Thread by @Paperclip_In

Mahishasuramardini" marks the commencement of Debi Pokhkho, the period when it is believed goddess Durga descends from Kailash to visit her parental home on earth. The story of how this magnum opus was brought to life, amidst debate and hate mails, is no less interesting. 1/22

Let's start at the very beginning. Radio came to Calcutta in 1927 with the establishment of the "Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC).'' Pankaj Kumar Mullick, the legendary singer- composer, joined the company in September that same year. 2/22

The first office was located at Temple Chamber but soon moved to No. 1 Garstin Place. After Pankaj Mullick, the likes of Raichand Boral, Rajen Sen, Baidyanath Bhattacharya, and Birendra Krishna Bhadra joined the company. 3/22

The government took over IBC on 1st April, 1930, and renamed it "Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS)."
In those days, music was THE most popular thing on radio and artists used to sing live. 4/22

However, Pankaj Mullick and Baidyanath Bhattacharya were very keen on crafting programs that married music and literature, as they wanted their listeners to be more culturally aware. 5/22

Bhattacharya, under the pseudonym Bani Kumar, created a program titled "Betar Bichitra" that seamlessly blended music and stories. Encouraged by the program's favourable reception, he went on to write a show based on Mrikand Muni's "Chandi" in 1931. 6/22

The show was called "Basanteswari." Pankaj Mullick and Pandit Harishchandra Bali composed the music and Raichand Boral arranged the orchestra. Bani Kumar, himself, read parts of the Chandi and the Geeta. Birendra Krishna Bhadra recited some of the Chandi stotras. 7/22

The show aired on the day of Shukla Ashtami went on to add a whole new dimension to Annapurna puja celebrations that year. Seeing its unprecedented popularity, the then director of ISBS, Nripen Majumdar, requested Bani Kumar and Mullick to create a similar program next year. 8/22

Bani Kumar started working with Pandit Ashokenath Shastri and wrote a script based on Chandi's description of goddess Durga. Nripen Majumdar loved it and decided to broadcast it in September. The show, called "Sarodiya Bandana," aired on Maha Shasthi in 1932. 9/22

Pankaj Mullick, who was very close to Rabindranath Tagore, was a big name then. He was acting in films, composing music, and singing songs. But his dedication to radio was unmatched. In 1933, "Sarodiya Bandana"returned to airwaves on Maha Shasthi once again. 10/22

It appealed to audiences massively but Bani Kumar had reservations about its timing. He proposed that they shift the broadcast to Mahalaya, coinciding with the beginning of Debi Pokhkho. And thus, in 1934, the show went on air on the day of Mahalaya for the very first time. 11/22

But it started a debate. People questioned whether "Chandi Path" was appropriate before "Tarpan." The change of timing also backfired. Moreover, conservative brahmins didn't like the fact that Birendra Krishna Bhadra, a non-brahmin, was reciting Chandi stotras. 12/22

The radio office started receiving hate mails. Hence, for the next two years, the show continued to be broadcast on Maha Sasthi. But Bani Kumar continued with Biren Bhadra despite the threats. In 1936, the name of the show was changed to "Mahishasura Badh.'' 13/22

The name change resonated well with audiences. Bani Kumar went on to make small changes to the scripts every year so that the show didn't become monotonous. Pankaj Mullick, too, would change songs and, in some cases, tweak tunes too. 14/22

The changed script gloriously envisioned the dream of an independent and secular India. The show's crew were also ably represented by members from both the Muslim and Christian communities. Notable names included Khusi Mahammad (Harmonium), Munsi (Sarangi), and Ali (Cello). 15/22

It used to be a live show and once when Birendra Krishna Bhadra was a bit late, Nazir Ahmed ended up reciting the Chandi stotras. Bhadra was left captivated by Nazir's flawless pronunciation of them. 16/22

In 1936, ISBS became All India Radio (AIR). In 1937, the name of the show was changed to "Mahishasuramardini" and it was again broadcast on Mahalaya at four in the morning. That tradition continues till this day. 17/22

After running the show live for 3 decades, it was decided in 1962 that a recorded version would be played from the following year on. 18/22

Apart from advancement in technology, the Indo-China war also played a factor in this decision. After all, a live show was financially untenable during times of war. 19/22

In 1976, there was a big experiment with the show. In place of "Mahishasuramardini," a 'revamped' show called "Deving Durgatiharinim" was broadcast. It was developed by Dhyanesh Narayan Chakroborty. Hemanta Mukherjee composed the music and Uttam Kumar replaced Biren Bhadra. 20/22

Sadly, it didn't work at all. Even the combination of Uttam and Hemanta couldn't hold a candle to what was created by the trio of Bani Kumar, Birendra Krishna Bhadra, and Pankaj Mullick. 21/22

For Bengalis, "Mahishasuramardini" has been an integral part of their cultural identity for more than nine decades now. And it will continue to be so in the years to come. 22/22

Source: Mahishasurmardini - Sampurna Nepathya Kahini, Ananda Publishers
Image: @WikiCommons, RadioBanglaNet, pankajmullickfoundation.org