If you are anywhere near a Bengali Kali Puja festival, which coincides with Diwali tomorrow, chances are you will hear “Chirodini Tumi J Amro“- You Are Forever Me – sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle in their respective versions, and composed by Bappi Lahiri, ringing over loudspeakers.
It may be part of a recorded playlist or a live performance, but the title track of the 1986 Bengali superhit film amar sangiStarring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Vijayta Pandit in lead roles, it has helped this rich-boy-love-in-poor-girl tale survive in popular memory for decades. It has become a trademark of the puja pandal for Bengalis.
You hear it during Durga Puja, Kali Puja and Saraswati Puja, often referred to as Bengali Valentine’s Day as young women in saris and men in kurtas fill the air with the budding potential of romance.
,chirodini It is an iconic song, which has taken away its shelf-life due to its many beautiful moments. Whenever we heard a song playing over the loudspeakers, we knew there was a puja or a sori,” says singer-politician Babul Supriyo, who, in the years since, has sung several songs for Prosenjit. he also sang chirodini He often visits puja pandals in Mumbai.
it’s not sure enough
In a society that dances to breakup songs, I have always found the expression of eternal love in the song a little different.From oh heart is difficult (2016), Whose words are as follows: “keeping a stone on my heartNational Highway Pe makeup done… Mbefore come from saiyan ji I broke up (With a heavy heart I put on make-up…today, I broke up with my partner).”
for me, chirodini belongs to more i loved (1989) Shelly – A blockbuster that turns out to be a date if you watch it today. I have always been uncomfortable dragging him with 18 years old Bhagyashree (the age of his character in the film). saree pallu On her head decently, her singin’Sajna’s courtyard (her husband’s courtyard) In Song give heartIWanna’Why isn’t she applying for college,’ my brain screams whenever I see her.
But I’m regretting.
I did not see amar sangiBut to me, its title track captures the same dated idea of romance.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against love. but chirodini what we call hero: – A Bengali expression that loosely translates to ‘affect’. a line from the songTum chara aman apon amar jr keu new… (I don’t have anyone who is as close to me, how can I be single without you)” makes me want to ask the protagonist what they would have done if they were in a long distance relationship. I believe that such an all-consuming passion is exhausting and likely to burn out soon – although the song speaks of their hearts beating for each other even in later lives.
You need some ‘me space’ guys, the parents in your life too, I’m tempted to say.
Nostalgia, I think, best explains chirodini Fixation in Pandals
It was a Facebook post from a friend several years ago that first made me aware of how this song pops up at festival venues without fail, even though I’ve been listening to it in pandals all my life.
,paragraph (neighborhood) pandal Chirodini Tumi J Amro…puja is here,” she posted on a durga puja, if I remember correctly.
Since then, I am fully aware of the song being played in pandals not only in Kolkata but also in the national capital.
Read also: Veg Mutton, Chopsi, Biryani, Gilt and Gelusil are among the dishes of Kali Puja.
Eternal love or eternal nostalgia?
Music and worship have traditionally gone hand in hand for Bengalis. Whereas Durga Puja is traditionally the time of agomonis – Singing of Durga in her ancestral home – The festival saw many artists release new albums, a practice that has waned over the years. This was at a time when entertainment retailer HMV used to release a catalog before Durga Puja, which contained details of all the festival releases.
Similarly, Shyama Sangeet – in praise of Goddess Kali – is sung and played by many people around Kali Puja.
However, pandal playlists often contain more film and popular numbers than devotional songs.
and while odd Mago Tui Ashbi Bole (from the 2019 movie Durgeshgorar Guptadhon) And dugga maa (from 2017 release say dugga mai ki), or turn-of-the-century bangla band songs like land hits Barandaye Roddur Or as songs from Cactus and Chandrabindu have begun to find their place in playlists, the set is usually made up of old classics.
Many Kishore Kumar, RD Burman Songs and other popular items like oh go nirupama And Ruby Roy The permutations form part of the combination, but the probability is chirodini Will not miss
Delhi resident Shayan Acharya says, “I first heard this song 20-30 years ago at the Kali Puja function in CR Park, and even now I often hear it in pandals.”
Subir Ghosh, who has been associated with C-Block Kali Puja in Delhi’s CR Park for over 25 years, says that the generation that remembers the film is most recognizable by the songs. Subir Dutta, who is part of the co-operative ground Durga and Kali Puja’s organizing committee at CR Park and CR Park Kali Mandir Society, remembers two participants singing songs at a music competition organized by the temple society ahead of this year’s Durga Puja. ,
“It was also part of a cooperative program,” he said, “I also hear several contestants singing in the television talent hunt. chirodini“. Acharya has seen this song being used in Facebook reels as well.
Singer Kumar Bappa, who will perform at C-Block Kali Puja at CR Park tomorrow, says the song can make people happy.
Sayantan Bhattacharjee, a member of the Durga Puja and Kali Puja committee at Kolkata’s Behala Club, also praises the song. “You start hearing it at Vishwakarma Puja (which is celebrated in September) and feel that the festive spirit has arrived. ,
Thoughts are personal.
(Edited by Likes)