Sangeet Sarani --- Renaming the Kolkata Street where R.D. Burman was born

At last India’s favourite Pancham da, the genius music maestro R.D. Burman can be related to Kolkata, as the house where he stayed and grew up in Calcutta and its neighbourhood will be renamed as Sangeet Sarani. West Bengal Heritage Commission chairperson Shuvaprasanna, along with Kolkata Municipal Corporation Board of Administrators chairperson Firhad Hakim, will be present at the renaming ceremony.

In 1945, SD Burman had bought a plot and the building that came up, had an outstanding architectural style. During those days, the Dhakuria railway crossing marked the south end of Kolkata. That’s how South End Park got its name.

The iconic building where R.D Burman was born stands at 36/1, South End Park.The Dev Burmans used to live during their stay in Kolkata here and in his initial 15 years of growing up in this posh South Kolkata neighbourhood. The Dev Burmans had moved into the house from a rented property at Hindusthan Park where Pancham was born in 1939.

In 1945, SD Burman had bought a plot and the building that came up, had an outstanding architectural style. During those days, the Dhakuria railway crossing marked the south end of Kolkata. That’s how South End Park got its name. The locality in those days had a four-cornered park and sugarcane fields.The Dev Burmans lived in this house till 1952 before shifting to Mumbai where his music direction in ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Munimji’ and ‘Paying Guest’ turned hits.

In the neighbourhood, Pancham was known as Tubloo and was often spotted with his grandmother. Initially, he used to study in Ballygunge Government High School and then at Tirthapati Institution till Class X.Some of Burman’s iconic songs were composed and sung by the duo here like Takdumtakdum.

In the neighbourhood, Pancham was known as Tubloo and was often spotted with his grandmother. Initially, he used to study in Ballygunge Government High School and then at Tirthapati Institution till Class X.Some of Burman’s iconic songs were composed and sung by the duo here like Takdumtakdum. There are countless stories of stalwarts, like Ustad Allauddin Khan, Purna Das Baul, Salil Chowdhury, Hemanta Mukherjee and Asha Bhonsle, frequenting this house. As Shuvaprasanna mentioned to the press: “This renaming is our way of paying tribute to all the greatest musicians of India who lived and came down there.” “Not just RD Burman, this place is associated with many musicians. Arati Mukherjee used to stay in this para. And, for a brief period, Satinath Mukhopadhyay also lived here,” he added.

Now, the state government plans to set up a museum in the house, after approaching the present owner. They will also put up a blue plaque in front of the building where a brief history of the house will be displayed.