Music of Bangladesh

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The music of Bangladesh spans a wide variety of styles. Historically, Bangladeshi music has served the purpose of documenting the lives of the people and was widely patronized by the rulers. It comprises a long tradition of religious and secular song-writing over a period of almost a millennium.

Ustad Alauddin Khan (centre), one of the greatest maestros of South Asian classical music, performing with his ensemble at Curzon Hall in Dhaka, 1955

## Classical music

[edit]

Nazrul sangeet origins from the works of Kazi Nazrul Islam

### Ragapradhan Gaan

[edit]

Bangladeshi classical music is based on modes called ragas. In composing these songs, the melodies of north Indian dingading ragas are used. As far as the Charyagiti (9th century), ragas have been used in Bengali music. Jaydev’s Gitagovindam, Padavali Kirtan, Mangal Giti, Shyamasangit, Tappa, Brahma Sangeet and Tagore songs have been inspired by Ragas. The use of north Indian ragas in Bangla songs began in 18th century.[1] This trend gathered momentum during the 19th and 20th centuries. The pioneers of these trend were Ramnidhi Gupta, Kali Mirza, Raghunath Roy and the founder of the Bishnupur Gharana, Ramshanker Bhattacharya.[2] Nawab of Lakhnau, Wajid Ali Shah played an important role in this trend. He was dethroned by the British Empire in 1856 and banished to Metiaburuz, Kolkata. During his 30-year exile, he patronized music, specially dhrupad, tappa, thumri and kheyal. And, thus made a lasting impact on Bangladeshi music.[3] All traditional Bengali music tend to be based on various variations of Hindustani Classical Music. Rabindranath Tagore had a deep appreciation for north Indian ragas, successfully introduced ragas in his songs. He was followed by Dwijendralal Roy, Rajanikanta Sen and Atulprasad Sen.[4][5][6]

## Folk music

[edit]

Painting depicting Hason Raja.

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Folk has come to occupy the lives of Bangladeshis almost more than any other genre of Bengali music. Among the luminaries of the different folk traditions are Lalon Fokir, Abbasuddin Ahmed, Shah Abdul Karim, Radharaman Dutta, Hason Raja, Khursheed Nurali (Sheerazi), Ramesh Shil and Kari Amir Uddin Ahmed. Folk songs are characterised by simple musical structure and words. Before the advent of radio, entertainment in the rural areas relied on a large extent on stage performances by folk singers. With the arrival of new communication technologies and digital media, many folk songs were modernised and incorporated into modern songs (Adhunik songeet).

Folk music can be classified into several subgenres:

* Baul: mainly inspired by Lalon and almost exclusively performed by Baul mystics.
* Bhandari: Devotional music from the South (mainly Chittagong).
* Bhatiali: Music of fishermen and boatman, almost always tied by a common ragas sung solo.
* Bhawaiya: Song of bullock-cart drivers of the North (Rangpur).
* Dhamail: A form of folk music and dance originated in Sylhet and Mymensingh region. It is practiced in the Sylhet and Mymensingh Division in Bangladesh and in areas influenced by the culture of Sylhet such as the Barak Valley of Assam and parts of Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur in India.
* Gazir Gaan: Devotional songs dedicated to Gazi Pir, who is part of Pach Pir tradition of folk practice and belief.[7]
* Ghazal: Popular folk music of Sufi genres, introduced from philosophy and religion in music practiced mainly by Bengali Muslims.
* Gombhira: Song (originated in Chapai Nawabganj and Malda) performed with a particular distinctive rhythm and dance with two performers, always personifying a man and his grand father, discussing a topic to raise social awareness.
* Hason Raja: Devotional songs written by a music composer by the name of Hason Raja (from Sylhet, northeastern side of Bangladesh near Assam) that was recently repopularised as dance music.
* Jari: songs involving musical battle between two groups
* Jatra Pala: songs associated exclusively with plays (performed on-stage). Usually involves colourful presentations of historical themes.
* Jhumur: traditional dance song form Bangladesh and eastern part of India.[8]
* Kavigan: poems sung with simple music usually presented on stage as a musical battle between poets.
* Kirtan: devotional song depicting love to Hindu God Krishna and his (best-known) lover Radha.
* Lalon: best known of all folk songs and the most important subgenre of Baul songs, almost entirely attributed to spiritual writer and composer, Lalon Fokir of Kushtia. He is known to all in West Bengal of India too.(Western Bangladesh, near the border with West Bengal).
* Pala Gaan: folk ballad also known as Pat.[9]
* Sari: sung especially by boatmen. It is often known as workmen's song as well.
* Shyama Sangeet: a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali which is a form of supreme universal mother-goddess Durga or parvati. It is also known as Shaktagiti or Durgastuti.[10]

