Music and Dance of West Bengal - 2 | WBCS Preparation: All Subjects - WBCS (West Bengal) PDF Download

Bengali Music

• Classical Bangla Music
  Similar to classical music forms in India, classical Bangla music is intricately woven around musical nodes known as ragas. Drawing inspiration from Bengali classical traditions or their variations, traditional Bangla music shares several ragas with Hindustani and Carnatic classical music.
• Rabindra Sangeet
  Developed by Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore, Rabindra Sangeet is a prominent form of Bengali music. Widely appreciated among the educated demographic, this music genre, consisting of over two thousand songs, is considered a defining expression of Bangla music, characterized by its prophetic and intellectual nature.
• Nazrul Geeti
  The revolutionary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam contributed to the development of Nazrul Geeti, a highly motivational and revolutionary form of Bengali music. While not commercially popular like Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti gained widespread recognition during the freedom struggle. It is known for its powerful lyrics, catchy tunes, and motivational themes.
• Baul Sangeet
  Baul Sangeet, a popular folk form of Bengali music, shares similarities with modern western folk music and the Sufi genre. Beyond musical parallels, it emphasizes the spiritual and intellectual aspects of music, urging individuals to find divinity within themselves rather than in conventional religious settings.
• Bhatiyali Music
  Bhatiyali Sangeet, another folk dialect of Bengali music, transcends religious biases. Created by boatmen, this natural and raw folk music features wonderful tunes accompanied by highly philosophical lyrics.
• Shyama Sangeet
  Belonging to the devotional genre, Shyama Sangeet is dedicated to Maa Kali, the goddess of power. Developed during the 12th-13th century with the rise of 'Shaktism' in Bengal, this form of music beautifully describes the sublime love between the deity and devotee, akin to the love between a mother and her child.
• Adhunik Bangla Sangeet
  Post-independence, West Bengal witnessed the emergence of Adhunik Sangeet, an exhaustive list of contemporary music styles influenced by westernization and movie culture. Bengali pop, rock, and film music have gained significant popularity, catering specifically to the youth.