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Borgeets ( as, বৰগীত, lit=songs celestial, translit=Borgeet) are a collection of lyrical songs that are set to specific
raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
s but not necessarily to any tala. These songs, composed by Srimanta Sankardeva and
Madhavdeva Madhavdev (1489–1596) (Pron: ˈʃrɪ ˈʃrɪ ˈmɑ:dəbˌdeɪv) is an important preceptor of the Ekasarana Dharma known for his loyalty to his guru, Srimanta Sankardev as well as his artistic brilliance. Initially a sakta worshipper, he wa ...
in the 15th-16th centuries, are used to begin prayer services in
monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
, e.g.
Satra Satra Corporation was a US trading and metal processing company. It is primarily known in the United Kingdom for its Satra Motors Limited subsidiary, which was the official importer and distributor of Soviet Union cars and motorcycles in that co ...
and
Namghar Namghars ( as, নামঘৰ) literally ''Prayer House'' are places for congregational worship associated with the entire Assamese community and the Ekasarana sect of Hinduism, in particular, that is native to Assam. Besides forming the primar ...
associated with the
Ekasarana Dharma Ekasarana Dharma (literally: ''Shelter-in-One religion'') is a neo-Vaishnavite monolithic religion propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th-16th century in the Indian state of Assam. It reduced focus on vedic ritualism and focuses on d ...
; and they also belong to the repertoire of Music of Meghalaya outside the religious context. They are a lyrical strain that express the religious sentiments of the poets reacting to different situations, and differ from other lyrics associated with the
Ekasarana Dharma Ekasarana Dharma (literally: ''Shelter-in-One religion'') is a neo-Vaishnavite monolithic religion propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th-16th century in the Indian state of Assam. It reduced focus on vedic ritualism and focuses on d ...
. Similar songs composed by others are not generally considered . The first Borgeet was composed by Srimanta Sankardeva during his first pilgrimage at Badrikashram in c1488, which is contemporaneous to the birth of
Dhrupad Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music from the Indian subcontinent. It is the oldest known style of major vocal styles associated with Hindustani classical music, Haveli Sangeet of Pushtimarg Sampraday and also related to the South Ind ...
in the court of
Man Singh Tomar Man Singh Tomar (IAST: Mānasiṃha) was a Tomar Rajput ruler of Gwalior who ascended the throne in 1486 CE. History Maharaja Man Singh Tomar was born to Raja Kalyanmall, the Tomar Rajput ruler of Gwalior. He ruled for over 30 years. In hi ...
(1486-1518) of Gwalior.
Brajavali dialect Brajavali ( Assamese: ''Brôzawôli'') was a literary language used by Sankardev (1449–1568) for some of his compositions (Borgeets and Ankia Naats) in the context of his Vaishnavite religion, Ekasarana Dharma, in Assam. Though similar langua ...
is a language native to the Braj region of
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
, a state in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Nowadays these areas are dominated by the identity of
Bhojpuri Bhojpuri (;Bhojpuri entry, Oxford Dictionaries
, Oxford U ...
(another important language covering mainly Uttar Pradesh and
Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
), mainly because of cinematic influence of the language over other local languages such as Maithili, Awadhi, Brajavali, Bundelkhandi, Angika, Bajjika, etc. Brajaavali is also the language of the creations of Shankardev and Madhabdev in the form of scriptures which play as the base for today's religious bases of Assam, i.e. the
Satra Satra Corporation was a US trading and metal processing company. It is primarily known in the United Kingdom for its Satra Motors Limited subsidiary, which was the official importer and distributor of Soviet Union cars and motorcycles in that co ...
s where the prime deities are Rama and Krishna who again have their origins in Awadh, Gokul, Vrindaavan, Mathura areas of today's Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.


Lyrics

The are written in the form of verse. The first pada, marked , works as a refrain and is repeated over the course of singing of the succeeding verses. In the last couplet, the name of the poet is generally mentioned. The structure of is said to model the songs of 8-10th century
Charyapada The Charyapada (IAST: Caryapāda, Assamese language, Assamese/Bengali language, Bengali: চর্যাপদ) is a collection of mystical poems, songs of realization in the Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism from the tantra, tantric tradition in ...
. The first borgeet, ''mana meri rama-caranahi lagu'', was composed by the Sankardeva at Badrikashrama during his first pilgrimage. The language he used for all his is
Brajavali Brajavali ( Assamese: ''Brôzawôli'') was a literary language used by Sankardev (1449–1568) for some of his compositions (Borgeets and Ankia Naats) in the context of his Vaishnavite religion, Ekasarana Dharma, in Assam. Though similar langua ...
, an artificial Maithili-Assamese mix; though Madhavdeva used Brajavali very sparingly. Brajavali, with its preponderance of vowels and alliterative expressions, as considered ideal for lyrical compositions, and Sankardeva used it for and
Ankia Naat Ankia Naats ( as, অংকীয়া নাট) are a class of one act plays performed in Assam, India. The invention of the Ankia Naat is usually attributed to the medieval saint and social reformer Srimanta Sankardeva. These plays were writt ...
s. Sankardeva composed about two hundred and forty , but a fire destroyed them all and only about thirty four of them could be retrieved from memory. Sankardeva, much saddened by this loss, gave up writing and asked Madhavdeva to write them instead. Madhavdeva composed more than two hundred , which focus mainly on the child-Krishna.


