About Me

Welcome To

Suranjani Music Academy

Born into a family of musicians, singing was second nature to me from a very early age. Needless to say, Rabindranath Tagore and his Music was always at the center of my musical existence but I also had a penchant for Indian classical music, especially vocal Music. I have studied music from two perspectives – Traditional and Institutional Systems of learning music.

In Rabindra sangeet, my direct teachers were Sri Subinoy Roy, Srimati Suchitra Mitra, Sri Sailajaranjan Majumdar, Sri Prafulla Kumar Das, Srimati Maya Sen. I made every effort to imbibe their distinctive styles and blend them together in my presentations. I have memorable moments of learning from Sri Sailajaranjan Majumdar and Sri Prafulla Kumar Das, as they played at their esraj along with singing and teaching. This had led to a life- long love for this instrument and inspired me to follow their examples. I also had the good fortune of seeing from a close distance how all these teachers maintained and perfected the art of demonstration of songs and their techniques of teaching Rabindra Sangeet in it’s most pure form.

In the field of Indian Classical Vocal Music, I had the rare opportunity of learning Khyal and Thumri at the feet of Late Sushil Kumar Bose, a foremost disciple of the legendary Late Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Doyen of the Patiala Gharana.

My Guru tied the ‘Ganda’ on me after years of training. With this important ritual, he accepted me into the lineage of the Patiala Gharana. I am indebted to Late Professor Dr. Prabir Kumar Bhattacharya of Visva Bharati University for his enlightening guidance about the complicated Talas used in Vocal Music.

Music in our country, be it classical Vocal or Rabindra Sangeet has to be learnt through Guru – Shishya Parampara (‘Master to disciple tradition’). There is no other way.

But in the present times, Institutional training and Degrees have a prime place of importance. So, simultaneously, this form of education was also pursued by me.

Degrees & Diplomas include:

  • B.A.(Hons.) in Rabindra Sangeet from Rabindra Bharati University (1st Class).
  • M. Mus in Rabindra Sangeet from Sangit Bhavana, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan (1st Class).
  • Ph.D. in Musicology,SAngit Bhavana, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan.
  • Gita Bharati Diploma in Rabindra Sangeet, Gitabitan Shikshayatan, Kolkata (1st Class).
  • Diploma in Rabindra Sangeet from Surangama, Kolkata (1st Class).
  • Sangeet Prabhakar Diploma in Rabindra Sangeet from Prayag Sangeet Samity, Allahabad (1st Class).
  • Diploma in Rabindra Sangeet Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh (1st Class).
  • Learned Esraj from Late Gourhari Kabiraj of Vishnupur Gharana and from Late Ramesh Chandra Chandra.
  • AIR artist in Rabindra Sangeet and Songs of Atulprasad Sen.
  • I have had a close relationship with Srimati Menoka Tagore, a granddaughter of Abanindranath Tagore. She was also married into the Tagore family. She was a very good singer who took lessons in Rabindra Sangeet from Dinendranath Tagore, nephew of Rabindranath Tagore.
  • I am indebted to Dr. Debabrata Singha Thakur, Doyen of The Vishnupur Gharana. I had the good fortune of accumulating a lot of information about the heritage of Malla Kings of Vishnupur since he belongs to this Royal Family. His talent of singing Dhrupad is prodigious. He has freely shared his unparalleled knowledge with a humble person like me. I remain ever grateful to him.

Publications:

Compilation of works done by Late Sm. Rajeswhari Dutta at School of Oriental and African studies (SOAS), London. These works were donated to Rabindra Bhavana, Visva Bharati Santiniketan after her death. The Compilation of these works and a Catalogue were prepared by me and later published in ‘Rabindra Biksha’ the scholarly magazine published by Rabindra Bhavana, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan.

Book in Bengali published by Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, Kolkata, on the ‘Study of Musical Texts written in Undivided Bengal (14th to 20th Century AD).

A Bengali Article on Indian Music and it’s Decay in Saswato Nirbhik Pathik, a bi-monthly magazine named after Swami Vivekananda.

Upcoming books:

  • a) Studies of Musical t Texts of Eastern India.
  • b) Studies on Evolution of Religion and Music in Bengal.
  • c) Notations of Classical Bandishes and Religious Songs of Bengal.

Last but not the least, I love to be surrounded by musical instruments. Over time I have collected a good number of instruments. These include Harmonium, Tabla, Tanpura, Esraj, Dilruba, Swarmandal, Keyboard. Electronic Tabla and Tanpura also have a place in my collection.

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