Mohiner Ghoraguli
Damayanti Chakravarty National Institute of Design PG Graphic Design Semester 3 Guide: Arun Gupta
“Bhebe dekhechho ki
Tara rao jato alok barsha dure Taro dure
Tumi ar ami jai krome shore shore� Have you never wondered Just as stars are light years away Farther still You and I keep growing apart
Mohiner Ghoraguli
Damayanti Chakravarty National Institute of Design PG Graphic Design Semester 3 Guide: Arun Gupta
Documentation of Studio 2 Š Damayanti Chakravarty National Institute of Design Ahmedabad, 2012
Contents The Project 1 Starting Out 5 Calcutta 8 Their Story 15 The How & When & Where 16 What They Said 27 Through Her Eyes 41 Mohiner Ghoraguli Today 48 Endnotes 56 Acknowledgements 57 Bibliography 58
The Project At first glance, this would hardly seem like a project that would be undertaken by a graphic design student. It does not deal with the subject of graphic design, or even design for that matter. But it would make little sense if the way this project shaped up is not mentioned. The first idea I had in mind was to study the music video culture in indie/alternative bands hailing from Bengal. I knew that Bengal has many good bands of note, and people are becoming more conscious about promoting their music to a wider audience. Some independent film makers have been coming together to help these bands out in putting together videos that will give them a wider reach. I was interested in seeing how musicians and film-makers work together on visualizing the songs – specially how the lyrics and mood of the song is captured through moving images, colours and characters. When I started looking up, I realized that with no history to fall back on, these videos are often very superficial and amateurish. After going through hours of online video streaming, and some other videos from private collections of friends, I was disappointed. After discussing this with my project guide, and knowing my interest in music, and Bengal’s culture, to be specific, he came up with the suggestion that I could look into a subject that would be 1
worthy of a project – why not look into the alternative bands themselves – who they are, their inspirations, aspirations etc. Or better still, why not pay a tribute to the single most defining event of Bengal’s modern history of music – the coming together of a radical group of youngsters who created their own breed of music in the seventies – Mohiner Ghoraguli. The idea immediately struck with a host of possibilities. Here was a band that not only revolutionized the way Bengal listened to music, but continues to inspire the new breed of musicians today, irrespective of their genre. Mohiner Ghoraguli made a strong political, cultural and social statement through their lyrics, instruments, their promotions, and public appearances. What seems to be regular fare these days – the unkempt hair, fusion of different musical elements, an informal set-up, in-your-face lyrics – was completely unheard of and unthinkable in Bengal of the seventies. Theatre at the time, however, was already attempting newer styles and was more experimental. But this was a first in terms of music.
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One of the earliest performances of Mohiner Ghoraguli (1970s). Picture from private collection.
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Album cover of Drishyoman Mohiner Ghoraguli (‘78)
Starting Out Of course, it had to be considered that doing a project about a band that does not exist anymore, and hails from an Indian state that is quite on the other coast than the one I am currently residing in, would not be an easy task. To make matters more interesting, the frontman of the band is no more. I weighed my challenges and started planning on how to go about with my information hunt. Even before I ran a search on the internet, I decided to call up some of my friends in Calcutta who belong to the music fraternity. I realized that even though I have moved out of the scene a couple of years ago, a phonecall or a personal message could initiate a rather friendly and fruitful conversation. On slowly broaching my topic of interest, I got mixed reactions. Some of them thought there was no point talking about something that is “dead and long gone”. On the other hand, there were many more people who thought it was a “fantastic idea”. They reiterated my own thoughts on some level. Here was an opportunity to find out why they are legends and icons in their own right. They were no ethereal super beings who cannot be touched. They were very real, believable, passionate, and very “human”. And it is this quality that made them so unique in the modern music context. It was time to dive in and find out more about what drove them to do what they did in an environment that was not yet ready to welcome them. 5
So I randomly went about asking my peers what they know or felt about the band. There was an interesting mix of the information they had. Some of them had all the lyrics at the tip of their tongues – given a chance they will not hesitate to sing them out, no matter where their tunes lead them. Some, mostly those who have grown up on a heavy dose of Western/English music did not know either the lyrics or much about the members, except for that they are the real big guns of Bengali music. Some people from the older generation thought that their lyrics were perhaps a little too pretentious and attention seeking. They felt that the band was just trying to create a sensation. Most of those who were not Bengalis thought that Mohiner Ghoraguli’s most famous track “Prithibi-ta Naki Chhoto Hote Hote” was a remake or parody of Pritam’s “Bheegi Bheegi Si” from the movie Gangster, starring Shiney Ahuja and Kangna Ranaut. This got me worried. But, by now I had a reasonably good idea of what my potential readers could be looking for in a book dealing with Mohiner Ghoraguli. I figured that I would have to help people understand this band and their philosophies by putting them in context – the time and the place. While people are definitely free to choose whether they like something or not, it is only fair to make judgements after a better knowledge and understanding. This precisely became my motive. To present the band as they were. Honest, real and raw. 6
