Untold story of a song on Bangabandhu

 
Gouri Prasanna Majumdar is the lyricist of the song "Shono Ekti Mujiburer Kantha Theke (Listen to one Mujibur's voice)". Aungshuman Roy added tune to the song on 13 or 15 April 1971. Gouri Prasanna Majumdar wrote the song on his own in blue ink on a piece of paper which turned almost yellow which has now become an invaluable document. Akashvani Kolkata center played the song at that time.

This song was later on blended with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's 7 March speech. Bhaskar Roy, son of Aungshuman Roy recalled his father and the notebook in which Aungshuman Roy used to write songs. Bhaskar Roy himself is a folk singer.

The Goria area of Kolkata back then did not yet enter the four walls of the city. Refugees who entered India during 1947 after the Partition started living in that area. Lyricists, composers and singers had gossips in a tea stall of that area during that time. Gouriprasanna Majumder wrote the above song while talking to his buddies in those gossips.

Gauri Prasanna Majumdar (1924-1986) was a Bangladeshi lyricist and writer, known for his work in Indian cinema and Bangladeshi Cinema. He is most commonly associated with the black and white era of Bengali cinema, when he penned several enduring classics for films. He won the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards for best lyricist for Swaralipi (1962), Palatak (1964), Anthony Firingee (1968) , Bon Palashir Padabali (1974), Sanyasi Raja (1976) and Anurager Chhoan (1987, posthumously). He also won National Film Awards of Bangladesh for Sesh Porjonto (1969).

Gouri Prasanna Majumdar was a contemporary of Nachiketa Ghosh, Robin Chattopadhyay, Hemanta Mukherjee, Uttam Kumar, and Kishore Kumar, and worked extensively with R D Burman and Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey. His works include Mago Vabna keno, Akash keno daake, Aj ei dinta moner khatay, Amar swapno tumi, Asha chilo bhalobasha chilo, Aj dujonar duti poth, CoffeeHouser Shei Adda, Eito hethay kunjo chhayay, Ek polokey ektu dekha, Ei balukabelay, Ei raat tomar amar, Ei poth jodi na shesh hoy, Ki ashay bandhi khelaghor, Neer choto khoti nei, Mangal Deep Jwele, Mou bone jomechey, O nodi re, and Shing nei tobu naam tar shingho.

On 12 February 2011, the 25th anniversary of his death, a musical evening was organized to pay tribute, held at Nazrul Mancha, Kolkata.Lopamudra, Shaan, Bappi Lahiri, Srikanta Acharya, and Arati Mukherjee among others were in attendance. Sobhon Chatterjee, the mayor of Kolkata along with Satabdi Roy and Debasish Kumar MMIC, set the ball rolling for the evening. In October 2012 he was awarded the prestigious Bangladesh Mukti Yoddha Sammanana Trophy (posthumously) by the Honourable Prime Minister of Bangladesh for his famous composition "Shono Ekti Mujiburer Theke..." and "Mago Vabna Keno...." which became the anthem for Bangladesh War of Liberation in 1971.

It seemed Gouri Prasanna Majumdar had a premonition of his death and finally, on August 20, 1986, he breathed his last at the age of 62. Gouri Prasanna Majumdar left early but the vast gamut of work that he left behind will remind listeners of his proficiency. His command over his craft was fabulous. His lyrics showed how flawlessly he could tame words and use them to stoke emotions, sculpt feelings and depict the power of words. He left for his heavenly abode but he left his footprints on the sands of time for generations to follow.