Arman Phakir - Aamar Aamar Kore Jonomer Tore

Heart Of Bengal

Radha Romon

04 - Track 04

Radha Romon er Gaan By Ramkanai

বেহুলা-লখিন্দর

সুভাস দত্তকে নিয়ে লেখা দেয়ার অনুরুধ করেছিলাম দাওনি’ টেক্সট মেসেইজে পলাশের অভিযোগ। প্রতি মাসেই টেক্সট দেয় আমি কোন উত্তর দেই না

অনলাইনে লালনগীতি শুনুন।

অনলাইনে লালনগীতি শুনুন।

Uncontacted' Amazon tribe found in Brazil

Government researchers in Brazil say they have found one of the world's last uncontacted tribes in a remote corner of the Amazon rainforest.

Aerial pictures revealed by the Brazilian government's agency of indigenous affairs (Funai) showed four large thatched huts fully surrounded by various crops in the Vale do Javari region.
Aloysio Guapindaia, a Funai director, also said they would work to keep the tribe isolated and safe. The tribe is thought to belong to the Pano linguistic group that straddles the border between Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.
Gabriel Elizondo reports from Sao Paulo in Brazil.

baul - love song of the world

baul - love song of the world from Ashish Dutta on Vimeo.
a film on the life and the music of the bauls. the travelling minstrels of Bengal - spreading the message of love

Legendary Pagla Kanai

By Ershad Kamol - The Daily Star - Dhaka, Bangladesh  Tuesday, September 12, 2006

A view of the shrine (L), next to it is the newly constructed auditorium. PHOTO: STAR


Pagla Kanai (1810-1890), a mystic folk poet and musician, was born to a family of peasants in Nebutola village in Jhenidah. Though he is popular as Pagla Kanai, his original name was Kanai Sheikh.

He was a poet with the ability to compose songs spontaneously. He composed what were basically mystical and spiritual songs. The themes of his songs featured topics such asdehotattta(analysis of human form), the transient world, and the mystery of life. He composed songs about Prophet Muhammad (SM) as well as hymns to Krishna. But, Pagla Kanai is popular for developing a Jari form titled Dhuajari, in which an incident is narrated in a rhythmic tone.

The origins of Jarigaan may be traced back to the early 17th century in Bangladesh when poetry was written on the tragic stories of Karbala. However, Pagla Kanai successfully used other myths such as Radha-Krishna, Monosha-mongala as well as contemporary social issues of his time and traditional Baul music in his compositions of Dhuajari. Through these, Kanai has analysed Sufism, meaning of life and other themes in his songs. In fact, he gave aesthetic presentation of Jarigaan, and subsequently earned a name in history. His songs were once very popular in many areas including Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Tangail, Faridpur, Pabna, Jessore, Kushtia, Khulna, Barisal and others.

A Dhuajari session may also take place between two Jarigaan teams. The teams render songs in a question-answer format. Towards the end, the team members put forward extempore arguments in an effort to prove their opponent wrong.

Pagla Kanai was the lead singer of a troupe. His itinerant group of singers included Kala Chand Bayati, Hakim Shah, Karim Biswas, Indu Biswas and Karamaddi.

But, not much initiative is taken to uphold the tradition. Dr Mazharul Islam included 240 of these songs in his book, Kabi Pagla Kanai. Professor Abul Ahsan Choudhury, M Monsuruddin have also written books on the same subject. Moreover, ministry of Cultural Affairs has built an auditorium adjacent to the shrine of Pagla Kanai, at the remote village of Nebutala, Madhabpur.

Unfortunately this rich tradition is on the verge of extinction. To celebrate his birth anniversary, a few of his followers, mostly above fifty, gather at his shrine and render songs. But, nowadays very few people are interested in Dhuajari. As a result the experts believe that the tradition of Pagla Kanai is fading away.

Kanai became renowned for his folk songs. He composed a good number of devotional songs but many of these have not been preserved. An auditorium and library named after him now stands near the Mazaar.

Pagla Kanai's passion and intense spirituality was evident at an early age, hence the locals started calling him "pagla" (crazy).

Kanai left his village to evade the oppression of the British rulers who forced the farmers to cultivate indigo. Dirt-poor Kanai became a drifter after his father's death. He became a cowherd. Many were taken aback by his eclectic spiritual songs and "dhua jaari." His spiritual inclination put him in touch with the bauls and fakirs of the area.

People from all walks of life used to throng his 'ashor' (performance) and listened to his songs for hours. And gradually his fame extended throughout the country.

Pagla Kanai's songs can be classified into 'jari,' 'dhua,' 'pala gaan,' 'kobi gaan,' 'murshidi,' 'marfati,' Islamic and more.

Who is it ?

Who is it that dwells in this house of mine?
I cannot determine, within a whole lifetime….

Shifts and moves in the eastern nook
I cannot see, no matter how hard I look.
Close by, not too far,
In the world’s bazaar
Try as much as I can, there is no sign.

Everyone says it’s the Bird of the Heart
I listen in, without my lips apart…
Is it Water? Or, Fire of the hearth?
Wind, perhaps? Or, maybe the Earth?
Could someone please for me disentwine?

I myself know nothing of my own house
And knowing others is to what I espouse!
Lalon says, “The Other
Is that which has no Other.
What that visage is like, and what a face is mine!”

Who is it that Dwells in this House of Mine?