Lyric and background history of song oi mahamanab ase

Parjaay: Anushthanik Sangeet (16)

Taal: Kaharwa

Raag: Bhairavi

Written on: 14th April, 1941 at Shantiniketan

Swarabitan: 55

Notation by: Shantideb Ghosh

Notes: Maitreyi Devi, in her memoire 'Swarger Kachhakachhi' had written –

… It was afternoon. Inside Kavi's room I was writing down a few Aachar recipies from Meera-di. Soumyen Thakur appeared in the room – tall figure, a shawl clinging from his shoulder, very handsome. He was a legend for us. He was once jailed in Germany.

He started calling – 'Rabi-da, Rabi-da!' while the poet was in semi-concious state.

The poet opened His eyes and replied – 'Oh Soumya! Are you going now?'

'Rabi-da, you have glorified machines, you have written Namo Jantro, Namo Jantro. Now glorify mankind. Please sing for the human race.' Soumya asked.

I was very much astonished. What is this person talking about! A poet has nothing to do but to glorify human beings! However on the next day He asked me to come with pen and paper and dictated me this wonderful song – 'Oi mahamanabo aase…'.

Shantidev was summoned in the evening. A tune for the song was composed with his help. The ease of composition with an ailing health was particularly unbelievable. After the session He reiterated – 'This song would be sung on my birthday; don't you think foolish people of this country would imagine I have coined the word Mahamanab for myself?'

On an evening three to four days before composing this song the poet had described the subject matter of the essay 'Sabhyatar Sangkat' to Amiya Chakraborty. May be both the compositions were in process as he was preparing to read the essay on the ensuing 1st of Boishakh celebration. The philosophical thoughts contained within these two compositions are very much co-related. Shantidev Ghosh in his book 'Rabindra sangeet' writes –

… on an evening a couple of days before the celebration I had visited Him and completed singing a few songs when Amiya Chakraborty appeared. The poet gave him a brief verbal idea on the subject matter of 'Sabhyatar Sangkat', an essay on which His lecture was planned to be delivered on the New Year celebration. He had finished writing it may be couple of days earlier. Although, he expressed His skepticism beforehand – if He was unable to talk for long, even He might not get a chance to deliver a speech. Hence this was His last chance to present His thoughts in front of His countrymen. Slowly He elaborated the entire topic and we quietly listened to Him.

… On the next day I approached Him with a request – 'Composing a new song for Boitalik on the morning of the New-years day – would it be of too much trouble?'

He opposed the porposal initially although could not resist for long for my lingering interest. Said –'Soumya had told me to write a song to praise for the mankind. He says that I have sung for the machines and not for the mankind. I have, hence, written a poem which would be the song for the New Year.'

Moitryee Devi was there, she made a copy of the poem from Gurudev's manuscript. It was a large sized one, I thought, and to ask Him to compose a melody for it would be troublesome. He gave up after a brief tryout and said – 'I'll see tomorrow.'

The poem was cut short on the next day to the present version of the song 'Oi Mahamaanabo Aase…'.