Pranar Gaan - Songs of the Soul is to be held on December 13

Musical soiree “Pranar Gaan” (Songs of the Soul) is to be held at Bangabandhu International Convention Centre at 7 pm on December 13.

The programme will be jointly arranged by Shurer Dhara, a cultural organisation led by noted Tagore singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya, and The Gandharva Loka Orchestra, a 75-member international orchestra, featuring star musicians and singers from over 15 countries: USA, Canada, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, the UK, Scotland, the Netherlands, Columbia, Brazil, Poland, Slovakia, Macedonia, Iceland and New Zealand.

Artistes from both organisations are expected to perform both Tagore and Sri Chinmoy’s songs.

“Sri Chinmoy was a son of the soil. When his parents died in 1942, (Chinmoy was 11) Chinmoy Kumar Ghose along with his brothers and sisters left his small village Shakpura near Chittagong and enrolled at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a spiritual community near Pondicherry in South India. Later, he moved to New York in 1964 and devoted himself to serving mankind till his demise on October 11, 2007,” says Vilupti Barrineau, a student of Chinmoy.

Formed in January 2007, the orchestra is working as a seamless ensemble and is led by Panchajanya Burri, a classically trained guitarist, whose symphonic arrangements of Sri Chinmoy’s pure and simple melodies bring the Songs of the Soul to its dramatic and moving finale.

“Music became the most important thing at the tender age of six; and is still a life breath to me. It is the peaceful foundation of the soul and unleashes us to productive works and keeps us aloof from destructive ones,” comments Panchajanya.

“We are heartily inspired by the teachings and creative works of Sri Chinmoy, a spiritual teacher who dedicated his life in the service of humanity. In his 43 years in the West, he endeavoured to inspire and serve mankind with his soulful offerings - his prayers and meditations, literary, musical and artistic works,” adds Panchajanya.

Questioned on several lyrics of Sri Chinmoy, both Panchajanya Burri and Vilupti Barrineau hummed “Amar-e jadi basho bhalo niye jao amarey aaj”, “Amar jibon amar moron tomar choron o lagi” and more.

Quoting the teachings of Sri Chinmoy, both Panchajanya and Vilupti say “Life is a mountain; religions are the roads to the top of the mountain. While singing divine songs you are just feeding your soul.”

Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya says, “It is a kind of achievement of our beloved language Bangla, our multidimensional cultures and the way our music is; that people of different nationalities are going to perform Tagore’s songs and Sri Chinmoy’s songs.”

A rehearsal session is on at Lalmatia Girls’ High School. The Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh was also seen there humming with a number of local and foreign artistes and slum dwellers.