Bangla folk music has a long history.
Several people contributed to what has become one of the most important musical influences in lives of Bengalis on both sides of the border(Bangladesh and India). Among these are Lalon Fokir, Hason Raja and Ramesh Shill.
Abbas Uddin was a key player in popularising folk music later on.
Folk music can clearly be distinguished and classified into several sub-genres:Baul: mainly inspired by Lalon Fokir and his Sufi way of living and almost
exclusively performed by hermits who have adopted such (Sufi) life style .Bhandari: devotional music from the South (mainly Chittagong) .Bhatiali: music of fishermen and boatman, almost always tied by a common raga (mode), sung solo .Bhawaiya: song of bullock-cart drivers of the North (Rangpur) .Gajir geet: tradition song from the North (Rangpur) .Gombhira: song (originating in Chapai Nawabganj, in the North) 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 music composer Hason Raja (from Sylhet near Assam,India) that was recently repopularised as popular dance music .Jaari: song that involves musical battle between two groups .Jatra Pala: songs associated exclusively with plays (performed on-stage) that usually always involve historical themes presented in a very colourful way.Kirtan: devotional song depicting love of Hindu god Krishno and his (best-known) wife, Radha .Pala: songs from the haor (lake) area in Sylhet, Kishoregonj, and Netrokona usually performed on stage live by folk singers .Kobi gaan: poems sung with simple music usually presented on stage as a musical battle between poets .Lalon: best known of all folk songs and the most import sub-genre of Baul songs, almost entirely attribute to spiritual writer and composer, Lalon Fokir of Kustia (Western Bangladesh, near the border with West Bengal) .Mursiya: Islamic songs of devotion of the Shi'ah groups based mainly on Western influences .Shaari: song of boatmen sung in group to match the beat of the oar movement .Upojatiyo: songs of the minor ethnic groups - worth noting, this is not really a classification since songs of these ethnic groups (of which there are at least 13 different groups) vary widely and have very distinct and intriguing characteristics .Letto's song: songs from Mymensingh (North of Dhaka) that also allegedly influenced Nazrul geeti .Wedding songs: sung all over Bangladesh but always tied by similar tunes and by, obviously, a common theme, marriage .
Of these several groups, Baul song is best known and was further enriched by works of Lalon.All folk songs are characterised by simple musical structure and words. Before advent of radio, stage performances of folk singers used to be possibly the only entertainment for the vast rural population of Bengal. After arrival of new communication and digital media, many of the folk songs were modernised and incorporated into modern songs (Adhunik songeet/remixed).-Powered by harun
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