Farida Parveen is the artisan who in her voice harmoniously blends two types of singing styles—urban and rural. Her legacy can only be compared to the world-renowned Qawali singers Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Abida Parveen. I am not unaware that such a bold and perhaps unusual comparison can raise our readers' eyebrows. Farida in her lifetime could not achieve the popularity and grandeur enjoyed by the latter two, and so readers may ask if she was indeed comparable to them.
The answer is simple. The way Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Abida Parveen brought the Qawali genre of the subcontinent to the world stage, Farida did the same for songs of Lalon Sai, a Baul saint of Bengal, making it popular in the country and beyond. Lalon Sangeet, an ethno-linguistic marker for the people of this region we call Bengal, has also made its mark globally, attracting music lovers across the world. It is safe to say that Farida Parveen's rare talent, coupled with her success in popularising Lalon Sangeet, an identifier of our cultural heritage, indeed makes her a representative artist, an honour granted to only a few. One is reminded of what Abbasuddin Ahmed did with Bhawaiya songs, and Abdul Alim with Bhatiali — each elevating their regional traditions into the collective consciousness.
But the trumpet has been blown and the curtain has fallen. The "daughter of Lalon" passed away, reminding us of lines of Lalon "No telling when the bird will fly away… as an ill wind rocks the cage"
In 2017, I had an opportunity to present my paper at the University of Limerick in Ireland. The title of my paper was a mouthful: "The Texture of Baul Tunes : Tantric and Dehabadi Centric Theory"—a phrase that must sound obscure to an international audience in ICTM world Conference, or that's what I thought. So I was a bit surprised when I noticed several musicologists from Europe and America sitting in rapt attention in the audience.
Former ICTM general Secretary of ICTM Svanibor Pettan from Croatia, Rolf Killius from Britain, Lasanthi Manaranjanie from Sri Lanka, and Ramprasad Kadel from Nepal were present among them. Somewhere along the seminar, a French and a German musician shared that they had learned about Lalon Sangeet from the songs sung by Farida Parveen. A British professor told me that he first came to know about Lalon during his university life.
At this point, it is worth noting that Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was the first to introduce Lalon's philosophy and literature to the global community. Since then, its propagation, as evidenced by the incidents above, can be unilaterally credited to Farida.
Through her melodious voice of middle age and contemplative tone of later life, her renditions of Lalon's devotional musical tradition have deeply resonated with people speaking other languages. As a result, countless researchers have flocked to this country in search of Baul traditions.
A bit more on her voice
Farida Parveen's early training in the obdurate regiment of classical music during her adolescence seemingly made her path much easier in developing her unique low register. Later, she trained Nazrul Sangeet under renowned maestro or guru. Although Lalon's songs are rooted in rural melodies, their distinct rhythm and its style make them uniquely recognisable. Farida Parveen internalised this style while preserving the essence of ragas and incorporating the ornamental nuances characteristic of Nazrul Sangeet. This very quality made her particularly appealing to musicologists.
The devotional traditions of the subcontinent have fascinated Europeans time and again, since the colonial era. They were enchanted by mystics like Sri Chaitanya, Kabir, and Meera, whose Bhajans and Kirtanas have been cherished in our region for centuries. Lalon's music carries that similar spiritual essence. Moreover, the unique strain of Sufism and Buddhism also sets this Baul apart. It can be said that in Lalon's songs, Buddhist and Vaishnavist sentiments are pitched together within the same melody, creating a musical fusion that is distinct from Qawwali or Bhajan-Kirtana. Additionally, the exploration of humanism and the search for the nature of the soul through musical practice have made Lalon's music especially intriguing to foreigners. Once again, I must reiterate that Farida Parveen has played an unparalleled role in perpetuating that mystic-Baul tradition.
Farida Parveen's vocal style in her later years did not captivate the local audience as much — perhaps because her open and sprightly singing of midlife continued to linger in their ears. However, her sustained, steady melodies in the twilight of her career evoked the transcendental essence of a Sufi practitioner's inner awakening — deeply resonating with listeners across language boundaries.
That said, the authenticity of regional music lies primarily in the fragrance of its native language. Farida Parveen did not overlook this; she never tried to standardise or polish it into something overly formal. That is precisely what sets her apart.
