Nachiketa Ghosh

Nachiketa Ghosh (28 January 1925 – 12 October 1976) was one of the most acclaimed music directors of India. He mainly composed for Bengali, Hindi, and Oriya songs. He gave a new dimension to the Bengali music for both the arenas of Bengali modern song as well as Bengali film song. He was also an excellent singer and there are around five published Gramophone records where his role was just of the singer.

Nachiketa Ghosh
Nachiketa Ghosh
Born28 January 1925
Died12 October 1976
NationalityIndian
OccupationMusic director and composer

Early life

His father's name was Dr. Sanat Kumar Ghosh who was an eminent physician of Kolkata. Sanat-babu was a gold medalist doctor and acted as the attending physician of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, the famous chief minister of West Bengal. Sanat-babu was also a student of Dr. B.C. Roy. Sanat Babu inspired his eldest child, Nachiketa, to become a physician and the son behaved accordingly. Nachiketa passed out from R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, then affiliated with the University of Calcutta, as an M.B.B.S. doctor, but never intended to accept medical science as his profession.

Every Sunday, eminent musicians like Krishna Chandra Dey, Subal Dasgupta, Kamal Dasgupta, Kana Satkari used to gather in the Shyambazar house of Dr. Sanat Kumar Ghosh and that gave little Nachiketa the chance to observe those maestros from a close proximity. At his very childhood he has accompanied many of them as a Tabla player. Gradually Tabla (and music as a whole) became the first love of Nachiketa. A small incident reflects the dedication of the budding musician and the pain he had to accept for that: it was a very cold winter night and young Nachiketa had just returned home playing tabla with the great celebrity dancer Gaharjan Bai . The young boy didn't know what was in store for him. After returning, he found his very conservative grandmother standing for him. She ordered him to take cold bath at past midnight and there was no other option for him.

At the age of 24, he emerged as a young, promising music director and a new wave started to flow in the world of Bengali music. His style of composing music was a revolution in itself.

Musical journey

The musical journey of Nachiketa Ghosh started during his college days. At that time he acted as a music director for the film called "Twenty Fifth July" but this film never released in West Bengal. In the year 1953, the film "Boudir Bon" got released where Nachiketa appeared as a professional music director for the first time. The next film "Joydeb", which released on 1954, gave him a lot of appreciation and he never looked back till his death.

Bengali music industry was passing through its golden era at that time and Nachiketa got the chance to work with all the geniuses. He delivered a number of masterpieces at that period of time but undoubtedly the team composed of Nachiketa Ghosh, Gouri Prasanna Majumdar, Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay and Uttam Kumar gave Bengali film industry a new era which people of this part of the world will never forget.

In the early sixties, Nachiketa left Kolkata and went to Mumbai to work in the Mumbai film industry. After working there for seven to eight years, he again returned to Bengal and started working in the same old tune. He started using Manna Dey in place of Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay for the voice of Uttam Kumar. Songs from films like "Dhonni Meye", "Mouchak", "Sannashi Raja", "Nishi Padma", "Strii", "Kajallata", "Bilombito Loy" etc. had taken permanent place in the golden history of Bengali film songs. The maestro gifted a huge list of ever immortal Bengali film songs like "Mou Bone Aaj", "Malati Bhromore", "Nishi Raat Banka Chand", "Putul Nebe Go", "Nir Choto Khoti Nei", "Surjo Dobar Pala", "Jodi Bhabo Eto Khela Noy", "Tumi amar Chirodiner", "Manush Khun Hole Pore", "Sona Roder Gaan", "Khirki Theke Singoduar", "Aaj Dujone Mondo Hole", "Pagla Garod Kothai Ache", "Kichimichi Kichimichi" etc.

Besides working on film songs, he worked extensively on basic songs. He worked with lyricists like Gouri Prasanna Majumdar, Mukul Dutta, Shyamal Gupta, Pulak Bandyopadhyay, Pabitra Mitra, Shibdas Bandyopadhyay etc. to give the Bengali audience a great collection of Bengali modern songs. In fact the songs like "Amar Ganer Swaralipi Lekha Robe", "Tumi Ele Onekdiner Pore Jeno Bristi Elo", "Ekgocha Rojonigandha Hate Diye Bollam", "Megh Kalo Andhar Kalo", "Mori mori Eki Lojja", "Cholo Rina", "Ko Phonta Chokher Jol", "Bone Noi Mone Mor", "Ek Tajmohol Goro", "Meghla Bhanga Roddur" and many more are still in the list of best selling Bengali songs.

He was the first composer to use the voice of Mohammed Rafi for a modern Hindi song in a Bengali movie called Indrani. He was also the first music director to use Lata Mangeshkar's voice for the first time in a Bengali movie. The name of the film was Ardhangini. Prior to this she sang a Rabindrasangeet in a Bengali movie.

Bengali song has got a rich episode for the world of the kids and Nachiketa Ghosh was also a pioneer in that field. His contributions for the songs like "Moinar Ma Moinamoti", "Hatti Matim Tim" can never be forgotten. He also contributed a lot in the audio play called "Thakurmar Jhuli". That album was presented to Mrs.Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, on the Children's Day and is still the most appreciated album for children all over Bengal.

Personal life

Nachiketa Ghosh was married to Smt. Sibani Dutta. They have got two daughters namely Srabani and Sampurna and one son Suparna Kanti. Son Suparna Kanti Ghosh is also a very well known music composer of Bengal and has been following his father's footsteps for the last three decades.

Bengali filmography as music composer

FilmYear
Boudir Bon1953
Joydeb1954
Ardhangini1955
Bhalobasa1955
Nishiddha Phal1955
Pather Sheshey1955
Jharer Pare1955
Asamapta1956
Trijama1956
Nabajanma1956
Tapasi1957
Prithibi Amare Chay1957
Natun Prabhat1957
Rastar Chhele1957
Harishchandra1957
Indrani1958
Bhanu Pelo Lottery1958
Bandhu1958
Chaowa Pawa1958
Rajdhani Theke1958
Kichhukshan1959
Nirdharita Silpir Anupastithi Tey1959
Swapna Puri1959
Kshudha1960
Akash-Patal1960
Biyer Khata1960
Haat Baralei Bandhu1960
Chup Chupi Ase1960
Kanamachi1961
Kantatar1964
Chhotto Jignansa1968
Rakta Rekha1968
Chiradiner1969
Nishi Padma1970
Bilambita Loy1970
Fariyad1971
Chhinnapatra1971
Dhanyi Meye1971
Natun Diner Alo1972
Stree1972
Agnibhramar1973
Shabari1973
Bonpalashir Padabali1973
Nanigopaler Biye1973
Nokol Sona1973
Shravan Sandhya1973
Mouchak1974
Asati1974
Sujata1974
Alor Thikana1974
Chhutir Phande1974
Priyo Bandhabi1975
Kajallata1975
Swayamsiddha1975
Nagar Darpane1975
Sanyasi Raja1975
Hotel Snow Fox1976
Asadharan1976
Mombati1976
Ananda Mela1976
Sei Chokh1976
Brajabuli1979
Abhishek1984
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References

  • Nachiketa Ghosh, Aajkal, ISBN 978-81-7990-084-0
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