I spent a good amount of my time downloading or borrowing and listening to their songs. I had heard only one of their albums so far – “Abar Bochor Kuri Pore”, probably their most seminal album – and that was when I was beginning to get introduced to the concept of Bangla rock. I remember enjoying many of the songs on the cassette; the arrangement, layers, and metaphors appealed to me. The voice almost seemed secondary if compared to the weight of the lyrics. Around this time I checked for available information online. Not to my surprise, I found a lot of articles, radio documentaries, interviews, and dedicated pages on social networking sites. Pages specific to band members dealt with the ones who are alive and in India (I found out later that some have permanently moved abroad). These pages mostly spoke about their current life and career. On blogs and forums I found some relevant information which were more in tune to my interest, but they were too scattered and unorganized. It was impossible to get one holistic view since many pages had contradicting facts. I noted that they had to be verified from a more reliable source. Also, I needed to figure out the basic chronology of the band’s existence. At this point it seemed like a good idea to plan a trip to Calcutta. Appointments were set, meeting dates were fixed upon, and I geared up with an open mind and a notebook. 7
Calcutta Going to Calcutta after many months, I realized how it never fails to captivate me with its old-school charms. The hustle-bustle at Howrah station, followed by the breeze that greets you while crossing the Hooghly. Works like a balm. I look closely at everything as if I’m seeing them for the first time, and at the same time recollecting earlier experiences of having seen them in my memories. Of course this time, I have a mission that goes beyond a simple visit to my hometown. As an outsider, for the first time, it is easy to see what you would love to remember about this city, and what you would choose to forget. One has to understand a city and its people, its culture and way of life in order to appreciate the arts that are born there. While I felt lucky to have grown up in Calcutta in the 90s, when liberalization was well under way, I could not help but wonder how much easier it would have been to go about doing this project if I had had some first hand experience of the socio-political situation of the 70s. It was the decade when mass immigration happened with the formation of Bangaladesh. Hundreds of thousands of refugees with no employment. A city still reeling under the messy state of affairs, owing to the Marxist-Maoist stranglehold of the late 60s. In 1977 the Congress was overthrown, and government under the rule of CPM began, to be continued for 34 long years. By 1985, Calcutta was declared to be a dying city by 8
A heriatge building in Benoy Badol Dinesh (BBD) Bag, Calcutta. Picture courtesy: Dipankar Chakravarty
Mohiner Ghoraguli performing at Rabindra Sadan (around 1979)
Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India. This Calcutta was my setting. Not wasting much more time, I went to meet friends who I felt would have some insight into the band’s early life, philosophies, and practically anything more than what I already knew. When the information started to get repetitive, they all suggested I go meet Gaboo, or Gaurab Chatterjee, son of the late frontman Gautam Chattopadhyay. With only a couple of days in hand before I headed back to Ahmedabad, he willingly agreed to meet. He went a step ahead and offered to introduce me to his mother who he assured would be the best person to help me with what I was looking for. She, to start with, had been around for the entire phase of the band’s existence and has seen it all from close quarters, entertained the musicians at home, been witness to some of their compositions in progress, and owns the rights to all of Gautam Chattopadhyay’s possessions, including letters, photographs, lyrics and more. The meeting went rather well. I had to get rid of my prejudices while I listened to all she had to say, and all that I had to learn. I gathered it would be impossible to lay my hands on most photographs. She edited and decided which ones I could have. However, this was much more than I had even anticipated. They both seemed enthusiastic about the prospect of a book like this, while warning me about the estranged 11
relationship between family members of the remaining bandmates. There were a lot of complexities. Having been in a band myself, I had had some experience of how things can get sour between bandmembers from time to time. While it was indeed sad that a band like Mohiner Ghoraguli parted ways, history proves that it has happened to the best and most successful bands the whole world over. Sometimes, after many years, they often re-unite again too. In the case of Mohin, there have been attempts from time to time to re-unite, but by then Gautam Chattopadhyay was no more. However, the efforts for a comeback has been welcomed with open arms by an audience that is driven completely by passion for the arts and nostalgia. That is what fascinates me. Mohiner Ghoraguli – Outlaws then, heroes now. In any case, love them, or hate them, you cannot ignore the footprints they have left behind.
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Gautam Chattopadhyay in a screen shot from Q’s documentary ‘Le Pocha’, 2009
One of their show tickets
Their Story After getting back to Ahmedabad, I compiled and edited the story. Wherever I was in doubt, or felt there was a connection between them and what was happening elsewhere, I did more reading to back up the article and included the relevant facts whenever I could. After about seven drafts, I was finally ready. The following pages unravel the story so far.
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The How & When & Where It was the seventies. In many ways it was a decade of innovations and breakthroughs. The perfect bridge between the rebellious sixties and the happier eighties. It was the start of the digital and electronics revolution, and home computers were steadily gaining popularity worldwide. Televisions and calculators were more easily available now with the invention of transistors and integrated circuits. It was a decade that saw a significant growth in women’s rights and the contraceptive pill. Even air-travel was booming with the 747 Jumbo Jets carrying more and more people across continents. Coming closer home, Bengal at that time was in the heart of the Naxal movement in India. And Kolkata was still pretty much Calcutta back then. In the city of Calcutta, a
new music revolution was brewing, and it is here that our story begins. A young man named Gautam Chattopadhyay, still a student in Presidency College, felt it was time people moved beyond the realm of “chaand”, “phool” “akash” “nadi” (moon, flowers, sky and rivers), something that had become the staple diet in record players of Bengali homes those days. He got together with his brothers, cousins and friends, trying to figure a way to connect to people by writing songs about real and pressing matters of their time. Something that they knew they would be able to immediately connect to without the frills of beautified poetry. Against all odds, Gautam, always an eccentric, and intellectually so, along with 16
