As I began this day in the morning, I made a mistake of checking my mobile phone.

Few days ago, while casually chatting at office, I told my colleague that so many personalities are passing away these days. I generally admire artists of all kind, but I will get most depressed when Shantunu Mohapatra dies.

I became familiar with films songs and music when I was a kid. My father used to listen to Hemant Kumar, Shankar Jaikishan, Madan Mohan, OP Nayar, Salil Chowdhury in those days. I remember I was not fond of those songs and like any other kid I was attracted to songs of newer generation – in my case, of 90s. My father never forced me into something, but I unconsciously inherited the musical taste of my father. When I was 9, my father one day brought an audio cassette without any cover. It was a personally recorded cassette- not company manufactured. It was unusual because my father always buys original cassettes. When he put it in the player, I heard an Odia song – the first Odia song of my life – Sulsulia Chulbulia Chaiti Baa re. That was a recorded cassette of Chilika Tire songs composed by Shantunu Mohapatra.

Gradually, I fell in love with the other tracks of the film – Ja re Bhasija, Majhi, Urmi Adhira. As the availability of old Odia film songs cassette was scarce in those days, it was not until the 2000s I listened to other compositions of Shantunu Mohapatra. When the mp3 discs became affordable, I collected the songs from Arundhati, Suryamukhi among others. I confess that I never listened to Akshaya Mohanty, Prafulla Kar etc in those days. If Odia song, then it was only the Shantunu Mohapatra’s songs for me during those time.

Like most of the people out there, music is an integral part of my life. I have a habit of associating music with everything I do or feel. And for this I depend on a wide variety of music – from old Hindi film songs to western classicals. And I value Shantunu Mohapatra’s compositions as something that is pure and profound. Those are art of greatest form. Yes, I admire music composers more than any other artists. Because music is an art that a common man can understand: it does not require knowledge, it does not require education, it does not need attention. One can close eyes, but music can still come and get him/her. It is the only art that can penetrate you even unconsciously. Sometimes it provides comfort, sometimes composure, and sometimes closure. Yet, it is an art that has no physical form. It exists in an ethereal plane. I wonder from time to time that how can someone compose something like this: from where one draws inspiration to create something like this. I consider Shantunu Mohapatra is an absolute master of his craft. A craftsman for whom crafting is a child’s play. I feel all his creations have a quality of flawlessness. His songs exude a confidence unlike those from his contemporaries. I along with my friends use a term ‘Shantunu (is) shantunu’ – it means no matter how great other composers compositions are, none of them are comparable to the Shantunu’s. I feel at home while listening his songs. Urmi Adhira from Chilika Tire always takes me to another dimension. The way that song starts, that cry that scale that rage that melancholy, I always compare it to those virile compositions of Beethoven and Mozart. I am not an expert in any sense but I feel his compositions maintain a uniformity or has a signature style without unnecessary experimentation or modern influence. I have the highest regard for him as an artist of Odisha.

And yet an artist of his caliber has not won much recognition. He has failed to get a Padmashree despite his significant contribution to Odia music. Need I to say, Shantunu Mohapatra is the only composer of Odisha with whom singers like Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar have worked. I don’t know the reason of this deprivement. I have heard instances of his aggressive nature. Some says he was a purist in his days; some says he was a politician; some talks of his incessant pride. I always think that art should be separated from the artist while appreciating, judging or criticizing. An artist is not necessarily his art. In those moments of creation, an artist is not a physical or social entity. He becomes -what someone might call- the God, the Nature or a supreme force. It is how, I believe, art takes shape. An artist’s personality should not influence us in liking or disliking his art. I have seen Shantunu Mohapatra on stage on one or two occasions. I have heard that he reaches there mostly uninvited and steals the thunder. I feel sad for him. The only thing an artist values more is some recognition. A small amount of appreciation goes a long way shaping and nurturing the artist further. I have heard about the futile attempts of some of his fans in raising voice for drawing government’s attention towards him. I also have discussed among my colleagues about the idea of making a petition for giving him a Padmashree, but no actions have been made.

Few years ago, we decided to shoot and record interviews of eminent personalities of Odisha for maintaining an archive. We did start that from Shantunu Mohapatra. It was around 2014, we went to his resident at Pokhariput and met him. I was too much nervous and elated at the same time. He had a towering persona as well as a larger than life presence. I usually hide my emotion all the time, but I must say I was feeling like a crazy teenage girl meeting her favourite Rockstar in real life. He turned out to be exactly what I had imagined him always- flamboyant, jovial, extremely passionate and sensitive. He played some of his compositions for us and gave few hours of interview. I surprised at the range of knowledge he had. He was absolutely frank, fearless and deeply rooted. I think he was around 78 then. He spent almost 7/8 hours with us and I not at all felt he was aggressive, arrogant or egoist that people sometimes says about him. While working, it suddenly started to rain. There was a moment I saw him at his verandah watching the water droplets falling outside. His figure appeared as a silhouette from the behind. I felt the inner fabric of an artist at that very moment. I imagined how the notes of music must be taking birth inside his head at that time. I requested my cameraman to capture that scene but he could not due to unavailability of light. Our work finished around evening. When we went to him to greet goodbye, he asked us to wait and went inside his room. During these past few years, numbers of artists have charged us some amounts for giving interview, but Shantunu Mohapatra came back after few moments, and gave us 200 rupees for tiffin.  He particularly said, “You kids, go and do great things in life”.

This morning, when I checked my Whatsapp messages I saw – Shantunu Mohapatra passed away last night.

I know people will get ultra-active hearing this news. News channels will show his biography, play his music, raise questions of why he has not been given Padmashree, to forget all the next day. Newspapers will search google for his photographs, extract information from his interviews available at Youtube and prepare their weekend memoriam. But very few will remember the genius hShantunu Mohapatra was, the gems he left behind. Present generation might have failed to appreciate his works, but I am hopeful that a new age will come when the new generation will feel proud about its past, about an artist Odisha once had.

Despite the availability of Prafulla Kar Akshaya Mohanty’s songs, despite the popularity of these Abhijit Majumdar Prem Anand’s foot-tapping dance music, my little niece at Canada dances to Sulsulia Chulbulia Chaiti Baa re. My cousin says it is her favourite.