### Baul

[edit]

Main article: Baul

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Baul is the most commonly known category of Bangladeshi folk songs. It is mostly performed by hermits who are followers of Sufism and Vaishnavism in Bangladesh. Present day Sufis earn mainly from performing their music. Baul songs incorporate simple words expressing songs with deeper meanings involving creation, society, lifestyle and human emotions. The songs are performed with very little musical support to the main carrier, the vocal. Instruments used include the Ektara ("one-string"), Dotara ("two-strings"), ba(n)shi (country flute made from bamboo) and cymbals.

### রবীন্দ্র সঙ্গীত (Music of Robindra)

[edit]

Main article: Rabindra Sangeet

Rabindra Sangeet (Bengali: রবীন্দ্রসঙ্গীত Robindro shonggit, Bengali pronunciation: [ɾobindɾo ʃoŋɡit]), also known as Tagore Songs, are songs written and composed by Rabindranath Tagore. They have distinctive characteristics in the music of Bengal, popular in India and Bangladesh. "Sangeet" means music, "Rabindra Sangeet" means Songs of Rabindra.

Rabindra Sangeet used Indian classical music and traditional folk music as sources.[11]

### নজরুল গীতি (Music of Nazrul)

[edit]

Main article: Nazrul Geeti

Nazrul Geeti or Nazrul Sangeet, literally "music of Nazrul," are songs written and composed by Kazi Nazrul Islam, a Bengali poet and national poet of Bangladesh and active revolutionary during the Indian Independence Movement. Nazrul Sangeet incorporate revolutionary notions as well as more spiritual, philosophical and romantic themes.

### শাহ আবদুল করিম (Music of Shah Abdul Karim)

[edit]

Main article: Shah Abdul Karim

Shah Abdul Karim known as "Baul Samrat" or king of baul music, he has composed over 1600 baul songs, some of his notable songs include Keno Piriti Baraila Re Bondhu, Murshid Dhono He Kemone Chinibo Tomare, Nao Banailo Banailo Re Kon Mestori, Ashi Bole Gelo Bondhu and Mon Mojale Ore Bawla Gaan. He referred to his compositions as Baul Gaan. He holds voice against unfairness, injustice, prejudice and communalism through his writings. Karim portraits Bhati area's people love, wish and happiness amid the writings. He got inspiration from another legendary musician Fakir Lalon Shah. Karim wrote many spiritual songs including Marfati or Dehatatta. Bangla Academy has translated ten songs of his in the English language. Karim wrote many spiritual songs including Marfati or Dehatatta. Bangla Academy has translated ten songs of his in English.

### লালন গীতি (Music of Lalon)

[edit]

Main article: Lalon

Lalon also known as Fakir Lalon Shah, Lalon Shah, Lalon Fakir. Lalon composed numerous songs and poems, which describe his philosophy. Lalon left no written copies of his songs, which were transmitted orally and only later transcribed by his followers. Also, most of his followers could not read or write either, so few of his songs are found in written form.

## Pop music

[edit]

Western style popular music began to influence strongly the music of Bangladesh in the early 1970's. And then several recording studios were established in Dhaka, which produced many pop style songs about national heroes.[12] Ferdous Wahid, who started out as a singer in the early 1970s, said "I wanted to introduce western music in Bangladesh, so after the Liberation War I decided to do pop music for our country’s people".[13]

Azam Khan, Fakir Alamgir, Ferdous Wahid, Pilu Momtaz, Najma Zaman, and Firoz Shai are considered the pioneer who brought the glory to Bangladesh pop music. In particular, Azam Khan is known as the pop-guru or pop-samrat of Bangladesh.[14]

In the genre of film music, well-known are such singers as Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila, Andrew Kishore and so on. Sabina Yasmin has won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer 14 times, and Runa Laila has won the award 7 times. On the other hand, Andrew Kishore has won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer 8 times.

