19. Some Glimpses of Bam's Rich Cultural Heritage :Kanan Nath Majumdar

Kirtan Centred Music in Bam:

 Today, rural areas are progressing towards modernity, keeping pace with urban areas. Villages are no longer lagging in education, transportation, industry, commerce, or politics. Of course, some villages are still untouched by development, but their number is very small. However, looking back at the centuries-old villages, it can be said with pride that the intellectual development of the villages of Bam Cachar was far more advanced compared to other contemporary villages. In this region, along with various artistic practices, the practice of music was also of a very high standard. And the vast field for this musical practice was 'Kirtan'.

Bam Cachar is home to people of various faiths. Therefore, various types of music have been created and developed centred around different religious ceremonies and ideologies, and even around different professions or livelihoods. That is why Sufi songs, Gazi songs, and Jari-Sari songs are still practised here. Talent flourishes here in the fields, by the rivers, and in the forests. While ploughing the fields or rowing boats on the full river, the people here can effortlessly sing Baul and Bhatiali songs in their resonant voices. They become intoxicated by the magic of music. And sometimes, passion and profession go hand in hand. That is why in the Kirtan gatherings one can hear:

"Jaga says, listen, brother Madha,

(We) sing the songs of Hari's name, and sail our boats. With Radha's name as our sail, we float on the ocean of joy."

 

On the other hand, songs of 'Teen Nath Seva', songs of Charak Puja, Manasamangal, Krishnalila, and Vaishnava Padavali are widely practised here. Besides Durga Puja, Janmashtami, Dol Purnima, Jhulan Yatra, etc., some social ceremonies such as Annaprashan, weddings, and Shraddha ceremonies have also been the focus of musical practice in this region. But surpassing everything else, the Kirtans of the Vaishnava ideology, following the path of love and devotion, have reached the pinnacle of popularity. The musical tradition of Bam Cachar is primarily centred around Kirtan. More than five hundred years ago, when unrest and immorality were rampant in human society, a wise ascetic and social reformer from Nadia district of West Bengal, Vishwambhar Mishra, came forward with the banner of human welfare. Due to his exceptionally fair complexion, this humanist great man later became widely known as Gaurachandra or Gauranga. He brought everyone under one umbrella, regardless of wealth or poverty, caste or creed, Hindu or Muslim. To establish harmony among people, to wash away hatred and animosity with a tide of love, he introduced the practice of congregational singing and playing of instruments like the khol and kartal – this is Sankirtan (Sama + Kirtan). And the waves of this Sankirtan reached our Bam Kachar. That is why the musical practice here has become primarily Kirtan-centric.

 

Gaurachandra introduced congregational Kirtan, and for this, he has been given the title of 'Father of Kirtan'. As a token of gratitude towards this great personality, the custom of remembering Gaurachandra and seeking his blessings at the beginning of all Kirtans has also become prevalent. Incidentally, to acknowledge Gaurachandra's immense influence on the development of Bengali literature, the word "Gaurachandrika," meaning introduction, has been respectfully given a place as an alternative to the word "Bhumika" (introduction).

 

Through the sincere interest and efforts of the devotees and composers of Gaurachandra, Bengali Kirtan has progressed, centred around Gaurachandra. Gaurachandra's presence, his actions, his liberal mindset, and his loving image have not only enriched the form of Kirtan but also made it attractive and enjoyable. Due to Gaurachandra's pervasive presence in the memory, thoughts, and feelings of the Kirtan singers and listeners, various rhythms, meters, and melodies have been added to Kirtan. Although Kirtan has gradually transcended its own geographical boundaries and reached the arena of pan-Indian music, the Kirtan of Bam Kachar has not yet lost its unique characteristics. Even today, the kirtan here continues to flow in the same stream, according to the same rules. Here, the kirtan is dedicated to Gauranga.

At the beginning of the kirtan, Gaurachandra is duly invited to the assembly to receive his blessings—

আইস গৌর নিত্যানন্দ আমার আসরে ।

তুমি আসিলে আনন্দ হবে; নিরানন্দ যাবে দূরে।

তোমার যন্ত্র তুমি ধরো তোমার কীর্তন তুমি করো

তুমি বিনে দেহ যন্ত্র বাজে কেমনে ।

 

Come, Gaur Nityananda, to my assembly.

When you come, there will be joy; sorrow will go far away.

