Usha Uthup, the undisputed empress of the Indian pop music, is well-known for her hit numbers, that include Ramba Ho, Hari Om Hari, Shaan Se and Kolkata Kolkata. The book Ushar Alo however reveals an artist who was well ahead of her time. The book tells not just of Usha Uthup's ascent but also of a progressive Tamil family whose foundation was 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. This culture is reflected both in her maternal and paternal sides. She is the trailblazer of Kolkata, the nation's cultural hub, even though she speaks Tamil. The Bengali letter 'ক' that stands for first letter of কলকাতা (Kolkata) remains inscribed on the large bindi that adorns her forehead. That bindi is a manifestation of how Kolkata and Ushaji complement one another. People in Kolkata become worried and wonder why there isn't a bindi marked 'ক' if Ushaji misses putting it on her forehead even for a day.
It is crucial to reside close to the sea, which finally merges into the ocean, in order to comprehend the rising of Usha Utthup. Decked in the traditional Kanjivaram saree, jewellery, vermilion and bindi she is a trendsetter who can combine tradition with modernity. Her booming voice, sense of music has been able to keep the youth swaying to her numbers for generations.
Ushar Alo is the biography of the great pop diva who took and still takes the stage by storm. One can buy online the book Ushar Alo and other Bengali story books can be collected from the official website of anand publications, www.anandapub.in.