Shahana (musician)

Sahana Bajpaie Chowdhury, better known as the namesake of a raag (melody mode) in Indian classical music, "Sahana" to peers and music enthusiasts familiar with her work, explores that aspect of Rabindra Sangeet in her recently released album - aptly titled "Notun Korey Pabo Boley" ("To secure newly, again"). Sahana is a lecturer in the English & Humanities Department at BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Early life

Sahana was brought up in Shantiniketan and started taking music lessons from her father - a Tagore scholar - at a tender age. She trained in Indian classical music and Rabindra Sangeet at Shantiniketan under Swastika Mukherjee, Bijoy Sinha and Chitra Roy, among others.

Sahana goes to a serene mode in "Eto din jey boshey chhilem path cheye" (That I'v been waiting here for so long, sitting and watching on to the path you were to come by). It can be an ode to Krishna or to the object of one's affection or just love itself.

Interestingly, Sahana and her musician-singer husband Arnob), both have come a long way together for quite a while, since they met each other at Shantiniketan, with common interests in themselves as well as in the rigorous Bangla Music storm-ways. Arnob seems to play indie most of the time where he has proved to be no less in other classical, fusion, rap, melo-pop genres either. The music of Sahana's album has been composed-arranged-mixed by Arnob, too, where he has demonstrated a distinct musical vision and Sahana's renditions have breathed life into them. Two of them are the music brain-childre) of the contemplating soft/soul music in the local music industry history.

Release of album

The Album was released from Bengal Music on 7 March 2007 with a launching ceremony at Bengal Music's Head Office in Dhanmondi. Accompanied by Ornob, Buno (Bangla) and other musicians who participated in the album; Sahana performed tracks from the album, leaving the audience wowed.

Tracklist of debut album

#"Oije jhorer meghe" (There within the stormy clouds)
#"Mor Bhabonare" (My musing)
#"Etodin je boshe chhilem" (That I've been waiting here sitting for so long)
#"Tomar khola hawa" (Your emancipated wind)
#"Amar nisitho raater badolo dhara" (The rainstream of dark nights of mine)
#"Tomarei koriyachhi joboner dhrubotara" (Made you the North Star of life)
#"Tumi kon pothey je ele" (The path you came by)
#"Phooley phooley dhooley" (The nodding flowers)
#"Aaj jotsna raate" (On a moonlit night like this)
#"Kon puraton praner taane" (A seduction for which ancient soul)