You hold your instrument, you perform your kirtan;

Without you, how can this instrument of the body play?

 

With unwavering faith in Gaurachandra, the devotees can perceive his presence. They behold with their mind's eye—just as Shri Gauranga, accompanied by his associates, appeared and purified the earth from its impurities, so too has he appeared in this assembly, responding to the devotees' call:

"The youthful, golden Gauranga has arisen!

Gaur Chand has arisen, accompanied by his companions!

"উদয় হইল রে নবীন সোনার গৌরাঙ্গ

উদয় হইল গৌর চান্দ লইয়া সাঙ্গপাঙ্গ “

 

Enchanted by the sight of Shri Gauranga's exquisite bodily beauty in their mind's eye, the devotees, with five mouths, begin to describe his physical grace. In their imagination, the captivating and beautiful dance of Gaur Chand on the banks of the Bhagirathi river unfolds:

"On the banks of the Suradhuni, with golden anklets on his feet,

The beautiful Gauranga Rai dances.

A beautiful tilak on his beautiful forehead,

A beautiful name-shawl on his body."

সুরধুনির কিনারায় সোনার নূপুর দিয়ে পায়

নাচে নাগরি গো, সুন্দর গৌরাঙ্গ রায় ।

সুন্দর কপালে সুন্দর তিলক

সুন্দর নামাবলি গায় ।

 

 

In witnessing the extraordinary, glorious face, the forehead adorned with tilak, the body draped in a name-shawl, holding a staff and water pot, and the wondrous kirtan procession of the savior of the fallen, they find the means to cleanse their minds of impurities:

 

"In what joyful mood is Gauranga, chanting Hari's name in Nadia!

Playing the khol and cymbals with joy,

He dances and sings in waves of love.

In the breeze of Gauranga's love,

All the darkness and ego of living beings are destroyed.

Bound by the eight bonds of the world,

He provides the means to liberate the soul."

'গৌরাঙ্গে, কী রঙ্গে, হরি বলছে নদীয়ায়।

খোল করতাল আনন্দে বাজাইয়ে

প্রেম তরঙ্গে নাচে গায়।

গৌরাঙ্গের প্রেমের বাতাসে

জীবের তম অহং সব বিনাশে

অষ্ট পাশে জগতে বান্ধা

জীব তরাইতে দেয় উপায়

 

In the devotees' perception, the kirtan assembly itself becomes Nabadwip (Nadia). Self-criticism and expressions of regret are heard, stemming from their neglect of the supreme abode due to the futile desires of worldly life, and their efforts to surrender themselves at the feet of the Lord:

 

"Call out, O tongue, 'Gaur, Gaur, Gaur!

Calling upon him will cool your body,

And the suffering of worldly existence will vanish.

When the son of the sun (Yama) binds you,

Where will your house and doors remain?

Where will your wealth be?

All your friends will bid you farewell,

No one will be your companion."

 

গৌর গৌর গৌর বলে ডাকরে রসনা

তারে ডাকলে অঙ্গ শীতল হবে

যাবে রে ভব যন্ত্রণা ।

রবির সুতে বাঁধবে রে যখন

কোথায় রবে ঘর দরজা

কোথায় রবে ধন।

তোমার বন্ধু সবে বিদায় দিবে

সঙ্গের সঙ্গী কেউ হবে না।

 

 

The devotional poets have perceived Lord Krishna within Gaurachandra and, seeing the Gopal of Braj incarnated in a new form in Nabadwip, have asked in astonishment:

Kanai, due to what lack, in what mood, brother,

Did you leave Braj?

Abandoning sweet Vrindavan,

You became a wanderer.

There is no flute in your hand, no crown on your head,

No garland around your neck.

On your body is a devotional shawl, on your shoulder a beggar's bag,

Tears flow from your two eyes.

কানাই, কি অভাবে কার ভাবে ভাই

ব্রজ ছেড়ে এলে।

মধুর বৃন্দাবন ত্যাজ্য করে

দেশান্তরী হলে ।

তোর হাতে বাঁশী  নাই  মাথে চূড়া নাই

গলে নাইরে বনমালা।

তোর অঙ্গে নামাবলি কান্ধে ভিক্ষার ঝুলি

দুই নয়নে বহে ধারা ।

 

They themselves have found the answer to this question. They have realized the combined form of Radha and Krishna in Gaurasundara and understood:

Bearing the "mood and effulgence of Radha's love" in his divine form, Lord Krishna himself, incarnated as the avatar of love, Shri Gauranga, tasted the love of Radharani for Shri Hari.

