj’. Tagore’s Maharaj is God (‘Maharaj, ey ki shaje, ele hridoyo pulo majhe’), and my Maharaj is Tagore himself. I have a few television programmes and a stage programme lined up.

 What are your future plans?

I’m not sure yet. CDs are becoming obsolete now, as online digital forms have taken over. I intend to make a documentary on an important character in Tagore’s life—his disciple Amita Sen (Khuku). It’ll depend on the funding. I have to speed up my pending work on a book in which I have compiled my translations of some Tagore songs that have never been translated before.

Any thoughts or message for the young generation?

Let us read Rabindranath a bit more, beyond his songs and poetry. A vast area of his works remains little read. These are his books and lectures on society, politics, nature, education and so on. The mix of aestheticism and philosophy in his life is what makes him a philosopher of the highest order, beyond being a poet. He had solutions for many facets of our daily life. I also think there needs to be a social protest against the distortion of Tagore’s songs and his works in the name of fusion and experimentation. Finally, let’s reveal ourselves by knowing Tagore a bit more. He is the man who enriched English literature, and not the other way around.

 

Interview

Lets read Tagore beyond his songs and poetry: Chanchal Khan

Rabindra Sangeet exponent and researcher Dr Chanchal Khan is well known both in Bangladesh and India. He has mastered a style, a gayaki, which is unique and easily distinguishable from that of his fellow singers. He has released eight albums so far, one of which was in 1995 with the support of the Visva-Bharati Music Board. HMV (Sa Re Ga Ma) released another album in 2016. Khan has also directed two documentaries. One of them was in Bangla, titled Bangladeshey Rabindranath. It was released on Tagores 150th birth anniversary. The other one, in English, was released in 2015. Titled Timeless Gitanjali, it was funded by the Indian high commission in Dhaka. DhakaLives Afsana Khanom spoke to the singer about his love for Rabindra Sangeet, his plans for Baishe Sraban (22nd Sraban marks the death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore), and much more. Here are some excerpts: What made you choose Rabindra Sangeet as your professional genre? I didnt choose Rabindra Sangeet consciously. Tagore inspired me to choose it. To me, and to many others, Tagore is no longer merely the philosophical foundation of Bengali sensibility. The blend of his unique aestheticism and philosophy is what appeals to me the most, though songs and poetry constitute only a third of his creations. What is your opinion of the medias role in promoting Tagore songs? The role of Bangladesh Television has always been very supportive, positive and proactive. In a word, it can be called excellent. However, the private channels play a very marginal role. They reserve such programmes for two days a yearthe poets birth and death anniversaries. It all depends on the owners whims and fancies. Having said that, some private channels do invite Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul Geeti singers in their morning and late-night musical shows. What do you think about Indian artistes regular shows in Bangladesh? I think the more cultural exchanges we have between the two countries, the better it would be. These allow cross-cultural learning among the artists of the two countries. However, I am really baffled to see some substandard Indian artistrs singing distorted songs on various club stages in Bangladesh. Very often, the sponsors are guided by the gender and glamour of the artistes. I know very well how my fellow artistes feel about this. These Indian artistes are paid an astronomical sum in dollars, entertained lavishly and hosted in the best hotels. You are also a development professional and a teacher. How do you balance the various facets of your life? Its all about being disciplined and being able to prioritise the work we have in hand. I think we naturally multitask in life. All we need is a bit of discipline in what we do. Having said that, I often feel sad that a few aspects of my creative life have been suffering for a while. One of them is painting and another is the translation of Tagore songs, which I started but have left untouched for a while. Any special events on Baishe Sraban? Channel is Impress Audio Vision Ltd will publish a CD of mine around Baishe Sraban. It has been titled Maharaj. Tagores Maharaj is God (Maharaj, ey ki shaje, ele hridoyo pulo majhe), and my Maharaj is Tagore himself. I have a few television programmes and a stage programme lined up. What are your future plans? Im not sure yet. CDs are becoming obsolete now, as online digital forms have taken over. I intend to make a documentary on an important character in Tagores lifehis disciple Amita Sen (Khuku). Itll depend on the funding. I have to speed up my pending work on a book in which I have compiled my translations of some Tagore songs that have never been translated before. Any thoughts or message for the young generation? Let us read Rabindranath a bit more, beyond his songs and poetry. A vast area of his works remains little read. These are his books and lectures on society, politics, nature, education and so on. The mix of aestheticism and philosophy in his life is what makes him a philosopher of the highest order, beyond being a poet. He had solutions for many facets of our daily life. I also think there needs to be a social protest against the distortion of Tagores songs and his works in the name of fusion and experimentation. Finally, lets reveal ourselves by knowing Tagore a bit more. He is the man who enriched English literature, and not the other way around.