The forgotten vocalist - the gifted folk artist and freedom fighter from Bangladesh

The forgotten vocalist

Faizul Khan Tanim converses with Khurshid Alam, a gifted folk artist and freedom fighter, whose voice still possesses a magnetic quality despite his physical and economic hardship

photo by Momena Jalil

While most still remember the songs Holudia Pakhi and O Padma Nodi Re, it is a pity that they have forgotten Khurshid Alam, a man who played a part in making them popular. Khurshid, a freedom fighter and one of the most gifted vocalists of our nation in the folk genre, now lives a life of misery, suffering from a dislocated hipbone for over a decade, and immersed in the memories of his glory days.

Unable to accumulate a sum of around Taka 60,000, as prescribed for an operation by the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation at Sher-e-Bangla nagar, he survives hand-to-mouth by selling tea near the Sadarghat Bangla Bazar and relives his golden days singing at customers’ requests.

He describes that his fall from grace was triggered by his accident in 1998 that resulted in the dislocation of his bone that restrained his movement ever since. ‘The fun of singing folk songs reaches its peak when one can move the body and head to the beats of the song, and the meaning of the lyrics, while singing. As I can no longer do that, I have lost much of the basic appeal,’ he explains. He has given up hope as saving up Tk 60,000 will never be easy for him. ‘I can never afford the operation, until and unless I get some aid,’ says the once-popular singer, while trying to hold back a tear.

When asked about his family members and relatives, the 58-year-old mentions that his son and daughter live in the village and disregard him, as he cannot contribute to the family. To his dismay, they even stopped contacting him. The abandonment has broken the man further, who during lazy afternoons or a lonely night at Gandaria, where he currently resides, still reminisces a past that was filled with applause, tunes and harmony.

Khurshid was born in 1950 in the village Borotia of Mirzapur, Tangail in a family that was quite well off. ‘As a teenager, my visits to the village markets were usually special as I looked forward to listening to the records of Abbasuddin. I would carefully listen to them as the rats listened to the Pied Piper of Hamlin, being lured to the mystery and enchantment of those magical, musical notes and pick up the songs in my mind,’ he remembers.

‘I knew it right from then that I was born to sing my heart and soul out. To pursue my dream, I came to Purana Paltan in Dhaka to meet Abbasuddin, the musical icon. However, I was unfortunate as he could not teach me music due to illness. Instead, he referred me to another renowned singer from that time - Abdul Alim,’ he describes.

The year 1968 will remain forever memorable to Khurshid when he met the brilliant singer in Khilgaon and began taking lessons from him. ‘He became my master and inspiration. I was so enthralled by his singing talents that I began to imitate his vocal style,’ he says. Timeless songs like Holudia Pakhi, O Padma nodi re, Ujan desh er majhi bhaijon, Aar kotokaal bhashbo ami, Naiya re nayer badam tuila and others were soon dancing on Khurshid’s lips as he realised that, like Alim, he should also sing the songs of rural Bengal and spread serenity amongst his audience.
While still strolling down memory lane, Khurshid smiles and shares: ‘even in all my misery, the thought of those times, when my guru used to take me to Borotia to shows, makes me smile.’

As soon as Alim was done with his set list, he would ask his apprentice to perform before the thousands who had come to listen only to Alim. ‘To my astonishment, the audiences would still sit there patiently and hear me sing. No one would hiss or hoot! This gave me immense confidence and possibly this is what Alim actually wanted to do. Sharing stages with one’s mentor is always the best thing that can happen and gives you a great boost,’ he reasons.

Besides being a singer, Khurshid has another contribution to this nation-that of a freedom fighter during 1971. ‘I fought under Kader Siddiqui in the Tangail district. I still remember singing Mora ekti phul ke bachabo for my comrades in the Mukti Bahini’, Khurshid gazes away while saying.

Besides Alim, Khurshid’s vocal style was further cemented through lessons that he received from Shahnaz Bulbul at the Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts at Waisghat, near Sadarghat for six years. ‘Most of my memorable performances in recent years, were staged at programmes of the National Association of UNESCO Clubs in Bangladesh. Their patronisation was a huge boost for me both emotionally and financially, as otherwise I would have died of starvation,’ says the singer.

Despite Khurshid’s current state, his contributions were definitely groundbreaking as millions of Bangladeshis in rural and urban areas still hum the folk tracks sung by him and his mentors. The tunes and lyrics are so timeless that these rural waves have been sending ripples of contentment for many years.

Khurshid tries to explain the reason behind the undying popularity of folk songs, ‘While singing, a singer needs to understand the words and feel them to his core. If this works out well, the singer will experience turmoil of feelings that will sway his or her mind to the rhythm, bringing his song to life.’ He provides as an example how he simulates himself as a sailor when singing O padma nodi re. ‘I love to sail in my vision and do all that is necessary to feel a sailor’s passion. Even if it needs to close my eyes and imagine sailing,’ he says.

Khurshid feels that although the younger generation is returning to their roots while listening to these folk songs, the values of these tracks are deteriorating due to the use of modern instruments. ‘No instrument other than a dotara can bring out the true flavours of folk songs, as they were originally composed using that instrument,’ he points out.

He goes on, ‘I do not know exactly but my guess is that we are all searching for roots in this period of great change. And the reason these folk songs are still around is that they have a kind of shine on them. It is hard to create something so beautiful overnight and that is why they are immortal and still has not lost appeal, unlike me.’ He feels that contemporary folk artists like Abdul Alim and Kabiruddin from Gandaria, and Momtaz, are amazingly upholding the tradition and genre of folk songs through their performances.

Unlike them, Khurshid lives each day with memories and anticipation. It is apparent that this resilient vocalist still bears within him the fervour and passion for music that had propelled him to come to Dhaka and seek out singers of the esteemed calibre like Abbasuddin and Abdul Alim in his teen years. Despite his daily struggle with his physical and emotional injuries, Khurshid still wants to sing the songs of Bengal and of peace and serenity.