## Rock

[edit]

Main article: Bangladeshi rock

Popular Rock Bands  Formed | Name | Genre | Language | City of origin

|
|
|
|

1972 | Souls | Pop/Rock | Bengali | Chittagong
Spondan | Dhaka
1973 | Uccharon
1976 | Feedback | Rock music
1978 | Miles | Pop/Rock
1980 | Nagar Baul | Hard rock, psychedelic rock | Chittagong
1980s | Different Touch | Pop/Rock | Khulna
1984 | Warfaze | Hard rock, heavy metal music | Chittagong
1985 | Obscure | Pop and rock  | Khulna
1985 | Rockstrata | Heavy Metal | Dhaka
1986 | Nova | Rock music, Hard rock, Psychedelic rock
1991 | Love Runs Blind | Alternative rock | Chittagong
Ark | Pop rock
1993 | Cryptic Fate | Progressive metal | Dhaka
1996 | Shironamhin | Folk music, alternative rock, psychedelic rock
Dalchhut | Rock music
1998 | Aurthohin | Rock music, Heavy Metal
Black | Rock music, alternative rock, grunge
Poizon Green | Thrash/Power Metal | English
1999 | Artcell | Progressive metal, progressive rock | Bangla
Scarecrow | Thrash Metal, metal core
Nemesis | Alternative rock
2000 | Lalon | Rock
2001 | Stentorian | Hard rock, heavy metal
Vibe | Heavy Metal
Satanik | Black Metal | English
2002 | Arbovirus | Experimental music, alternative rock, Nu metal | Bangla
2004 | Severe Dementia | Death Metal | English
Funeral Anthem | Power Metal | Bangla
2005 | Shohortoli | Theatrical rock
2006 | De-illumination | Symphonic rock, symphonic metal
Mechanix | Heavy Metal
Powersurge | Thrash Metal
2007 | Shunno | Alternative rock, Pop rock
Tribe | Acid Rock/Metal
Bishorgo | Rock | Chittagong
Sent Men Revolt | Spiritual Thrash, Thrash, Heavy Metal | Dhaka
GrooveTrap[15][16] | Funk, R&B, Soul  | English
2010 | Bay of Bengal (band) | Experimental rock  | Bengali | Chittagong
2017 | Charpoka | Alternative rock | Dhaka
Avash | Alternative rock
Fused | Rock | Bengali | Dhaka
2018 | INTROIT (band) | Alternative Rock  | Bengali | Dhaka
Mrsk BGM | Dance/Electronic | Multilingual | Chandpur

## Instruments

[edit]

Tamak (r.) and Tumdak (l.) - typical drums of the Santhal people, photographed in a village in Dinajpur district, Bangladesh.

Common instruments are:

* Sitar
* Violin
* Flutes
* Harmonium
* Esraj (a traditional Bengali instrument)
* Ektara ("one-string")
* Dotara ("two-strings")
* Khamak
* Dhak
* Dhol

## See also

[edit]

* Bengali folk literature
* Culture of Bengal
* Culture of India
* Culture of West Bengal
* History of Bengali literature
* Music of Bengal
* Music of West Bengal
* Bangladeshi rock
* Bangladeshi hip hop
* List of Bangladeshi musicians
* List of Bangladeshi playback singers
* Shah Abdul Karim

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Traditional Music of Bangladesh". www.travelspedia.com. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
2. ^ "Classical Music of Bengal". www.onlineradiobox.com. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
3. ^ "New Horizons of Bangladeshi Classical Music". The Daily Star. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
4. ^ "Bangla Classical Music Festival". www.banglaclassicalmusicfest.com. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
5. ^ "Classical music of Bangladesh". Banglapedia. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
6. ^ "Music of Bangladesh". www.dhakaholidays.com. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
7. ^ "Gazir Gaan: Representation of tolerance and social equality". The Daily Star. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
8. ^ "Jhumur Song". Banglapedia. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
9. ^ "Pala Gan". Banglapedia. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
10. ^ Sayeed, Khan Md (2012). "Shyamasangit". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
11. ^ Huke, Robert E. (2009). "West Bengal". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
12. ^ Whyte, Mariam (1999). Bangladesh. New York, USA: Marshall Cavendish. p. 96.
13. ^ "From Azam Khan to Laisfita: Tracing the history of pop music in Bangladesh and where it stands today". Firstpost. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
14. ^ "Azam Khan: Pioneer, pop-guru, pop-samrat". Bangladesh Post. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
15. ^ "Jasper al-Rashid". The Daily Star. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 2018-09-08.
16. ^ "Groovetrap Bringing the funk back after 10 years". The Daily Star. 19 August 2018. Retrieved 2018-09-08.

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