Magical Folk Songs of Bihar

Hello, young readers! Today, let us make a musical journey to one of the most colorful, vibrant states in eastern India—Bihar. Bihar is famous for many things: good food, historical places, and most importantly, its rich tradition of folk songs. Folk Songs have a unique characteristic as they are learned and sung from generations and they elaborate on the people, their culture, and their lives. So let's explore this fantastic world of folk songs in Bihar!

What are Folk Songs?

Before we start, let's find out exactly what folk songs are. They are traditional songs that come from the people and not from professionals. They are generally about daily life, nature, festivals, and emotions. These songs are mostly created and sung in local languages and dialects, which makes them unique and special.

Folk Music of Bihar

The folk music of Bihar is varied and soulful. Different types of songs are sung on various occasions and festivals. Some famous folk songs of Bihar include :

1. Sohar: These are the songs that are sung celebrating the birth of a child. If a baby is born, the whole village or the entire locality comes to sing Sohar songs. These songs express joy and jubilation and mainly pray for the well-being of the newborns.

2. Bidesia: This folk song narrates the story of someone who has gone far away from home and family in search of employment or livelihood in a far-off place. Songs of Bidesia are mostly emotional and speak of separation pangs and the longing to return home.

3. Kajri: The Kajri songs are sung during the rainy season, before the pouring of the rain. It goes on further in its portrayal of the beauty of nature in the rainy season and the precipitation of emotions of love and longing.

4. Chhath geet: Chhath is an important festival celebrated in Bihar where people devote themselves to the Sun God. During the pujas, Chhath geet is sung to the Sun God, glorifying his attire and praying to him so that his family and community members get well.

5. Purbi: These are love songs much beloved in Bihar. Purbi songs are performed very sweetly and melodiously, and they express feelings of love and affection of karmic couples.

The Instruments of Folk Music of Bihar

What remains to be said about folklore in Bihar is that it does not merely concern songs but also deals with a variety of musical instruments that complement each other in tone and tune. Some of the instruments that are traditionally used to play music in Bihar include the dholak, among others. 

1. Dholak: This is a double-headed drum played with the hands. It is a very common instrument in folk music and adds a lively beat to the songs.

2. Harmonium: This is a small keyboard instrument, operated by the pressure of pitchers to drive the air through reeds and provide a melodious tune that combines well with the singing.

3. Bansuri: This is a bamboo flute, that produces a sweet, very soothing sound. The bansuri could be considered the one instrument that is capable of creating magic in every piece where it's used in the folk genre.

4. Manjira: So, these are played by clapping them together. They provide a tinkling sound that goes along with the rhythm of the songs.

The Stories in the Folk Songs

What makes the folk songs of Bihar so gripping are the stories they beheld. The songs are but little rays or windows one opens to peep into the lives of the people of Bihar, which speak of their joys, sorrows, hopes, and dreams. Here are some of the stories you might find in Bihar's folk songs:

The Farmer's Song: Picture that farmer toiling in his farmland under the scorching sun. He sings a song for his encouragement and to thank the earth for giving him crops. The song narrates about his love for soil and his hope for a good harvest.

Weavers Song: The weaver in a tiny town is busy working on his loom and weaving colored fabrics. Engrossed in his doing, he sings a song about the beauty of the patterns he is weaving, the way shapes treat the colors, and the pleasure he finds in creating something with his own hands.

Festive Song: The whole village gets intoxicated with music and dance during a festival. People get lost in singing songs of the festival. People pour out their pleasure and increase their affection for each other through songs.

Significance of Folk Songs

Folk songs do not just entertain; they are also very important for other reasons:

1. Culture Preservation: Folk songs sustain the culture and tradition of a community. The old stories and customs are retained and then forwarded to the next generation in time.

2. Community Building: The folk songs, when sung together, build a community of people. Coming together creates a feeling of belonging, making and strengthening of social bonds.

3. Emote: Folk songs provide a means for people to express their emotions. Folk songs are composed for anything that a person feels—be it about happiness, sorrow, love, or yearning.

4. Teaching Values: Many life lessons and values are embedded within many folk songs: hard work, love for nature, respect for elders, and the value of one's family and community.

How to Enjoy Folk Music of Bihar?

But then, we live in this modern world where every type of music that has ever been recorded is available to us; yet folk songs somehow still strike a chord. Here is how you can take in and enjoy the folk song of Bihar.

1. Recorded Folk Songs: Recordings of folk songs from Bihar are numerous; collections can be easily found on the internet. You can listen to them and enjoy the tunes and beats.

2. Watching performances: If possible, view some live performances of folk music of Bihar. Most of the cultural festivals and events are filled with energy and vitality.

