Page:History of Bengali Literature in the Nineteenth Century.djvu/417

 LOVE-LYRICS. 393 During the time he lived in Calcutta he obtained considerable popularity by his music and his song.! A big shed was erected at Battali Shobhabazar when Nidhu used to sing every night before an appreciative assembly অর of the rich and the elite of Caleutta;
 * subsequently the sitting was shifted

to the house of Rasikchand Gosyami of Bagbazar. Nidhu Babu was never a professional singer; but he was eagerly sought for and respected by the higher social circles of the then Caleutta. Though himself only an amateur and nota Kabiwala, it was chiefly through his efforts that in 1212-13 B. S. a “reformed” 711৫2 10৮05 was established in Caleutta. Mohan Chand Basu of Bagbazar, who first introduced Aip-7k/idai and set the tide against the fashion of fadi and 5//05/, 1750 learnt the new style from Nidhu Babu whom he always respected as his master.* We also learn that Nidhu was a man of grave and sedate character but of contented and cheerful dis- position. There are rumours about his partiality for one Srimati, a mistress of Maharaja en. Mahananda of Murshidabad; but his biographers * take pains to show that this was nothing more than the intimate feeling of cordial friendship.* Nevertheless many of his love songs were inspired by her and composed in her honour’. quality of his songs was of a very high order is indicated by the fact that Krsndnanda included nearly 150 songs of Nidhu Bobuin his great eyclopwdia of Indian songs. In any estimate of Nidhu Babu’s tapp4s, this feature can never be ignored. But see preface to Manmohan Gitabali. Narayan, loc. cit, are mere gossipy fables taken from a cheap ill-authen- ticated Battala publication, which was first brought to my notice by Babu Basantarafijan Ray of Sahitya Parigat. 50
 * That Nidhu Babu was an expert musician and that the musical
 * Prefatory life in Gilaratna: also Sambad Prabhakar, loc. cit,
 * Prefatory life in Gitaratna ; Sambad Prabhakar, Sraban 1, 1261.
 * The stories relating to Srimati and Nidhu Babu given in