Tell us about your musical journey.
Pappu: I
started learning music from a young age. I treasure those memories of
Ramadan, when my sister and I used to sing Hamd along with my mother. In
the beginning, I was trained by my sister. Later, to polish my skills I
started training under Ustad Babu Rahman, and later under Koel
Dasgupta. The journey on the path of music gathered momentum in 2006
when I joined Rabindra Bharati University (RBU), Kolkata, India. I
completed my Honours and Masters in Classical Music there and am now
doing my PhD on folk music at RBU.
How do you think folk music can be promoted?
Pappu: Since
folk music is already gaining popularity, my idea is to organise a Baul
festival where Bauls from all over the country will present their rich
heritage. Plus, we can honour and recognise their contributions, so that
we can inspire the younger generation to develop their skills in folk
music.
What can be done to popularise Bangladeshi folk music internationally?
Pappu: Festivals
help popularise folk music internationally. We also have to create a
craze for folk music. If we modernise the songs without ruining their
original essence, it will help in two ways. Firstly, if the songs earn
the tagline of popularity it will help to redefine the songs in a new
manner. In my view, if we stay rigid in terms of modernising folk music,
it will be tough to keep this genre alive as the number of listeners
will dwindle.
