.General. - . - . Character' of the­ Folk Music ) /j/' of /// Some authors have defined folk songsas songs of parts of the province and which never fails to impress /7 the peasants. This may be.true in other lands, but e:,~n the most casual visitor to Bengal. One such this definition does not properly apply to . VISItor, a European thus describes his experience: 'Because -here villagers in different spheres of life have evolved different types of songs suited to their "Stopping one evening in a Bengal village we particular occupation. The song of a cowboy there­ heard on every side of us different kinds of music. fore, naturally differs from that ofthe boatman or the There was nothing discordant and it all blended woodcutter or the fisherman or the nomadic Badya together into a .pleasing harmony. Our boat had (gypsy), while all these are very different from the drawn up by a small landing stage, while the boat­ -songs sung on the occasion of a marriage ceremony men went to their food. Out in the stream were other or a puja. The village story-teller has his own way ~oats, their occupants singing love-lyrics or devo- of singing songs inserted. infolk-lores, as interludes. , tronal songs,as they rested 'for a time after their The is certainly not a peasant either in occupa­ meal. In one boat was a musical party with Tambur tion or in spirit, but his songs are Some of the best (?) and . As we strolled round the specim ~nS of the folk songs of Bengal. It is a signi­ village, we heard from house after house the sounds of ficant fact that Carol singing in Europe subsequently melody. Here a woman was singing to her baby. more used as Christmas Carol borrowed its tunes There a man was chanting the story of an ancient ,mlinly from the songs of the. peasants. Tunes of hero. _ In another house we heard , the Bengali humrrous iand teven vulgar folk songs were freely , being played. In another a.Muhammadan introduced in Carols. This poverty of melodic cern­ .was playing the harmonium and singing to the music. positions has never been experienced by .the cern­ The voices were sweet anti composed and the melodies posers of the innumerable types of folk music and were as a rule simple melodies that the village people religious songs in India in their attempt to create new loved." (Rev. Popley.) melodies whenever they have felt the necessity for them. / The most inL~resiing and important experience of this visitor was that in spite of all these diverse ele­ Confining ourselves within the boundaries of ments of music there was nothing discordant. .The _Bengal, we find that the villagers have always tried to reason for this absence of discord is that the Bengal find out means of entertainments suitable to their villagers have lived fora long time in complete unity life and consequently can in their own way arrange and understanding. The landlord and the ryot, for a programme as varied as any.concertof enter- the Hindu and the Mussalman, the Brahmin and the . tainments organised by a society living in a town. non-Brahmin never treated each other with the same

o As we have seen above they have their parlour , amount of exclusiveness as we hear of elsewhere. The music, their out-door music, their dramatic perform­ .comparatively free intercourse between the seemingly -ancesofmanykinds, their humorous and lighisongs, antithetic sections of people has been clearly reflected ,the solemn Kirtan;' Gazir Gan, Ramayana Gan ror in the unity among all the divergent forms of the DurgaPuran performances, boat-races and anumber -folksongs ofBengal without impairing the free growth of interesting sports attended with music, and-ins­ of each individual type. Compare this picture with tructive and informative songs.. In fact every pos­ _that, of Europe" where art music has been .cultivated sible occupatiorror activity in village life has music inall the countries almost on the same line and spirit peculiar to it. - . -and therefore points. towards a .uniry. But it is not the same case withregard to folk music there., "Ger­ Ttineshave been foundout tosuitthese activities man Folk songs are on the whole somewhat square ,and each tune has evolved a particular vcharacter - and solemn ; English Folk songs ~re more quite In accord with the activity or occupation of varied, those of.Hungary have very striking rhythm, ". life it serves. An analysis of. this characteristic of while Russian Folk songs are on thewholegloomy. 'our rural songs will easilyaccountfottheir.peculiari­ The finest Folk-songs are Irish, while that of some 'ties arid at the same time indicate the existence of a other nations is often monotonous, the phrases being 'qefitiltesystem or at least plan intheir musical cons- short and too often repeated, so that few opportuni- truction. , ties occur of 'putting' expression into it." (R. T. White.) -,. ", -, Before I take up this work ofanalysisLproposeto ' ' qriv,e home to all that in spite of so many difierences It 'is not my obj~~,t to belit~iethe folk iongs. of (_t~.theit7fttisicalfbrriJ$these~unesalso,.indicatea . other lands by comparing their poverty '\',ith 'tIle , umty, which: represents the -umty 'o.f?ult~re .a~Qng .riChnes~ of the folk songs of Bengal. ' My cQritent~o.n the various sections of the people residing In different, IS that like that of every other country the folk mUSIC 37 of Bengal has "Town amidst environment peculiar\0 ofthe tolk sOrig's as weu as K.lttantuneswer~l~ that province °and because those environments hap­ scale or 'Thut' of that Raga. The' Thut' is po­ pened to be widely varied in nature, the music also pularly known as Khamaj, the notes of which con­ developed an unusual variety. I have nothing to say forms to the notes ofwhat is known in European music if it is maintained that it is an accident in the case of as a major scale with a flattened seventh. Bengal, but all the same it remains a fact. I t may be interesting to note in this connection that In order to study how the different types of the there are two accepted kinds of]hinjhit in the Eastern folk music of Bengal have been influenced by the School of Hindusthani music; the kind known asjhin­ environments in which they have grown and found a jhitpure and simple extends down to PA or the fourth system in all of them, we must have at the outset note from the keynote downwards, while the other an idea of the elements common to the folk songs of kind goes only to the third and is known as Kasuli all countries. Music just as language conveys an ]hinjhit. A number of Bengal folk tunes are based idea and like language, it is complete or incomplete on the latter. May it not be concluded that this depending on the number of phrases (musical phrases) particular ]hinjhit had its origin not in the inventive used in it. "I want to make it quite clear that it is genius of an art musician but in the simple fancy of not the words attached to the music that require of Kasauly villager and obviously enough had a co­ a completion, it is the musical idea or section incidence with a similar invention in Bengal though itself". (W.]. Turner). If someone sings, for none in this province bothered about the. Raga name. instance, the first three or four units (bars) of a section of a song the listener will not be satisfied and STRUCTURE OF FOLK SONGS will want to hear something more. But if the Without any further reference to the basic re­ whole section is sung or played, it will appear lation of folk songs to art-music let me take up the like a complete sentence in language although cases of a few concrete types of folk songs for the sake it is only a small part of a whole song. It of analysing their musical merits and peculiarities. is the shortness and simplicity of this ' period' In there is a definite lack of rhythm. Of satisfying the expectation of the listener which dis­ course the type of Bhatiali we now hear in gramo­ tinguishes folk music from art music. Sometimes phone records is full of rhythmic accompaniments; folk music may be composed oflong phrases consisting but this is in utter disregard ofwhat' a Bhatiali should of many bars but no complexity arises out of them. be. "In large complex compositions it often happens that a particular single unit in a musical.idea is given BHATIALI special significance and from it spring all kinds of new , Bhatiali is sung by a cowboy on the pasture combination." This is very true in the art music of ground or a boatman sitting on his boat without any India, specially in case ofthe form known as Kheyal. work. In a case like this lack of rhythmic action of the singer is clearly reflected on this song. Consider The same author quoted above says elsewhere the case of the cowboy, for instance. His work is to that "The beautiful folk songs which have come down look after the grazing cattle. Now he has to run to us were all the creation ofgifted individuals whose after a straying cow, next moment he has to be care­ names have been forgotten and every One of those is as ful so that the neighbouring paddy fields may not be much a complex work ofart as in any song ofBrahm's spoiled by the animals, then again if he finds time or Hugo 'Volf and occasionally much more so. It is he will rest for a while on his back under a a great mistake to think that a folk song is simple shady tree. All these successive events do not because we have only melodyand not the harmony speakof any rhythmic order. His song Bhatiali also in it. Firstly, harmony is implicit in melody and therefore, naturally has no rhythm in it. does not and cannot exist by itself in the art ofmusic, and secondly, the pathetic attempts of later musicians RHYTHM IN BAUL, SARI AND BHATIALI (art musicians) to put harmonies to folk songs is suffi­ Along with this let us consider the case of a Baul cient proofof their musical inferiority to the unknown song or a Sari Gan. The Baul has to sing in accord composers of the original folk songs." The com­ with the steps of his dance, and boatmen singing plexity of folk songs referred to here is not the com­ Sari are supposed to do so as they go on rowing, plexity of art music but of their melodic structure. which necessitates systematic bodily movement and The same case is also with the folk music of Bengal. splashing of water in perfect timing. These songs therefore, cannot afford to ignore the rules of rhythm. RELATION TO RAGA MUSIC Much confusion is found now-a-days between a It is often wrongly thought that folk songs have Bhatiali and a Baul tune and this is due mainly to nothing to do with Raga music and folk tunes there­ the non-compliance with this important principle fore have no basis or principles. This wrong idea that while the latter is full of rhythm the former has arisen out of the total ignorance of the structure should have none. of folk tunes. In order to satisfy my curiosity why ]hinjhit, a very popular Raga in Bengal is called by The construction