Rabindra Sangeet, a collaboration of Tagore’s unreal lyricism and paired with some beautiful vocals makes you enter a state of bliss. Bengali songs carry so much essence of what the song tries to convey and the artist never fails to portray what exactly is supposed to be delivered. A set of extremely talented artists covering Rabindra Sangeet in their own ways. A beautiful tribute to Tagore to cherish the legacy he has left behind for generations to be grateful and proud of. A little recollection of Tagore’s lyrics as we sit back, and watch the artists showcasing a beautiful synchronisation. Covers making a point, that music is for all regardless of any barriers. 

Ami Tomaro Shonge Bedhechi – Raj Barman

The rhythm just delicately sways you away. A melody so pleasing to ears apart from that the accompanied by Raj Barman’s vocal and Bengali lyrics just manage to make your day. The ambience created throughout the video beautifully complements the music. And the lyrics by Rabindra leave you enthralled with so much grace, Barman’s cover only adds more to this already existent blissful song. 

Tumi Robe Nirobe – Sanam

Tumi Robe Nirobe, originally sung by Indrani Sen. The entire vocal and instruments team have done a spectacular job doing justice to this song. The feeling of longing dripped out with every word uttered. A cheerful outlook for lasting hope and a magical delightful night. The videography with nature around and the artist completely invested in the song creates an environment to cherish and reflect. Sanam Puri gives an amazing performance while singing, and truly bringing the song to life. 

Tribute To Tagore, Medley – TagoreCovers

A medley made to bless your ears, a collaborative performance by Avik Deb, Adrina Jamilee, Nashroh Naziat, Sharad Protiti and Shuvanon Rajit. The melding of all different voices into a wave, crystal clear and transparent as if the melody and lyrics completely engulf you. A collaboration bringing out the essence of the music as well as a perfect way to offer a tribute to Tagore. This tribute is a perfect honour and appreciation of the rooted art in our culture. The delivery of the song and lyrics generates an empathy where you feel the essence of the song and its lyricism. 

Jagorane Jay Bibhabori – Debolinaa Nandy

Jagorane Jay Bibhabori covered by Debolinaa Nandy sways you away with her phenomenal voice. Her pronunciation and vocals will make you listen to this cover over and again. The beauty of Rabindra sangeet makes you realise the talent and authenticity so pure rooted in our culture. Debolinaa’s voice paired up with varied instruments like flute, guitar and keyboard does a spectacular job backing her vocals as well as a perfect musical element complimenting Debolinaa’s voice. The use of the flute just makes the entire performance, one you’ll never forget. The sweetness of love flows easily when Bibhabori makes this song her own.

Ashokamitra’s work is heavily influenced and inspired by the awakening of colonial India towards independence. The Sahitya Akademi winner depicted the subjugated section of society. Stories webbed to familiarise the often unseen and ignored realities of life. Ashokamitran’s vigour to visualise and vocalise the triviality differentiates his writing from other writers, a reflection of his own identity and position that largely influenced him to determine his spectacular course of success. A collision of the conservative and progressive chains of thought tends to create literature when consumed stirs a spiral of opinion alive and available through the medium of translation and adaptation.

He produced more than two hundred stories, nine novellas and fifteen novels. Ashokamitran’s path of writing emerged as a mechanism of writing unheard words of people, stemming from his own personal experience working in the film industry. His contribution to Tamil literature is vividly noticeable, creating the creation of 1960s onward a subtle clear expression. A nationwide view through a regional voice.

His Journey!

Jagadisa Thygarajan, before his transition into Ashokamitran, was born in Secunderabad on 22nd September 1931. He moved to Chennai in 1952 after his father’s death. In 1953, he published his first novel, Anbin Parisu( Gift of Love). The Gemini Studios owned by film director S.S.Vasan is a trustable foundation for his writing career, where he managed and worked for a decade in public relations instead of his interest in a screenplay. Starting from writing a set of columns for the Illustrated Weekly Of India later turned into his book, ‘My years with boss.’ He became a full-time writer in 1973,  working to navigate middle-class predicament with complex exterior social churning post independence. 

His Works!

Ashokamitran, writing creates a pattern of common people engaged in social political and economical contexts. A modernist experiment and including aspects that were looked over especially as a medium voicing the women. Stories inclusive and ranging, people hailing from all backgrounds some struggling with necessities, a perspective of an underbelly, the film industry and its dynamics, and his past life experiences. His famous novels Karsintha Nizhalgal(Starcrossed), and Manasarovar were based on the film industry showing casing a view distanced from glamour. Ottran(Mole) is a penned experience about his time in the United States. Thanneer(Water) dealing with the Chennai water crisis.Appavin Snehidar(My father’s friend) the work that got him Sahitya Akademi Award. He passed away on 23rd March 2017, dedicated to his work. His last novel was in India in 1948.

The simplicity is evident in Ashokamitran’s writing forces you to widen the lenses to humanise a little more. The predicament and inequality prevalent decades back still continues and therefore makes his text extremely relevant to current times. As we remember him and recollect his work, the remarkable impact to change the course of Tamil literature and through translation making it widely available is remarkable.  

Folk songs are as eminent as classical songs when we talk about the culture of a nation. They are what cascade from the heart of a layman, not professionally trained singers. Folk songs form the warm blanket that preserves the regional culture and thus is different and, in opinion, more important than the representative culture of a nation.

The Bhajans, which are devotional songs dedicated to either to a deity or to spirituality, are inherited from the Vedic era. Kirtans have the same themes as Bhajans, but they’re more narrative. The tradition of folk songs is not new but dates back to 1500 BC. Amongst the earliest forms of folk songs are the Pandavanis dating back to the times of Mahabharat. Owing to the vast culture of India, the list of varieties of folk songs is never-ending. Every state preserves its culture. Within a state, every district preserves it and why not say every house has a folk culture too? However, we will try mentioning all the major folk songs.

