The passing of Asha Bhosle marks the end of an era. Her versatile voice has fans across generations, from the gramophone age to the streaming era. While her Hindi discography is obviously very popular among listeners, her contribution to Bengali music is no less enduring.
Those who have grown up in West Bengal in the 1980s and 1990s would remember how Asha’s Bengali songs dominated the playlist at Durga Puja and Kali Puja pandals. Even today her songs can be heard at puja pandals in rural areas.
Here’s how some of her most popular Bengali songs came to define that era.
Aar Koto Raat Eka Thakbo (Chokher Aloy)
This melodious romantic song composed by Bappi Lahiri would reverberate through Durga Puja pandals in the late-night hours, when crowds thinned but the spirits remained high. Picturised on Debashree Roy, the song from Chokher Aloy (1989) hints at a certain solitude. Bappi Lahiri’s restrained arrangement allowed Asha’s voice to rise.
Kotha Hoyechhilo (Troyee)
If one song captures the youthful energy of Puja crowds, it is Kotha Hoyechhilo. Composed by R. D. Burman, the song is picturised on Debashree Roy and Mithun Chakraborty. Asha sang this duet with Kishore Kumar. The Troyee (1982) song plays on loop during peak evening hours at Puja pandals even today, and has everyone from teenagers and older couples shaking a leg.
Emon Modhur Shondhay (Ekanto Apon)
As the name suggests, Emon Modhur Shondhay became synonymous with the Puja evenings. This dance number, composed by R. D. Burman, is from the film Ekanto Apon (1987). This was the kind of song pandals leaned on to set the mood. Its gentle orchestration and Asha’s sensuous voice makes it a charbuster even today.
Chokhe Chokhe Kotha Bolo (Bengali ‘adhunik’ song)
Not all Puja staples came from films. Chokhe Chokhe Kotha Bolo was one such composition that ruled the pandals. This R. D. Burman composition worked perfectly in crowded pandals. It wasn’t loud or dramatic but it struck a chord.
During her Kolkata concert last month, Sunidhi Chauhan enthralled the audience with her own rendition of this song in near-flawless Bengali diction.
Sandhya Belay (Bengali ‘adhunik’ song)
Another romantic composition by R.D. Burman, Sandhya Belay tugs at your heartstrings. The gentle build-up, the soft rhythmic flow, and Asha Bhosle’s vocals mirror the transition from dusk to night. It is the kind of song that would prompt you to hold the hand of your loved one a little more tightly, if you heard it played at a crowded Puja pandal.