his friends and brothers found an answer to their problems in Mohiner Ghoraguli. The year was marked in Bengal’s musical history as 1974. As all living members and friends of the band still recollect fondly, they initially called themselves ‘Saptarshi’ (a Sanskrit word for ‘seven sages’). However, as it turned out, all of them had been heavily influenced by the modernist Bengali poet Jibananda Das, who is arguably one of the most popular Bengali poets till date. Rising to fame towards the middle of the twentieth century, he was instrumental in bringing about a radical shift in poetic diction, themes and symbolism, from the stronghold of Tagore’s Romantic poetry. Gautam
and his friends were on a similar route in terms of Bengali music. Quite appropriately so, on the suggestion of Ranjon Ghoshal, a first cousin of Gautam and founding member of the band, the name of the band was re-christened to Mohiner Ghoraguli (Mohin’s Horses) borrowing from a poem ‘Ghora’ by Jibanananda Das. The line went something like this — ‘Mohiner ghoragulo ghash khae Kartik’er jyotsna’r prantorey’ which can be loosely translated as: “Mohin’s horses graze on the horizon, in the autumn moonlight” 17
The 1970s were not a promising time for a radically experimental group like Mohiner Ghoraguli. Bengali “adhunik” singers like Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, Sandhya Mukhopadhyay and Shyamal Mitra were primarily working on updating the tradition left behind by Tagore and Nazrul. The music was not contemporary in the literary sense. They were traditional in their instruments and arrangements, and traditional in their themes and lyrics. The music of the seventies was chiefly weighing on Bengali film releases, and the songs generally appeared for the first time as soundtrack for those films. These were predictably romantic songs, easily forgettable in their lyrical content. What Mohiner Ghoraguli dared to venture into has been compared by many to Bob
Dylan and Joan Baez’s Folk Music revival in America. Strange as it seems today, in culturally conservative Bengal of the seventies, Mohiner Ghoraguli, with its unconventional musical compositions and strange choice of song themes, failed to gain much of a fan base. They were largely the makers of music without an audience, much like a God with no believers. Its songs dealt with everyday topics, the mundane and the often “we-dare-not-speak-of-them” themes such as politics, poverty, injustice, revolution, love, loneliness, even begging and prostitution. As pointed out by former bandmate Abraham Mazumdar, Gautam Chattopadhyay had strong political beliefs. Like many intelligent and idealistic young men of his 18
Newspaper articles featuring the band
steady rise in their fanbase included AC/DC, Queen, Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, Kiss, Blue Oyster Cult, and Led Zeppelin. The decade saw the decline of the term “Rock n Roll” as bands of cult status like The Beatles broke up. Various sub-genres of Rock, like Soft Rock, Hard Rock, Country, Folk, Punk, and Shock emerged along with the new craze of Disco. ABBA was one of the big names in the 1970s too. With the death of Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, came the end of the booming phenomenon of the 60s. Country Rock acts like Eagles became popular, and people like Bob Marley helped make Reggae mainstream. The turn of the decade saw a new breed of intellectual singer-songwriters such as Leonard Cohen, Joni
generation, he was involved in socialist-communist politics, namely, the Naxalite movement. This political outlook was evidently reflected in the musical output of the band, not only in terms of lyrical content but also by way of presentation of the same and even the clothes they wore. Mohiner Ghoraguli’s arrival in the 1970s, though short-lived, is very vital to the history of Bengal’s popular culture. Their efforts can be appreciated significantly more if seen in retrospect to the music of the 70s across the world. The Progressive Rock movement of the time was giving rise to bands such as Genesis, Yes, Lake and Palmer, and Pink Floyd. Other bands that saw a 20
Mitchell, Lou Reed, Neil Young, Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen. In Britain, Hard Rock and Progressive Rock branched into several sub-genres, while Rock n Roll was given an almost intellectual quality. It is safe to say that music became a cultural peer of European cinema and literature. Decadence in music gave birth to singers like David Bowie who popularized Decadent Rock. Similarly Robert Fripp and Peter Gabriel were revolutionalizing Progressive Rock. Brian Eno’s innovation of Progressive Rock led to the invention of Ambient or Post Rock music. Meanwhile, Pink Floyd’s experiments with psychedelic progressive music was resulting in some important albums of the decade. For instance The Wall, a concept album by Floyd,
following one common thread through all the songs, dealt with man’s loneliness and the metaphorical wall they build around themselves. On the other hand German Rock led by Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream and the like were probably twenty years ahead of British rock. They in turn laid the foundations for popular electronic music, instrumental rock, new-age music and disco.
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A look at some of the major musical innovations of the decade — STUDIO EVOLUTION: Accelerated improvements in stereo recording. Advanced layering of vocals (eg. Carpenters “Big Hits”) and celebrated albums such as Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” and “Dark Side of the Moon”. SINGER SONGWRITERS: Solo artists kept the spirit of folk music alive (John Denver, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Jim Croce)
DISCO CRAZE: Transformed the music industry by elevating producers and overshadowing individual artists. This disco fever culminated to its peak with the release of Saturday Night Fever (1977), starring John Travolta, featuring music by The Bee Gees. HARD ROCK: Rock Music became louder and meaner with the introduction of metal NEW DIRECTIONS: Midway through the 1970s, punk music began invading rock music and youth movements rebelling against established music led to bands like The Ramones and The Sex Pistols.
DEVELOPMENT OF SOUL: Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder were the forerunners of this movement 22
ORIGINAL MEMBERS — Gautam Chattopadhyay (Manik a.k.a. Moni-da to his younger siblings) – voice, lead guitar, saxophone, lyrics Pradip “Bula” Chattopadhyay – bass guitar, flute Biswanath “Bishu” Chattopadhyay – drums, bass violin Ranjon Ghoshal – lyrics, emcee, visuals, media relations Abraham Mazumdar – piano, violin Tapas “Bapi” Das – voice, guitar Tapesh “Bhanu” Bandopadhyay – voice, guitar (till 1978)
Gautam, Pradip and Bishwanath were brothers, while Ranjon was their first cousin. Abraham was Bishwanath’s friend, and Tapesh and Tapas were both family friends.
