Legendary musician Hemanta Mukherjee’s 105th birth anniversary is today. Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, known professionally as Hemanta Mukherjee and Hemant Kumar, was born on this day in 1920 in his maternal grandfather’s hometown of Varanasi, India. Rabindra Sangeet and modern songs are still etched in the hearts of every Bengali in his melodious voice.
‘Forgetting the fatigue of the path, in your loving arms, O mother, tell me when will I be cool,’ or ‘O Nadir, one word to explain only to you,’ or ‘Muche Joa Dinguli Amay Je Pichhu Dake’—choosing three of Hemanta Mukherjee’s best songs as a singer or composer and counting the waves of the sea is a similarly unsuccessful attempt. Unforgettable, inimitable, timeless—whatever adjectives are used, most Bengalis will not find them enough.
Hemanta Mukherjee, one of the pioneers and composers of Bengali music, is called the God of Music. He has elevated the Bengali music world to great heights. He has sung songs, composed music, and filled the musical world with unique beauty. No other artist has been able to match him in his versatility.
Hemanta Mukherjee is a timeless name in the world of Bengali music. With his extraordinary melodies and melodious and charming voice, he has enriched the Bengali music repertoire, becoming the son of music and a magician of melody. He is famous in the Hindi music world as Hemant Kumar. The fifties and sixties are considered the golden age of modern Bengali music. And Hemanta Mukherjee is called the proverbial man of modern music.
Whether it is film songs, Rabindra Sangeet, or modern, he never felt uncomfortable in any way as a singer. As a composer, he has also repeatedly proven his immense diversity. On the one hand, he was a fan of Western classical music, and on the other hand, he also had various styles of Indian music at his fingertips.
His original residence was in Jaynagar, South 24 Parganas district. He spent his childhood in the village of Bahedu in Jaynagar. His family moved to Kolkata from 24 Parganas in the first half of the 20th century. His elder brother, Tarajyoti, used to write short stories. Hemanta was the eldest. Apart from his elder brother, the other two brothers were Tarajyoti and Amal Mukherjee. Hemanta’s younger brother, Amal Mukherjee, used to sing.
Hemanta Mukherjee never learned to sing. He would pick up songs by listening to them in public. He would sing in the school classroom during the tiffin period. Once the assistant headmaster heard that song. He almost expelled him from the school. Later, his father went and persuaded him to do so after much persuasion.
During his educational career, Hemanta was at the Mitra Institution in Bhavanipur. It was there that he met the poet Subhash Mukherjee. Subhash Mukherjee took Hemanta to the radio. With the help of Shailesh Dasgupta, Hemanta sang his first song on the radio in 1935 at the age of 14.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to music, he has received various domestic and foreign awards and honors, including an honorary degree from the University of Calcutta. He has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Michael Madhusudan Award. Hemanta Mukherjee passed away on September 26, 1989.
