Interview
Soulful songs to stir your very
existence
Nashid Kamal talks of her preference for folk songs and Nazrul Geeti
Nashid Kamal, talking about
how her songs are different from others in the same genre, says," If you ask me to
summarise I would say that I have tried to sing a huge range of song starting from pure
classical in which I have been specifically trained, 'geet', 'ghazals', 'Nazrul Geeti'
which is a Bangla version of 'geet' and 'ghazals' and the folk song. The addition of folk
songs to my repertoire has made a big difference to whatever I have to present to the
audience. Most of them have been put into four readily available cassettes. There is also
a cassette of modern songs and a CD of 'Nazrul Geeti' Thus I sing all types of songs
specially the songs of 'bichchedi' which are the songs of separation.
" Most of my numbers have been borrowed
from my famous grandfather Abbasudin's songs like 'Oi nama madhubi boney bondhu chhilo'
which are lilting numbers that are powerful and well-written like 'nodir kul kinar nai' or
'prano shokhi rey o kodombor toley'. The special number like the 'bhawaiya' which my
grandfather brought to the elite of Calcutta, and songs like 'kisher mor randhon kisher
mor baron' in the North Bengal dialect are the songs for which I have had the best
response from the audience. There are songs like 'aji bhal koria bajao rey do tara,' which
was written by my grandfather's brother, Abdul Karim, and subsequently popularised by my
aunt Firdousi Rahman, is special to me for at the age of six. I sang this on the
television in 1964, when the East pakistan TV channel was being inaugurated, and I was one
of the first child artist who performed there. When I rehearsed for this song before my
aunt, while she was in her shower, and she later taught me how to fold my hand while
performing in order to have more poise. While I sang as a child, my aunt played the
harmonium. Later one, last year in Calcutta, I had a very successful programme in
'Rabindra Sadan' where 'Pahela Batik' was being celebrated at a Bangladeshi night with six
artistes, I found that apart from my other songs, which were mostly 'Nazrul Geeti' the
songs which were best received by the audience were the song of separation such as 'amar
golar haar khoila ney ogo lolitey 'and 'marfati' (in praise of the Lord) such as 'kono
rongey baidhacho ghor khana'.
"These again were my grandfather's songs for
which he sometimes did not have an original name or even the words. He had heard some
farmer or cart driver and he wrote it down, memorised the tune and tried to make it a
number that is presentable. Subsequently some of the names have got lost but as you listen
to the songs you can see the philosophies contained in the beautiful tunes. They are
really worthy of being put into the tray for any audience. As I travel all over the world
with my songs I find that no matter which songs I sing, it is the folk numbers that I get
I the most applause.
Speaking about her six cassettes, Nashid says,
"There are six cassettes, such as 'Anchol bhora phul' which is in for of both CD and
cassette and is my latest venture. It is a 'Nazrul Geeti' with songs like 'noyon bhora jol
go tomar anchol bhora phul' Another cassette contains 'Nodir nam Shoianjanam" and yet
another which contains songs like 'Tumi ki shai nei'. I have another that contains the
song 'Padma amar mon'. I have quite a few folk song collections with 'bhawaiya' and 'lok
geeti' too such as 'Garyal bhai rey,' notably the cassette 'Dadu Abasuddin key', which
contains my favourite numbers from my grandfather's repertoire.
Asked to dwell on what made her go into singing,
Nashid says," It is mainly my family and also the response from the audience. What I
first learnt was classical music, because my parents thought the folk numbers and 'Nazrul
Geeti' were something that I could learn from my uncle and aunt. We lived in such an
atmosphere that the people around me were always singing. We had a joint family system. My
grandfather's records were also being played in the backdrop during lunch and dinner. My
father rightly though that classical training was necessary to grasp any line of singing.
My first training was from Ustad PC Gomez, when I was seven years old. Then in 1972 I
received training from Akhtar Shadmani in pure classical music. In 1984 I began learning
from Pandit Jasraj of India. All this training made me feel that I could sing any type of
songs. As I went to a performance I felt that people were more interested in hearing the
folk number rather than any other genre of songs. Singers from the villages add to the
collection of these songs."
Asked to comment on her success, Nashid says,"
I think I have a lot of family background and I certainly persevere. Whatever was taught
to me I practised in my spare time. Singing is not my main career. I am a professor of
Population Studies at the Independent University. I have a PhD in Demography from London,
with Masters in Statistics from Canada. Apart from professional trainer, my uncle and aunt
are the root of my success. Whenever I was stuck for an Islamic song, for instance, I had
their interpretation. My mother too was very careful that I should have special training
in Bangla and Urdu for the 'ghazals' and other songs. I had tutors for that. This, of
course, was apart from my normal school studies. Unless you comprehend and pronounce the
words properly, you cannot sing soulfully and cannot bring out the beauty of the song.
"You must be able to visualise the whole theme.
