So much ado about Rangabati

So much ado about twisting of "Rangabati Rangabati" (O colorful lady), a popular song in Odisha from 1980s. It was presented by some upcoming Odia artists on stage, in a program sponsored by Coke. Remixing and deviating from original songs is nothing new in music industry, nor a sacrilege. Myriads of remix numbers are contemporary to Rangabati era, no one raises an eyebrow. The remixes of Kishore Kumar songs doesn't take away credit from the original singer, nor impact an iota of the legendary singer's greatness. It also doesn't make Bengalis culturally inferior. Similarly a fusion mix of a folk song isn't going to kill our culture. So why so much hullabaloo?

In a state bereft of creativity and out of box thinking, this is getting ridiculous. We are just making Mountains out of molehills, or raising a storm in a teacup. The self proclaimed culture Czars who criticize, can't hold a microphone and get a chill, freezing at the sight of audience. Fusion of art, culture and music should be welcomed, not detested.

In Odisha, artistic pursuits in music and dance is often frowned upon. My grandfather used to say KEBALA MAICHIA MANE NACHANTI, GAANTI, meaning only the effeminate sing and dance. Even as recent as couple of years back I complimented someone for his son doing well as an actor in Odia Cinema and TV industry. But promptly came his rebuff "PAATHA SAATHA PADHI CHAKIRI KARILANI, EBE MAHYA NAACHA KARUCHI" (did not excel enough in studies to get a job, now dancing like an eunuch). His son who was present, didn't find it very funny. A few minutes later, when he was alone the son vented his insult, "BUDHHA (the old man) has gone senile, he still doesn't want to come out of his cocooned time warp".

It's of course another matter, that the same bunch of singers sang BANDE UTKALA JANANI (Hail, Mother Odisha), in a distorted, rapped  (sung a la Rap music) manner. It hurt the sentiments of many. The performers should have been very careful here, as this is kinda national anthem of Odisha. It has stirred a hornet's nest and ruffled a few feathers.

Yet, in media, social or otherwise, many wrong persons making the right noise. It's like kettle calling the pot black. Patriotism is certainly not our forte. Arguably, we Odias are world's worst patriots and champion leg pullers. If beard is the sign of wisdom, goats would praise it. Singing "Bande Utkala Janani" doesn't necessarily make one a patriot, nor deviating from it's tune makes one Enemy of the State. Time to move above and beyond.