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Culture Days will return September 20 – October 13, 2024.

@BramptonLibrary: Bengali Folk Songs by Durba

Digital

Library Music Singing Intercultural
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Date and time

This activity runs the duration of Culture Days.

Location

Brampton Library

Brampton, ON

Directions: Brampton Library has eight locations. Due to COVID 19 health restrictions, we are unable to host the activities at our branches. However, we invite you to join us at our virtual platform to enjoy Culture Days online presentations from our talented community.

Access

Free.

Offered in Bengali.

Virtual performance

About

Bangla or otherwise known as Bengali is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken by the people who live in Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura and nearby geographic area. There are 228 million first language speakers and 37 million second language speakers of Bangla or Bengali. The language is enriched in literature and music, which has been translated in many world languages and is also enjoyed worldwide.

The musical tradition of Bengal is lyric-based, with minimal instrumental accompaniment. We can classify folk songs of Bengal in seven categories: love, rituals, philosophy and devotion, work and labour, professions and occupations, satire and fun, and lastly a mix of various categories. Within these categories, there are different forms of folk music, like: Baul, Gombhira, Bhatiali, Bhawaiya, Kavigan, Ghatu Gaan, Jhumur, Baramasi, Meyeli Geet, Jatra Gaan, Sari Gaan and more.

The two songs shared are of two different genres.

The first song is called Lalongeeti. It is one of the songs of Lalon Fakir.

Lalon Fakir was a prominent philosopher of Bengal and is widely celebrated as an epitome of religious tolerance. He believed in the power of music to alter the intellectual and emotional state of mind, in order to understand and appreciate life itself. In his songs, Lalon envisioned a society where all religions and beliefs would stay in harmony. In this song the poet is expressing the meaninglessness of possessiveness in love. How much ever we want we cannot possess and confine our lover to a relationship forever.

The second song is called Lokogeeti or song of the people. The song is composed by Baul Shah Abdul Karim. In this song the poet says, in earlier times, the people from rural Bengal used to live a very simple and happy life. There were no religious conflicts or political oppression. The Hindus and the Muslims used to live together in the same village, used to take part in farming and fishing together and used to celebrate each other’s festivals together.

These folk songs have been sung and enjoyed for generations.

Please let me know if you enjoyed the Bengali folk songs. I am proud to be part of Culture Days celebrations.

Links

Organizer

Durba Mukherjee

I am a computer engineer by profession. Music is my passion. I have learnt Hindustani Classical and many Bengali songs of different genre like Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, Folk Songs etc since my childhood. Now I am learning Hindustani Classical again and I love to perform different Indian songs, mostly in Bengali and Hindi.

Contact

Durba Mukherjee

durbam2002@gmail.com

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@BramptonLibrary

Brampton Library Brampton, ON

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