Kuti Indu Jini Porkashe- a Borgeet album by Riju Moni Goswami Sabhapandit and her son Pratyush Raga Sabhapandit was released recently.
Directed by Dhrubajyoti Barua, the album was released by Nrityacharjya Padmashree awardee Jatin Goswami at a function held at the Sri Sri Madhabdev International Auditorium of Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
Borgeet is the sweetly sublime devotional songs, which have been immortalised by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev and his disciple Srimanta Madhabdev and these have forever seeped into the collective consciousness of the listeners.
Considered as the oldest music tradition alive today, these soulful raga-based songs, written in the 15th and 16th centuries, exude the fragrance of divinity, making people aware of the prevailing traditional beliefs.
Perhaps, it has been one of the core reasons that artistes from all over have always been intrigued by the idea of making these songs over and over again with their own innovative interpretations.
Riju Moni Goswami, who has rendered diverse range of songs over the years with acclaimed and popular albums like Ahinok Kune Aane Duyujone Duyujone and Xuror Xote Kontho to her credit, has tried to stay true to the roots of traditional music that she grew up with.
She is the daughter of late Guru Krishna Dev Goswami, the noted Satradhikar of Patbaushi Damodordev Satra, and wife of writer and professor of Baosi Banikanta Kakati College Dr Ranjit Sabhapandit.
In her new album, she has touched the heart with her exquisite renditions.
Although new to recordings, her son, talented singer Pratyush Raga, too, entrenched in a devotional spirit, shows promise and maturity.
Seven out of the eight songs in ‘Koti Indu Jini Parakaxe’ were rendered by Riju Moni Goswami, while Pratyush Raga renders one song.
Jatin Goswami in his keynote speech said that these devotional songs will occupy a special pride of place in Assamese traditional music.
He emphasised on the importance of proper technique and method in performing borgeet.
He also stressed on upholding and promoting mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation among the three Sattras of Barpeta, Bordua and Kamalabari, which have primarily set the ways and rules of the Borgeet genre.
The exquisitely chiselled set of compositions in the album include tracks like Utho Re Utho Bapu, Kanairo Komolo Mukho, Re Re Brindabana, Hariye Karunamoy, Hari Pada Pankaja (sung by Pratyush Raga), etc.
The cultural evening witnessed several well-known artists showcasing their talent in vocal, instrumental and dance forms.
A riveting dance performance from three of the songs in the album, performed by Seuj Priya Goswami and her associates and choreographed by Jatin Goswami himself, was followed by a captivating khol performance by Kusha Mahanta, an absorbing sarod recital by Tarun Kalita and an engrossing Ojapali performance by Dhrubajyoti Barua.