Borgeets of Assam are a collection of lyrical songs. Moreover, Borgeets also have religious themes and are even a part of monastery rituals. Bihugeet of Assam are the songs presented in the Bihu festival of the state. Lavani is a very popular folk tradition of Maharashtra. Known for its powerful rhythm, Lavani is most often performed to the beats of Dholki. Similarly, Mahiya is the folk tradition of Punjab, Bhavgeet of Karnataka, Kummi Patu from Tamil Nadu and Tamang Selo is that of Nepal. The Bauls of Bengal were the mystic heterogenous sect of singers that influenced many people during the 18th and 19th century.

Like there are regional dialects, similarly, there are regional songs. Just like talking to a person in a regional dialect exhilarates us, similarly, folk songs keep us exhilarated by letting us enjoy our idiosyncrasies despite of the common origin.

Here are some mesmerizing songs that might give you a peek into the diversified culture of India.

As we dive down memory lane remembering Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay on his birth anniversary, there is a timeless legacy for generations to relive his work. A prolific Bengali writer in the 20th century, he wrote on subjects of prominence, which are still relevant in the contemporary world. He was born during the time when the national freedom struggle was ripe. And he played a critical role to lead a nation liberated from colonial influence as well as years of prejudices.

He was a reformer, who through his writing and political position gravitated towards revolution. His legacy still remains relevant and enlightens us in today’s time. Chattopadhyay wrote from and for the roots that made him the person he was. He was a progressive writer ahead of his time and emphasised the urgency to liberate our country subjugated for generations. His writing depicted stories of writing against social discrimination and rural India.

Early Life

He was born on September 15, 1876, at Devanaandapur in the Hooghly district of West Bengal. As his family was facing financial problems in his household growing up, he had to cut short his education and work. Chattopadhyay’s career began as an assistant to Settlement Officer as well as being a translator for the Calcutta Law court and clerk in the Accounts Department of Burma Railway. 

Activist

Sarat Chandra as a revolutionary and reformer through his narrative was trying to bring a shift. He played an active role in Non-Cooperation Movement, in 1921 he was elected as the president of the Howrah District Congress. His writing was banned for its stance against the government. His novel Pather Dabi is a story about society trying to free India from British Raj. A novel indeed to influence young minds of India towards a chain of ideas not clouded by dominant authorities. 

Chattopadhyay first published work was Baradidi (1907) which gained him recognition and is still widely known. His last novel Shesh Proshno (1931) has a reflective and awakening undertone while highlighting how unjust history has been towards people and inequality often is concealed through the largeness and prevalence of oppression. Amongst his novels well known and acknowledged, are Devdas (1917), Srikanata(1917), Chelebelar Galpa(1938), Bipradas(1935). His works were published after his death and without a doubt has left a timeless impact. 

Author

Chattopadhyay’s women in the novel were written with immense courage, strength and potential. The gender inequality and oppression women face were encountered by progressive women with vigour to change their lives and the lives around them. The women portrayed in Devdas(1917), Charitraheen(1917), Sesh Prashna(1931), and Datta(1918) have dynamic women dealing in a world in ways that are not conventional. His works have a strong feminist outlook while writing which he is widely known for and looked up to. 

His works have been translated into multiple languages to provide more accessibility. Books turned into various popular adaptions carrying the same intention that he wanted the world influenced. Novels transformed into dramas and performed.

Chattopadhyay passed away on 16th January 1938, his works still remain alive and make his presence established. Chattopadhyay’s writing is a timeless appeal. He left a legacy to rethink the history we are told and see the world in a more dissected version with major issues which are remain ignored. He was a great novelist of his time and his impact is evident on Bengali literature and countering important themes through his narration is admirable. This Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav we celebrate and remember his invaluable contribution to the Indian freedom struggle.

The classical music of India is popular for the aesthetic pleasure it offers the listeners. However, in ancient times, music wasn’t limited to just a medium of pleasure but also associated with spirituality. Thus, we should not complain about the scrupulously formed structure of classical music.

One of the subgenres of classical Indian music is Carnatic Music. Its origins are credited to the southern part of the nation. Like other classical music genres of ancient India, the Sama Veda is believed to be the instructing medium for the formulation of Carnatic Music, including the contributions of the hymns of Rig Veda. This genre of music unlike the Hindustani music, remains true to its roots even today and enjoys the same structural aestheticism as it enjoyed in allusions of the early ancient texts. The music remains unsusceptible to the ravages of time.

The History

It was in the 16th century when Carnatic music flourished and diffused vastly its fragrance in the historic city of Ancient India, Vijayanagara. A poet and composer of the same era, Purana Das, contrived a lesson plan for teaching Carnatic music, which survives even in modern times. Purana Das is also referred to be the father of Carnatic music. Talking about the ancient laureates of Carnatic music, we should not risk missing the “Trinity of Carnatic music” who were the finest musicians and composers of the genre, namely Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri.

The Four Elements of Carnatic Music

This form of music meticulously focuses on the four founding elements, Sruti (pitch), Swara (note), Raag (melody) and Taal (metre). The singing or the kayak is the prime part of this genre of classic music, which is backed up by the instruments like violin, tambura, mridangam. Sometimes, it also includes veena, flute and other instruments supporting the composition.

We have inherited this beauty of culture as a blessing from our musician ancestors, who laid it and passed on to the progeny. They preserved and carried it to the modern day and it is now for us to let their endeavours survive eternity.

Here are two astounding performances of Carnatic music for you to enjoy.