Music Of Assam
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Music Of Assam
The music of Assam consists various genres of folk and modern music, drawing its artistic basis from the history of Assam, from Assamese culture and its ancient traditions. In recent times, starting from the late eighties, popular artistes have modernized the music catering to local popular demand. A basic characteristic of the indigenous ethnic music of Assam is its descending scale similar to East Asian music which distinguishes it from the '' Mode-based'' or folk music ''( Raaga-based)'' forms from the rest of India. The tunes are structured in a pyramid and are in always in pentatonic scale similar to other traditional music of Asia like China, Mongolia etc and dissimilar from the seven-scaled Indian music, (in contrast to the music of rest of India which is ''Meend'' based), such as the ''Bihu'' songs, (common in South-East Asia and East Asia) besides languorous music of other forms. The legend of ''Princess Usha of Sonitpur'' and her cohort '' Chitralekha'' also enlighten u ...
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Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur to the east; Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Bangladesh to the south; and West Bengal to the west via the Siliguri Corridor, a wide strip of land that connects the state to the rest of India. Assamese and Boro are the official languages of Assam, while Bengali is an additional official language in the Barak Valley. Assam is known for Assam tea and Assam silk. The state was the first site for oil drilling in Asia. Assam is home to the one-horned Indian rhinoceros, along with the wild water buffalo, pygmy hog, tiger and various species of Asiatic birds, and provides one of the last wild habitats for the Asian elephant. The Assamese economy is aided by wildlife tourism to Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park, which are ...
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Dihanaam
Dihanaam is a type of congregational prayer sung by women in Assam in praise of the Assamese saint Sankardev. Instruments like the ''Negera ''Negera'' is a genus of moths belonging to the subfamily Drepaninae. Species *''Negera bimaculata'' (Holland, 1893) *''Negera clenchi'' Watson, 1965 *''Negera confusa'' Walker, 1855 *'' Negera disspinosa'' Watson, 1965 *''Negera natalensis ...'', '' taal'', '' khol'' and also hand-clapping is used in it. The songs are derived from Vaishnava religious scriptures like '' Kirtan-ghosa''. The songs are sung in call and response style. References * Music of Assam Oral literature of Assam Ekasarana Dharma Prayer {{music-genre-stub ...
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Taal (instrument)
The taal, manjira (also spelled manjīrā or manjeera), jalra, karatala, kartal or gini is a pair of clash cymbals, originating in the Indian subcontinent, which make high-pitched percussion sounds. In its simplest form, it consists of a pair of small hand cymbals. The word taal comes from the Sanskrit word ''Tālà'', which literally means a clap. It is a part of Indian music and culture, used in various traditional customs e.g. Bihu music, Harinaam etc. It is a type of Ghana vadya. In Hindu religious contexts it is known as karatalas (; ''kara'' "hand", "arm" and ''tāla'' "rhythm", "beat"), typically used to accompany devotional music such as bhajan and kirtan. They are commonly used by Hare Krishna devotees when performing harinam, but are ubiquitous to all Hindu devotional music. It is also called karatala or kartal (pronounced as “kartel”) in some contexts. Types There are many types of Taal, categorised by size, weight and appearance. * Bortaal is the big size cl ...
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Pepa (musical Instrument)
The pepa is a hornpipe musical instrument that is used in traditional music in Assam, India. In Boro language, it is known as ''Phenpha''. It is usually made with the horn of a buffalo. Significance "Pepa" is a hornpipe which has been used during Bihu celebrations since ancient times. Instruments similar to Pepa are also found among other Bodo-Kachari groups like Garo, Tripuri, Dimasa, etc. The Tibetans, Khmers (Austroasiatic) and ancient Chinese also used similar instruments named ''Rwa-dun'' and '' Sneng'' for religious rituals. Later, it was used as a musical instrument for festive occasions like Bihu. An improved version of Pepa was also developed in the Chutia kingdom which was known as Kaali (made of copper) as mentioned in Deodhai Buranji (where Ahom king Suhungmung Suhungmung (), or Dihingia Roja I was one of the most prominent Ahom Kings who ruled at the cusp of Assam's medieval history. His reign broke from the early Ahom rule and established a multi-e ...
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Naqareh
The ''naqareh'', ''naqqāra'', ''nagara'' or ''nagada'' is a Middle Eastern drum with a rounded back and a hide head, usually played in pairs. It is thus a membranophone of the kettle drum variety. The term ''naqqāra'' (), also ''naqqarat'', ''naqqarah'', ''naqqåre'', ''nakkare'', ''nagora'' comes from the Arabic verb ''naqr-'' that means "to strike, beat". The instrument was also adopted in Europe following the Crusades, and known as the naccaire or naker. Construction The rounded section of a naqqara is made of baked clay, while the flat side consists of treated skin fastened around the rim with string which is tightened over the back of the bow Playing This percussion instrument is often played in pairs, where one ''naqqara'' will produce low pitch beats called ''nar'' and the other for the high pitch beats. The instruments are beaten with short wooden sticks bent outward at the upper ends called ''damka''. Varieties Iraq and the other Arab countries ''Naqqārāt'' is t ...
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Mridanga
The khol is a terracotta two-sided drum used in northern and eastern India for accompaniment with devotional music (''bhakti''). It is also known as a mridanga (< + , ), not to be confused with ''''. It originates from the Indian states of , and . The drum is played with palms and fingers of both hands.


