Ramkumar Chatterjee | Bengali Tappa | Puratoni Bangla Gaan | Baithaki Gaan

Ramkumar Chatterjee is one of the greatest exponents of Bengali Tappa, Puratoni Bangla Gaan and Bangla Baithaki Gaan. The Bengali Tappa or Baithaki Gaan as some prefer to call this music because of its patronage by the Zamindaars and rich Babus, reached its crescendo in the late 19th century and early 20th century. This was a heavily lyric based music where the lyrics were mostly humorous and cynical. The Bangla Baithaki gaan was a little more evolved intellectually and had a more classy outfit to it as it was literally nurtured in the Baithak Khanas and Naachghars of the Zamidaar houses.

Ramkumar Chatterjee is a master craftsman of this genre. He researched and modified the Bengali Tappa to a different level. Ramkumar Chatterjee has been a key element in taking these songs out of the Zamindar’s houses and recording them and popularized them amidst the masses. Many of his songs had a satirical element that mocked at various social issues as well as made subtle fun about the British Raj as well.

This album “Puratoni Bengali Songs” has a classic example of such a satirical song, which is “Kader Kuler Bou”. This song was has an English version also sung by Ramkumar Chatterjee and the literal transition is “Madam whose family do you belong to?” and this was a direct satire made for an English lady in those era. There is another classic example from the above compilation that has an immediate reference to the Eshop’s Tales. This song is titled “Ekoda ek Bagher Golay”. More or less all songs in these genre of Bengali Tappa or Bengali Puratoni Songs were a raging hit amongst the masses and became evergreen hits. One of the most popular lyricists of Bengali Tappa was this person named Nidhu Babu. Ramkumar Chatterjee and Nidhu Babu’s combination was an instant hit and they have worked together for many such mass hits. A classic Nidhu Babu Ramkumar Chatterjee example from this above compilation is “Bidhi Dilo Jadi”. These were phenomenal hits and that is what makes this compilation such rich and beautiful.

=== All songs sung by Ramkumar Chatterjee ===

► Kamalini Keno Abhiman
Lyric: Nidhubabu
Composition: Ramkumar Chatterjee

► Kader Kuler Bou
Lyric: Lal Chand Boral
Composition: Ramkumar Chatterjee

► Shyam Nagar He
Lyric: Nidhubabu
Composition: Ramkumar Chatterjee

► Ki Gun Korechho
Lyric: Nidhubabu
Composition: Ramkumar Chatterjee

► Ekoda Ek Bagher
Lyric: Lal Chand Boral
Composition: Ramkumar Chatterjee

► Shyam Tumi Baankaa (puratani)
Lyric: Traditional
Composition: Traditional

► Aar Jabonaa Jal (Thumri Bhanga)
Lyric: Jadumoni Bai
Composition: Traditional

► Ey Maalaa To Tomaar (Tappa)
Lyric: Gopal Urey
Composition: Traditional

► Jaamini Bibhor (raagpradhan)
Lyric: Ganendraprasad Goswami
Composition: Traditional

► Duta Moner Kathaa
Lyric: Sarat Pandit (dada Thakur)
Composition: Traditional

► Dego Brindey
Lyric: Gobinda Adhikary
Composition: Ramkumar Chatterjee

► Prano Tumi Premsindhu
Lyric: Nidhubabu
Composition: Traditional

► Maney Maney
Lyric: Nidhubabu
Composition: Ramkumar Chatterjee

► Bidhi Dilo Jadi
Lyric: Nidhubabu
Composition: Ramkumar Chatterjee

► Maalini Tor Ranga
Lyric: Girish Chandra Ghosh

Composition: Ramkumar Chatterjee