Ustad Barin Mazumder
Encyclopedia
Barin Mazumder (February 15, 1919 – 2002) was a famous Bangladesh
i classical musician. He was regarded as one of the best classical musician of South Asia. His wife Ila Mazumder is also a famous artist. His two sons Bappa Mazumder
and Partho Mazumder are famous as well.
. Despite the wealth of the family, the Mazumders were deeply involved with culture. His father Nishendra Mazumder was an artist and dramatist. His mother used to play sitar
. At the age of three he suffered from typhoid. He picked up exercise as a hobby and was a member of Bishnupada Ghosh’s exercise club.
To nurture his interest in music his father took him to Kolkata
where he first learnt music from Vishmadev Chatterjee. The first Raag
that he learnt was “Raag Bhupali”. Two years later when his guru became shonnasi he came back to Pabna, but Mazumder was not satisfied and wanted to go to Lucknow
to study music in Maurice Music School. But his uncle who was the patriarch (korta) of the family did not allow him to go. Instead, he brought Ustad Roghurangan Gushwami from Lucknow to teach him music at home. At home he managed to finish the Maurice College course, but his desire to go to Lucknow made him decide to leave home.
When he reached Lucknow, some Bengali boys helped to take him to the Bengali hotel. At the time, Uday Shankar
and Ravi Shankar
were also in that hotel. At the college he met with his friend and fellow musician Chinmoy Lahiri. Lahiri took him to the principal of the Maurice Music School and he was admitted into the third year. Lahiri taught him music beside college classes. Later, Mazumder was attracted o Foiaz Khan and became his novice.
One day when he was in a debate about a topic with Sunil, suddenly Sunil said that Mazumder could not sing. This seemed to be the turning point of his career as he challenged him and said he would become better than him in three months. After that he continued with his Rewaz (musical practice) and soon his song was faster than Sunil's. Then one day as Sunil was in a show he went and performed the Raag of Sunil faster and this made Sunil understand his fault. As he continued to prepare him for music the time of partition came closer. During that time the fees that came from home stopped and he had to struggle hard to even manage the money to return home. He mortgaged his favourite tanpura and returned to Pabna during that very turbulent period.
After the partition of India when most of his neighbors had to cross the border, he stayed for the love of his homeland, but the riches and wealth which were made over the generations weres mostly looted and hunted by the miscreants. The real admirer of his talent was also nowhere to be seen as he had not had the opportunity. The toughness and loneliness at that time made him frustrated and depressed.
With most of his family property long gone Mazumder had to work hard. He once even bought a camera and related equipment to run a photography business, but soon lost interest and left the business. Fighting with severe frustration and depression, Mazumder had to pass his timesonly with his favourite hunting. He was really fond of hunting, and according to his wife Illa Mazumder his story would not be completed if it does not include a lot of things about his hunting.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i classical musician. He was regarded as one of the best classical musician of South Asia. His wife Ila Mazumder is also a famous artist. His two sons Bappa Mazumder
Bappa Mazumder
Shubhashish Mazumder Bappa mostly known as Bappa Mazumder is a Bangladeshi singer, lyricist and music composer.-Life:...
and Partho Mazumder are famous as well.
Early life
Barin Mazumder was born into an aristocratic Jamindar family at Radhanagar in Pabna DistrictPabna District
Pabna District is a district in north-western Bangladesh. It is the southern most district of Rajshahi Division. Its administrative capital is eponymous Pabna town.-Geography:Pabna forms the south-east boundary of Rajshahi Division...
. Despite the wealth of the family, the Mazumders were deeply involved with culture. His father Nishendra Mazumder was an artist and dramatist. His mother used to play sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
. At the age of three he suffered from typhoid. He picked up exercise as a hobby and was a member of Bishnupada Ghosh’s exercise club.
To nurture his interest in music his father took him to Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
where he first learnt music from Vishmadev Chatterjee. The first Raag
Raag
Raag or RAAG can have several meanings:* Radio Amateur Association of Greece* Rāga, a melodic mode in Indian classic music* Right-angled Artin groups, a class of groups studied in geometric group theory....
that he learnt was “Raag Bhupali”. Two years later when his guru became shonnasi he came back to Pabna, but Mazumder was not satisfied and wanted to go to Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
to study music in Maurice Music School. But his uncle who was the patriarch (korta) of the family did not allow him to go. Instead, he brought Ustad Roghurangan Gushwami from Lucknow to teach him music at home. At home he managed to finish the Maurice College course, but his desire to go to Lucknow made him decide to leave home.
When he reached Lucknow, some Bengali boys helped to take him to the Bengali hotel. At the time, Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar , the pioneer of modern dance in India, and a world renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, was most known for adapting Western theatrical techniques to traditional Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, thus laying the roots of...
and Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
were also in that hotel. At the college he met with his friend and fellow musician Chinmoy Lahiri. Lahiri took him to the principal of the Maurice Music School and he was admitted into the third year. Lahiri taught him music beside college classes. Later, Mazumder was attracted o Foiaz Khan and became his novice.
One day when he was in a debate about a topic with Sunil, suddenly Sunil said that Mazumder could not sing. This seemed to be the turning point of his career as he challenged him and said he would become better than him in three months. After that he continued with his Rewaz (musical practice) and soon his song was faster than Sunil's. Then one day as Sunil was in a show he went and performed the Raag of Sunil faster and this made Sunil understand his fault. As he continued to prepare him for music the time of partition came closer. During that time the fees that came from home stopped and he had to struggle hard to even manage the money to return home. He mortgaged his favourite tanpura and returned to Pabna during that very turbulent period.
After the partition of India when most of his neighbors had to cross the border, he stayed for the love of his homeland, but the riches and wealth which were made over the generations weres mostly looted and hunted by the miscreants. The real admirer of his talent was also nowhere to be seen as he had not had the opportunity. The toughness and loneliness at that time made him frustrated and depressed.
With most of his family property long gone Mazumder had to work hard. He once even bought a camera and related equipment to run a photography business, but soon lost interest and left the business. Fighting with severe frustration and depression, Mazumder had to pass his timesonly with his favourite hunting. He was really fond of hunting, and according to his wife Illa Mazumder his story would not be completed if it does not include a lot of things about his hunting.