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Lost in melody with Mita Haq
by Afsar Ahmed
It was back in 1981 when Shailaja Ranjan Majumdar, the direct apprentice of Rabindranath Tagore came to Dhaka. That visit of the stalwart singer created a special impact on today's famous singer Mita Haq.
In her own words, 'I had the honour of getting very close to Shailaja da who was one of those special people with whom Tagore carried on his works of notation.
I still cherish those magical words that he told me before leaving the country, "Don't be overwhelmed with your achievements. Someday you will become a great singer".' Since then she never had to look behind. Success came along with her proficiency in music. And as a result Mita Haq, the name itself has become synonymous in the realm of Rabindra Sangeet.
So how did her musical career begin? In the pleasant autumn morning, sipping tea Mita recalls, 'I was born and brought up in such a family where music was a way of life.
Music was popular in both my maternal and paternal grandfathers' houses. My parents, my uncles and aunts were absorbed into music. So isn't it very natural for me to become a singer?'
'But it's not like that my family created any pressure on me,' smiles Mita , 'My passion for music was natural and I used to learn it spontaneously.' Her early years passed rendering the songs like Harey re re, Amra Shobai Raja and whatever she wanted to sing.
'But my formal training of music began during the transition age of becoming a girl from a child. My first guru was my paternal uncle Wahidul Haq and at that time I used to rehearse regularly with him,' says Mita.
She started learning the songs of Rabindranath, Atul Prasad, DL Roy, Rajanikanta and Nazrul. And later at the age of ten or eleven she started to learn classical music formally under the tutelage of the subcontinent's famous tabla player Mohammad Hossain Khan.
'I still remember the rituals and the small celebration of taking tutelage from my first formal guru,' recalls Mita. 'New punjabi and sari was bought for my guru and his wife respectively and an array of delicious sweets were laid out for the occasion.
And after completing the rituals by touching my guru's feet, I formally entered into the world of guru-shishya parampara'.
So why did she choose Rabindra Sangeet? 'There was always an influence of Nazrul in my maternal grandfather's house. My uncles used to sing Nazrul, classical, DL Roy and Atul Prashad. I used to sing such songs as well.
The urge to sing Tagore songs came from within, when I was about fifteen. It was since then that I felt that my philosophy, my voice, my passion - everything was meant for Tagore's songs only.'
Mita started Shurtirtha, her music school, almost sixteen years back. She herself teaches Rabindra Sangeet while Anup Barua teaches classical music.
'As I always learnt songs from gurus and never went to any institutions, the bond between guru and shishya is very significant to me. And I always want to spread this tradition among my students,' she says.
'I always try to teach my students as well as to train them in such way that someday they are also able to teach music to someone else. At our first meeting I tell them that the outcome of my teaching totally depends on their dedication and practice.
May be after five years or ten years and even more they will become established singers, but for that perseverance and practice are essential. And I always believe that singing without the help of any kind of music or instrument is the best way to reach perfection,' she said.
Mita strongly believes that for being a good singer one has to understand the lyrics of the song and grasp the tune perfectly. 'You have to be completely satisfied with yourself before you expect your audience to enjoy your performance,' asserts Mita.
'Technical aspects like proper pronunciation, proper voice throwing and singing in tune, are just a few essentials when learning vocal music,' says Mita.
When one sings especially Rabindra Sangeet, there are certain things that one has to maintain, advises Mita, 'First thing is you have to feel the passion that you are a Bangalee, then you have to understand the philosophy of the poet and in what circumstances he wrote that song.
If these things are not developed in any student his/her learning will not be complete Because Rabindra Sangeet is not about a few words or tunes, but it has the philosophy and sophistication that show us the path to become good human being too.'
Mita feels proud of her students and enjoy teaching them. 'Sometimes I also learn something from my students and I add them to my knowledge; especially from those who come from the village, the unspoilt melody of their voices just mesmerise me and sometimes I also learn from their style of singing.'
'I strongly believe that a song is not composed only for entertainment; through it a massage, a philosophy transfers, especially when it comes to Rabindra Sangeet,' she says.
Mita is very fastidious about publicity and dislikes the celebrity hype. Apart from that she defines herself as lethargic too. 'Actually, the professionalism is still not developed in me,' confesses Mita, and feels that every artiste should have it though.
So what are her favourite songs? Mita answers spontaneously, 'The whole Gitabitan. Actually there are so many that I cannot possibly name them.
But most of them are spiritual and are dedicated to the Creator, for example, Jibon moron shimana periye, Tomare modhur rupey, Lukiye achho adhar ratey, Chiro bondhor chiro nirbhor etc.
Apart from a great singer Mita Haq, indeed a great cook too. 'Cooking is my greatest hobby and I blame my whole family for this as they are great connoisseurs of food.
I prefer cooking hundred percent Bengali cuisine – shaak, shukto, machher jhol.'
But is the singer fully content with her music? 'I feel sad that I am sometimes not able to maintain and practise all the things I believe in regarding music.
For instance, I feel like singing the song Tomari modhur rupey bhorichey bhubono, mugdho nayono momo, pulokito mono on a moonlit night, in an unspoilt dense forest, alone. But can I be able to really do that?'
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