Alpana Mukherjee née Banerjee (March 14, 1934 – July 24, 2009) was a successful Bengali

Bengali people

The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...

 singer during the late 1940s and 1950s and onwards. Her most noted songs are 'Hatti Matim Tim', 'Mon Bolchhe Aaj Sandhyay', 'Chotto Pakhi Chandana' and 'Ami Alpana Enke Jai Aloy Chhayay'.

Early life

At the age of 13, Alpana was discovered by her father's close friends, Robin Chattopadhyay and Gouri Prasanna Majumdar

Gouri Prasanna Majumdar

Gouri Prasanna Majumdar was an eminent Bengali lyricist. He is most commonly associated with the golden age of Bengali cinema, namely the black and white era, when he penned several enduring classics for the evergreen movies like Anyay Abichar, Maqsad, Tinmurti, Aparupa, Anusandhan, and Aaj Ka...

, who were very active as music composers and lyricists respectively in the Bengali music scene at that time. Her songs became very popular soon after.

Career

Alpana Banerjee's major popularity derived from singing children's songs, which she transformed from simple rhymes to immortal classics. Bengalis from the 1950s through the 1990s were raised on Alpana's classics like 'Hattim Attim Tim' or 'Chhotto Pakhi Chandana'.

Her non-children songs also received considerable popularity. One of the earliest and notable Bengali non-film songs sung by Alpana was "Samiran Phire Chao" under Robin Chattopadhyay's baton. Soon after, in 1951, she recorded the song "Matir Ghare Aaj Nemechhe Chand Re" for the Bengali film 'Vidyasagar' with music once again by Robin Chattopadhay. This song became remarkably popular. Another notable Bengali film song by her, under Robin Chattopadhay's baton yet again, is "Hriday Amar Sundara Taba Paye" from the 1956 film 'Sagarika'. She sang many notable Bengali film and non-film songs in the 1950s under different music composers including Nachiketa Ghosh, Shyamal Mitra, Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, Sailen Mukhopadhyay and Bhupen Hazarika. Her voice was eloquent in capturing a variety of moods ranging from the romantic ("Mon Bolchhe Aaj Sandhyay"), to the frivolous ('Bakul Gandhe Jodi', 'Ami Alpana Enke Jai') and sombre ('Jetha Achhe Ogo Shudhu Nirabata').

Alpana recorded a cover version of the Hindi film song 'albela main ek dilwala' under Sachin Dev Burman

Sachin Dev Burman

Sachin Dev Burman , also credited as Burman da, Kumar Sachindra Dev Barman, Sachin karta or S. D. Burman, was one of the most famous music composers for Hindi movies and a Bengali singer and composer. His son Rahul Dev Burman also achieved great success as a Bollywood music director in his own...

's music direction. The regular version of this song was sung by Asha Bhonsle in the 1957 Hindi film 'Miss India'.

Alpana collaborated with many of her colleagues including Utpala Sen, Sandhya Mukhopadhyay

Sandhya Mukhopadhyay

Sandhya Mukhopadhyay is an Indian singer and musician, specialising in Bengali music. She was born in Kolkata, India. She is also known as Sandhya Mukherjee.She was very close friends with the late Alpana Banerjee...

, Shyamal Mitra

Shyamal Mitra

Shyamal Mitra was one of the best known singers of Bengal in the 1950s to 70s. Along with Hemanta Mukherjee and Manna Dey he was the most notable singer of that period. With a good baritone his voice reflected a range of emotions...

 (with whom she sang duets on many occasions), Manabendra Mukhopadhyay

Manabendra Mukhopadhyay

Manabendra Mukhopadhyay was a Bengali singer and composer. It is considered that during the 1950s, 60s and 70s the Bengali modern songs reached its peak of excellence and that period is usually called the "Golden age of Bengali Adhunik Songs". At that time Bengal had a unique mix of singers which...

, and Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay

Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay

Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay also known as Hemanta Mukherjee was an Bengali singer, composer and producer. He sang in Hindi films under the name Hemant Kumar.-Early life:...

. She also sing with Lata Mangeshkar

Lata Mangeshkar

Lata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional...

 under the direction of Pandit Ravi Shankar.

Although Banerjee later gave up her music career to care for her children, she stayed in the public eye and occasionally gave public performances. She was often the guest of honour at Bengali music functions, TV programmes, and on AIR (All India Radio) programmes.

On All India Radio'-Calcutta's 'Ramyageeti' program, she sang songs tuned by internationally renowned Sarod player Ali Akbar Khan

Ali Akbar Khan

Ali Akbar Khan , often referred to as Khansahib or by the title Ustad , was a Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar gharana, known for his virtuosity in playing the sarod...

. She also toured most of the North Indian Radio stations singing in chain programs with All India Radio. She was noted to have given performances in all corners of West Bengal.

Besides touring within India and West Bengal, she also extensively toured in England. She performed at Durga Puja

Durga Puja

Durga puja ; দুর্গা পূজা,ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା,‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava ; , is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and...

 functions in places like Hampstead

Hampstead

Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...

 Town Hall, Belsize Park

Belsize Park

Belsize Park is an area of north-west London, England, in the London Borough of Camden.It is located north-west of Charing Cross and situated on the Northern Line. It borders Hampstead to the north and west, Kentish Town and Gospel Oak to the east, Camden Town to the south east and Primrose Hill...

, King's Cross

Kings Cross, London

King's Cross is an area of London partly in the London Borough of Camden and partly in the London Borough of Islington. It is an inner-city district located 2.5 miles north of Charing Cross. The area formerly had a reputation for being a red light district and run-down. However, rapid regeneration...

 and gave performances at Bengali communities in Bradford

Bradford

Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...

