MAHISASURAMARDINI ... Invoking the Mother !!

আশ্বিনের শারদ প্রাতে

বেজে উঠেছে আলোকমঞ্জীর

ধরণীর বহিরাকাশে

অন্তর্হিত মেঘমালা

প্রকৃতির অন্তরাকাশে জাগরিত

জ্যোতির্ময়ী জগন্মাতার আগমনবার্তা...

- Where the above lines are taken from?

If you are a Bengali then no reward for the correct guess. But if you are wrong then you are not a Bong!! And you certainly deserve "৩ দিনের জেল আর ৭ দিনের ফাঁসি". Yes, it's the baritone that gives you goosebumps every year, on an autumn dawn, right from your childhood. It's the gateway to the greatest celebration of Bengali community, Durga Puja. It is 'MAHISASURAMARDINI' or 'The Annihilator of Demon Mahisasur', a Bengali-Sanskrit oratorio that has become synonymous with the celebration in the last 83 years.

WANDERLUST, in the first of its two Puja Special Posts, explores the legacy of this audio montage... 

Read on...

(Image Courtesy: www.google.co.in)

MAHISASURAMARDINI, the widely popular radio programme has been broadcast by All India Radio (AIR) since 1932. But initially it was neither associated with Durga Puja nor known as Mahisasuramardini. In the month of March-April, 1932, corresponding to the Bengali year 1338, month of Chaitra, AIR had broadcast an early morning programme 'BASANTESWARI' (Goddess of Spring), on the auspicious juncture of Basanti Puja and Annapurna Puja. The one hour composition was based upon the scriptural verses of Markandeya Chandi and consists of devotional songs, classical music and Sanskrit verses. The music was penned by Pankaj Kumar Mallick, narrated by Birendrakrishna Bhadra and Banikumar, the brain behind the concept, had recited the verses. The overall music direction was by Raichand Boral. The show successfully stroke a chord with the audience.

In the very same year, on the occasion of Durga Puja (Bengali year 1339), AIR had broadcast a refurbished version of 'Basanteswari' on the early morning of Mahasasthi, the 6th day of Debipokkho (the auspicious 15 day period), though it was not yet known as 'Mahisasuramardini'. Next year, in 1933 (Bengali year 1340), the programme was rescheduled on the day of Mahalaya, the first day of Debipokkho. The date was 19th September, 1933 or 3rd Ashwin, Bengali year 1340. In 1936, the programme was again broadcast on Mahasasthi morning and for the first time announced as 'Mahisasuramardini'. It was extended to the time frame of one and half hour and aired at 6 am, before the usual schedules of AIR. Finally from the next year onwards to till date, the audio montage is broadcast on the dawn of Mahalaya, at 4 am. 

But the path was not that much smooth. Critics hit Akashvani with weird logics. The qualification of Birendrakrishna Bhadra, a Kayastha by caste, to recite the Sanskrit verses was in question. But Banikumar, himself a Brahmin, ignored all these by firmly denoting Bhadra as 'Greater Brahmin than the Brahmins'.

'Basanteswari' was refurbished in many ways. Raichand Boral was replaced by Pankaj Kumar Mallick as the music director. In 'Mahisasuramardini' the narrative as well as the Sanskrit verses were recited by Birendrakrishna Bhadra himself which gave him a cult status later on.

The programme gained immense popularity with the passage of time. AIR used to air it from 35 radio stations in all over India. The finest musicians and singers of 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's had all participated in this live musical collage. The responsibility of announcing the programme was on Dilip Ghosh, whose voice still marks the start of this Mahalaya morning saga. 

When Mahisasuramardini was first planned, it was decided to fill up the gap between the narratives with musics. But all musicians were not Bengali. The Urdu-speaking Muslim musicians, either by mistake or by their usual musical instinct, began to follow the rhythm of narratives by Bhadra. The musical collage got a new dimension. A legendary performance took place.

The programme was aired live till 1962 with only one exception. In 1946, after the Great Calcutta Killings and Noakhali Riots, live broadcast was not possible. After Independence, due to Chinese Aggression or the Indo-China Conflict of 1962, Indian Government reduced their budget and a recorded version of Mahisasuramardini was broadcast from 1963 onwards. The recording was an edited rendition of live programmes of 1961 and 1962. Till 1957, the programme was broadcast from 1, Garstin Place office. From 1958, the studio shifted to Akashvani Bhawan. The room in Akashvani where the live musical was used to take place is still maintained by the authority. 

In 1976, the morning montage of Mahalaya was once again went live. But not with Mahisasuramardini. An alternative programme was aired. It was 'Deving Durgotiharinim' (Goddess who Protects from Danger). The music was by Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, nationally acclaimed singer sisters Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle lent their voice. Famous actor Uttam Kumar recited the narrative. But the show became a flop. 

Now the question is WHY?...

The answer lies in the legacy of Mahisasuramardini itself. It is just not an oratorio. It is an integral part of Bengali Culture. Durga Puja is celebrated as the victory of Lord Ram over Evil Ravan (whether Ravan is evil or not that's a different question altogether!). The story of demon Mahisasur has nothing to do with the epic. But somehow, in some way the epic and the mythology has merged together and 'MAHISASURAMARDINI' plays an important role in this amalgamation. Listening to 'Mahalaya' (as we love to call it) from childhood has probably influenced our subconscious mind to think in that way. We became rigid, we became orthodox, we became possessive. That's why any experiment with this legendary montage hit Bengalis so hard, be it Uttam Kumar's 'Deving Durgotiharinim' or modern day's Traffic Signal Mahalaya. Uttam Kumar himself later expressed regret about the 1976 programme and remarked - "... it is the outcome of converting a place of worship to a drawing-room". 

This Bengali sentiment has seen a new height when on 26th August, 1977, on the occasion of Akashvani's 50th anniversary at Rabindra Sadan Auditorium, the then Central Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Lalkrishna Advani addressed Pankaj Kumar Mallick (present in the auditorium) and announced - "Mr. Mallick, Your Mahisasuramardini will be on the air again from the next Mahalaya !"


Acknowledgement:

• The Article of Shri Mihir Bandyopadhyay, an ex-Akashvani, in Sangbad Protidin Weekly 'Robibar'. 2009.
• My Student Sannidhya Datta who has not only informed me about the article but lent me the magazine from his collection.