Bangla Folksongs

The repertoire of folksongs that Bangalee culture wields underscores the  creative and imaginative nature  of the Bangalee rural  masses. In its lyrical appeal and  richness,  its thematic diversity and range, and the strength of its texture to register and transform experience, Bangla  folksongs equal, if not emulate, the folksongs of any culture.

Thematically Bengali folksongs can be divided into the following categories:

1.    Love songs

2. Religion, ritual and functional songs

3. Spiritual songs

4. Work, Labor and Building industry songs

5. Vocational / Occupational Songs

6. Comic/ Humorous Songs

7. Mixed Theme Songs

Khol

Regional folk music Bangladesh in alphabetical order 

 Relationship between Hindu deities and Muslim saints/spiritual figures  

Bhaoaia: A popular folk music of north Bangla especially of Rangpur and Dinajpur districts. Bhaoaia is derived from the word Bhao or Bhab which means mood. Bhaoaya actually originated in the

Malsi region: greater Bogra and Rajshahi districts including Naogaon sub division (except Raninagar and Atrai PSs). The name Malsi is derived from the malsi raag.

Gombhira region: This region includes Rajshahi town, Nababganj and Natore sub division (except Singra, Borai and Gurudaspur PSs). Gombhira means ‘little room’. This was the meaning associated witht the word Gombhira in ancient Bangla literature.

 Origin: Gombhira was originated in the Maldaha district of West Bangla. The subject matter of gombhira is primarily the review of the main events of the year. Traditionally gombhira music festival takes place during the last three days of the last month of Bangla calendar (Chaitra). During the festival the lead singer sings about the major events of the year.

Barashe region: Barashe is popular in the Gombhira region as well as in Khulna, Jessore, Faridpur and Kushtia districts. Bareshe music is about the rain and its principal theme is love.

Pala region: Pala songs evolved between 13^th to 16^th centuries.

Baul region: Greater Kushtia, Jessore and Khulna (except the Sundarban area such as Rampal, Saronkhola, Morelganj, Paikegachha, Dakopa and Shyamnagar), Faridpur (except Madaripur and Shariatpur sub divisions), Jamalpur (except Sribordi, Jhariagati, Nakla, Dewanganj, Sherpur and Nolitabari), Sylhet town (except Jayantia and Gorainghat), Maulabhibazar, Chhatak, jagannathpur, Sunamganj, Hobiganj, Chunarughat and Nobinganj. It is spiritual songs of a particular religious community known as Baul. Many experts believe that the word baul was derived from the word Aulia which means saint.  Baul music was deeply influenced by the thoughts of Sri Chaitanna and its themes are mainly  borrowed from Charyapada.

Bhatiali region:

Origin: the marsh lands of Sylhet and Mymensingh districts. These are the songs of the river. Boats were the primary communication of East Bangla. The boatmen always sing while rowing. The songs of boatmen are called bhatiali.

Royani region: Greater Barisal, Patuakhali and Madaripur and Shariatpur districts of greater Faridpur. Based on the sagas of Chand Saodagar, Lakkhindar and Behula and composed to praise the greatness of Monosa debi. Some believe that Royani may have derived from the word Rajani which means night as the Royani songs goes on for all night.

Murshidi, Marfoti and Maijbhandari: Greater Chittagong (except Ukhia and Teknaf), Noakhali and Comilla (except Chandpur, Matlob, Daudkandi, Homna and Brahmanbaria)

Tribal music region: The music of the tribal people. Whole of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Ukhia and Teknaf of Chittagong district; Taherpur, Jayantia and Goainghat of Sylhet district; Kamalakanda, Durgapur, Haluaghat, Jhariagati, Nalitabar and Sribordi of Mymensingh district and Madhupur of Tangail district.

Landscape in Folk Music  

 Fauna in Folk Music  

Animals in Folk Music  

Pala Gaan

Pala gaan: Pala gaan is a traditional Bangalee folk theatre. It evolved as a performance genre in the greater Mymensingh district of East Bangla. Due to its secular nature, this particular folk theatre is popular among the Bangalee rural populace across the border and collectively sponsored and subscribed by both the Hindus and the Muslims. It is an essential component of all the major rural festivals especially those that are celebrated during the dry seasons.

