Ninu Mazumdar -Pioneer of Sugam Sangeet

Ninu Mazumdar, is known as a pioneer in popular Gujarati light music (Sugam Sangeet) along wih Avinash Vyas. This was a time when, due to efforts of a modern educated middle class, Gujarati music as well as theatre were coming out of the commercial melodrama and historicals. The new "light music" derived from classical Raagaas. Mazumdar's Garbaas and Bhajans became equally popular. Kaumudi Munshi wed Ninu Mazumdar in 1954. ............................................................ ............................................................ ...... Ninu was a pet name that he became famous by. His real name was Niranjan, which he later used as a pen name in his Gazals. His father, Nagendra Mazumdar made silent films. Ninu's mother and grandmother belonged to Surat, which had been at the forefront of the 19th century reforms movement in Gujarat. The family and social background were going to affect his search for music and knowledge that resulted in a secular and creative approach to scriptures, Sanskrit classics and medieval saint poetry. After the early influence of Faiyaz Khan, Mazumdar's search took him to various routes and he studied different kinds of music before he came into his own to become one of the first Gujarati Sugam Sangeet (light music) singer. He soon graduated to composing his own music and writing songs. Apart from classical music, the earlier influence was also of Ravindra Sangeet. This was at the time when Bengali language enjoyed the prestige among Gujaratis of a kind that was comparable to the status of French among the English speaking nations. He grew out of it in a few years. The more lasting influence on his music was that of folk songs and semi-classical music of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) like the Hori, Chaiti, Barkha Biraha as well as Thumri and Dadra. He learned these during his stint in U.P. where he did farming for some years and also kept in touch through association with people like Satyendra Trivedi, a connoisseur of music and the "Thumri Queen", Siddheshwari Devi, a family friend and his wife Kaumudi's Guru. Theatre and music critic Kumud Mehta, the first joint Director of NCPA (National Center of Performing Arts) was another friend with whom he had long debates on music and literature. He made several musical presentations during the early years of NCPA. Ninu's ambition, even when he started his schooling in music at Baroda, was to become a music director in films. From 1937 onwards he participated in light Gujarati musical programmes; he also produced several features for All India Radio. From 1954, Mazumdar worked with all India Radio in Mumbai for over 20 years as Light Music Producer. He would have liked to take part in Hindi programmes too but the shortage of Gujarati artists forced him to concentrate on programmes in that language. Field experts from the world of music and theatre were invited to join AIR and contribute creatively. Among the other field experts who joined at that time were P.L.Deshpande, violinist V.G.Jog, Ustad Hafiz Ahmed Khan and Anil Biswas. When in charge of music for the newly launched Vividh Bharati, that had to compete with Radio Ceylon without using any film music (film music was not played on AIR for several years due to conflicts over contracts and royalties), he successfully produced programmes inviting Salil Chaudhary, Kanu Ghosh and others from Bombay Youth Choir or IPTA and using voices of Manna Dey and other well known artists. Later when the issue of royalties was settled between the film producers and AIR, Mazumdar was the first to produce the popular Jaymala Programme by interviewing eminent persons from the film industry. A career in films was also cut out for Ninu Mazumdar, as his father, Nagendra Mazumdar, was a dramatist and film producer. Nagendra was not much of a musician but he imparted his son training in music from the very early days. Ninu found the field restricted, in way, in films, because of the need of working at a very fast pace and with view to pleasing the majority among the public. Ninu tried to introduce a new trend in film music, that of, adding a classical touch by borrowing from the old masters like Surdas. These attempts met with considerable success in Gopinath, a picture in which Ninu had interest as a producer as well. It was in films made in the forties that a young Ninu Mazumdar's voice could be heard. He sang with Sardar Akhtar in "Uljhan", with Amirbai Karnataki in 'Paristan" and Meena Kapoor in "Gopinath". He provided music for Jail Yatra and Gopinath, two of the earliest Raj Kapoor films. It is well documented by now that the Yashomati Maiyase Poochhe Nandlala song in RK movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram is a direct lift from Mazumdar's Aai Gori Radhika in Gopinath. He also composed music for several Gujarati Films like "Jeevano Jugari", "Okha Haran", "Sharad Poonam" etc. He sang and penned quite a few of his songs. Amongst others who sang for him were Meena Kapoor, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt, Suraiya, Hameedabanu, Pradeepji, C.H.Atma, Ameerbai Karnataki, Raj Kapoor, Shankar Dasgupta, S.D.Batish, Lakshmi Shankar, Talat Mehmood, Siddheshwari Devi, Rajkumar, Nalini Mulgaonkar, Dilip Dholakia, Ajeet Merchant, Shobha Gurtu, Sarla Bhide, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosale, Manna Dey, Kishori Amonkar, Usha Mangeshkar, Leela Mehta, Premlata Naik, Kishori Ghia, Suman Kalyanpur, Kaumudi Munshi, Nirupama Sheth, Veena Mehta, Shubha Joshi, Rajul Mehta, Purushottam Upadhyay, Ashit Desai, Rekha Trivedi, Malay Banerjee, Uday Mazumdar, Aswini Bhide Deshpande, Shaivangi Desai, Ranjana Joglekar, Falguni Dalal etc. Vetern composer Ninu Mazumdar passed away on March 3 2000. Some of his songs have become so popular that people often do not even remember who wrote or composed them. Ninu Mazumdar has three daughters from his first wife Sharda who are achievers in their own right. Eldest daughter Rajul Mehta is a well known singer & has kept alive the legacy of her father's music & his literary compositions. Sonal Shukla is an established social worker & feminist causes and youngest daughter Minal Patel is a prominent theatre & film personality.
Courtesy: http://www.kaumudimunshi.com/ninu.html

