About Me
Ferdousi Rahman (also spelled Ferdowsi Rehman - nee: Firdausi Begum)Ferdausi Rahman: Unique in her own domain - by Nashid KamalAlthough poet Kazi Nazrul Islam coined these words in his famous song: Amay nohey go, bhalobasho shudhu, bhalobasho mor gaan, they capture the essence of every artiste -- to be loved for his/her music. These lines form the title of the monthly programme on ntv where accomplished artiste of the country Ferdausi Rahman presents her songs as they are sung by contemporary artistes.
Ferdausi, as the programme displays, has earned her fame from a very early age. The beauty of her music is its versatility. Ferdausi herself mentioned that although she had been training in pure classical from her ustads and spent innumerable hours in practicing ragas, her first recorded song was a folk number in erstwhile Pakistan Radio (at age 17). Her father, the folk maestro Abbasuddin listened attentively while Ferdausi's song was being broadcast. When she returned home, Abbasuddin commented on the exactness of her style, "I have never taught you this bhawaiya, but you have presented it in its correct manner!"
If I had not made the effort to learn from Ferdausi, I would never have known the nuances that exist for each kind of song that she has so carefully practiced to perfection. There is no doubt that hailing from North Bengal she could make a quick transition from being a modern, educated woman to representing a village belle with all her emotions and longings.
However, that is only a partial portrayal of Ferdausi. When she sang for the films, the reason each song became a hit is because she applied her own imagination and identified herself with the character in the movie concerned and aptly used her own vocal dexterity to represent the character. As she explained the reasons behind a certain pronunciation, or the reason for using a sad tone or happy note, it seemed so well thought of. In the short timing of only three to four minutes of a song an entire era, an entire story, an entire episode even a saga of life has been narrated by her. While teaching the songs, sometimes she says, "The more I think about it, the more my expressions improve and the thoughts of the writer, unifies with mine as a singer. Even the style of holding my breath or deferring it for a later moment makes a gulf of difference."
As an instance she mentions Robin Ghosh's Urdu film song O pardesi aja, ankhiya torey. Even a stress, elongation and juxtaposition is so important.
Ferdausi sings from Abu Hena Mustafa Kamal, Ami bare bare jeebonero srotey bheshey, peyechi tomae sheshey. She explains how life's vagaries tilted her from one shore to another and that's how the words and tune should sound, till you reach peyechi tomae sheshey where it reaches a climax, a culmination of a dream or the end of a journey.
Her renditions are so real and inimitable that to this day no artiste has even after much effort been able to emulate the allure of Podmar dheu rey.
She loses herself in classical music. Her only lament is that she could not train further. She admires the likes of Ustad Amir Khan and also Roshanara Begum, yet her taans, sargams, her renderings are still unattainable to us. Her achievement is very special and so is her dedication. It is not a day's achievement -- it takes a lifetime to achieve what Ferdausi has -- a pursuit through life and a lesson for us all.
The author is an eminent singer.* immensely popular for three decades (highly distinguished singer of the yesteryears - late 50s, 60s, 70s and early 80s)
* heir to a rich tradition - daughter of famous Abbasuddin Ahmed.
* She received extensive music lessons from Ustaad Munir Husain Khan, Ustaad Mohammad Husain Khan and Ustaad Mastaan Gama. Moreover, Ustaad Qadir Zamiri, nephew of Ustaad Zamir Uddin Khan, trained Ferdausi in the art of ghazal singing and thumri.* born in Kooch Bihar, Bengal, India, in 1940s…** along w/ singers like Bashir Ahmed, Shahnaj Rahmatullah, and Runa Laila popularized Bengali culture in West Pakistan in the late 50s, 60s, and early 70s...** Firdausi spent her earlier days with her family in Calcutta, India. After partition, she migrated with her parents to Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Firdausi, who was very talented and irrepressibly ambitious, soon started participating in Children's music programs, broadcast from Dacca radio station.
She also entertained music lovers with her songs, in private musical gatherings.
In July 1955, the first song from Dacca radio station was broadcast in fourteen-year-old Firdausi's voice.
She earned encomiums from numerous dignitaries present on that occasion.