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DISCOGRAPHY Albums from the first phase by the original members:
Albums from the second phase by various artists (ed. Gautam Chattopadhyay):
Shongbigno Pakhikul O Kolkata Bishayak (Ruffled Feathers and on Calcutta) (1977) Ajaana Udonto Bostu ba Aw-Oo-Baw (Unidentified Flying Object or U.F.O) (1978) Drishyomaan Moheener Ghoraguli (Visible Horses of Moheen)
Aabaar Bochhor Kuri Pore (Again, After Twenty-odd Years) (1995) Jhora Somoyer Gaan (Songs of Times Past) (1996) Maya (Illusion) (1997) Khyapar Gaan (Songs of the Loony) (1999) Aabaar Bochhor Kuri Pore extended CD re-release (1999)
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Album cover of Sangbighno Pakhikul o Kolkata Bishayak (‘77)
The type of music that Mohiner Ghoraguli had quite unknowingly pioneered can today safely be termed as “Jibonmukhi”, or songs that spoke of “ordinary life”. It took singers like Kabir Suman, Anjan Dutta, and Nachiketa about two decades more to bring “Jibonmukhi” to a new level of unprecedented popularity. By the nineties, there was clearly a more dedicated audience for such music, and this made the new breed of singers a more easily acceptable name in every home. This could partly be a result of the liberalization of television channels in 1991. People now had a good idea of what the world was watching and listening to because of foreign channels such as Star TV and MTV. 26
What They Said “Mohiner Gautam, Gautam-er Mohin Ebong Porer Prajanma” (Mohin’s Gautam, Gautam’s Mohin, and the next generation) – JOYJEET LAHIRI
1 Mohiner Ghoraguli (1976 - 1981) – Fifteen major public performances, three records, and a lot of criticism. All this, followed by a period of lull. The fame and respect that they have today would not have been possible in the early 1980s. Specially not after their sudden disappearance. Rabindra Sadan, one of the most important cultural centres in Calcutta, witnessed the first performance by a Bangla band on 12th August, 1979. This band was none other than Mohiner Ghoraguli. The tickets for the show were printed on pieces of old newspapers. The stage décor was done innovatively using the concept of bamboo scaffolding. Among other notable venues in Calcutta Mohiner Ghoraguli performed in Jogesh Mime Academy (1977), Star
Theater (1978), Max Mueller Bhavan (1979), St. Paul’s Cathedral lawns (1980) and Calcutta School of Music (1981). Every performance had something special to look forward to. The show tickets and invites were innovative and often ‘strange’, enough to make people stop and wonder. If some tickets were printed on scrap of newspaper, others would have thumbprints of all members in red ink, or something as outlandish as a two-liner that would read like a telegram “ARRIVING ON… AT… STOP ATTEND”. All Mohiner Ghoraguli members had the gift of playing more than one instrument, so during each show they would easily shift from one to the other, taking each others’ role, erasing boundaries and limitations. In an attempt to put a finger on their musical style, 27
they claimed to be “Baul Jazz”. Blending the twangs of an electric guitar with those of the baul’s ‘dotara’, the saxophone with the snake charmer’s flute, or the veena with the violin - all this seemed like cakewalk. It was enough to shake the foundations of a generation that had grown up loving and knowing Rabindra Sangeet. This musical revolution was happening in the 1970s, when the guitar was hardly a household thing. As a matter of fact, the guitar had not been seen extensively anywhere beyond the pubs and nightclubs of Park Street until then. But as luck would have it, like hundreds of promising young bands the world over, Mohiner Ghoraguli faced a sudden demise. They exclaimed “None of you wanted to listen to what we had to
offer anymore”. All members scattered, and left the city in search of other jobs elsewhere. Music took a backseat for many. One fine day in an old canteen in Presidency College, a couple of students broke into songs like ‘Runway’ and ‘Bhalobashi Jyotsna-e’. With renewed curiosity more and more people wanted to know who Mohiner Ghoraguli were, a band that had written lyrics that reflected and stirred their own urban sentiments. It was the nineties. A new search began for Mohiner Ghoraguli and the second phase of its music began. Gautam Chattopadhyay was surprised to find that youngsters still remember them in colleges, after all these years. With renewed 28
interest and energy, a Mohiner Ghoraguli album edited by Gautam Chattopadhyay was released in 1995 during the Calcutta Book Fair. The name was simple and appropriate “Abar Bochor Kuri Pore” (translated Twenty Years Hence). Soon after, more albums followed - “Jhora Shomoyer Gaan”, “Maya” “Khyapar Gaan”. Of course, this was the new face of Mohiner Ghoraguli with Gautam Chattopadhyay standing tall as the only one of the founding members of the original band. The band became more like a music project where new artistes and voices were given a chance. Singer and instrumentalist Gautam Chattopadhyay took a backseat, concentrating only on lyrics and musical arrangements. Prithibi ta Naki Choto Hote Hote”
became an instant hit as it strung a chord with the contemporary urban youth’s lonely heart. Other popular songs like “Rabeya ki Ruksana”, “Ei Muhurte” and “Telephone” were belted out to an eager audience, seasoned and ready for more.
