Ramnidhi Gupta ( bn, রামনিধি গুপ্ত) (1741– 6 April 1839), commonly known as Nidhu Babu, was one of the reformers of

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

tappā Tappa is a form of Indian semi-classical vocal music. Its specialty is a rolling pace based on fast, subtle and knotty construction. Its tunes are melodious and sweet, and depict the emotional outbursts of a lover. Tappe (plural) were sung mostly by ...

'' music. Nidhu Babu was born in Chapta ,

Hooghly District Hooghly district () is one of the districts of the Indian state of West Bengal. It can alternatively be spelt ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli''. The district is named after the Hooghly River. The headquarters of the district are at Hooghly-Chinsura (''C ...

at his maternal uncle's house.Samsad Bangali Charitabhidhan by Anjali Bose, 1960, p. 259 His ancestral house was at

Kumartuli Kumortuli (also spelt Kumartuli, or the archaic spelling ''Coomartolly'') is a traditional potters' quarter in northern Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The city is renowned for its sculpting prowess. It not only manufactures clay idols for various f ...

North Kolkata North Kolkata encompasses the northern part of Kolkata, including the city's oldest neighbourhood. Shyambazar, Bagbazar, Kumartuli, Shobhabazar, Posta, Jorasanko, Rajabazar, Phoolbagan, Maniktala, Kankurgachi, Ultadanga, Chitpur, Belgachia, ...

,Samsad Bangali Charitabhidhan by Anjali Bose, 1960, p. 259 where he grew up learning

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

and some

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. Little is known about his upbringing, but by 1776 he had become a clerk in the office of the

Chhapra Chhapra is a city and headquarters of the Saran district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is situated near the junction of the Ghaghara River and the Ganges River. Chhapra grew in importance as a river-based market in the 18th century when th ...

Collectorate.Chakrabarty, Ramakanta. ''Nidhu Babu and his Tappā.'' Published in Banerjee, Jayasri (ed.), ''The Music of Bengal''. Baroda: Indian Musicological Society, 1987. In Chhapra, Nidhu Babu found a Muslim ''

ustad Ustād or ostād (abbreviated as Ust., Ut. or Ud.; from Persian language, Persian ) is an honorific title used in West Asia, North Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is used in various languages such as Persian language, Persian, , Azerbai ...

'' to train him in the techniques of a formal ''

gharana In Hindustani music (North Indian classical music), a ''gharānā'' is a system of social organisation in the Indian subcontinent, linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and more importantly by adherence to a particular mus ...

'', or school of musical thought. However, he soon became fed up with his method of teaching, and decided to independently translate Hindi music into

. In 1794, Nidhu Babu left his job in Chhapra and returned to Calcutta with a savings of ten thousand rupees. In 1805-06, Nidhu Babu organized an ''akhrai'' troupe, an '' akhra'' being a fraternal society for studying and practicing classical Indian music. It was for his refinement and composition of ''akhrai'' songs that he initially became notable. However, his ''tappā'' were the songs that brought him lasting fame. Nidhu Babu's principal work is the ''Gitaratna'', a book of ''tappā'' love songs (with one exception, a ''tappā'' expressing his love for the Bengali language). Most of the songs in the ''Gitaratna'' are chaste and deal with separation or neglect. As a '' babu'' in early modern Bengali society, Nidhu Babu had few worldly needs; he was never ordered to sing a song. According to his contemporary James Long, he composed his best poems under the influence of wine. However, he was also noted for his fiercely independent personality, his hygiene and his love for food and wine.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Babu, Nidhu Gupta, Ramnidhi 1741 births 1839 deaths Musicians from Kolkata

Further reading

References