Music

The music of are based on
raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
s, which are clearly mentioned; and '' raginis'', the female counterparts of ragas, are emphatically not used. The rhythm (''tala''), on the other hand, are not mentioned; and need not be set to rhythm. Nevertheless, by convention tala is used when a borgeet is performed for an audience, or in a congregation, and in general specific ragas are associated with specific talas (e.g., ''Ashowari''-raga with ''yati-maan''; ''Kalyana''-raga with ''khar-maan'', etc.). The lightness that is associated with the
khyal Khyal or Khayal (ख़याल / خیال) is a major form of Hindustani classical music in the Indian subcontinent. Its name comes from a Persian/Arabic word meaning "imagination". Khyal is associated with romantic poetry, and allows the perfo ...
type of Indian classical music is absent, instead the music is closer to the
Dhrupad Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music from the Indian subcontinent. It is the oldest known style of major vocal styles associated with Hindustani classical music, Haveli Sangeet of Pushtimarg Sampraday and also related to the South Ind ...
style. The singing of a borgeet is preceded by ''raga diya'' or ''raga tana'', the local term for
alap The Alap (; ) is the opening section of a typical North Indian classical performance. It is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga. In dhrupad singing the alap is unmetered, improvised (within the raga) and unaccompani ...
, but unlike the syllables used in Khyal or Dhrupad, words like ''Rama'', ''Hari'', ''Govinda'', etc. are used. Furthermore, ''raga diya'' is fixed as opposed to ''alap'' which is improvised. The technique of Borgeet follows the ''Prabandhan Gana'' tradition which is contemporary to
Dhrupad Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music from the Indian subcontinent. It is the oldest known style of major vocal styles associated with Hindustani classical music, Haveli Sangeet of Pushtimarg Sampraday and also related to the South Ind ...
and
Kriti Kriti may refer to: Art and entertainment * Kriti (music), a format of musical composition typical to Carnatic music * ''Kriti'' (film), a 2016 Hindi-language short film * Kriti TV, Greek TV station People with the name * Kriti Bharti, Indi ...
of Hindustani and
Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...
. In , there are Talas from eight ''matra''s to thirty-two ''matra''s, all comprising three parts of proportionate length, viz., ''Ga-man, Ghat'' and ''Cok''. These ''Talas'' are different in structure, rhythmic pattern as well as playing style from the ''tala''s now played with Hindustani and
Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...
. A few like ''Rupaka, Ektali, Yati, Bisam,'' etc. are mentioned not only in the ''Sangita Sastra''s like
Sangita Ratnakara The ''Sangita-Ratnakara'', सङ्गीतरत्नाकर, (IAST: Saṅgīta ratnākara), literally "Ocean of Music and Dance", is one of the most important musicological texts from India. Composed by Śārṅgadeva (शार्ङ ...
but also in
Jayadeva Jayadeva (; born ), also spelt Jaideva, was a Sanskrit poet during the 12th century. He is most known for his epic poem ''Gita Govinda'' which concentrates on Krishna's love with the '' gopi'', Radha, in a rite of spring. This poem, which presen ...
’s
Gita Govinda The ''Gita Govinda'' ( sa, गीत गोविन्दम्; ) is a work composed by the 12th-century Hindu poet, Jayadeva. It describes the relationship between Krishna, Radha and ''gopis'' (female cow herders) of Vrindavan. The ''Gita G ...
''.''


