Page 43 - Seniorstoday April 2022 Issue

directors making it big in Hindi films. Many Nazrulgeeti: These are songs based on the
people, including non-Bengalis, also love poems of Kazi Nazrul Islam, whose writings
the Bengali songs of S.D. Burman, R.D. explored the themes of freedom, humanity,
Burman, Salil Chowdhury, Hemant Kumar, love and revolution. His work greatly
Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt, inspired Bengalis of East Pakistan, which
Talat Mahmood, and Manna Dey, who were later became Bangladesh. He moved to
known across India for Hindi film songs. Dhaka in 1972, and stayed there till his death
Older artistes like K. C. Dey, Pankaj Mullick, in 1976.
Timir Baran and Anil Biswas made their Dwijendrageeti: These are the works of
mark in the region. Very often, aficionados Dwijendralal Ray, one of the most important
have accidentally discovered Bengali songs figures in early modern Bengali literature.
of their idols on YouTube and ended up He has written about 500 songs, popular
finding a wealth of music by the other old- ones being ‘Dhana Dhanya Pushpa Bhara’
time greats. and ‘Banga Amar Janani Amar’.
There’s of course much more that the
region has to offer besides film music. To
mark Bengali Year on April 15, let us take
a look at different genres popular in the
state. The West Bengal music industry is
divided into the film, non-film and classical
categories, with a lot of non-film music now
being released independently. Within non-
film music, there are poetry-based forms
like Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrulgeeti and
Dwijendrageeti. Then, there are modern or
“adhunik” songs, devotional songs specially
released around New Year’s in April or Puja
time in October, Bangla rock bands and
folk music, which comprises Baul, Bhatiali,
Shyama Sangeet, Jhumur and related forms.
Recently, folk-fusion has become popular
among youngsters.
For those new to Bengali music, it would
be in order to describe some of these genres
briefly. Baul: The Bauls are a group of mystic
Rabindra Sangeet: Also called Tagore minstrels, comprising both Muslim Sufis
songs, these were written and composed and Hindu Baishnos, who sang primarily in
by the legendary Rabindranath Tagore. It the 17th and 18th centuries. The influence of
is estimated that Tagore wrote over 2,200 both religious streams is thus found in their
songs. Influenced by the thumri style of music. They travelled and sang in search of
Hindustani music, they ran the entire gamut the internal ideal, or Moner Manush, and did
of human emotion and emulated the tonal not believe in differences between religions.
colour of classical raags. Lalon Shah was said to the pioneering figure.

SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #34 | APRIL 2022 43