Tagore songs by band not taboo, says Sankho Ghosh

Kolkata: Eminent Bengali poet Sankho Ghosh says that launching Rabindranath Tagore`s songs by bands can not be a taboo if it conforms to the spirit and basics. For instance "The Tagore song in Bangla band Dohar`s `Sahasro Dotara` album, rendered by `bauls` (mystic minstrels from Bengal) have been a unique initiative," Ghosh told PTI here last evening. The Rabindra Puraskar (1989), Saraswati Samman (1998), Sahitya Akademi (1977) awardee stated "Dohar had in past also brought out albums with tracks which retained the very flavour of the earth". Asked about removing the fetters on Tagore music in the wake of lifting of copyright some years back and more and more use in films, putting to tune by members of Bangla bands, Ghosh said "(I) Have nothing against the use of Tagore music in films but one cannnot comment unless he listens to the particular tracks of the respective film." The Tagore track in the album of Dohar, the only band having such a vast repertoire of folk music of Bengal and north-east, is `tomar khola hawa` which is also studded with popular evergreen folk numbers like `ami hrid majhare rakhbo`, `chol mini asam jabo`. Popular band singer Anindyo of `Chandrabindoo` said some of the bands have been trying to bring out the very essence of Bengal through their music in past several years. Expressing happiness to be present at the 1000th concert of Dohar, which had begun the musical journey in the year 1999, Anindyo, whose music in Antaheen in 2010 had bagged honours including best lyrics national award, said "The 1000th show of a band augurs well for Bengali band music since I vividly remember the day (I) was present at their first stage outing." Baul singers Biswanath Das Baul and disciple Parboti Baul said the Sahajiya philosophy of the sect, i.E. The understanding of life and human, especially the human body, was not in any way diluted by the tracks launched by new age bands. PTI Suvojit Roy, the CEO of Orion Entertainment, which brought out the cd, said "`Sahastro Dotara` has 12 popular songs having a high recall value which will sure bring critical appreciation." PTI