In the courtyard of Shrivasa,

Shri Shachi's son, Gaura.

Chanting Hari, Hari, Hari,

He is intoxicated with Radha's love.

শ্রীবাসের আঙ্গিনার মাঝে

শ্রীশচী নন্দন গৌরা।

হরি হরি হরি বলে

রাধা ভাবে মাতোয়ারা ।

 

In this way, Radha, Krishna, and Shri Gauranga have merged into one. Nabadwip of Nadia has become Shri Vrindavan. And in the boundless faith of the devotees' hearts, the kirtan gathering itself is the embodiment of Vrindavan and Nabadwip. That is why it is said:

Wherever there is congregational chanting of the Lord's name,

That is Vrindavan.

Of course, the scriptures also come forward in support of this statement:

I do not reside in Vaikuntha,

Nor in the hearts of yogis.

Where my devotees sing,

There I reside, O Narada.

নাহং তিষ্ঠামি বৈকুন্ঠে

যোগীনাং হৃদয়েন চ।

মদভক্তা যত্র গায়ন্তী

তত্র তিষ্ঠামি নারদঃ

Regardless of the arguments for or against these statements, the main inspiration behind the people of Bam Kachar engaging in musical devotion through the joy of kirtan, and continuing to do so even today, is the extraordinary life philosophy of the epochal figure Gaurachandra and his social reformist activities, such as the eradication of untouchability.

 

 Because the people of this region supported and believed in his liberal policies, they still follow him today, and regardless of caste, creed, or religion, they can still come together and participate in Sankirtan, raising their arms and chanting "Hari." Carrying the unique symbol of mutual respect, trust, and love, Sankirtan continues to spread the message of human welfare far and wide.

Although people today are familiar with music from all corners of the world thanks to electronic media, and despite the practice of different styles and forms of music, Sankirtan remains unrivalled in this region; it is still only one.

 

The tradition of "Doll (Putul)" Marriages in Bam

 

There is a vast difference between the rural areas of fifty years ago and the rural areas of today.

Under the influence of Western civilisation and the touch of extreme modernity, ancient traditions are on the verge of disappearing. Although the excessive 'speed' of science tries to drive away the simple 'emotions' of ordinary people, the memories stored in the depths of their hearts still peek out, longing for a touch of the emotional and heartfelt rural culture of bygone days.

 

The rich culture of South Cachar, "Doll Marriage," may be on its way to becoming a legend today. But it goes without saying that the effort to preserve it can be successful as an attempt to strengthen and maintain the human bond and the tradition-rich culture of this region.

 

Back then, there were no mobile phones. However, some affluent families had landline phones. The mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and great-aunts of all the children, rich and poor, in the village would make dolls for them. Of course, these were not the fashionable dolls available in the market today, but dolls made of cloth using traditional methods. Both male and female dolls were made, but there were more female dolls. These were called "Tena's daughters." The girls would recognise these dolls as their own children. They would take care of them, bathe them, dress them, feed them, change their clothes, and put them to sleep. In short, they performed all the duties of a mother towards her child. Perhaps this is how they received training to become a good homemaker and an ideal mother in the future.

 

While playing this game of raising children, the thought of marrying off their children would begin. All the young mothers of the village would gather in one house with their doll children. Of course, the adult women would also be present. Food items prepared in various homes would be brought from every house. However, it was not meat-pulao, biryani, or Chinese food like today, but rather homemade Puli Pitha, Chitol Pitha, Ghurail Pitha, Malpua, Patishapta, a special type of bread made with rice flour, and payesh (rice pudding). All the food items brought from different houses would be combined to create a grand feast.

 

Various ceremonies, just like a real wedding, were performed in this doll wedding. Formally fetching water, bathing the bride and groom, tying the knot – everything was done with ululation (a traditional celebratory sound). The women would sing wedding songs, and the wedding house would become lively with Dhamail dance.

 

The wedding date or auspicious time, however, remained fixed. The doll wedding would take place on the day of Chaitra Sankranti (the last day of the Bengali month of Chaitra). Everyone knew the date, so preparations for the wedding would begin in advance. After the wedding was completed with great enthusiasm and joy, everyone would sit down for a communal meal. After finishing the meal, everyone would return home with their respective dolls.