As a traditional Bangalee folk theatre, Pala gaan is performed by a group of performers. The bayati (the lead narrator) leads a Pala gaan troupe and five to eight choral singers/musicians (dohar and pail) play traditional such as harmonium and dhol (drum) and indigenous such as judi, kathi, and dotara instruments. 

The performance of Pala gaan constitutes two distinctive parts: bandana (invocation) and main body of performance. The bandana is rendered by the lead narrator with dohars singing choral refrain and music. The bandana is usually addressed to Allah, prophet, the sun god in the east and Himalayas in the north, Mecca is the west, sea in the south, saint, mythical heroes and spectators. After the end of bandana, the lead narrator begins the main body or the story of Pala gaan. The features of main body of performance are as follows:

Narrative performance in lyric: the bayati describes events of his narrative in lyric accompanied by the dohars playing music and singing choral passages. Usually the bayati’s assistant, known as the daina, heightens the effect of the song by singing a few words embellishing the action described in the song. As he sings, the bayati also dances and enacts what is described in the song. Often he embodies the characters by rearranging his costume.

Narrative performance in prose: interspersed between the lyrical passages are sections of improvised prose rendered solely by the bayati. In those passages he describes parts of action and renders words spoken by the characters accompanied by appropriate gestures and movements. He also rearranges his costume and uses a few props to depict the character.

Dialogic performance in prose: the bayati switches from narrative to dialogic performance with the help of the daina. In these prose passages the daina remains seated in his position without effecting any costume change, but the bayati rearranges his costume to portray the character and applies gestures and movements necessary to enact the action. Often he also uses props such as a pillow, a pair of sunglasses or a rope etc. As a rule, the bayati always enacts the main characters and leads the scene while the daina supports him with brief statements. The performers always improvise all these passages of dialogue.

According to the scholars of folk theatre there are seventy narratives performed in Bangladesh as forms of pala gaan. Kamala Ranir Sagar Dighi is one of the most popular oral legends in Bangladesh.

Name of Instruments :

Mandira or Kartal - Small bell-shaped cymbals.

Ektara - A plucked single string drone - fingers and thumb are used.

Dotara -  A four stringed instruments very popular among the singers and bards in rural Bengal and small towns.

Harmonium - A small keyboard instrument with hand-worked bellows - not unlike accordian.

Tobla - A pair traditional Indian drums called 'baya' (the left hand drum) and the 'daina' (the right hand drum). The left drum has a clay based shell whilst the right drum has a wooden shell. Heads of both drums are covered in animal hide, the centre of which is applied with a layer of (dry) pulp mix. Tonal variation are achieved by adjusting tension of the skin head.

Ghungur - A garland of bells tied around the ankle - played with rhythmic movements of feet.

Dhole - Wooden drums.

Banshi -  Bamboo flute.

Mandira -  A pair of metal bawls used as rhythm instrument.

Khamak - A rhythmic instrument with one or two strings attached to the head of a small drum. The strings are plucked with a plectrum and they are alternatively tightened or slackened to generate an amazing array of rhythmic and tonal variations.

Mridanga or Khol - A barrel-shaped clay drum with two heads - sort of a combination of the baya and daina of tabla as described above.

Khanjani - A tabourine without jangles.

Ramchaki - A pair of wooden clappers with jangles.

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Reference:

1. Ahmed Sharif: Baul Tatto, Dhaka: Bangla Academy, 1973

2. Rabindro Nath Thakur: Lok Sahitya (Folk literature). Kolkata: Bisba Bharoti.1964

3. Asutosh Bhattacharya: Banglar Lok Sahitya, Kolkata, 1957

4. Dinesh Chandra Sen: Mymensingh Gitica,Kolkata:1958

5. Ashraf Siddiqui: Lok Sahitya, Dhaka:Muktadhara: 1977

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