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“Dosh Amader-i, Oke Aprakashe Rekhechilam” (Its our fault, We kept him hidden) – Pratidin – 25 June 1999 – SATINATH CHATTOPADHYAY
2 He left us all of a sudden, in absolute silence, on 20th June 1999 – a Sunday afternoon. We loved him for his music, and that is all we had ever asked of him. We never wanted his songs to get diluted, adulterated. No controversy, no competition. We could have brought him to the forefront if we wanted, by stopping other rising stars. However he was not one for stealing the limelight and living life king-size. For twenty-five years he had been on his own, living in his cozy shell, spreading his love and music to anyone who came in search of it, to his nearest and dearest ones, his friends and family. A lot of people claimed that Mohiner Ghoraguli had arrived way ahead of its times. But it would be inappropriate to say that. If we look at the history
of art and culture we can see that they were right on track. Had they not started what they did in the 70s, the music of the 90s as we know it would have had no recognition or foundation. After Mohiner Ghoraguli faced a premature end in 1981, Gautam Chattopafhyay decided to tend to a new breed of young horses under the same banner. He helped out budding musicians by editing and arranging their music, writing lyrics, and even recording. Needless to say, he became something of a father figure for all aspiring rockers in Bengal - a state that was still trying to recover from the clutches of Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, and the occasional “Adhunik gaan” (modern/contemporary music). 30
1984 – He forayed into films with “Nagmoti” which helped him win a National Award too. Film for him became a way for expressing the musician within. There was constant music in between shoots and during travel to locations.
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“Elo ki e Ashamaye” (An Untimely Visitor) – LADLI MUKHOPADHYAY
3 To his near and dear ones, Gautam Chattopadhyay was ‘Moni da’. He believed in bringing people together through his music. Everyone was expected to join in, whether to lend a voice, play a rhythm on the table or contribute any which way they could. From the Students’ Union and local politics of the 70s, he managed to reach an alternate world of nightlong music jamming sessions of Park Street. IPTA (Indian People’s Theater Association) – Cultural Wing of the Communist Party of India, active in Kolkata, Mumbai and Assam. Revolutionary Theater and IPTA – Both of these rose to their heights in the 70s because of the socio-political scenario of the times. Before and after every meeting, and also during breaks, music became a source of
inspiration and motivation, a way of bringing people together and keeping their spirit high. Everyone was expected to sing, write a lyric or poem, or join in somehow. Of course this also led to the belief that “everyone can sing” with often disastrous results. But Gautam Chattopadhyay, starting from the corridors of Presidency College where he studied, often took to the streets with his band of Mohiner Ghoraguli members and other faithful followers, singing, clapping, playing percussions, and simply raising a voice in every “para” (neighbourhood), spreading the cause of the Naxal Movement for which he strongly stood by. In Bengal, it could be said that Salil Chowdhury was one of the firsts to make Bangla modern music 32
popular among the masses. Gautam Chattopdhyay was a close second, although ofcourse, soon after, people like Suman Chattopadhyay (now Kabir Suman), Nachiketa and Anjan Dutta only helped in bringing such music closer to the masses. Gautam Chattopadhyay managed to spread music like an addiction amongst countless young men and women. Music became like opium for the masses. During his lifetime he was far from the media glare. All that he received was due to the support of the people whose lives he had touched. Gautam Chattopadhyay would keep travelling in search of inspiration in the villages and interiors of Bengal. He was eager to learn and incorporate different forms of music, weaving them seamlessly
with rustic as well as modern western instruments. From Baul, Fakir, Bhawaiya, Jhumur, Leto, Chatka, Chhau, Murshidi, Tushu, nothing missed his musical soul. They all found a place in his compositions. Although he’s not with us anymore, the new generation of musicians can take measures to keep his music alive by re-mastering the old recordings and circulating them. People can take a leaf from his page and continue supporting the traditional forms of Bengal’s music and spread the love and respect.
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Mohiner Ghoraguli playing for a full house. Picture from private collection.
“Chole Gelen Bangla Ganer Prothom ‘Pop cult’ Gautam Chattopadhyay” (Bengali Music’s first ‘Pop Cult’, Gautam Chattopadhyay, is now no more) – DEBOJYOTI MISRA
4 Mohiner Ghoraguli proved that it is possible to tread a different path in music while having respect for all that Eastern music has to offer. However, this was indeed a very difficult feat. To brush off denial and ridicule and go against the current is never easy. It would be unfair to Mohiner Ghoraguli if we spoke only about their music. Even the way they performed or presented themselves to the public was radical. They always managed to create a buzz by doing something different on stage. For them it was never about singing sweetly like a choir. Rather the whole stage was like a gymnasium to them. Someone could be rollerskating while singing, another playing the flute while lying down in a yoga position, yet someone else could be swaying on a swing with
a microphone in hand. The audience on the other hand would be shocked and taken by surprise, and not necessarily enthralled or awe-struck. It is true therefore, in those days only 10% of their audience loved and appreciated Mohiner Ghoraguli’s contribution. However, Gautam Chattopadhyay was not one for giving up easily. He was a firm believer of the notion that if the path is right, no matter how long or difficult, one will always reach the final destination. And now we know how true it was, since the winds of change in Bengali music that became popular much later actually started in the 70s. In the prelude to their vastly popular song “Bhalobashi”, Abraham Majumdar plays the violin in a way that was hitherto unheard of in these parts 35
of the country. The three-layered harmonies in the song were enough to make people amazed because of their sheer beauty and innovation. Gautam Chattopadhyay was not only familiar with various musical styles and instruments, his lyrics too were very unique. Some of his typical subjects would be urbanization and loneliness, love, emotion, nostalgia, subjects that were seen in the works of Kallol poets of Bengal, but in music for the first time in Mohiner Ghoraguli. There are not many who have itin them to make things happen. Gautam Chattopadhyay was one of them. Instead of giving in to popularity he was able to remain creative and original throughout. He had both passion and talent, and during his lifetime never known to say a
thing against anyone else. Gautam Chattopadhyay had a very individual style when it came to music or even his general lifestyle. It would be impossible for anyone to try and imitate him.