A whole month later, on the day of Baishakh Sankranti (the last day of the Bengali month of Baishakh), was the day designated for the farewell. Interestingly, this was not just a farewell ceremony for the bride, but a farewell ceremony for the couple. Everyone would gather again in one house with the doll bride and groom. After the post-wedding rituals and meals, the bride and groom would be sent off on a 'ship' with "Geet Jokar" (songs and ululation), meaning they were sent off to begin their married life. This ship was made of a raft of banana trees, a curved bamboo canopy, and a cloth covering. Colored paper, flower garlands, etc., were used to decorate the ship.

 

বর্ষশেষের সংক্রান্তিতে

পুতুল বিয়ের লগ্ন ।

পুতুল যাদের পুত্রকন্যা

চিন্তায় তারা মগ্ন  ।।

রিতার চোখে ঘুম নেই

মেয়ে রিঙ্কুর জন্য  ।

মাসেক কাল বয়েস হলো

জামাইতো নগণ্য  ।।

চলছে রীতা জামাইর খোঁজে

সীতার সনে দেখা ।

ভাবনা শুনে বললে সীতা

"এইতো বিধির লেখা ।।

পিন্টুর মোর বয়স হলো

বউ আনতে চাই ।

তোমার রিঙ্কু আসলে ঘরে

আমার চিন্তা নাই ।।"

রইলো কথা পাকাপাকি

চললো দোহে ঘর ।

মায়ের কাছে বললে রীতা

বড়ই সুখবর ।।

সাজো সাজো রব পড়েছে

কনের বাড়ির কাজ ।

একটু যদি ত্রুটি থাকে

পাবো বড় লাজ ।।

After sending off their children, the bride's mother and the groom's mother would return home weeping. Many tender-hearted children were also seen wailing loudly. The guardians would console the crying children in various ways.

 

The children were forced to float the dolls away. Because duty must be performed, no matter how difficult it is. Duty must be given more importance than the emotions of the heart. This is the way of worldly life. In fulfilling the duties of worldly life, one has to suppress the emotions of the heart when necessary and often make many sacrifices. Perhaps these things were being taught to the young children through this rehearsal of real-life experiences.

 

Then the children would again cherish the hope of new dolls. The period of waiting would begin. When would the opportunity to play with dolls come again? When would the auspicious time for the doll wedding arrive? Days passed, months passed, and finally, the waiting ended. The month of Chaitra arrived. The cycle of life continued, keeping pace with the cycle of the year. The mothers and aunts would pick up the materials for making dolls, and the minds of the little mothers would be filled with plans for nurturing their upcoming children. Along with the speculation about fulfilling the responsibility of their weddings, the urge to establish kinship with every person in the village was born. They felt the attraction of intimacy towards each other. They learned to think that their friends of the same age, and their friends' guardians, "are all our own people."

In this atmosphere of harmony, maintaining unity, this doll wedding ceremony, held through collective effort, still resonates in the heartstrings through the corridors of memory. And with the intention of preserving this beautiful culture, and to convey its feeling to the present generation in a more appealing way, the overall picture of the "Doll Wedding" is presented in rhyme:

বর্ষশেষের সংক্রান্তিতে

পুতুল বিয়ের লগ্ন ।

পুতুল যাদের পুত্রকন্যা

চিন্তায় তারা মগ্ন  ।।

রিতার চোখে ঘুম নেই

মেয়ে রিঙ্কুর জন্য  ।

মাসেক কাল বয়েস হলো

জামাইতো নগণ্য  ।।

চলছে রীতা জামাইর খোঁজে

সীতার সনে দেখা ।

ভাবনা শুনে বললে সীতা

"এইতো বিধির লেখা ।।

পিন্টুর মোর বয়স হলো

বউ আনতে চাই ।

তোমার রিঙ্কু আসলে ঘরে

আমার চিন্তা নাই ।।"

রইলো কথা পাকাপাকি

চললো দোহে ঘর ।

মায়ের কাছে বললে রীতা

বড়ই সুখবর ।।

সাজো সাজো রব পড়েছে

কনের বাড়ির কাজ ।

একটু যদি ত্রুটি থাকে

পাবো বড় লাজ ।।

 

On the last day of the year,

The auspicious time for the doll wedding.

Those whose dolls are their sons and daughters,

They are engrossed in worry.

Rita has no sleep in her eyes,

For her daughter Rinku.

