The early stirrings of melody came from the gentle murmur of the Brahmaputra in winter and the twitter of birds in the trees. Those were the days when singer Anirban Das saw nature in her absolute best and fell in love. It was a love affair which endures till today and has made the singer what he is — at complete peace with himself and the city he lives in and loves.

“Guwahati is a unique city, green yet modern. With the hills in the backdrop and the Brahmaputra flowing through, very few places in the country can match the city in terms of beauty. And I am totally in love with it,” says the man considered to be the only true-blue ghazal singer of the region. Born in a family associated with music, Das is the son of Lakshahira Das, a renowned singer with a dulcet voice who has given many hits to Assamese music.

“While my mother was always an inspiration, the natural beauty all around me inspired me too. When I was young, the city had more greenery, more natural beauty. Though we have lost many things, the city is still beautiful,” he added.

Das began learning music from his mother at the age of six and then honed his skills under the tutelage of Ustad Iqbal Khan of Gwalior gharana.

A resident of Rajgarh Road, Das studied at Cotton College and then graduated in vocal music from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, an institution for classical music in Allahabad.

He was destined to make his living through music and nothing else. “I had no other passion. Singing gave me the ultimate pleasure. But I still consider myself a student of music, as learning is a process, though I have now started teaching young singers,” he said.

The singer’s views on the city are as simple as his music. Not given to undue criticism, Das said he had fond dreams of seeing his city exploit its tourism potential to the fullest.

“During my numerous trips abroad, I have seen small towns and semi-urban centres so well kept that they survive only on tourism. I am certain Guwahati can do the same if only we can take similar interest,” he said.

Das appreciated some of the recent steps taken by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation and the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Agency like installation of metal garbage bins across the city and widening of GNB Road.

“We have the infrastructure to go for tourism in a big way. I am sure that the city can become a great tourist spot with just the right changes,” he added.

Das has given some memorable performances across the world and they include a performance at the House of Lords, London, in Amsterdam, and Brussels.

He also has four albums to his credit, namely Shabaab, Shabnam, The Best of Anirbaan and Geetimalika.