Cassette cover of the album

Music runs in their veins and that is, perhaps, the common thread binding two illustrious singers from Assam, Begum Parveen Sultana and Tarali Sharma.

Miles ahead in experience, Parveen Sultana had attained national acclaim way back in the Seventies and, since then, dominated the Hindustani classical music with her matchless skill and brilliant style of rendition. Kudos flowed from the Mumbai film music fraternity in 1972 when music director Naushad invited her to sing a small Thumri item for Kamal Amrohi?s legendary cinematic piece Pakeeza. Almost all the songs of the film, Inhi logone, Chalte chalte and Thare rahiyo sung by Lata Mangeshkar became smash hits, while Parveen Sultana?s Kaun gali gaye shyam created ripples, too.

The small number catapulted her to stardom and she was invited by the Mangeshkars to be the chief guest at Lata?s birthday bash that year.

Tarali, on the other hand, was just pushing the starting line of the musical miles already covered by Parveen Sultana. But she had a fantastic first lap, winning the national award last year for her spellbinding rendition in Manju Bora?s film Akashitorar kothare.

The fact of the matter is that after Parveen Sultana she happens to be the only singer from Assam to earn the national award.

Khoj lahekoi dibi is a unique album that contains eight immortal Parveen Sultana songs, rendered by none other than Tarali.

These songs established the realm of Parveen Sultana in the early seventies and Tarali had chosen them to pay tribute to the charismatic artiste.

The album is an emotional meeting point of a giant of the music world and her worthy successor.

Tarali showers freshness in the evergreen song, Khoj lahekoi dibi, and the opening number, Dhuniya dhanoni. However, the zing in her voice goes to a different level in Sokhi madhhvi tor heno biya, Sapon rongin polash bonot and Rup konwar rup jwale.

Tarali?s simplicity and modesty run deep in all the sings.

At no point of time did she attempt to outdo Parveen Sultana or tinker with the originality of the numbers.

Music arranger Sagar Lahkar deserves special mention for maintaining subtlety throughout the album.

The only disappointment was cover design, which should have contained the names of the lyricists and composers, at least, for the benefit of the new generation of music lovers of Assam.

Rong Sarmah