Music, Dance and Drama

Dwelling in a land of torrential rains, mighty rivers and lush paddy fields, the average Bangladeshi has a profound relationship with Nature. Bangladesh is essentially a land of songs, music and dances. The music of Bangladesh is emotional, ecstatic and romantic. One can find varieties of songs and music, ancient and modern, local and western including music instruments.

Local music or songs assume various names: Classical songs, Semi-classical songs, Palli Geeti or folk songs, Rabindra Sangeet (songs by Tagore, the Nobl Laureate), Nazrul Geeti (songs by the rebel poet of Bangladesh Kazi Nazrul Islam), Religious songs, Desher Gaan or patriotic songs, Adhunik Gaan or modern Bangla songs and Gana Sangeet or inspirational songs.

The rich tradition of music in Bangladesh can be divided into three distinct categories-classical, folk and modern. The tradition of classical music, whether vocal or instrumental, is rooted in the ancient history of this subcontinent. It has been cultivated with great patience and passion by devoted musicians over the centuries. The internationally known Sarod players Ustad Alauddin Khan and Ustad Ayet Ali Khan hailed from the soil of this country.

Folk music, nurtured through the ages by village bards, is the most popular and timeless form of music in Bangladesh. Rich in devotional mysticism and romanticism, folk music exudes the authentic flavour and charm of the soil. The most well-known forms are Bhatiali, Baul, Marfati, Murshidi, Bhaoaiya and Gombhira. Some of the greatest exponents of our mystic and devotional songs were Lalan Fakir, Hasan Raja and Abbasuddin Ahmed.

Modern Bengali music originated from two distinct schools. The first is essentially a blend of East and West initiated by Rabindranath Tagore.

The rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam spearheaded the second, and experi­mented with a synthesis of classical, folk and Middle Eastern musical strains.

The contemporary adherents of both the schools have been widening their range with new experiments.

There are various native musical instruments which are indispensable for composing Bangladeshi songs. Among these, the best-known are: Tabla, Behala, Ektara, Dotara, Banshi, Mandira, Sharinda, Mridongo, Shorod, Setar, Tanpura, Esraj, etc. The harmonium, though western in origin, has been adopted by musicians throughout the subcontinent.

More than 95 percent of the people of Bangladesh speak Bengali, which is one of the earliest modem languages of the subcontinent. It originated from the eastern Prakrit group of the Indo-Aryan family of languages. Early Bengali, in its lyrical form, originated in the 7th century AD. Its mediaeval period witnessed a steady upsurge of poetry having strong devotional and romantic overtones. In this connection, it should also be mentioned that innumerable Bangladeshis laid down their lives for the recognition of Bengali as a state language during the Language Movement in l952.

Since the early decades of the last century, modern Bengali literature swept into the mainstream of world culture through the works of such geniuses as Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore and the rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam while poet Jasimuddin's austere lyrical anecdotes-­depicting rural life with its joys and sorrows, romance and pathos-kept alive the link with the toiling masses. With this heritage to draw inspiration from, the contemporary Bengali literature of Bangladesh has been throbbing with the creative impulses of a new generation of poets, novelists, playwrights and essayists. Many of their works have earned fame beyond the borders of the country.

The art of dance in Bangladesh draws freely from the sub continental classical forms as well as the folk, tribal, ballet and Middle Eastern strains. Of the tribal dances, particularly popular are Manipuri and Santhal. The Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA), set up in Dhaka in the early 1950s, played a pioneering role in the promotion of dance in the country. A number of other cultural organizations have helped in popularizing the art form. No cultural evening in this country is complete without a dance item. Cinema has also popularized dancing. With the 

Jatra (Folk Drama) is another vital part of the Bengali culture. It depicts mythological episodes of love as well as historical and social themes. Legendary plays of heroism are also popular, particularly in the rural areas. In the past jatra was the biggest form of entertainment for the rural folk, who made up 80% of the country's population. Nowadays, jatra has been relegated to the back seat in the entertainment world. Gradually, popular western and Hollywood culture are having a greater impact on traditional cultural forms such as jatra.

Drama in Bangladesh has an old tradition and is very popular. In Dhaka more than a dozen theater groups have been regularly staging locally written plays as well as those adapted from famous writers, mainly of European origin. Popular theatre groups are Dhaka Theatre, Theatre Nagarik Nattya Sampraday and Group Theatre. In Dhaka, the Baily Road area is known as ‘Natak Para’, where drama shows regularly held. The Public library Auditorium and National Museum Auditorium are renowned for holding cultural shows. The Dhaka University area especially around Shahbagh plays a pivotal role in the city's cultural life.