There are some singers who are born with some luck. That luck gives them some fame.
There are some singers who are born with some dedication. That dedication makes them a respected figure in the eyes of audience. Purba Dam is one such singer.
Rabindrasangeet is not all about notation, lyrics, melody and technique. It goes beyond. It is all about feel and expression that give life to it. It is for this reason, so many singers sing. And so many fail. Majority belongs to also-ran. Only a few stand out.
Purba Dam is a singer who sings right from heart and an open voice. So she can enliven words from the pages of Geetobitan. Her style of singing brings out a naturalness that gives her song a signature of originality. She sings with a subtlety. It gives a rare depth to her rendition. No wonder, this cerebral singer is a disciple of illustrious figure in the genre of Rabindrasangeet: Suchitra Mitra.
Man comes. Man goes. It is the way nature works. Nobody is immune from it. Only creativity throws a stiff challenge to it. Again majority fails and minority succeeds on that count.
Purba Dam is among such enduring minority.
Rabindrasangeet lovers will keep on listening Purba singing in her sonorous best, “Ar naire bela namlo chhaya dharonite” when the looping darkness shadows a day after its stay is over.
Purba passed away on a day when furry kash petals lay strewn on fields after intermittent showers lashed them as sun lay hidden behind a freak crush of clouds.