Ekta Boga Canvas: A solo exploration of the many colours of folk

Contrary to the saying, one could argue that Boga Taleb is a master of all trades when it comes to music. 

Ripon Sarker, also known as Boga, gained recognition after his performances at Coke Studio with 'Chilte Rode' and 'Nodir Kul Nai'. Pursuing his research at Visva-Bharati University in Hindustani classical music, Boga is also the vocalist of the band Swarbanjo. 

Boga's performance on 4 October at Jatra Biroti was a testament to his skill with Tagore and Nazrul, Bhatiali, Shari Gaan, and more–revealing his versatility as a musician.

Boga walked in playing a dhol through the rows of audience with his co-artistes following behind him. Once on stage, he began with 'Bondona,' much like traditional Puthi or Baul singers. The invocation offered respect to the Creator and his gurus, while also asking the audience in advance to forgive any mistakes.

Then came a Tagore song, 'Chhinno Patay Sajai Tarani,' one he had carried with him since childhood. He paused to share how his grandmother had been the one to teach it to him. The memory softened his voice, giving the melody a quiet intimacy.

From there, the evening moved into the depths of Murshidi bhajan. He sang Pagol Bacchu's 'Amar Praner Murshid Go' – a song that is more of a disciple's plea to their master in search of guidance, a reaching for light. 

Then came Radharaman Dutta's 'Shyamke Aniya Dekha.' While singing the piece, Boga paused to recall Sushma Das, whose voice had made the song popular.

From there, he moved to Nazrul – 'Puban Hawa' – one of the most requested songs of the evening. The song tells of the sorrow of a man who cannot make the pilgrimage to the Prophet's shrine, and asks the eastern air to go to the west with his messages, where his beloved Prophet lies in Madina.

'Nodir Kul Nai,' a popular Bhatiali song that reached an even wider audience after Boga's cover for Coke Studio, shifted the mood. Bhatiali songs are mainly sung by boatmen during bhati or low-tide, and Boga, being raised in Rajshahi, at the bank of the Padma river, the song brought the stories of his roots.

After the Bhatiali, Boga took the audience on a ride – a Nouka Baich ride to be specific. Through the rhythm and his deep, resonating voice, he sang Shari Gaan – a series of songs embedded into a story of a journey. Shari Gaan is traditionally sung with laborious works, especially by groups of boatmen or workers.

During the Shari Gaan, the singer slipped again into memories of his childhood, telling stories of how joyous those village boat races once were.

After the Shari Gaan, there was more Bhatiali. Then, following a short break, two Tappa songs: 'Aaj Phire Jao Nagor' and 'Ekoda Ek Bagher Golay.' Although Tappa originated in Punjab, it was Ramnidhi Gupta who brought the form to Bengal, where it flourished.

After that, he performed a short excerpt from a musical drama which he performed at the Sharod festival in Shantiniketan. Then he sang one of his very own unreleased works, written for his mother, 'Ami Doure Palai.' 

The song spoke of a return to the mother after being wounded by the harshness of the world. It carried the ache of someone who had endured too much, and the longing to find shelter again in the only embrace that heals. With the notes of esraj and manjira, the performance felt almost celestial.

As the night edged towards its end, he returned to Bicched. With Matal Razzak Dewan's 'Tomar Lekha Gaan Ami Gaibo,' the atmosphere shifted into a final swell. Boga struck the khartal – and the crowd followed, their voices rising with his, carried together in the rhythm.

Boga had more to offer that evening. He added painting. And silence. Inspired by John Cage's famous performance 4'33", he created a moment of stillness. He lifted the violin but did not play. He then painted an image of a woman and a flower on a canvas. He picked up the flute but again, left it silent. The quiet itself became music, and the audience heard the purity of stillness.

The final piece was Kamalakanta Bhattacharya's celebrated Shyama Sangeet, 'Amar Shadh Na Mitilo.' It tells of a soul's longing unmet in this world. Speaking of unmet longings, the audience's thirst for more of Boga's voice was probably still unmet. The night was approaching midnight – at around eleven, Boga closed the show; however, the audience wanted more.

On that evening at Jatra Biroti, the stage became truly a "Boga Canvas." He sang and made the listeners sing. He played violin, dotara, khartal, flute and more. He danced and made others dance. With colours from different worlds and a true artist's touch, he drew the night into something whole and unforgettable.