{"id":1104,"date":"2015-03-24T07:43:07","date_gmt":"2015-03-24T07:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=1104"},"modified":"2025-07-20T14:01:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T08:31:10","slug":"geeta-dutt-bengali-songs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/geeta-dutt-bengali-songs\/","title":{"rendered":"Eternal Wait: The Story Of The Dark Girl By The Meghna (Geeta Dutt)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Geeta<\/a>

An unending urge to dive into the magical ocean of the tunes, would rise in her soul, time and time again.<\/p><\/div>\n

Chhilo sonar dnar paboner boitha,<\/em><\/span>
\n Moyurponkhi naokhana –<\/em><\/span>
\n Ore chondro suruj golay bhori,<\/em><\/span>
\n Phul chhorato jochhona!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

(There was the golden oar of the wind, the dream-boat. Filling my storehouse with the light of the Sun, the Full Moon, would rain flowers!)\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

The story began at the banks of the Meghna – while a dark little girl sat, her back resting against a tree, humming to the tunes of the songs the boatmen sang past. Hers was definitely not an age to understand the meaning of the songs – nevertheless, the touching tunes would linger. The rhythm would flow through her veins. An unending urge to dive into the magical ocean of the tunes, would rise in her soul, time and time again.<\/p>\n

A picturesque niche, the girl had built for herself amidst the greens beside the Meghna – drinking in the rhythm the breeze would greet her with, enjoying the musical accompaniment the birds would give as she hummed, and running home to answer to her mother\u2019s affectionate call! Then there came a storm, which carried the little girl away from her niche! The boatmen, the greens, the river, the birds, were all gone!<\/p>\n

That was how the early life of a little child was destined to be!<\/p>\n

Kothay amar sujon neye,<\/em><\/span>
\n Sadher dingi tar?<\/em><\/span>
\n Ghomta-pora kalo meye,<\/em><\/span>
\n Kothay se bahar,<\/em><\/span>
\n Bolo \u2013 ruper bahar?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

(Where\u2019s Sujan \u2013 the ferryman and his ferry? Where\u2019s my dark girl, who would veil her beautiful face?)<\/em><\/p>\n

The river wept. Her \u2018Kalo meye\u2019<\/em> (dark girl) assured,<\/p>\n

Ogo amar sadher padma,<\/em><\/span>
\n Shunyo hridoy tor,<\/em><\/span>
\n Uthhbe bhore kanay-kanay,<\/em><\/span>
\n Hobe nishi bhor!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

(O my loved river, Padma, your empty heart would soon be filled up to the brim! The bad days would soon be gone!)<\/em><\/p>\n

The ever-so-gracious \u2018artiste\u2019 had finally spoken through her!<\/p>\n

\u2018Geeta Roy\u2019 was born!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The girl of Faridpur, who loved to hum the tunes of the boatmen<\/p><\/div>\n

The pre-partition political storms that kept affecting East Bengal in the late 1930s were too much for a peaceful living. The Roy Choudhurys left their ancestral home (which was beside the Meghna, in Faridpur) and came to Calcutta. Geeta Roy, the eldest daughter of the Roy Choudhury couple, Devendranath and Amiya Devi – found scope for getting trained in music. It was in Calcutta, that her inherent flair in music, which had been enriched by the musical niche she had made for herself in Faridpur \u2013 got scope for being nurtured through formal training.<\/p>\n

Harendranath Nandi, a regular composer of the then famous \u2018Radha Films\u2019 started giving a seven-year-old Geeta, lessons in light music. That was 1937. Soon, Geeta\u2019s time for standing first in various music competitions came in! However, destiny had planned yet another change in her life! The Roy Choudhurys shifted to Bombay, in 1942, leaving no more scope for getting lessons in music! Geeta Roy was left in an environment, which was nowhere close to Faridpur or Calcutta \u2013 no one (but her family and relatives) to speak to her in Bengali \u2013 no boatman to sing a tune for her to hum, no teacher to teach her Bengali songs!<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s not forget, the rose spreads its scent irrespective of where it grows!<\/p>\n

\u2018When the flower blooms, the bees come uninvited!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

In no time young Geeta\u2019s passion for music bore fruits. She was called in for playback singing and earned huge fame among her listeners.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Creating History with Sachin<\/em> Karta<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"There<\/a>

There was but one person, who Geeta could relate to, easily. The son of Comilla \u2013 Sachin Dev Burman! The unfamiliar environment of Bombay seemed soon a home!<\/p><\/div>\n

Padmar dheu re!<\/em><\/span>
\n Mor shunyo hridoy-padma niye ja ja re!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

(O the waves of the river Padma, carry my empty heart with you!)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

There was but one person, who Geeta could relate to, easily. The son of Comilla \u2013 Sachin Dev Burman<\/a>! The unfamiliar environment of Bombay seemed soon a home! The music of Bengal was in close reach! 1947 marked the beginning of a musical history, which the twosome from Bengal created!<\/p>\n

After already having become a \u2018mini-wonder\u2019 in the playback industry of Bollywood, Geeta Roy got her first chance to sing for a Bengali film, in 1950. Bombay Talkies was making Samar<\/em>, for which Sachin Dev Burman was appointed music director. Sachin Karta<\/em> had already been an experienced music composer, having composed for many Bengali films during his decade-long career span in Calcutta, and for Hindi films, since 1946. He invited the twenty-year-old Geeta Roy to sing for him. It was definitely a wonderful feeling for the young singer, long detached from her native land, as she rehearsed the songs for her first Bengali film!<\/p>\n

Samar<\/em> had Geeta Roy singing two songs for the lead character, Sarala<\/em>, played by Sumitra Devi \u2013 Gun gun sure<\/em> and Khela bhangar khela<\/em>. A third song too, had her singing with Kishore Kumar and Arun Kumar (picturised on a group of gypsies) \u2013 Sundari lo sundari<\/em>. The two solos, which had Geeta singing for the lead character, were not much different from the songs of hope and despair in love, that she was accustomed to singing. However, her par excellent performance in Sundari lo sundari (a composition based on the folk music of Bengal) deserves mention. She rarely got such compositions, which bear the typical \u2018rural smell\u2019.<\/p>\n

Khela bhangar khela – Samar<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n