, Leeds

Leeds

Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...

, Liverpool

Liverpool

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...

, Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...

, West Ham

West Ham

West Ham is in the London Borough of Newham in London, England. In the west it is a post-industrial neighbourhood abutting the site of the London Olympic Park and in the east it is mostly residential, consisting of Victorian terraced housing interspersed with higher density post-War social housing...

, Seven Sisters

Seven Sisters, London

Seven Sisters is an area of North London in the United Kingdom and part of the London Borough of Haringey. It is located at the east end of Seven Sisters Road, which runs from Tottenham High Road to join the A1 in Holloway.-Etymology:...

, Finsbury Park

Finsbury Park

Finsbury Park is a 46 hectare public park in the London Borough of Haringey. Officially part of the London area of Harringay, it is also adjacent to Stroud Green, the Finsbury Park district and Manor House. It was one of the first of the great London parks laid out in the Victorian...

, Islington

Islington

Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...

, etc. She was interviewed by BBC London on several occasions.

Personal life

Alpana Mukherjee was married to Sridhar Mukherjee and resided in Calcutta, West Bengal, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. She got married in 1959 and celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary in 2009. She is survived by two children and two grandchildren. Her daughter lives in Chelsea

Chelsea, London

Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...

, London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 and her son in Mumbai

Mumbai

Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. Notable Bengali singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay

Sandhya Mukhopadhyay

Sandhya Mukhopadhyay is an Indian singer and musician, specialising in Bengali music. She was born in Kolkata, India. She is also known as Sandhya Mukherjee.She was very close friends with the late Alpana Banerjee...

 remains a close family friend.

Death

Alpana Banerjee died on 24 July 2009 at the age 75. Many of her contemporary musicians whom she had befriended 50 years back (including Sandhya Mukhopadhyay

Sandhya Mukhopadhyay

Sandhya Mukhopadhyay is an Indian singer and musician, specialising in Bengali music. She was born in Kolkata, India. She is also known as Sandhya Mukherjee.She was very close friends with the late Alpana Banerjee...

) visited and paid their last respects. Among those paying their respects were Railway minister Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee is the 11th and current chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal. She is the first woman to hold the office. Banerjee founded All India Trinamool Congress in 1997 and became chairperson, after separating from the Indian National Congress...

 and chief minister of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Despite not being actively involved in the commercial music scene for many decades, the news of her death was covered by Indian media.

Playback songs

Alpana Banerjee was a playback singer in the following Bengali films:

• Bidyasagar
• Sahodor
• Bidhilipi
• Bhangagara
• Kori o Kamal
• Nouka Bilas
• Shubhada (she received best singer award in 1952 from the above film)
• Satir Dehatyag
• Satir Patalprabesh
• Mathur
• Saat Number Kaedi
• Agnipariksha
• Draupadi
• Dersho Khokar kando
• Kar Papey
• Bhisma
• Nagini Kanyar Kahini (music directed by Pandit Ravi Shankar)
• Hya
• Boudir Bon
• Shilpi
• Lakshya Bhrasta
• Personal Assistant
• Nashtanir
• Manmoyee Girls' School
• Asampta
• Dashyu Mohan
• Maa o Chhele
• Lakshya Heera
• Rakto Sandhya
• Bikram Urbashi
• Chhele Kaar
• Naa
• Pathe Holo Deri
• Ora Thake Odhare
• Sagarika
• Kirtigar
• Chhobi
• Brindaban Lila
• Saheb Bibi Golam
• Sandhyaraag
• Ektara
• Sribatsa Chinta
• Adrishya Manush
• Prashna
• Prithibi Amare Chay

She lent her voice in many more films; the above films contain her most noted songs.

Recorded Songs

These are some of her songs recorded with HMV saregama:

• Mon Bolchhe Aaj Sandhyay
• Ami Alpana Enke Jai
• Bakulgandhe Jodi Batas
• Tarader Chumki Jwale Akashe
• Jodi Tomar Jibane
• Eto Manjari Keno Aaj Phutechhe
• Aabchha Megher Oma Gaaye
• Ogo Tomay Chaowa
• Papiya Keno Aar Piya Dako
• Shiyarer Deep Jodi
• Jetha Aachte Shudhu Nirabata
• Akash Aar Ei Mati
• O Guner Naiyare
• Amar Shyam Shuk Pakhi Go
• Ami Sundar Bole
• Tomar Moner Rang Legechhe
• Chhotto Pakhi Chandana
• Phire Phire Chay Ke Je
• Bolechhile Tumi Gaan Shonabe
• Samiran Phire Chao
• Matir Ghare Aaj Nemechhe Chand
• Hriday Amar Sundar Tabo

Nursery Rhymes

These are some of her nursery Rhymes recorded with HMV saregama.

• Hattim Atim Tim
• Moymar Ma Moynamoti
• Dol Dol Duluni
• Agdum Bagdum Ghoradum
• Jamunaboti Saraswati
• Sajalpurer Kajol Meye
• Khuku Jabe Sashur Bari
• Chhotto Pahki Chandana
• Bideshini Kader Rani
• Chandrakala Baranmala
• Nache Nache Putul Nache
• Otho Otho Surjai
• Charka Kate Buri
• Poushali Sandhya Ghoom Ghoom Tandra
• Kana Machi Bho Bho
• Hoi Hollar Sorgol
• Chat Pot Uthe Paro
• Aye Re Ay Cheler Pal