VR) BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 753 cultivation of Indian music. Being possessed of a sweet voice he very soon attained fame as a singer and became musically highly accomplished. When twenty years of age he obtained an appoint- ment in the Collectorate at Chapra’ where he worked for few years. Music as a science was cultivated with great zeal in Northern India during the decline of the Moslem power. The Mahomedan Chiefs and Nawabs lost their warlike qualities and became addicted to pleasures of all sorts, and highly favoured music. At Chapra Rama Nidhi came in contact with a well- known Moslem singer and under his instruction, coupled with his natural proclivities, soon acquired poficiency in Mussulman music. He came back to Bengal with a resolve to compose songs in Bengali after Sari Mia whose favourite tune—the tappa was very popular at the time in the North Western Provinces. Nidhu Babu saw that Bengali songs, the Vidya Sundara alone excepted, had always hitherto related to religious matters. Our love songs had for their theme amours of Radha and Krisna and formed part of the theological literature of the Vaishavas. Nidhu Babu introduced a novelty ; in him the higher emo- tions of love stood on their own basis, requiring no justification by religious reference. Out of this con- viction he sang and his utterances have a directness and sincerity which make him unique amongst our song-writers. His style is not marked by any elaboration. The brief and clear expression of thought is always his object,—never the laboured or fantastic conceits of language. 95
