Ustad Barin Mazumder

Barin Mazumder ( _bn. বারীণ মজুমদার) (February 15, 1919-2002) was a famous Bangladeshi classical musician. He was regarded one of the best classical musician of South Asia. His wife Ila Mazumder is also a famous arist. HIs two sons Bappa Mazumder and Partho Mazumder are famous as well.

Early life

Barin Mazumder was born in an aristocratic Jamindar family at Radhanagar in Pabna District. Despite of the enrich ness of the family, Mazumder’s family was deeply involved with culture. His father Nishendra Mazumder was an artist and dramatist. His mother used to play Sitar. At the age of three he was caught up with Typhoid and lost his memory. He had his hobby about exercise was a member of Bishnupada Ghosh’s exercise club.His meet his interest in music his father took him to Kolkata where he first learnt music to Vishmadev Chatterjee. The first Raag that he learnt was “Raag Bhupali”. Two years later when his guru became (shonnasi) he came back to Pabna. But Mazumder was not satisfied and wanted to go to Lucknow to study about music in Maurice Music School. But his uncle who was the (korta) of the family did not let him to go. Instead he brought Ustad Roghurangan Gushwami from Lucknow to taught him music at home. At home he managed to finish the course of Maurice College. But his will to go to Lucknow made him decide to quit his house.When he reached to Lucknow, some Bengali boys helped him to take him to the Bengali hotel. At the time UdayShankar and Ravi Shankar was also in that hotel. At the college he met with his friend and music fellow Chinmoy Lahiri. Lahiri took him to the principal of the Maurice Music School and he was admitted into third year. There Lahiri taught him music beside college classes. Later Mazumder was attracted o Foiaz Khan and became his novice.One day when he was in a debate about a topic with Sunil, suddenly Sunil said that Mazumder can not sing. This seemed to be the turning point of his carrier as he challenged him and said he would become better than him in three months. After that he continued with his Rewaz (musical practice) and soon his song was faster than Sunil. Then one day as Sunil was in a show he went and performed the Raag of Sunil faster and this made Sunil understand his fault. As he continued to prepare him for music the time of partition came closer. During that the fees that came from home stopped and he had struggle hard to even manage the money to come back to home. So he mortgaged his favourite Tanpura and came back to Pabna during that very turmoil period.

His hard part started during that time. After the partition of India when most of his neighbors had to cross the border, he stayed for the love to his homeland. But the enrich ness and wealth which was made over the generations was mostly looted and hunted by the miscreants. The real admirer of his talent was also nowhere to be seen as he had not have the opportunity. The toughness and loneliness at that time made him frustrated and heavily depressed during that time.With most of his family property long gone Mazumder had to work hard. He once even bought a camera and related machineries to run business of photography. But soon he lost all of his interest and left the business. Fighting with severe frustration and depression Mazumder had to pass his times only with his favourite hunting. He was really fond of hunting and according to his wife Illa Mazumder his story would not be completed if it does not include a lot of things about his hunting.

External links

* [http://www.thedailystar.net/magazine/2006/01/01/sfeature.htm Star Weekend Magazine article]