3. Sing Along: One can also sing some of the folk songs. You can learn the lyrics and tunes from your parents, grandparents, or even online resources. When you sing these songs, you will feel a connection to the culture.

4. Learn an Instrument: If you have an interest in music, try your hand at one of the traditional instruments that find a place of pride in the list used in Bihar's folk music. It could be the dholak, harmonium, bansuri, or manjira. Playing these instruments is bound to make the music sound even more enriching.

History of Folk Songs of Bihar

Folk songs of Bihar have a long and rich historical backing. Since ages, they're one of the most important parts of the practiced culture here in the middle of the eastern state. Passing from mouth to mouth for generations, they've held the traditions and stories of the culture.

These folk songs trace their history to ancient times when Bihar was hailed as Magadha. Magadha was an empire of great military might with an academic and cultural center. People of Magadha were known for a sense of music and amorous poetry, a tradition that continued in the years on and on.

These consisted of folk songs that used to be commonly sung in various rituals and ceremonies. The people of Bihar used to express their sentiments through these songs. From ancient adoration practices, some of the coming down generations include the Chhath Geet sung during the Chhath festival.

Medieval Period

Bihar was ruled by numerous dynasties, amongst them the Mughals, who ruled during the medieval period. These diverse musical traditions found fusion in the medieval period, and new developments in the folk music of Bihar appeared. Bidesia songs, which talk of a situation of migration and separation, became very popular during that period because lots of people left home to earn and satisfy hunger.

Modern Times

Contemporary times have not done away with the folk music of Bihar. While people have been affected by modern music, there has still been no dearth of traditional folk music, with so many folk songs catering to traditional tastes. At festivals, weddings, and every ceremony of life, the folk music of Bihar is sung to keep the old culture alive.

The Impact of Folk Songs in Bihar

This has a vast influence on the life of the people and the culture of Bihar. They hold significant functions in safekeeping Bihar's cultural heritage and its traditions and propagating that the tales, ethos, and sagacity of the yesteryears are bequeathed to posterity.

The importance of folk songs to the very social life of the Bihari people is important in the constitution of unique customs, traditions, peculiar way of life, and doing things. By doing the activity of singing such songs, the individual gets rooted in their values, feels proud of their community, and shares a social bond.

These songs foster social bonding and unity with people. Performance of folk songs binds people together, giving them a stimulus for being and living as one united community, for instance, in times of festivals, weddings, and other occasions. The shared joy through the performance of the songs and dances enables people from all walks of life to maintain their values and culture.

Folk songs are an articulation of emotion. They are used to express various emotions, such as happiness, love, sorrow, and loneliness. This is the core reason the other sentiments of the people are moved and comforted, especially in moments of their problems through this firm essence of emotion.

Since they are more of storytelling, folk songs provide education to many on issues about human concerns such as agriculture, migration, and some social issues. All too often, they contain moral lessons and practical wisdom to inform both children and adults in a very informal manner.

Conclusion

Folk songs of Bihar are a very beautiful and integral component of culture that ties people together, narrates enchanting stories, and passes the tradition to them. Be it Sohar of happiness, Bidesia of sorrow, or Kajri of melodiousness, folk songs have their charm and significance.

This conserves the languages and dialects of the Bihari people when folk songs of Bihar are used. Being passed down several generations, a lot of linguistic heritage keeps barnacled in them, and they are reflected in regional languages.

To sum up, the folk songs of Bihar are not just musical items; they surpass what mere entertainment can do. They constitute a very effective tool for cultural preservation, social bonding, emotional expression, learning, and maintenance of language. Their ageless tunes coupled with genuine lyrics still overflow, ostensibly feeding the thoughts of a lot of Biharis while adorning the magnificent cultural tapestry of the region.

Hence, every time you listen to a folk song, give a thought to the rich heritage and the people of Bihar who have conserved and nurtured this tradition for ages. Happy singing!

FAQs

1. What is the famous folk song of Bihar?

Jhumar was a folk song popular in the Munger district of present-day Bihar. It played a crucial role in spreading the message and idea of the national movement among the common people. 

2. Who is the folk singer of Bihar?

Sharda Sinha, Daler Mehndi, Kiran Ahluwalia, Manoj Tiwari, Deepali Kishore, Aishwarya Nigam, Parmanand Singh, Maithili Thakur.

3. What are Bihari songs called?

The famous folk music of Bihar includes forms like Sohar, Bidesia, Chhath Geet, Kajri, Jatsari, and Phagwa.

4. What is the folk language of Bihar?

The most widely spoken languages of the Bihari group are Bhojpuri, Magahi and Maithili

5. What is the traditional instrument of Bihar?

In the state of Bihar, the most common folk instruments are the dhol, the sarangi, the sitar, the sarod, the shehnai, and the tabla.

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