She is only a month old,

And the groom is insignificant.

Rita is searching for a groom,

She meets Sita. Upon hearing the suggestion, Sita said,

"This is fate's decree.

My Pintu has come of age,

I want to bring him a wife.

If your Rinku comes to our home,

I'll have no worries."

The matter was settled,

And the two went home.

Rita told her mother

The wonderful news.

A flurry of preparations began

At the bride's house.

If there's even a slight flaw,

We will be greatly embarrassed.

 

রসগোল্লা, জিলিপি আর

পায়েস মিষ্টি দই ।

সফরীকলা নারিকেল

পান সুপারি খই ।।

আয়োজনের সমাপনে

প্রতীক্ষার পালা ।

ঘন ঘন পথ চাওয়া

কনের মার জ্বালা ।।

আসবে কবে বরের পক্ষ

এতো দেরী কেন ?

আয়োজন আর বিয়ের লগ্ন

মাটি হয় না যেন ।।

ঘরে বাইরে আনাগোনা

ধৈর্য নাহি রয় ।

টেলিফোনে বরের মায়ে

ডেকে রীতা কয় ।।

"বরকে নিয়ে আসছিস না যে

কেমন বেয়ান তুই ।

আয়োজন সব নষ্ট হবে

পঁচে যাবে দই ।।"

"এইতো আমি এলেম বলে

দেরী হলো কই ?

বরযাত্রী গীতা, মায়া

আসতে বাকী সই ।।"

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

জামাই এলো বিয়ে হলো

উলু দিলো সবে ।

হৈ হুল্লোড় কানে তালা

বিয়ে বাড়ির রবে ।।

মাতা এসে হেসে হেসে

বলেন "বসো খেতে ।

বরের পক্ষ কনের মা

সবাই আসন পেতে ।।"

খাওয়া হলো যথারীতি

বাজলো বিদায় সুর ।

প্রাণ উড়ে যায় কনের মায়ের

কি হবে রিঙ্কুর ।।

কেমন করে ওকে ছেড়ে

একলা ঘরে রই ।

আরতো আমার পুতুল নেই

এক রিঙ্কু বই ।।

সীতা এসে বুঝায় তারে

কেঁদোনা বেয়ান ।

বিয়ে হলে যেতে হবে

এইতো হলো আইন ।।

শোভাযাত্রায় যেতে দাও

প্রতিনিধির সাজে ।

বিশ্ব নবদম্পতির

কল্যাণ-সভা মাঝে ।।

 

সবাই মিলে জাহাজ সাজায়

ফুল-মালা দিয়ে ।

হুইসেল দিয়ে ছাড়লো জাহাজ

বর-বধূ নিয়ে ।

Rasgulla, jalebi and

Payesh, sweet yogurt.

Saffari bananas, coconut,

Betel leaf, betel nut, puffed rice.

With the preparations complete,

The waiting begins.

Frequent glances down the road,

The bride's mother's anguish.

When will the groom's party arrive?

Why the delay?

May the preparations and the wedding auspicious time

Not go to waste.

Coming and going inside and outside the house,

Patience is running out.

The bride's mother calls the groom's mother

On the telephone and says:

"Why aren't you bringing the groom?

What kind of in-law are you?

All the preparations will be ruined,

The yogurt will spoil."

"I'm just about to arrive,

Where's the delay?

The wedding guests Gita, Maya

Are yet to arrive, my dear."

 

The groom arrived, the wedding took place,

Everyone cheered.

The clamour and commotion were deafening,

In the wedding house's din.

The mother came, smiling,

And said, "Sit down to eat.

The groom's party, the bride's mother,

Everyone, take your seats."

The meal was served as usual,

The farewell tune played.

The bride's mother's heart aches,

What will become of Rinku?

How can I leave her

Alone in the house?

I have no other doll,

Only Rinku.

Sita comes and comforts her,

"Don't cry, my dear in-law.

After marriage, one has to leave,

That's the rule."

Let them go in the procession,

In the guise of representatives,

In the assembly of the world's

Newlywed couple's well-being.

 

Everyone together decorates the ship

With flowers and garlands.

The ship departed with a whistle,

Carrying the bride and groom.

