This Durga Puja, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been unveiling her own songs almost daily, beginning from Mahalaya. She has been posting them on her X handle, noting that they are written and composed by her.
Sharing one on Mahalaya, she wrote: “On this occasion, I am sharing with all of you a new Puja song written and composed by me.” Sung by state minister Indranil Sen, it began with “Dhono Dhanye Bhore, Ma eshechhen ghore.” So far, Banerjee has shared more than ten songs this year, sung by artists such as Iman, Monomoy, Raghab and others.
Composing is not new for the CM. On World Music Day (June 21), she penned ‘Ami Sangeet Piyasi’ (“I am a music enthusiast”), sung by Jeet Ganguli, and posted the video on Facebook. Earlier, in 2019, a collection of her songs titled Mati was released with seven tracks sung by leading singers. The songs include ‘Pahar kande sabuj kande’, ‘Mati aamar moner foshol’, ‘Akash tumi bristi dile’, ‘Mago tomar bhalobasae’, ‘Iki uki buki hamba hamba ho’, ‘De dol dol’ and ‘Chhilo ekta chhotto meye’.
This year, Banerjee also wrote the lyrics for the theme song of north Kolkata’s Tala Prattoy Durga Puja on their centenary year, sung again by Indranil Sen. The committee said it was proud to have her. She regularly pens theme songs for puja committees.
Banerjee has also turned to music for political and cultural expression. Amid reports of alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states, she composed a song on Bengali pride. At a cultural programme of the Assembly’s Recreation Club, she said she has written 1,500 poems and 17 of her songs would be released during this Puja. At the event, Indranil Sen performed ‘Otho Bojro Kanthe’, ‘Gao Banglar Gan’ and ‘Esho Raksha Koro Bhasar Samman’.
Banerjee’s compositions featured in a January 12 concert in Kasba where singers including Sen, Sriradha Bandopadhyay and Manomay Bhattacharya gave their voices.
She is noted to have sung a song for an album herself, and having written hundreds of books and poems.
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In 2013, she held an art exhibition in Calcutta titled “A Dreamer’s Creation”, describing it as depicting life in its “various shades and colours”: “This is symbolised by colorful flowers, blossoms, mother and child, fantasy, animals, and the rising sun. Flowers bring joy, hope, and cheer. These emit positive vibes and energy.”