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“Mohiner Ghoragulir Din” (The days of Mohiner Ghoraguli) – GAUTAM CHATTOPADHYAY
5 Whenever I think of the seventies, I can’t help but feel that we were ahead of our times. We used to believe that if we have a sense of melody, no matter how our voice, the songs will sound sweet. That’s how the world outside looks at music. Whenever Mohiner Ghoraguli used to perform, we would sing our original compositions as well as old nostalgic Bengali songs. As for instruments, there was piano, guitar, bass, drums, table, do tara, flute etc. I don’t believe music has any race, creed or genre. When we used to jam in Behala, our group of thirty odd members used to easily switch between harmoniums, strings and percussions. Our group was formed with the will to give voice to our thoughts, since we knew no one else could do that
for us. The group went through a long process and finally got formalized as Mohiner Ghoraguli in the year 1975. Behala, in those days, was something like Liverpool for us. We all shared a common allergy with the conventional idea of a choir or orchestra style of music performance. We would not be caught dead singing in white sarees with red borders or kurtapajamas. More so because our basic premise was to break free from conventions. The first experiment with Mohiner Ghoraguli happened in a Durga Puja pandal. Since then there was no looking back and never an empty seat. None of us wanted to be stars. Our consolidated efforts took shape in our first music album from 37
However, the time came when we realized that we are not being able to reach out to the ones we wanted to. On the other hand, it was the elite Bengali who readily accepted and appreciated our music. It was then that we decided we have to stop. The reason our target audience went through such a shift is probably because of Passive Culture. The upliftment of Active Culture had been the sole purpose of Mohiner Ghoraguli’s existence, but sadly, the results were far from that.
Bharati Records. We wanted to take initiative to reach out to people with this record. As a matter of fact, our intention was to stir the poet and musician that lives inside every Bengali. At ten in the night we would take to the streets singing and playing our songs in local neighbourhoods, sometimes even sleeping in the open. We could see people getting motivated this way. The political scenario was pretty complicated in 1975. In a way, our songs helped in sending out secret messages. Music back then was a way to buy fame. A way to live. There was no room for an authoritative voice in Mohiner Ghoraguli. No one leader, no “me”, only “all of us”. It was the same when it came to playing music, since we all played everything in turns. 38
Old articles of the band from the late 1990s, as they appeared in a Bengali weekly, ‘Saptahik Bartaman�
Sangsharik alap, khatir, apnar danguli lanchito chelebela, drainmagno shab jar peethe sha-tej udbhider moto phute royeche amogh ekti chhuri o akashchari kyaranikuler gaan shaho amra apnar shathe nibir hobo o ononto ekakitto theke apnake udhhar kore anbo. Phaloto amra nijera, beyallish foot unchu jhulbaranda theke neeche ketre pore jabo ebong oi-khonat violin, banshi, guitar o gubgubir bhanga tukrogulo kuriye nite nite apnar hath kenpe uthbe, hantu dumre jabe. – Mohiner Ghoraguli (in Bengali)
With stories of family issues, innocent playful childhood, deadbody in the gutter through which a knife is jutting out like a fresh sapling, and of airbound clerks, we shall present our songs to you and free you from your eternal loneliness. We shall dive from a 42 feet hanging balcony, and at that instant, while picking up the broken pieces of our violin, flute, guitar and gubgubi, your hands will start shaking, and your knees will twist. – Mohiner Ghoraguli (loosely translated in English)
Through Her Eyes In a chat with Minoti Chatterjee, Gautam’s wife I was asked to sit in the living room. In a minute she joined in, followed by two cats and a dog. I was immediately greeted with a smile and a glass of nimboo pani. Behind her I noticed a larger-thanlife framed photograph of the legend, Gautam Chattopadhyay. Suddenly it sank, the fact that I did not know where to start. So much has happened before I was even born, and sitting there in front of the photograph I felt like a toddler facing an ocean for the first time. Excitement, anticipation, the vastness, curiosity. In a moment I relaxed. I was determined to find out more about the band I have grown to love ever since my teen years. And the man who started it all. She started talking.
“It is a common misconception people have about Mohiner Ghoraguli, the fact that it existed between 1974 and 1981. Truth be told, it ran up till 1999, with a few years missing in between. As a matter of fact, the second phase that began in the mid-nineties was more intense and focused and managed to produce more memorable songs. The most popular among them would be Prithibita Naki Chhoto Hote Hote, Ghore Pherar Gaan, Tomae Dilam etc.” I asked her about the recent controversies dealing with the way Prithibita Naki was used in a Bollywood film in 2006. “Pritam had in fact come to tell me that he had intentions of using the composition for a song in the movie Gangster. However I was not keen to 41
go ahead with that and I told him so. Later, when the song Bheegi Bheegi Si (sung by James) became an overnight hit, I immediately approached Asha Recording Studio who claimed that Pritam had gone to them for the rights but they did not sell it to him. I thought the whole deal was a little fishy, but at that point there was nothing more we could do. However that acted as a reality check for us. We went ahead and copyrighted all of Mohiner Ghoraguli’s creations to avoid any more rip-offs in the future. Probably the only good thing that came of this incident is the fact that now more people across India are familiar with the band’s contributions to music.”