"Dhamail"- the Folk Dance of Bam

The vast and diverse world is filled with countless treasures of variety. From ancient times, humankind, the creator's greatest creation, has expressed its feelings of joy and sorrow in spontaneous ways and various forms, in harmony with nature. Individual expressions have gradually taken on a social form, giving rise to numerous arts and cultures. This is how various folk songs and folk dances have spontaneously developed, such as Bhangra of Punjab, Dandiya of Rajasthan, Garba of Gujarat, Velakali of Kerala, Chhau and Raibeshe of Bengal, and others.

 

The folk dance of Cachar, Hailakandi, Karimganj—that is, the entire Barak Valley—and the Sylhet region, now part of Bangladesh, is widely known as "Dhamail." Its characteristic feature is a group dance performed in a circle with handclapping, accompanied by songs in a six-beat rhythm. This dance is performed during various religious festivals, weddings, and other celebrations, with songs relevant to the occasion. This dance is exclusively performed by women. The performers themselves sing the songs while dancing. A learned artist and lyricist named Radharaman Dutta is considered the father of Dhamail.

About thirty-five years ago, I was present at a discussion held at a folk culture center in Silchar town. While speaking about Dhamail there, a folk culture researcher forcefully struck his left palm with his right hand, lifted one leg about a foot and a half into the air, and then brought it down forcefully to the ground, saying, "If the dirt from the hand doesn't come off with the 'Dha' beat, then what kind of Dhamail is it?" I was astonished. At that moment, the words of a Chhau dance guru from the Purulia region of West Bengal, which I had seen on television just a few days earlier, flashed before my eyes – “If you can't crack the ground with your leaps, then how can it be called Chhau?” I wondered – was this the influence of one statement on another? That is, blind imitation of a statement, or an unexpected attack of Chhau on Dhamaail?

I could not accept it. I am a girl from the village of Bam Kachar, born and raised in the village. I consider myself quite knowledgeable about the Dhamaail dance prevalent in the village. Hearing the statement of the urban researcher, I became confused. My interest in learning more about Dhamaail increased. Besides my own area, Bam Kachar, I started inquiring about Dhamaail prevalent throughout the Barak Valley. I tried to learn about the Dhamaail from people who came from Sylhet. As a result of this research, I learned that my understanding of Dhamaail was correct. There is no significant difference between the Dhamaail of Bam Kachar and the Dhamaail of other places.

However, this inquiry led me to discover a tradition that is unique to Bam Kachar. I felt proud to learn about the various rich forms of Dhamaail that developed here almost a hundred and fifty years ago. I learned that just as some enterprising Dhamaail lovers in Sylhet popularized Dhamaail through various rhythms and footwork, the same effort continued in our Bam Kachar, but to a much greater extent. That effort was innovative and remarkable. Although some of the artists of Cachar, who dedicated their skills to the improvement of Dhamaail, have now been lost to oblivion, their achievements live on not only in the Bam region but throughout the Barak Valley.

Generally, some songs centered around various festivals or ceremonies are practiced in Dhamaail equally everywhere, but the specialty of Bam Kachar lies elsewhere. The person who contributed the most in this regard is a Vaishnava poet named Gopal Das from Panibhara village, whose name in his worldly life, that is, in his household life, was Gopi Charan Nath. He travelled to Vrindavan on a pilgrimage, lived there for many years, and met many Vaishnava poets. Those great... When he returned to the village with several invaluable poetic works composed by Vaishnava poets, he began to incorporate them into the local Kirtan and Dhamail performances. His own poetic talent was also added to this.

Initially, he experimentally introduced the "Pushpa Dol" (Flower Swing) episode of Lord Krishna into the Dhamail tradition. To help him take this great endeavour to the pinnacle of success, "Radhika Thakrun," a renowned artist of the Dhamail art form in this region, extended her hand of cooperation. Along with her talented disciples, Snehalata Devi, Usharani Nath, and other artists, she popularised the "Pushpa Dol" episode through special training.

 The fame of "Pushpa Dol" spread throughout the entire Barak Valley. Dhamaail artists from areas like Narsinghpur, Dudhpatil, and Lala rushed to learn from Pushpa Dol. The Pushpa Dol performance established itself with great respect in the Dhamail art scene across the Barak Valley. Even today, Pushpa Dol reigns supreme in its own glory. On the full moon of Baishakh, the Pushpa Dol festival of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great reverence through the Dhamail performance. Due to its immense popularity, this performance, which is presented in a single day, cannot satisfy the demands of the people. Therefore, the Dhamail kirtan of this performance continues for two weeks. According to the tradition of mentioning the composer's name in the introductory part, in some songs of the Pushpa Dol performance, one hears "Vrindavan Das sees it with the eye of devotion."

while at the end of other songs, there is "Gopal Bhikhari remains waiting in hope."