of a BhatiaIi tune is marked many as a holy tune, I observed and found that most by two prominent features. Firstly, the Syllables are 38 uttered in groups and secondly the,intervals between The songs inserted in folk tales as interludes, are such groups as well as the end of a whole musical always short, hardly exceeding four lines. There is 'period' are filled up by a very long drawn and wavy no rule as to the mode of singing. The story­ monotone. This monotonous elongation of the last teller is at liberty to sing them in any tune or tunes syllables of the groups and the 'periods' charms he likes, though generally he is found to sing them in anyone who happens to hear t~e song. fron: a Bhatiali fashion. This is quite proper in distance. The very nature of this monotone IS a as much as story-teller tells his story always in a definite suggestion that rhythm is not intended in leisurely manner and has no rhythmic movement Bhatiali. in his occupation. Bhatiali has thus found-a favour­ able loophole to get into the homestead. SECTIONS OF MUSICAL STRUCTURE INFLUENCE OF TAPPA Songs like Baul, Bhatiali, mystic songs and prac­ Returning to the topic of Bhatiali once more, we tically all types of songs except those connected with are reminded that the tendency of syllables forming the chanting of long verses or books such as the groups, and groups ending in long wavy monotones Ramayana, the Padma Purana, etc., have generally has something in common with Tappa. In Tappa of an Asthayee and an Antara just as iiI the acceptedforms course the intervals between groups, are not mono­ of classical music. It is rather rare that a folk song tones but complex Tans of the type known as Jam­ has the two additional parts of Dhrupad or Modern jama. Most probably it is a self-acquired habit w.ith Bengali songs, namely, Sanchari and Abhog, It is Bhatiali to proceed in groups ofsyllables and nothing these two latter sections that make art-music more in it is borrowed from Tappa, but certainly in Tappa, complex even when improvisation by the performer Bhatiali finds a sympathetic friend. The similarity is not intended. In Kavi songs the song-interludes if observed in the last century might satisfactorily known as Juri-songs, which are not part of the im­ account for the inrush of Tappa into almost every provisation of theSarkars (composers) themselves are kind of indigenous music composed in Bengal. In sung in such a high pitch that they cannot afford its advent into Bengali songs the Tappa style lost to have both the Asthayee and the Antara parts, some of its original colour and took a definite shape lm~er for, an Asthayee is generally confined in the which can still be recognised as ' domiciled Tappa' tetrachord of the scale, while the Antara acts like in all Old-Bengali songs including several types of its supplement in the higher one. The high pitch of Folk songs, Malsi songs, and even Kirtan. The in­ the Juri is meant perhaps to bring about a contrast fluence of Tappa on Bengali songs is a subject by with the comparatively low tone in which the Kavi itself worth studying independent of its connection himself improvises. with folk songs, but it is not intended to dwell on it at length here. In case of intonated recitation or chanting of a book like Manashar Gan (Padma Purana), the' ASPECT AND BEHAVIOUR OF SWARAS OR reciter generally recites four lines at a time with NOTES IN FOLK SONGS very little variation from one line to another. In (1) Thut: As has already been said, the most Some places each of these four lines has its definite popular Thut in Folk songs is Khamaj, and the tune but these tunes cannot be classed as Asthayee most widely used basic Raga is Jhilljhit. There are or Antara, Yet the system in which the. four lines are traces of some Ragas of Bilawal Thut also, namely arranged in tune is too well- marked to be ignored. the kind ofBibhas which has been popular In Bengal The difference of tunes between lines' save the long for a long time. Folk songs based on Bibhas also chantings from monotony. It is easy to observe that have an occasional tendency to use a flattened Nishad in planning this difference, proper Care has been (Komal Ni). Of Bhimpalasi I. have sai~ before. taken not to rob the recitation of quick tempo, which This Bhimpalasi was for a long time known III Bengal is absolutely necessary to finish the.whole bO<;Jk with- as Multan. . in reasonable time; These four lines are In most cases followed by what is known as a Disha or a (2) Purvanga Notes: Except in case of Kavi Ohosha.isung in chorus in comparatively higher pitch. or similar music most tunes in folk songs display the peculiarities of their melodic structure in the lower DISHA OR GHOSHA tetrachord of Purvanga and so naturally it is there The Disha or Ghosha is a definite improvement that the difference between one tune and another on the original music of the text recited and our regarding the aspect 'and behaviour of the not~s are village composers vie with each other in inventingnew to be found. On the basis of this we may classify all and catchy tunes for It. the folk tunes of Bengal, allowing. of course a few exceptions, into four groups: Bhater Gan or Kavita is another kind ofintonated recitation in which the tune ofthe first two lines is (I) Tunes ascending as Sa Re Ma P31', (2) those trepeate

