Bhawaiya

Bhawaiya is a musical form or a popular folk music that originated in Northern Bengal, especially Rangpur Division in Bangladesh, Cooch Behar district of West Bengal and Goalpara district of Assam, India.[1][2][3][4][5] A "working class" music, with the recurring figures of mahouts (elephant trainers and catchers), mahishals (buffalo herders) and gariyals (cart drivers) the lyrics of these songs express pangs of separation and loneliness of their womenfolk,[6] with elongated tones accentuating pain, longing and "deep emotion".[7] Generally believed to have originated in the 16th century under the Koch king Vishwa Singha,[8] it has evolved into stage performances since the 1950s and more widely since the 1990s.[9] The lyrics of Bhawaiya songs are non-denominational.[10]

Part of a series on the
Culture of Bengal
History
Cuisine

    Origin of the name Bhawaiya

    There are various explanations of the meaning of Bhawaiya. Low-lying land with shrub and other vegetable are called Bhawa. Buffalo keepers used to sing this song while ploughing. Hence the name Bhawaiya came to exist. According to some other researcher Bhawaiya is derived from the word Bawaiya which is subsequently derived from the word bao (breeze). The derivative of the word Bhawaiya is Bhav > Bhao + Iya = Bhawaiya. So the derivative meaning of this word is emotionally charged. According to Abbas Uddin, a notable singer and composer of Bhawaiya song, this song is like the random and pleasant wind blowing of North Bengal and it is named as Bhawaiya. According to a survey( conducted by the Folk cultural and tribal cultural centre, Government of West Bengal) among the performers of Bhawaiya song the name is derived from the word Bhao > Bhav. It has a meaning of deep feeling or love or melancholy feeling.

    Performer

    The most dominant part of the performers are the Rajbanshi or Kamtapuri (residence of Kamtapur state) people from the North Bengal. But the Brahmins, Yogi, Khen, and Muslims who are the resident of this area are also sing this folk song. Nowadays some of the well-known Bhawaiya songs are adopted in Bengali Cinema as well as in some modern folk bands.

    Musicology

    Folk song is characterised by a typical tonal structure which reflects specific natural, environmental and work related factors, topographical condition, ethnic and phonetic characteristic of the region. The following tonal structure is generally used in Bhawaiya music:

    S R M P D n... S R G M P n.... M P D n D n D P M... n n S R G G M G R S ..... etc. (S=Sharaja, R= Rishava, G= Gandhara, M= Madhyama, P=Panchama, D=Dhaivata, n= flattened Nishada). Flattened tone of S, R, G, D, P and sharpen tone of M are not used in this folk song. Use of only flattened n is also a fundamental characteristic of Bhawaiya song. Dn Dn - is one of the known tonal texture of this song. S and M are used comparatively more here. The melody of this folk song generally does not go beyond the middle octave. But in some recent song specially in catka the tune goes up to the upper octave. Bhawaiya song are sung in a higher pitch. Typical voice modulation is characteristic of this folk song. many microtunes are used with the main tune and pitch for this voice modulation.

    Film

    Bangladeshi film director Shahnewaz Kakoli's movie Uttarer Sur (Northern Symphony) is based on the life of a Bhawaiya singer. It tells about the gradual demise of this folk song from the northern part of the Bangladesh due to poverty. This movie is screened in 18th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF).[11]

    Singers
    Further information: List of Bhawaiya singers
    • Abbas Uddin Ahmed, credited with popularising Bhawaiya songs throughout Bangladesh[1]
    • Pratima Barua Pandey, credited with popularizing Bhawaiya in Assam and the rest of India.
    • Papon, credited with adapting Bhawaiya in popular music.
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    References
    1. "Bhawaiya". Banglapedia. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
    2. Rahman, Urmi. (2014). Bangladesh - culture smart! : the essential guide to customs & culture. Kuperard. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-85733-696-2. OCLC 883354783.
    3. Ahmed, A. F. Salahuddin; Chowdhury, Bazlul Mobin (2004). Bangladesh, national culture, and heritage : an introductory reader. University of Michigan. p. 407. ISBN 984-8509-00-3. OCLC 56598621.
    4. Khāna, Mobāraka Hosena (1988). Music and its study. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers. p. 69. ISBN 81-207-0764-8. OCLC 18947640.
    5. "The Goalpariya folk music genre (which combines both song and dance), originating in the Goalpara region of Assam, contains several characteristic yet diverse themes, principally spirituality, longing, desire, and separation. Based on these themes, the songs and dances are categorized into different groups. Two important categories of Goalpariya lokageet (the Assamese term for folk music) are bhawaiya and chatka." (Sarma & Monteiro 2019:331)
    6. "(T)he popular image that the term bhawaiya still conjures up is a form of plaintive ballads that speak of love and loss and endless longing within a woman’s heart." (Dutta 2019)
    7. (Sarma & Monteiro 2019:332)
    8. "There is an approximate consensus that the origins of the form may be dated back to at least the sixteenth century, during the reign of Raja Bishwa Sinha, who established the kingdom of Koch Bihar."(Dutta 2019)
    9. "The initial set of changes started to unfold in the 1950s when the folk genre was transferred from its natural setting to the ‘stage’. Although initially the performances were confined to Goalpara, gradually they began to be staged across Assam. With the technological revolution and the opening up of the economy in the 1990s, Goalpariya lokageet began entering the realm of the Internet, giving global audiences access. (Sarma & Monteiro 2019:334)
    10. "(B)hawaiya developed as an integral cultural expression of the Rajbanshis, and these songs are composed in Rajbanshi (or Kamrupi or Kamtapuri), the most widely spoken Bengali dialect across this belt. Despite the influence of Brahminical Hinduism, Islam and Vaishnavism over the preceding centuries, the popular culture of these communities have retained matriarchal influences, evident from the many extant folk rituals and practices." (Dutta 2019)
    11. "Bangladeshi filmmaker idolises Ritwik Ghatak". News Track India. Nov 13, 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2012.

    Bibliography
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