Encouraged by the immense success of Pushpa Dol and with the sincere interest of Radhika Thakurani, Gopal Das Babaji began to search for more kirtan performances. In the book "Pad Ratnamala" compiled by Shri Harilal Chattopadhyay and published by Kanailal Chattopadhyay, the two performances "Subal Milan" and "Rai Rakhal," composed by poets such as Yadunath Das, Basu Ghosh, Dinabandhu Das, Purnananda Das, Raghunath Das, and Raishekhar, caught his attention.  He began the practice of transforming the writings composed in various meters into Dhamail by arranging them with different melodies, rhythms, and tempos. Surprisingly, examples of kirtan with improvisational verses were also included here. The effort was successful. These two performances also beautifully manifested themselves in Dhamail. Besides this, numerous songs about Krishna's divine play were selected for Dhamail from countless books, including "Muktalatavali" and "Radhakrishna Vilas" composed by Joynarayan Mukherjee. Some songs composed by Gopal Das Babaji also found a place in it. Dhamail is enriched by the compositions of numerous writers such as Radha Raman Dutta, Chaitanya Charan Pal, Dwij Banshidas, and Baul Jivan. Dhamail shines with its unique characteristics during Surya Vrata, Kalathakur's Kirtan, Janmashtami, Radhashtami, Annaprashan, weddings, and in the pavilions of various deities' worship. The performance of Dhamail, along with thematic songs, is an indispensable part of social life.

Meanwhile, while Pushpa Dol still exists in its full glory as a form of Pala Kirtan, the two plays "Subal Milan" and "Rai Rakhal" began to fade into oblivion after the demise of Gopal Das and Radhika Thakurani. Although their propagation ceased due to a lack of practice, these two Pala Kirtans still knock on the doors of the memories of the elderly people of this region. Even today, the manuscripts of these two Pala Kirtans are carefully preserved in the collection of the late Snehalata Devi, Radhika Thakurani's most beloved disciple and a highly skilled Dhamail artist. (And fortunately, this writer is the daughter of the late Snehalata Devi).

A review of the history of South Cachar reveals that the practice of poetry has been prevalent here since the time of the Charyapada. This is our pride. This continuity has not been lost. That is why we see that even a hundred and fifty years ago, the love for literature, the practice of culture, and the extensive practice for the all-round development of folk dances like Dhamail had surprisingly reached the pinnacle of progress in this region. The improvement in the standard of music practice throughout the Barak Valley, illuminated by the artistic and intellectual talent of this region, undoubtedly deserves praise. Besides formal education, or despite being educated, it is possible to express one's poetic talent and successfully convey one's thoughts in the regional language out of love for it—this has been proven by the Bamer Dhamail performances. For example:

Sister Rohini, Gopal is not at my house,

He has gone to the field (to play).

This is his only work now

He went to the field at dawn,

Have to call him back at mealtime.

The trouble maker boy!

দিদি রোহিণী , গোপাল আমার বাড়িত নাই

(খেলতে) খেড়িত গেছেগিয়া

ওউত্তো তার এক বিরতি (বৃত্তি) অইছে

রাইত  পোয়াইতে খেড়িত গেছে

(তারে ) খাইবার কালো আনো ডাক দিয়া ।।

কেলেঙ্কারিয়া নারায়নে

 

If we fail to bring this history of traditional Bam Kachar to the public and illuminate the present in the light of history, we will prove to be failures as successors. Therefore, I appeal to the present generation that they should be careful to take the rich art form like Dhamail to a higher level through special study and practice. Only then can we become worthy successors of the rich art form of Dhamail and the musical tradition of Bam Kachar.

 

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Author's Introduction:

Kanan Nath Majumdar: Besides writing for various newspapers and magazines of the Barak Valley, souvenirs published by various government and non-government organisations, "Sharadiya Shrihatta Jyoti," "Annual Katyayani," etc., she is a regular contributor to various issues of "Naba Yugantar" published from Kolkata and "Bangadesh," a little magazine published from Nadia.  She also earned considerable fame by editing the Sharadiya magazine titled "Vaijayanti." Her novel "Manush Manusher Janya" (Man is for Man) has been highly praised in intellectual circles.

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