Amay Ektu Jayga Dao

"Amay Ektu Jayga Dao"
File:Maa Amar Maa and Amay Ektu Jayga Dao.jpg
Song by Manna Dey
from the album Maa Amar Maa
Language	Bengali
English title	Please Give Me Some Place to Sit In the Temple of the Goddess
Released	1998
Studio	Audio One, North Kolkata
Genre	Devotional song
Length	4:54
Label	Sony Music India
Composer(s)	Mrinal Bandyopadhyay
Lyricist(s)	Pulak Bandyopadhyay
Producer(s)	Buddhadeb Ganguly

"Amay Ektu Jayga Dao" (Bengali: আমায় একটু জায়গা দাও মায়ের মন্দিরে বসি) is a Bengali language devotional song by Indian playback singer Manna Dey, written by Pulak Bandyopadhyay and composed by Mrinal Bandyopadhyay. It is also known by the title "Amay Ektu Jayga Dao Mayer Mondire Bosi", from the album Maa Amar Maa.

The song was one of the last songs written by Pulak Bandyopadhyay, before he committed suicide by jumping into the Hooghly River and ended his musical career. "Amay Ektu Jayga Dao" is considered to be the last historical hit of Manna Dey.

Initially given to composer Abhijit Banerjee, the song's music was later handed to Mrinal Bandyopadhyay as Pulak Bandyopadhyay was not satisfied. Mrinal Bandyopadhyay, after composing the music, sang it in Pulak's house. Upon finishing the songs, he did not see Bandyopadhyay in sight and later found him crying while standing in the balcony of his house. It was recorded in "Audio One" studio in North Kolkata and musically arranged by Buddhadeb Ganguly. Among other Shyama Sangeet performed by singers Pannalal Bhattacharya and Kumar Sanu, the song remains consistent.

A music video of Manna Dey singing the song while sitting on the terrace of the Dakhineswar Kali Temple was broadcast by Doordarshan during the years 1998–1999.

Overview

The song, after being written by Pulak Bandyopadhyay in 1998, was given to the composer Abhijit Banerjee to compose its music. Banerjee was not able to complete its while composition till the end of the song. Pulak Bandyopadhyay was not satisfied with the music and remarked it as "not coming alive." The song was then given to Mrinal Bandyopadhyay for composition, which was then approved by Pulak Bandyopadhyay.

Mrinal Bandyopadhyay was given the task to compose the first two songs of the album Maa Amar Maa, which were "Amay Ektu Jayga Dao" and "Jakhan Emon Hoy Jibonta Mone Hoy Byartho Aborjona." After he had composed the songs, Mrinal Bandyopadhyay (Banerjee) sang the two songs in Pulak Bandyopadhyay's house while his eyes were closed. Finishing singing the songs, he did not find Bandyopadhyay in the house when he opened his eyes. Mrinal Banerjee thought that he had sung the songs to himself while no one else was in the house. He thought if Bandyopadhyay had not liked the songs, and was sad. Banerjee went to find if Bandyopadhyay was there in the house. He was surprised to find that Bandyopadhyay was standing in the balcony with his back turned towards the door. He saw Pulak Bandyopadhyay crying upon calling him. Bandyopadhyay remarked, "What a music you gave Mrinal! I wanted music just like this." This song and others were first brought up in Manna Dey's house in North Kolkata. They were recorded in the "Audio One" studio on James Long Street in North Kolkata. The music was arranged by Buddhadeb Ganguly.

The music video of the song aired on the television channel Doordarshan during the years 1998 to 1999, by the Gathani Company. It showed Manna Dey singing the song while sitting on the terrace of the Dakhineswar Kali Temple. The music video was a factor for making the song successful. It was shown several times per day. After Manna Dey died, a cover version of "Amay Ektu Jayga Dao" was made many times, such as by his nephew Sudeb Dey and Indian singer Kumar Sanu. Manna Dey, before singing this song, had never sung devotional songs. He sang the first two songs of the album with enthusiasm. He would be requested when at college functions to sing "Amay Ektu Jayga Dao Mayer Modnire Bosi." It is considered to be the last eternal hit of basic Bengali songs. Dey was about eighty years old when he sang the song and others from the album. It is deemed to have the same importance and place as Amar Sadh Na Mitilo (Asha Na Furilo), another Shyama Sangeet (devotional song) first sang by Pannalal Bhattacharya.

Abhijit Banerjee, who the song was first composed by, commented " 'Amay Ektu Jayga Dao' was first composed by me. I left it until the end. After listening to the songs by Manna Dey, I realized that I had composed the song while thinking about Manna Dey. But Mrinal composed the song thinking about 'Maa', that's why it became a milestone." The song is played on microphones in Bengali Kali Pujas, alongside the songs of Kumar Sanu and Pannalal Bhattacharya. He wrote "Amay Ektu Jayga Dao" at a time when he was showed boredom, exhaustion and despair. The song lines "আমি সবার পিছনে থাকব/ শুধু মনে মনে মাকে ডাকব/ কারও কাজে বাধা দিলে/ সাজা দিও যত খুশি" convey his feelings. Pulak Bandyopadhyay had finished writing all of the songs of the album Maa Amar Maa a few months before he committed suicide by jumping into the Hooghly River from a ferry on the morning of September 7, 1999. The song is a Shyama Sangeet, also played sometimes in Diwali. Deep Maiti, an alumnus of the Jadavpur University, said to inform him if Manna Dey got a place to sit in the Temple of the Maa or Kali. It is one of the most popular songs of Kali Puja in West Bengal.