Prominent amongst them was reputed Bengali Poet: Qazi/ Kazi Nazrul Islam, who was all praise for Firdausi's performance. The crowd erupted in cheers. The listeners rose to their feet to have a glimpse of her. Firdausi, who was determined to fulfill her music teachers dream, exulted amid loud applause.
Firdausi debut from the super hit film 'Chanda' in 1962. She recorded two songs for the film. As a matter of fact, the film 'Chanda' was also the first Urdu movie made in Bangladesh.
Below is the first Urdu film song recorded in Firdausi's voice. It was a heartfelt little melody: 'Akhian tori rah takain' (The film 'Chanda', 1962, composer: Robin Ghosh, director: Captain Ehtesham)
Her voice was so pure that the strains of tragedy still echoes in ones ears, as one listens to the second song of the film 'Chanda' in Firdausi's voice:
'Maut kay rahay low sada.'
Hope and belief in her, was the secret of her success. The next year, 1963, another super hit film, 'Talaash', was released in Bangladesh. Great films have an enduring quality. The film 'Talaash' was one of them. Firdausi sang the following romantic number. In reality, that rendition became the most radio-requested song in those days:
'Kuchh apni kaheye, kuchh meri suniye, ye raat ye tanhaye, yoon chup to na raheye.'
Firdausi lent her voice to 'intelligent' films, which attracted a sizable public. There is still a huge audience for that.
Below follows a masterpiece, which was a giant leap of success in Firdausi's musical career. This is one lyrical number her adorers can live with. It was an eloquent art of composition, as well:
'Dil dharaknay ka sabab yaad Aaya, wo teri yaad thee, ab yaad Aaya.'
The haunting words and simple melody lingered in our hearts, just as they have lingered in the hearts of people throughout the country.
Firdausi, whose dedication to music was absolute, sang the following romantic score with verve and vivacity:
'Mausum rangeela, nasheeli hawa' (The film 'Talaash')
After the mega hit 'Kaheye, suniye', Firdausi's voice became absolutely essential for almost every Urdu film, which was made in Bangladesh during those days.
Further, she also received the Presidential Award for best singer for the Bengali film 'Aasia'.
Additionally, Firdausi also rendered her voice for the following films: 'Saat rang', 'Kajal', 'Preet na janay reet'.
In the mid 1960s, Firdausi visited Karachi to record a song for the film 'Sehra'.
Among others, she also met Nazeer Baig, popularly known as Nadeem. She was so moved by his singing voice that she recommended him to director Captain Ehtesham. The rest is history.
Memories of our childhood floods back, as we listen to the familiar romantic number from the film 'Milan':
'Koi dil mein Aa kay muskura gaya' (The film 'Milan', director: Rehman, singer: Firdausi Begum, composer: Khan Ata Ullah Rehman).
Firdausi, who had a natural instinct for music, enchanted the movie-goers with the words and melody of the following song:
'Hai ye Aalam tujhay bhulanay say' (The film 'Nawab Siraj-Ud-Daula').
The following song was recorded 37 years ago. It continues to exude an overwhelming melancholy to this day, because Firdausi's harmonious voice delineated tragic story:
'Kahan ho tum ko dhoond rahi hain, ye baharain, ye sama' (The film 'Chakori', 1966, composer: Robin Ghosh, singer: Firdausi Begum, pictured on Shabana).
Her voice, itself an instrument, Firdausi's songs are all sweetness and light. She lent her voice to the following slow lyrical number in her particular brand of sentimentality:
'Wo meray saamnay tasweer banay baithay hain, meray her khwab ki tabeer banay baithay hain' (The film 'Chakori.')
What is unique about the following song is that the sweetness is so profound:
'Khanak jaye ray chandi ka mera jhumka' (The film 'Chakori')
Most definitely, Firdausi's fans still remember her superfluous song, 'Yeh arzu jawaan jawaan, yeh chandni dhuaan dhuaan', composed by Robin Ghosh, for the film 'Caravaan.'
Well-wishers can't say enough good things about the singer, who gave so much of herself to music.
Forty eight years ago, Firdausi first rendered her musical voice to radio and later to the films-its words and tunes are still so familiar and beloved that they seem meshed with our very existence-promises to be around quite a while longer.