I showed interest in the album covers, particularly the ones that had been designed during the early years. “That was mainly Ranjon’s contribution. Of course the band went through a brainstorming session together… but he had a way with illustrations and visual puns. As a matter of fact, his wife Sangeeta, who was then a fresh graduate in fine arts and literature, handled a large portion of the artwork and design”. Interestingly, the stylized black seahorse has become Mohiner Ghoraguli’s most iconic image. “This was meant to be a visual pun. When we think of horses we don’t automatically think of sea-horses... Yet these mini horses live underwater and lead extraordinary lives. The males carry the little ones in their pouch and are responsible for the way they are 42
bred. Mohiner Ghoraguli too comprised of members who were not run-of-the-mill. When you thought of Bengali musicians in the seventies, a bunch of young rebellious men in shirt and trousers singing about airport runways and UFOs, accompanied with guitar, drums and ektara, could not have been the first image that crossed your mind. No matter what they did, they always took pride in doing things differently.” “Apart from penning songs and composing music, Gautam used to play the guitar, the tabla and the saxophone.” Gautam Chattopadhyay’s son Gaurab, popularly known as Gabu, chips in, “Baba used to say that the guitar and drums are like English and Math. Mastering both melody and rhythm gives the
musician a good base”. Mrs Chatterjee continued speaking, “He would often take off from the city and stay in rural Bengal for long stretches. While political motivation was definitely one of the reasons for such trips, his main interest lay in looking out for new music. Drawing inspiration from local musicians like Baul singers, he often stayed with them to learn their art. It’s almost as if he got habituated to this nomadic lifestyle. On returning back, he would experiment with the sound further, and sit with his band members to figure out ways to incorporate them into new songs. During those days, they would stay cooped up in a house in Behala for days on end, practicing and jamming relentlessly, like there’s no tomorrow. But this house in Naktala had always been his home. 43
Even Gabu and his sister Chiquita grew up here. This room, where we are sitting right now.. he’d spend hours writing or fiddling with some instrument here.” I wanted to know how the band went about with the recording and publicity. “ASHA Recording Studio – That’s the record label that always released Mohiner Ghoraguli albums. When the original line-up was active and running, they were mainly dependant on their live performances for publicity. You can well imagine, unlike today, in those days it was never easy to arrange for shows. They would often roam around in the streets or stand at bus stops distributing tickets for their show. Otherwise, news spread through word-of-mouth.
In 1995 they launched Abar Bochhor Kuri Pore in the crowded grounds of The Calcutta Book Fair. It had a very responsive audience and received good positive feedback. Along with the cassettes, there were little booklets that were launched by A. Mukherjee and Sons. Today those are out-of-print, but if you go hunting in College Street you will still find some old copies in select stores.” At this stage, I became naturally interested to find out what happened during the years in between, when the original members of Mohiner Ghoraguli broke up. “Hmmm… A time came when some of them started losing faith in the band. They were not getting the results they had in mind. Although they 44
Gautam Chattopadhyay during a recording session, 1980s
many musicians and bands have covered the song. The original song in the film was sung by Paban Das Baul, the legendary contemporary Baul singer. In the 90s, when Gautam realized that Bengal was finally ready for what Mohiner Ghoraguli had started in the 70s, he decided to give it one more shot. But this time he was alone. So he got on board new talents and started work as a composer, lyricist and music editor. At this point he was lucky to have a few good friends who often collaborated with him, or atleast inspired him. Arunendu Das was one of them. Subrata Ghosh and Joyjeet Lahiri were others and they were involved with the song ‘Tomae Dilam’. During this time, Anjan Dutta was a rising star and a good friend of Gautam. He would often come over
did have some loyal fans even then, very few people were able to accept their kind of radical music. Most of them decided to move base to different cities in search of a more stable job. Also, unfortunately, some ego issues and ideological differences crept in. They had no real option but to part ways. Gautam decided to stay back. Music was his first love and he could not sacrifice it for the so-called ‘greener pastures’. During that phase he continued his experiments and travels. He turned to music direction, made a couple of short films and even directed a feature-length Bengali film called Nagmoti. All the songs were written and composed by him too and the film went ahead to win a National Award. One of the songs from the same, ‘Doriyae Ailo Toofan’, is a big hit even today, and 46
for a chat. Anyway, with continued effort and a good support Mohiner Ghoraguli released four albums in that decade. The rest you know.� She finished with a smile. I thanked her most gratefully and left.
Gautam Chattopadhyay with son Gaurab, at their Naktala residence
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Mohiner Ghoraguli Today Mohiner Ghoraguli enjoys nothing short of a cult status today. They are spontaneously quoted by musicians and amateurs alike. It is agreed unanimously, that when the band came to existence in the 70s, what they were really doing was a “bidroho” or revolution. They were trying to find a footing where no foundation existed. On the other hand, the bands of the 90s and the new millennium have had it much easier, if not a cakewalk, because of the legacy left behind by Mohiner Ghoraguli. The new bands were not doing a revolution; they were doing the most “natural” thing by expressing themselves in the language everyone was already used to speaking. The lyrics – brash, unabashed, in-your-face, metaphysical – something unacceptable then, but more than welcome now.