His better Half


Kaumudi born in Varanasi (Banaras) in 1929 but her forefathers shifted to Banaras six to seven generations before her birth.

Though originally from Vadnagar, Gujarat, because these families resided in a Hindi speaking place (Kashi / Banaras), they got habituated in using Hindi for their day to day affair.

Kaumudi is the 6th child of Kunvar Nandlal Munshi and Anuben Munshi. Her grandfather, Madhavlal Munshi was a member on the advisory council of British Viceroy Lord Minto along with another Indian -- Rasbihari Ghosh.

Her mother Anuben was sister to a renowned Gujarati Literate Ramanlal Vasantlal Desai (R.V.Desai). Obviously the ambience of the house carried literature and music. She completed her degree in Arts from the Benaras University in 1950.

After Marriage her husband Ninubhai Mazumdar sent her to legendary artist Siddheshwari Devi to learn singing. Siddheshwari Devi was the Queen of Thumris at that point in time. However, because society discouraged female singers to make a career in singing during those days, Kaumudi did not start her public performance immediately thereafter. But afterall, how long was this going to last? Destiny called her to Bombay (Mumbai) where her brothers were settled. She got a lot of love and direction from R.V.Desai.

Akshay Desai (son of Shri R.V.Desai) encouraged her and helped her to pursue a career in singing. It was difficult for Kaumudi to start singing in Gujarati as all her life she was speaking Hindi. Akshay Desai taught her some Gujarati Songs. Kaumudi gave audition at All India Radio and got selected. This gave the direction to her career and became the key milestone in her impressive journey towards a successful career in singing. In 1951, she started singing in public. While in Bombay, she got introduced to composers like Avinash Vyas, Ninu Mazumdar, Dilip Dholakia, Ajit Merchant etc.

Ninu Mazumdar was a family friend. After coming to Mumbai, the link got explored naturally. Ninu was the Music Director associated with All India Radio where Kaumudi dedicated her initial career. Kaumudi started singing Ninu's songs in chorus. Ninu was impressed with her performance and attitude towards singing. Slowly, Kaumudi started singing Ninu's songs in Solo. This relationship ultimately culminated into a relationship for life. Kaumudi wed Ninu Mazumdar in 1954. Their families were against the marriage but both remained firm on their decision to be together. Their marriage was a perfect example of the rare blend of literature and music.

Though Kaumudi was more popular in her performance of Sugam Sangeet (Light Music), she is one of the few Gujarati artists who excelled at Thumris. Siddheshwari Devi was a celebrated "Queen of Thumris". She used to say that if Thumri is not sung from the heart then it is not Thumri. When an artist sings "Aaja Saavariya Garva Lagaloo" (come let me give you a hug), he/she should feel the same emotion and the same should get conveyed through his/her performance. Kaumudi understood this very well and could embed the same as a quality in her character. Each performance of Kaumudi is a performance where she and the audience get involved in the lyrics and experience what the lyricist had to say.

Kaumudi spent 5 years learning Gazals from famous musician Taj Ahmed Khan. Kaumudi has her distinctive and appealing style of presenting Gazals and perhaps it is due to this fact.

After marriage also, Ninu was engaged in helping build Kaumudi's career in singing. He actually wrote some songs specially for her, composed them, got her to sing those and helped her with getting a music album made. Kaumudi has crossed 50 years in her singing career.

Kaumudi is known as the "Nightingale of Gujarat" by her critics and fans both alike. Though she has learnt Indian Classical Music, she is keenly interested in and fascinated by Thumri, Dadra, Chaiti, Kajari, Gazals and Bhojpuri Folk Songs. She believes that lyrics made for these style of singing have emotions of people and experience of the lyricists. The performer gets engrossed into the song and becomes the poet for those moments. And because of this engagement, the performance touches the heart of the audience and the performer is appreciated. This is the reason why people find more emotions and flow in Kaumudi's work than pure singing skills.

She believes that Music is goddess Saraswati herself and therefore, each time she sings, she assumes it as a sacred art of worship. During her career, Kaumudi was a preferred artist for H.M.V. Her fist album was a HMV LP in 1952 on Garba. She also performed on All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan. "Choryasi Rango No Saathiyo", a song composed by Ninu Mazumdar is now forever bonded with Kaumudi Munshi in the minds of the Gujarati community.

You are welcome Varsha ji.
I am not gujrati but found this interseting. Do send me links of their songs (More interested in garbaas) if you find any