HYDERABAD : Kalabitan, a cultural group of the city presented ‘Saga of the Rains’ – an ensemble of rain ragas, poems and Bengali songs at Lamakaan recently. The two vocalists, Barnali and Lahari demonstrated smooth transitions back and forth between the classical Ragas and Bengali songs of Tagore, Atulprasad and Nazrul. They were accompanied by Abhijit on Tabla and Sridhar on Violin.
Sohini and Swapan had recited monsoon-poems of Tagore, Nazrul, Humayun Ahmed and Joy Goswami. It started with invocation of rainy season with a tarana in Megh Raga composed by Ustad Amir Khan followed by Tagore’s monsoon song and poem Aashar kotha hote aaj peli chhara.. and Aesechhe Borosha, Aesechhe Nobina Borosha respectively.
The second composition was a song of Atulprasad Sen Bondhu Emono badole tumi kotha and Nazrul’s poem Badalo diner pakhi. This mood was echoed by a traditional thumri in Raga Desh.
The third rendition was Tagore’s beautiful song Shaono gagane ghor ghanoghata (Darkness of the rainy sky)” mingled with kajri composed in monsoon ragas depicting the different moods of love in the rainy night. The fourth item started with a poem of Humayan Ahmed “Jodi mon kandhe (if your mind cries, come on a rainy day)”.
It was followed by a thumri based on raga Mishra Behag originally composed by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and a song Badhua nidh nahi aankhi pate. The fifth one was a poem by Joy Goswami, Megh balikar jonyo roopkatha. Sohini and Swapan had masterfully created a romantic cloudy atmosphere with their recitation. It was followed by a Tagore’s song mingled with deshi alaap. Audience were enthralled by this rendition.
Melodious voices of Barnali and Lahari, Abhijit’s master strokes on tabla, Sohini and Swapan’s recitation and Pulak’s simple stage with hundreds of colourful paper boats made the audience long for
monsoon showers.