A few years ago, director Qaushik Mukherjee, popularly known as Q, made a documentary called Le Pocha, a film that digs into the alternative Bengali music culture in Calcutta. It features various contemporary bands and solo musicians such as Cactus, Fossils, Chandrabindoo, Shilajit and Kabir Suman, apart from featuring stalwarts like Pradip Chatterjee and Abraham Majumdar, original founding members of Mohiner Ghoraguli. In the documentary, it becomes evident at once the kind of impression they have made in the hearts of Bengalis. People today have come to accept that if they are truly looking for meaningful content in songs then they have Mohiner Ghoraguli’s large repertoire of lyrics to fall back on. Moreover, they wrote
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Original “horses” of Mohiner Ghoraguli, Pradip Chattopadhyay (L) and Abraham Majumdar (R) in a screen shot from Q’s documentary ‘Le Pocha’, 2009
their songs in Bangla, bringing universal feelings of pain, love, and angst closer to home. Gautam Chattopadhyay is like a father figure to many successful contemporary musicians. Many of them have had the opportunity of collaborating with him in the later albums that were released in the 90s. In any case, his was always an open house for everyone if at any point they wished to discuss new ideas. An eccentric then, friends and fans remember him today as “The Man”. 17th February 2007 saw Mohiner Ghoraguli’s first concert being performed since Gautam Chattopadhyay’s demise in 1999. A brainchild of former member and emcee of the band Ranjon
Ghoshal, the concert brought together three original members, their sons, and many musicians involved with the project in the 90s, as well as a full orchestra from Abraham Majumdar’s music school, L’Atelier de Musique de Calcutta. The concert which took place in Ambedkar Bhavan, Bangalore, also happened to be the band’s first outstation performance. Like old times, Ranjon hosted the show and ensured he had the audience’s attention at all times with little inside jokes and trivia about the band. Pradip Chattopadhyay was on the flute, prancing about the stage and playing perfect notes and singing in between. Abraham Majumdar was on his famous violins, but was also taking over the grand 50
Gautam Chattopadhyay checking out guitars at a music store in a screen shot from Q’s documentary, 2009
piano in between. Apart from their published songs, they performed quite a few unpublished numbers like “Benojoler Gaan”, “Sobuj Gomkhet (Mithye Shwopno)”, and “Chhaya-ghera”. These songs had been composed in the 1970s but did not ultimately make it to the earlier album releases. Recently, a tribute gig was organized in Calcutta. Gaurab Chattopadhyay (Gabu), son of Gautam Chattopadhyay, Sayak Bandhopadhyay and Sanket (Panku) Bhattacharya who have performed in a number of shows with Gautam Chattopadhyay and as kids been a part of his albums, paid a Tribute to “Mohiner Ghoraguli” along with Ritoban Chatterjee, son of Pradip Chottopadhay at The Basement,
Samilton Hotel, on 11th August 2010. They played songs from the albums of the 90’s along with songs by the original line up. Additionally, the set-list consisted of many of Gautam Chattopadhyay’s songs which were post Mohiner Ghoraguli and even songs by other artistes which were featured in these albums. It was an unplugged show featuring guest musicians such as Neel Adhikari, Arka Das, Rajkumar Sengupta and Paroma Banerji. Interestingly, and much to the delight of Gabu and his friends, the gig saw an audience ranging from sixteen to sixty years. It proved yet again the timelessness of Mohiner Ghoraguli’s songs. 52
Gaurab seems keen to continue organizing similar tribute shows in Bengal from time to time. The response was overwhelming, and the songs invoke a feeling of nostalgia in everyone as they all swing or tap along while singing out the familiar lyrics. After all, even today, no high school or college festival in Bengal is complete without some student band’s power-packed rendition of “Prithibita Naki Chhoto Hote Hote..�
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Spread from Jhora Shamayer Gaan booklet. Song - “Binita Kemon Acho?”
Another spread from the same booklet. Song - “Sangbighno Pakhikul�
Endnotes When I finally decided it was time I could wrap up this project, I could not help but feel so much more could have been done. Perhaps things would have been a little more easier if I was based in Bengal for most part of the project duration. But being outside was a challenge I had to deal with. I am glad I got a better understanding of the whole subject in whatever way I could. An understanding of history helps appreciate the present even more. And now everytime I listen to one of the songs of Mohiner Ghoraguli I cannot simply listen without relating them to the corridors of Presidency College, Behala of the seventies, or the Naktala living room where the songs were composed. After discussing with my guide for one last time, I realized that this has good future possibilities. For one, the content that I have prepared so far can be put together in a book with some illustration, and thoughtful photography. It opens up for interesting visual possibilities, although there aren’t many readily available images. Specially if one delves into the song lyrics, it opens up a treasure trove. This project is therefore a work in progress. As of now, it rests here.
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Acknowledgements There are quite a few people who have helped me along in this project. I wish to thank Gaurab Chatterjee and Minoti Chatterjee for the scanned images and old magazine articles, and also for answering all my doubts, whenever I asked them for it. I thank my friends – Prasanna, Abhishek, Neel, Tanya, Nikon, Avirup, Ishanee, Aniket – for providing me with relevant contacts, their views on the band, and more importantly encouraging me to finish this project. Without my guide, Arun Gupta, it would have been absolutely impossible to think of taking up a research based project dealing with content development for a Calcutta band from my father’s generation. Finally, I am grateful to my parents for supporting me throughout and helping me with translating the Bengali articles whenever I was stuck.
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Bibliography SHOUT! The Beatles in their Generation – Philip Norman A.R. RAHMAN The Musical Storm – Kamini Mathai Samakal - Bengali ePaper – Article on Mohiner Ghoraguli (accessed on 21st October 2010) Jhora Shamayer Gaan – Booklet edited by Mohiner Ghoraguli (A. Mukerjee and Co. Pvt. Ltd. 1996) “Rocking On” An interview with Gaurab Chatterjee (The Telegraph, Calcutta, 13 March 2011) Mohiner Ghoraguli official facebook page about members (as updated on 26 August 2008) TRIBUTE TO MOHINER GHORAGULI @THE BASEMENT, http://www.partyhappeningsindia.com/2010/08/ tribute-to-mohiner-ghoraguli-basement.html (accessed on 15th January 2011) FIRST ROCK CONCERT, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Rock_Concert_%E2%80%93_Remembering_ Mohiner_Ghoraguli (accessed on 20th December 2010) http://calcuttaglobalchat.net/calcuttablog/bangla-bands-wb/lokkhichara/ Music History in the 1970s by Alex Cosper, eHow http://www.superseventies.com (accessed on 23rd November 2010) Popular Culture of 1970s, http://www.thepeoplehistory.com (accessed on 17th March 2011) 58