By SHRI RAM SHAW
NEW DELHI: The greatest Muslim mystic, Jalal Uddin Rumi said, “There are many ways to the divine, but I have chosen the ways of song, dance and laughter.” On the contrary, the greatest exponent of atheism and intellectualism, a radical German philosopher and composer, Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” Music is a precious gift from nature and it is the only catharsis of humans ever and nowadays in clinical psychology music has become credible psychotherapy. Music is the language of the universe and it is the only thing, which can never be eliminated from any aspect of life. Music has the same value and importance in all cultures across the globe and no civilisation has ever existed without the colour of music. Music is a divine sound and is directly related to our metaphysical core.
And, here cometh the ‘I.M.’ Oh! No. You got it wrong. She is Ishita Mitra (I.M.), who has a wide range with a silky and sensational voice and it’s the advent of a versatile genius in the B-Town. In her 20’s she is a lyricist, composer and a singing sensation. Be it Hindi, Bengali or English, her effortless singing, ranging from devotional songs to pop, is at best. At her age, she is doing what many of her contemporaries can only think of.
When this journalist (Shri Ram Shaw) called her up for an interview, an amazing baritone wafted through the phone to enter my consciousness. I’ve heard many colloquial and musical voices in my life and have been smitten by the tonal quality of those otherworldly voices. But this was a different voice which reminded me of a line – “Meri aawaaz ka teer, jaayega dil ko bhi cheer” from Mohammed Rafi’s song “Sun le tu dil ki sada” from film ‘Tere Ghar Ke Saamne’ (1963). It’s indeed a divinely resonant voice. Extremely articulate and succinct, “Hariye Jaai Ni” famed Ishita Mitra regaled me with innumerable anecdotes and experiences.
“Bhakti is devotion to and praising God – Sanskrit shlokas are intended for the purpose. Their recitation improves memory, imagination, concentration in meditation. Chanting shlokas, either alone or in a group, has profound physical, mental and emotional benefits. It can create a melodious effect called Neuro-Linguistic Effect. It also helps in releasing endorphins which acts as a pain reliever in body and boost metabolic process,” said Ishita who has gone on to become one of the most loved singers across the country. Her videos on social media and YouTube have been watched hundreds and thousands of times.
Oliver Goldsmith had rightly said, ‘‘Modesty seldom resides in a breast that is not enriched with nobler virtues.’’ In today’s times, where show- off has become more important than real talent and arrogance has become synonymous with any tiny achievement, meeting an artiste like Ishita Mitra comes as a pleasant surprise. She comes across as an extremely simple, down-to-earth friendly girl without a trace of ego.
She has emerged as a vibrant vivacious singing sensation with time. Fusing the trendy Pop Idiom while still retaining the pristine purity of the Folk Form has been her forte. Her path to fame is full of hard work, perseverance and toil. Her continued struggle to get a stronger foothold up the popularity ladder is still on as this fresh young voice continues to croon several chartbusters.
About the Bollywood songs that are made today, Ishita said, “I don’t want to criticize anyone, but the time has changed. The songs of the past, which were sung by Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey and Mahendra Kapoor are evergreen, and are enjoyed even today. But many songs that are made today are not remembered for too long. Films make a lot of money, but the songs are very short-lived. Technically things have become advanced now. There’s no dearth of talented music composers.”
About the new trend of old songs being rehashed and used in today’s films, she said, “Earlier, music directors used to have their own style and identity. They used to come up with authentic creations. Even today, many composers are talented, but people are westernizing old songs by changing its lyrics and presenting them again, which is wrong. It’s not their creation. Maybe a rehashed song will become a hit, but at the end of the day, there is no fun in that because it’s not your original work. If you are talented, you should come up with your own creations.”