FOLK SONGS OF BENGAL ARE 1. : A very big drum, its height varying NOT PENTATONIC from 2' to 5', the diameter of the portions stretched with hide measuring' I' 6", to The folk-tunes of Bengal unlike those of many 3'. It is played with 2 sticks; fingers, and other countries are not pentatonic. There are of fists. course some which are pentatonic in ascent but even they take six or all the seven notes of the scale in 2. Dhole: A drum smaller thana Dhak, played descent. In fact, in this aspect our folk tunes are not . on the right side with a stick having a very different from Ragas. There are however, a bent end and on the left with the paIni few pentatonic tunes in our folk music, but these are and fingers. Very intricate Talas and eithersung by hill peoples or borrowed from them. Parans are played on'the Dhole by pro­ fessional Dhulis in solo performance, but GAYAKI the art is fast vanishing. It is an indis­ The use ofquick succession of notes is not absent pensable drum for accompanying many in these tunes, but in a case like that the notes never types offolk songs and ceremonial music as take sh.arp turns, which an:. ne~essary for effecting well '~s for proclamation purposes. . what IS known as Gayaki III classical music especially in Kheyal. The turns in .folk musi~ 3. Karah: A drum very much like the Euro­ pean Kettle-drum, played' along with Dhak and Dhole. N. B. The term Amsha is regarded by many musicians and even by a good many authors as identical with Vadi Swara. I do not agree with them and .4. : Another drum used in latta and j hence my explanation 'of the. term should not some other musical performances. Itis>~ create any confusion. ""'). ' , tuned much lower thanaDhole.. , " ~ 4.0 ".....:-.------5. Khole: A drum made of earth having one marking time. Th~ string runs through the big side and the other very small. It is two parts of a hifurcated bamboo stick inseparably connected with Kirtan, It and is attached to a gourd. has been introduced in many other types of religious and mythological songs as well 4. : This may be regarded as the as in Manipuri dance. Sarengi of the village. As far as I kn~w Sari~da is played only in Bengal and the 6. : A drum borrowed from the Punjab, two extreme provinces of Hindu-. Santhals generally played in Jhumur and sthan, while it is simply unknown in the several types of folk dances. provinces lying between them. I t has three or four strings and is played with a 7. or Khunjuri: A small one-sided bow. somewhat like a tambourine, sometimes having bells attached to it. It is used in C. WIND INSTRUMENTS: Dehatattwa, Baul and similar other songs. 1. MuraU: A kind of flageolet with 8 holes. The word Khanjani is sometimes used to denote instruments of Kartal class. 2. Tipperah Flute: A flute with 7 holes bl~wn at one end of cylinder and has no addi­ 8. or : A one-sided tional hole for blowing. I ts sound is very drum with a gut string attached to the hide. sweet. . Talas are played on the string pulled to t~nsion by the lefthand and plucked by the 3. Arh Banshi: The Indian piccollo. right hand by means of a wooden block. I t is significant that Tala is not played on 4. Shinga: The same as Ramshinga of Hin­ the drum side, 'which is only meant for dusthan, played generally by a class of amplifying the sound. people called Shiralis in order to propitiate the god of rain. B. STRINGED INSTRUMENTS: 1. : Having only one string used for D. INSTRUMENTS OF THE CYMlJAL CLASS: droning. I t is the offolk music. There are many kinds ofsuch instruments differ- . ing in size and sound. The more popular 2. Dotara: A miniature , very popular ones are the Karatal, the Kharatal, the now in the villages. Do-tara means two Mandira, the Kansi, the Kansar and a stringed. This is a misnomer as Do-taras variety of bells. generally have more than two strings.

3. Gopi-Jantra: A one-stringed instrument XB.-All the instromepts mentioned above are in the used more or less for droning as well. as collectioa of the Indian Museum of Calcutta. KIRTAN The term Kirtan as is used in Bengal denotes a masters know the Tala in which it is to be accom­ particular class of music devoted to Krishnite ideas. panied .on the Khole, Every Raga-name is well With some Kirtan is more a form of intonated reci­ known to the exponents of classical music though the tation describing and explaining the different phases Kirtan singers do not follow the rules of those Ragas, of Leela or the holy deeds of Krishna and Radha. nor do. they know the peculiarities of the different As is natural the musical value ofKirtan is secondary Ragas as they are sung in classical music. They to its sentimental expressions. According to the simply know the name of the Raga of a particular opinion of others Kirtan is as good and as developed Pada and is quite ignorant why it is so different from a music as any other type. the classical Raga of the same name.

Be that as it may, Kirtan offers enough food for The existence of the Raga names and a system reflection on the cultural and social peculiaritieswhich ofa very intricate and well-developed Talas in Kirtan Cannot be brushed aside while considering the origin go to prove beyond doubt that Kirtan as an art deve­ and development of fine arts in India. loped into a scientific system though hardly any Kirtan master is available who can satisfactorily t Every Pada of Kirtan, composed by any and explain its theory•. every Vaishnava poet shows the name of a Raga in which it is to be sung and notinfrequently the Kirtan I am not a Kirtan singer, nor do I claim expert 41