Mahalaya & Birendra Krishna Bhadra

Today is Mahalaya & without name of Birendra Krishna Bhadra, Mahalaya remains incomplete. He was born on 4.8.1905 at Ahiritola in Kolkata. He died on 3.11.1991 at the age of 86 years.Over two decades after playwright actor and director Birendra Krishna Bhadra passed away, his voice continues to mesmerise All India Radio listeners. Bhadra's inimitable style of reciting the 'Mahisasura Mardini' (The annihilation of the Demon) has been broadcast on AIR since 1931. 

This year too, the official radio station aired early this morning, the holy verses narrating story of Goddess Durga's descent to earth. The day is called Mahalaya. Bhadra's 'Mahisasur Mardini' first aired on radio in Kolkata. The program was organised by Premankur Aatorthi, Birendra Krishna Bhadra, Nripendra Krishna Mukhopadhya and Raichand Boral. 

So popular is Bhadra's version of the recitation that when in 1976, the voice of Bengali cinema stalwart, Uttam Kumar was employed for the programme, it did not get similar responses. 

Listeners also say that dawn of television has not dimmed the charm of Bhadra's rendition. 

On the Mahalaya day in 2006, Sujata Bhadra, daughter of the late Birendra Krishna Bhadra, got a cheque for Rs 50917 from music company, Saregama India Ltd as a royalty for her father's famous work.

Source: Various