The purely urban tune of 'Phire esho Anuradha', the classical gem 'Banshi shune ki ghare thaka jai' are sharp contrast to the rustic note of 'Sajani go premer katha' (reminding us of the Pancham-intervention of addressing the 'Majhi' in 'Bade achhe laagte hai') - but, yes, they are all created by the one and only Pancham. Pancham lent his own richly trained voice to create memorable hits like 'Mone pore Ruby Ray','Phire esho Anuradha','Tomate amate dakha hoyechhilo','Jete jete pothe holo deri' and many more.

It is a wonderful variety of range that RD gifted to make Bengali modern songs prosperous and we are wonderstruck as we listen to the gorgeous devotional tune of 'Durge Durge Durgotinashini', the seducing 'Akta deshlai kathi jwalao', the ticklish and teasing 'Chokhe Chokhe katha balo' and the strange sadness of 'Tumi jabe go chole jabe go' with the obvious Pancham-impression or the peculiar haunting note of 'Kotha kotha khunjechhi tomay'. A few cannot but be mentioned - 'Jete dao amay deko na', 'Phule gondho nei','Mohuyai jomechhe aaj mou go','Sondhyebalai tumi ami', 'Moina balo tumi krishno raadhe', 'Kine de reshmi churi', ' Chokhe naame brishti'. Thus, RD-Asha duo was a challenge, or from another perspective, a suitable heir to Salil Chowdhury -Lata Mangeshkar partnership in Bengali modern songs.This partnership resulted in innumerable hits to capture varied moods of music. Though he had few non-film compositions with Kishore ('Akdin pakhi ure jabe','Shey to elo na','Akash kano daake'), Lata ('Amar malatilata','Ami boli tomay') and Amit Kumar ('E par bhange, o par gade','Jeyo na, Jeyo na','Path cheye bosechhilam','Praan to maane na'), it is with Asha that he recorded most of his compositions. His tunes, his personal sorrow, pain, anguish- with all, he seems to me the 'King of Sorrowful Night'- a tragic character. I can't forget how my blood curdled when I listened to 'Aisa kabhi hua nehi' ('Yeh Wada Raha') for the first time, became morose with the tune of 'Mera Kuchh saaman' or touched by the philosophy of life as I heard ' Aanewala pal'. None could play the tune in my soul in this way, neither he could make all my deepest and most secret gloom flow away with the current of music, nobody can touch my heart thus- and so, there is and will forever be a special place for Pancham in the core of my heart. Being respectful to all these great talents, - that of the earthly flavor of Sachin Karta, the quality of unpredictability of Salil Chowdhury, I cannot but declare RD Burman as my most favorite.

Yes, there came many great musicians in Bollywood - a large number of them being Bengalee - from Hemant Kumar - Sachin Karta - Salil Chowdhury, the legacy is still being carried on successfully by Pritam - Jeet Ganguly - Anupam Roy.

Wada raha sanam jhankar