In the songs of parting, for instance, you must be able to convey the authenticity of the
pain of separation of the wife from the boatman in 'Morey kuley raikha na jaio gangey tey
ar'. You have to feel and understand to portray the emotion in your songs. I mastered the
colloquial Bangla from my grandmother, Begum Abbasuddin, who came from North Bengal. I did
not have to make an conscious effort to understand the dialect.
Talking about the hours she puts into her practice,
Nashid says," I try to practice two to three hours everyday specially at 7am, when I
do my classical 'rewaz', and when I return from my university, after my walk, I practice
again in the evening for about two more hours from 8pm to 10pm. For my concerts I have to
practise more where I bring in live music and go though the routine.
"I have guitar, 'tabla' the flute, the 'dotara'
and sometimes 'sitar' musical accompaniment. I have different groups whichever are
available. My 'dotara' accompaniment is often by Abhinash Sheel, who is the son of a
maestro Kanai Lal Sheel, who used to accompany my grandfather. The flautist is Ghazi and
the 'tabla' player has been with me since my childhood. When we have concerts, those
organising pay for the accompaniment of the musicians when they come for the rehearsals. I
maintain the 'tabla' player myself with whom I practise twice a week., and I have known
him since I was seven years old. It is, I admit, expensive practising with him twice a
week."
She continues, "Each of my songs have a
different style. I have actively tried to cultivate the versatility because 'Nazrul
Geeti', 'geet' and 'ghazals' all have a different style and a different language.Similarly
classical songs that I sing on Radio Bangladesh are of a different genres. I have had the
occasion to present my folk and modern songs in a single repertoire which has added
dimension to my own life. The albums are usually produced by commercial people and they
request us to make one type of songs, and I have a great desire to celebrate my
grandfather's hundredth year celebration in a CD or a cassette which will contain
different types of songs for example Islamic, folk numbers, modern songs, 'Nazrul Geeti'.
"I love my 'ghazals' and these were influenced
greatly by my Urdu teacher, who came regularly and besides my family members father, aunt
and uncle all know Urdu and insisted in my pursuit of the language to have the correct
pronunciation and learn to appreciate the words of 'ghazals' because without comprehending
the words, you cannot put in the necessary emotions to sing it out. When you are doing the
works of famous lyricists like Faiz Amed Faiz. Nasir Qazmi, Mir, Mir Taqi Mir or Daagh,
you are confronted with classical Urdu and not something that you would understand right
away by just watching Hindi films.
Incidentally, if you ask me about Hindi films, of
course I like them, and naturally the old ones rather than the new productions. But among
the new ones too I have favourite ones e.g. AR Rahman's songs from the movie 'Taal' where
a variety of folk and modern tunes into single lilting numbers e.g. 'Taal sey taal mila',
'Ishq hai kea'. As for pop songs, for every generation there songs of that kind. When we
were teenagers, we were listening to Azam Khan, Ferdous Wahid etc. Similarly, today I find
it natural for my children to have a hankering for pop music. Sometimes I am asked if pop
music will contaminate our authentic music and to this I say 'I don't think so' because
that is another stream apart and has an effect on a particular generation and people pass
through phases. With maturity you like different types of songs. One doesn't have to feel
threatened by it and one can take it complacently that here too are different streams
which appeal to people from different age groups. These same teenagers also love to listen
to our folk songs."
Speaking about lyrics, Nashid adds, "In singing
the Nazrul songs, our classical training come in handy because Nazrul Islam has left a lot
of room for the artist to improvise upon e.g. in 'raag lalith', 'piu piu pia boley.' It
has been sung by numerous artists but when you are singing you have the scope to make it
your very own. You maintain the main piece of the song, just as Nazrul Islam has asked you
to, and in the rest of the songs there is plenty of room for improvisation. The 'taan',
'baat','loikari' and the rhythmic illustrations that you are going to create with your
'tabla' player is just up to your training, voice limitation, time limitation and choice.
There is a lot of creative joy in singing Nazrul songs and there are similar songs in
'ghazals' where it is on a specific 'raaga' but you have the choice to elaborate it. You
have, for example, heard Aasha Bhonsley, Farida Khanum, Mehdi Hassan or Amanat Ali, Fateh
Ali or Mehdi Ghulam Ali singing the same number and you will find a wide range of variety
in presenting the songs although the words are the same and the tunes do not differ. The
artist has the flexibility of coming out in his/her true colours. Thus the creative urge
is satisfied in singing Nazrul songs and 'ghazals'. There are also the classical songs
where you can make your creative impressions to ad lib."
Nashid, talking about the theme of the book that she
has recently written, the excerpts of which have been published in a Bangla daily, says,
"'Jui Phuler Barandah' is about the jasmine porch which is still there in Purana
Paltan, where I lived for 21years.This is a nostalgic piece about myself, my family and
friends for a decade."
Nashid has two daughters Armeen and Ashna, and her
husband is the well-known cardiologist Dr Anis Waiz.
- Fayza Haq |
