Interview with Prashanta Das

“I always longed to sing for Him”

 

Editor: Today everybody knows you as Prabhat Samgiit singer. Will you explain how did you start with music and came to Ananda Marga?

Prashanta: I was singing since my child-hood, but just as a bathroom singer. My family members were appreciating me; my voice they said was sweet. I loved singing and used to sing. When I was about 17, I came in contact of Ananda Marga. My elder brother was an active Margii and he inspired me to join Ananda Marga. It was 1964, there was DMC at Camac Street, Calcutta and it was here that I got first chance to sing for Baba, in one General Darshan. I remember the song, “Tumi ha’th dhate niye calo pita’” (it is Sakha in original but I sang Pita’) from Ravindra Samgiit.

In 1966 or 67 there was DMC at Medinipur and I sang Rajani Kant’s “Tumi arupa svarupa Saguna nirguna” This song was very much liked by Baba and after He used to ask me to sing it very often.

When Baba came out of jail in 1978 and then reached Calcutta (South End Park residence), I got opportunity to be with Him for 2-3 hours. I san a number of songs for Him, then also He asked me to sing that particular song of Rajanikanta.

Editor: Will you please mention if you had learnt music as a subject?

Prashanta: Not very much really! Yes I was in High School when I learnt to play harmonium, and then during Emergency I had taken classes in classical music. That’s all. That is why I can’t understand how He selected me as singer for His beautiful song, when there are quite a few who know much more about music. It is just His Grace, and nothing else.

Editor: Yet, I would like to know what you feel should be the reason that He blessed you with this privilege?

Prashanta: What can I say and how do I know His criteria? Only thing I can say is that He loves me very much. He always liked my singing and I always longed to sing for Him.

Editor: Will you please tell us how you started singing Prabhat Samgiit & then recording?

Prashanta: It was in Tiljala that I listened to Prabhat Samgiit first. Baba was in Deoghar and Tapeshvaranandaji’s asking I went to Deoghar with plants. There I had a chance to go with Baba for field-walk.

He was talking about the geography; history etc. of Deoghar. After the walk when He just sat in car, He said, “Prashanta used to sing for me before, now he does not."

When I came to Calcutta in October 82 and was staying at Tiljala, I was asked to prepare notations of His songs. Day and night I was busy in preparing notations (at Lake Gardens). One such night, at about 2 o’clock, Baba asked what I was doing, and He was told that I was preparing notations. He was very happy.

Once, during an afternoon reporting, I was called by Baba. In the presence of all workers, He asked me to sing the song I liked most and I sang “Ta’ri patha pa’ne man chute’ ja’y” (PS no.67). After listening the song, Baba said that I used sing for Him before and asked the workers to utilise me for Prabhat Samgiit. After a couple of days, Ramanandaji (then PA to Baba) conveyed to me that Baba wanted me to record all the songs of Prabhat
Samgiit.

The first song was recorded in a small room of Tiljala Jagrti (end of October 1982) on a tape recorder, with just tabla, violin and harmonium. And when I completed the first cassette and presented it to Baba, it was an unforgettable moment of my life. When Ramanandaji told me the next day that Baba liked the songs, I felt very, very happy – a kind of fulfilment.

The first 100 songs were recorded in Tiljala – working round the clock, with Pranavanandaji organising and recording on tape-recorder. The studio-recording had started with 5th part (song no.101). The quality of recording improved and Baba was very happy. And till today recording of about 1100 songs has been completed.

Editor: Did you have difficulty in singing a particular song and if so, how did you solve it?

Prashanta: Whenever I had a difficulty with a particular song, I used to sing it before Baba and Baba used to correct it and then only it was recorded. One such song was “Toma’ro gopan katha’” (PS no.175). As Baba is creating a new Ghara’na’ – there are quite a few songs which had to be repeatedly corrected by Him. Especially with classical song, it happened quite often.

Editor: And now my last question – what do you think of Prabhat Samgiit and how it helped you spiritually and otherwise?

Prashanta: Prabhat Samgiit started with rhythmic, melodious songs vibrating with devotion. But then came Ghazals, seasonal songs, Baul, Jhumur, classicals and what not. I am too insignificant a person to comment on it. I must say that I am overwhelmed by it; it helped me in Sadhana, it increased manifold my love for Baba and gave me something in which I can dip and get lost.

 

Published in the “Bodhi Kalpa” magazine, New Year 1985