Atithi

Took some time to listen to the entire sequence. I have never experienced rural Bengal. My parents are both from urban Kolkata, and so that's where I visit every time I go to India. However, I've taken trips to Shantiniketan and Murshidabad and have gotten a taste of what Tagore has written about in the pastoral, holistic, green rural Bengal. This musical sequence from Tapan Sinha's Atithi brings up Tagore's beautifully written images in my mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vstC0vkXjUM

The other day, we were walking down a random street in Jackson Heights when we saw a few ladies wearing "laal par shada saris." Or, white saris with a red border. That particular pattern is a quintessential Hindu Bengali look for women. We walked passed the ladies and realized that we were walking passed a recently constructed Hindu temple. It was a temple started and operated by Hindu families that originated from rural communities in Bangladesh. Since my mom's friend who is visiting from India was with us, we decided to pop in. Here is a clip of what we saw. It is so interesting to see Hindus from different parts of the country worshipping different gods and goddesses. I believe this community was worshipping not a god, but a saint of sorts. A saint who I have never heard of.

We have family friends from India staying with us. Naturally, our evenings are becoming filled with music - either played on CDs or the internet, or live. We have a harmonium and an electric tanpura, but accompanying instruments aren't always needed. I've grown up with such musical evenings, but have only recently been experiencing them in a new light. These evenings unknowingly become a deeply valued site for the construction of a particular type of cultural identity and community solidarity - a community of Bengali immigrants, a community of Tagore lovers, and a community of romantics.

Valmiki Pratibha

The first chorus of Rabindranath Tagore's dance drama, Balmiki Pratibha, fills me with emotion. I have had no previous emotional experiences with this set of songs, so I always wonder where this intense affect comes from. Will be writing more, but here is a brief translation of the first chorus.

Raag Bhairavi

Woke up this morning with this tune playing in my mind. A rarely heard song in Raag Bhairavi, by the under-appreciated Akhil Bandhu Ghosh.

Where to start...

My blog is based on music. All types. Everything that impacts my life at home, on the street, in Brooklyn, in India, during my commutes on the subway or in a car, and while sitting on my porch. My first post is from one of my most favorite cinematic scenes. This scene is one of the final scenes in the movie Atithi (1969), by Tapan Sinha. A gentle, emotionally overflowing, and encompassing scene in which Tarapada's whimsical and adventure-seeking personality finally makes sense to the viewer. The song is sung by Meera Bandopadhyay.