The tower of song
She was born on 31 December 1954 in Natore district of Bangladesh, and when still a child moved with her family to Magura District, where she took her first lessons under Komol Chakraborty. Later, she studied under the tutelage of various ustads in Rajshahi and Kushtia —learning classical music from Ustad Ibrahim Khan, Ustad Rabindranath Roy, Ustad Osman Gani, and Ustad Motaleb Biswas. Eventually, she trained in Nazrul Sangeet under Ustad Mir Muzaffar Ali and Ustad Abdul Qadir.
However, it was only when she became a disciple of Baul mystic Moksed Ali Shai that her spiritual transformation began. Though Moksed Shai was based in Lalon's Akhra-centric tradition, his singing style was distinct from that of other Bauls. Deeply rooted in Ragas, he used to perform in a kalawati (ornate classical) style. Because Farida Parveen herself was both technically skilled and naturally gifted with a unique voice, she was able to internalise this tradition. The result was a vocal style that felt both modern and original, yet grounded and timeless, quickly winning the hearts of listeners.
Songs of the Akhra are typically loud, open, and resonant higher notes. Farida Parveen's voice, while capturing that sharpness, added a certain sweetness and natural grace, giving her interpretations a unique and animated quality. When she sang Lalon's verses — "Ke Tomar Aar Jabe Sathe", "Ami Opaar Hoye Bose Achhi, Ohe Dayamoy", or "Barir Pashe Arshinagar, Sethai Ek Poroshi Bosot Kore" — her voice delivered more than melody; it evoked deep emotion, a sense of longing, a kind of beautiful melancholy that stirred something within.
Farida Parveen made her debut as a musician in 1968 by performing Nazrul Geeti on Rajshahi Betar (radio) station. Later, she moved to Kushtia due to her father's job. She graduated from Kushtia Government College. In the early 1970s, she sang several modern songs written and composed by Abu Jafar, which became widely popular across Bangladesh. Among them, the patriotic song "Ei Padma Ei Meghna Ei Jamuna Surma Noditote" became a staple, often performed alongside the national anthem at events ranging from Jatrapala [folk theatre] to inaugurations. Other songs she sang, such as "Nindar Kanta Jodi Na Bidhilo Gaye", "Tomra Bhulei Gecho Mollikadir Naam", and "O Pakhire Aay Dekhe Ja Kemon Aachi", also achieved timeless status through her voice.
Farida Parveen has countless memories and statements from her world travels. However, she credits her mentor above all for Lalon's global acceptance. She stated, "Many people from Kushtia are now travelling all over the country and abroad to sing Lalon's songs. For this, I give the credit to my guru, the respected Moksed Ali Sai. "Many guru baba and guru ma [spiritual teachers] exist, but Lalon's songs are not being propagated with the correct lyrics and melodies. Therefore, one must find a true guru to learn Lalon's songs. Because Lalon's words are used in self-purification, and tunes are used in meditation." She further said, "The core of Lalon's philosophy is the philosophy of people becoming human beings. Being human means being endowed with human qualities. For this reason, he always advised speaking the truth and following the right path. This is what I hold dear to my heart."
As far as I know, attending the Universal Sufi Festival in Belgium in 2014 was one of the best experiences of Farida Parveen's life. She has sung in numerous countries, including Japan, New York, and France. A few years ago, my French friend Pierre-Alain Baud introduced Farida Parveen to the French. Pierre also started writing her biography. Regarding this, Farida Parveen's comment is, "I have known Pierre-Alain for a long time. Because of that, he has learned a lot about me. And after knowing me, he expressed interest in working on my work and personal life. When I agreed to his proposal, he started researching my musical career. I hope that he will be able to highlight every aspect of my life in the book through different chapters."
In recognition of her lifelong musical pursuit, she has received several important awards. She received the national award Ekushey Padak in 1987, the National Film Award in 1993 and the Fukuoka Arts and Culture Prize from Japan in 2008, and the Firoza Begum Memorial Gold Medal from Dhaka University in 2019.
Today, although she has gone beyond our reach, her songs are still in our souls. Let me conclude this with a question. Have we truly been able to evaluate Farida Parveen properly? Today, as our bird flew away, will we ever get another Farida Parveen? Our deepest respects to this immense artiste.
Comments