Description

The khol is regarded as resembling to the ...
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Khol
The khol is a terracotta two-sided drum used in northern and eastern India for accompaniment with devotional music (''bhakti''). It is also known as a mridanga (< + , ), not to be confused with ''''. It originates from the Indian states of , and . The drum is played with palms and fingers of both hands.


Description

The khol is regarded as resembling to the ...
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Gogona
The ''gogona'' is a type of jaw harp, a vibrating reed instrument that is used primarily in the traditional Bihu music in Assam. In Boro language, it is known as ''Gongina''. It is made of a piece of bamboo/horn that has a bifurcation on one end. The solid end is gripped with the teeth and the free ends are then struck repeatedly with the fingers to emit the distinctive sound of the ''gogona''. It was originally developed in ancient China(Kouxian) and passed on to the Sino-Tibetan tribes who migrated to Assam, now chiefly used by the Sadiyal Kacharis(Chutias, Deoris, Sonowals). Types * Ramdhan Gogona is generally played by men. It is shorter, wider and slightly heavier than the Lahori Gogona, to fit properly in a typical man's hand. This instrument is often tucked in a tongali tied around the performer's waist or in a vivid Gamusa tied around the head like other instruments like Bahi (Flute), Xutuli etc. * Lahori Gogona
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Dotara
The ''dotara'' (or ''dotar'') Persian ( bn, দোতারা, as, দোতাৰা, literally, 'Of or having two strings') is a two, four, or sometimes five- stringed musical instrument, originating from Iran and Central Asia. It is commonly used in Bangladesh and the Indian states of Assam, West Bengal and Bihar, and is first mentioned in a 14th-century Saptakanda Ramayana. Later, it was adopted by the ascetic cults of Bauls and Fakirs. Etymology The term is from Eastern Indo-Aryan (do târ), literally "two wires", with the suffix -a “having, -ed”. The instrument is known as dotara or dütara ( bn, দোতারা, as, দোতাৰা) and dütüra ( as, দোতোৰা).Technically it is called Dotara because the middle two of its strings are tuned in same note. History Madhava Kandali, 14th century Assamese poet and writer of Saptakanda Ramayana, lists several instruments in his version of "Ramayana", such as Dotara, mardala, tabal, jhajhar etc. Var ...
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Tokari Geet
Tokari geet is a type of Assamese Assamese may refer to: * Assamese people, a socio-ethnolinguistic identity of north-eastern India * People of Assam, multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious people of Assam * Assamese language, one of the easternmost Indo-Aryan language ... folk song sung playing a '' Tokari''. Earlier it was called ''Tokari naam''. It is so called because a ''tokari'' is played while singing it. A tokari is a single stringed musical instrument played with the fingers; a kind of guitar. These are usually philosophical songs based on human life, stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, gods and goddesses. Besides, stories of Sankardev and Madhavdeva is also sung here. A tokari can be played with '' dihanaam'', but it cannot be called a ''tokari geet''. See also * Music of Assam Notes References *''Satsori'' (An Assamese magazine), 16-31 issue, page 13 Music of Assam Oral literature of Assam Indian folk songs {{folk-song-stub ...
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Kamrupi Lokgeet
Kamrupi Lokgeet is popular form of folk music that expresses thoughts and emotion of the Kamrupi people. The songs are derived from Ancient Kamrup. The language of Kamrupi lokgeet are different dialects and ancestral forms of Assamese, including Early Assamese, Kamrupi dialects and Standard Assamese. History These songs have been sung from time immemorial by peoples of Kamrup region. Beside this forms of songs linking the day-to-day activities are also popular, like marriage songs (biyar geet), now khelar (boat race) geet, maha kheda (mosquito drive out) geet, child's play geet, fishing geet, lullabye geet and harvest festival geets. Considerably influenced by a class of Vaishnava songs of the highest sophistication and refinement, both literary and musical, the Kamrupi Lokgeets, although sung to the humble dolara and the dagar (or khanjari) demonstrate great intricacy. It is known for richness of musical modes. References See also * Indian folk music * Indian classical music ...
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Goalpariya Lokogeet
Goalpariya Lokogeet ( Assamese: গোৱালপাৰীয়া লোকগীত) is a folk music of Goalpara, sung to traditional lyrics. It is sung by goalpariya language speaking people. It was primarily Pratima Barua Pandey, who raised the profile of this hitherto unknown genre of music nationally in India. This genre of music is being kept alive by the Koch Rajbongshi community in their music festivals. Currently, albums of Goalpariya songs are released commercially; and Goalpariya musical motifs and instruments are increasingly used in popular music in India. Some noted singers are Bina Das Borthakur, Mini Bhattacharya, Nazmul Hoque, Allauddin Sarkar, Hamida Sarkar, Abdul Jabber, Rahima Begum Kalita ,Ayaan Anisur Etc. Variants Goalpariya ''lokgeet'' refers to the lyrical songs of Goalpara that are not associated with religious or rituals. Love is the primary theme of these compositions, but not exclusively. There are various subgenres of this music that differ in th ...
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