Nidhu Babu
Encyclopedia
Ramnidhi Gupta (1741-1839), commonly known as Nidhu Babu, is one of the great reformers of Bengali
tappā
music.
Nidhu Babu was born in Kumartuli in northern Calcutta, where he grew up learning Persian
and some English
. Little is known about his upbringing, but by 1776 he had become a clerk in the office of the Chhapra
Collectorate.
In Chhapra, Nidhu Babu found a Muslim ustad
to train him in the techniques of a formal gharana
, or school of musical thought. However, he soon became fed up with his method of teaching, and decided to independently translate Hindi music into Bengali
.
In 1794, Nidhu Babu left his job in Chhapra and returned to Calcutta with a savings of ten thousand rupees.
In 1805-06, Nidhu Babu organized an akhrai troupe, an akhra being a fraternal society for studying and practicing classical Indian music. It was for his refinement and composition of akhrai songs that he initially became notable. However, his tappā were the songs that brought him lasting fame.
Nidhu Babu's principal work is the Gitaratna, a book of tappā love songs (with one exception, a tappā expressing his love for the Bengali language). Most of the songs in the Gitaratna are chaste and deal with separation or neglect.
As a babu
in early modern Bengali society, Nidhu Babu had few worldly needs; he was never ordered to sing a song. According to his contemporary James Long, he composed his best poems under the influence of wine. However, he was also noted for his fiercely independent personality, his hygiene, and his mediation in food and wine.
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...
tappā
Tappa
Tappa is a city and a municipal council in Sangrur district in the Indian state of Punjab.-Demographics: India census, Tappa had a population of 18,887. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Tappa has an average literacy rate of 57%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male...
music.
Nidhu Babu was born in Kumartuli in northern Calcutta, where he grew up learning Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and some English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Little is known about his upbringing, but by 1776 he had become a clerk in the office of the Chhapra
Chhapra
Chhapra is a city and headquarters of Saran district in the state of Bihar, India. Chhapra is also written as Chapra. It is situated near the junction of the Ghaghara River and The Ganges River....
Collectorate.
In Chhapra, Nidhu Babu found a Muslim ustad
Ustad
Ustad is an Arabized Persian word is a honorific title for a Muslim man in South Asia. The title precedes the name and is usually used for well regarded teachers and artists, most often musicians. It is applied and used via informal social agreement. It is abbreviated as ut. or ud.-References:*...
to train him in the techniques of a formal gharana
Gharana
In Hindustani music, a gharānā is a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. A gharana also indicates a comprehensive musicological ideology. This ideology sometimes changes substantially from one...
, or school of musical thought. However, he soon became fed up with his method of teaching, and decided to independently translate Hindi music into Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
.
In 1794, Nidhu Babu left his job in Chhapra and returned to Calcutta with a savings of ten thousand rupees.
In 1805-06, Nidhu Babu organized an akhrai troupe, an akhra being a fraternal society for studying and practicing classical Indian music. It was for his refinement and composition of akhrai songs that he initially became notable. However, his tappā were the songs that brought him lasting fame.
Nidhu Babu's principal work is the Gitaratna, a book of tappā love songs (with one exception, a tappā expressing his love for the Bengali language). Most of the songs in the Gitaratna are chaste and deal with separation or neglect.
As a babu
Babu (title)
The term babu, also spelled baboo, is used in modern-day South Asia as a sign of respect towards men. It is a derivation of bapu which means father. The honorific "ji" is sometimes added as a suffix to create the double honorific "babuji" which, in northern and eastern parts of India, is a term of...
in early modern Bengali society, Nidhu Babu had few worldly needs; he was never ordered to sing a song. According to his contemporary James Long, he composed his best poems under the influence of wine. However, he was also noted for his fiercely independent personality, his hygiene, and his mediation in food and wine.