The sweet, emotional Bengali feeling³⁹

The national anthem of Bangladesh is sweeter than the sweetest, and most difficult! Please come and sing it. It is such a sweet song, and it was written by a Bengali, Tagore. He is the only one who can claim two national songs to his credit. No other poet can make that claim. Tagore is the only one who has two national songs to his credit — for India and for Bangladesh.

Such a sweet song, such a sweet song! It is a sweet and melodious description of Mother Bengal.

When you sing my song Amar Sonar Bangla, you have to get the sweet, emotional Bengali feeling. Please read the translation and get the feeling, so that it will appeal to the Indian and Bangladeshi ears. Sweetness has to be flowing; tender feeling has to be flowing. It has to be very tender. It does not need at all the power-aspect. There is no power involved — not even one line is powerful. It is all a description of Mother Bengal. It is all sweetness, softness and mellowness. It does not need power at all.

The boys should use their natural voice, and the girls should show their sweet aspect. The real feminine voice is sweeter than the sweetest. Boys should not adopt a feminine way of singing. That becomes unnatural. You are all excellent singers. Boys should sing in their normal voice and girls should use their normal voice. Do not interchange your voices.