Style

It is regarded that have been forming an indispensable part of from the days of
Sankardev Srimanta Sankardev( শ্ৰীমন্ত শংকৰদেৱ )(; ; 1449–1568) was a 15th–16th century Assamese polymath; a saint-scholar, poet, playwright, dancer, actor, musician, artist social-religious reformer and a figure of im ...
a. The regular performance of in
Satra Satra Corporation was a US trading and metal processing company. It is primarily known in the United Kingdom for its Satra Motors Limited subsidiary, which was the official importer and distributor of Soviet Union cars and motorcycles in that co ...
and
Namghar Namghars ( as, নামঘৰ) literally ''Prayer House'' are places for congregational worship associated with the entire Assamese community and the Ekasarana sect of Hinduism, in particular, that is native to Assam. Besides forming the primar ...
s is done by a single person called , where the first sings only the outline of a
raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
suitable for that time of the day, and sings a Borgeet or an set in that raga without maintaining any beat, repeating the or after every couplet of the (subsequent verses). Such renderings of Borgeet are considered as a singing in (sheer voice-manipulation) or (freedom from rhythmic restriction). The performance of in early morning accompanied by the Khuti Taal is called a . The performance which is accompanied by Bortaal can be rendered in both morning and dusk. Both the ''Manjira-prasanga'' and ''Tal-kobowa prasanga'' are played with . On occasions like
Krishna Janmashtami Krishna Janmashtami , also known simply as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. According to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, it is observed ...
, Doul,
Bihu Bihu is a set of three important Assamese festivals in the Indian state of Assam – 'Rongali' or 'Bohag Bihu' observed in April, 'Kongali' or 'Kati Bihu' observed in October, and 'Bhogali' or 'Magh Bihu' observed in January. The Rongali Bihu i ...
, death anniversaries (''tithi)'' of religious preceptors including
Sankardev Srimanta Sankardev( শ্ৰীমন্ত শংকৰদেৱ )(; ; 1449–1568) was a 15th–16th century Assamese polymath; a saint-scholar, poet, playwright, dancer, actor, musician, artist social-religious reformer and a figure of im ...
a and
Madhavdev Madhavdev (1489–1596) (Pron: ˈʃrɪ ˈʃrɪ ˈmɑ:dəbˌdeɪv) is an important preceptor of the Ekasarana Dharma known for his loyalty to his guru, Srimanta Sankardev as well as his artistic brilliance. Initially a sakta worshipper, he w ...
a and during the whole month of
Bhadra ''Bhadra''Feminine: sa, भद्रा, Bhadrā is a Sanskrit word meaning 'good', 'fortune' or 'auspicious'. It is also the name of many men, women and objects in Hindu mythology. Male Figures King of Chedi Bhadra was a king of Chedi Kingdom ...
the performance of Borgeet is preceded by an orchestral recital of
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 (<
Taal, Negera'' (Percussion instrument) etc., which is variously referred to as ''Yora-prasanga, Khol-prasanga'' or ''Yogan-gowa.'' The orchestra comprises one or two pairs of ''Negera,'' Taal,
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 (<
Khagen Mahanta Khagen Mahanta was a singer and composer of folk and traditional music of Assam. Khagen Mahanta was a notable person in Assamese folk music and known as the "King of Bihu". His Bihu songs, Borgeet and other folk songs remain popular in Assam. T ...
has sung and documented some in its pure form in an album called Rajani Bidur. He was from the family of Satradhikars. He and his sister Nikunjalata Mahanta from the Gajala Satra were very well versed with this form. were also used by
Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika () (8 September 1926 – 5 November 2011) was an Indian playback singer, lyricist, musician, poet, actor, filmmaker and politician from Assam, widely known as ''Sudha Kontho'' (meaning cuckoo, literally "nectar-throated"). His ...
, in movies, and popular singers like
Zubeen Garg Zubeen Garg (born Zubeen Borthakur; 18 November 1972) is an Indian singer, music director, composer, lyricist, music producer, actor, film director, film producer, script writer and philanthropist. He primarily works for and sings in the Assa ...
have released their renderings. Music director, Dony Hazarika has made a successful attempt to celebrate the Borgeet at the national level through his album, Bohnimaan...The folk flows. Film critic and short film maker Utpal Datta made a short film on Borgeet, titled (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3I5qgXt9G4) under the banner Pohar Media. Anupam Hazarika has produced the film. All leading exponents and artists were assembled for the film. Dr.
Birendra Nath Datta Birendra Nath Datta (born 1 March 1935) is an Indian academician, a linguist, a researcher of folklore, a singer and lyricists of Assam. In his career, he mainly worked as a professor in different colleges of Assam. He also wrote scholarly books. ...
, leading Satriya scholar, music director, singer and folklorist has narrated the content of the film while singer Gunindra Nath Ozah,
Tarali Sarma Tarali Sarma ( Assamese: তৰালি শৰ্মা) is an Indian singer from Assam, who won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer in the year 2003 for the Assamese film '' Akashitorar Kothare''. Her father was Prabhat S ...
, Sarod player Tarun Kalita, violin player Manoj Baruah and Satriya dancer Prerona Bhuyan has participated in the film with their arts to express various shades of the aesthetics of Borgeet. Music director Anurag Saikia is known for taking an initiative of syncing to the symphonic orchestra.


Translations

have been translated into Hindi by ''
Devi Prasad Bagrodia Devi Prasad Bagrodia, is a noted writer, social worker and tea planter based in Dibrugarh in Assam, India. Biography Early life Devi Prasad Bagrodia was born to Shew Bhagovan Bagrodia of Bhekulajuan village of Tengakhat in Dibrugarh district ...
''.


See also

* Vrindavani vastra *
Kirtan Ghosha The Kirtan Ghosha (Assamese: ) is a collection of poetical works, primarily composed by the medieval saint Srimanta Sankardev in the Brajavali language. It was meant for community singing in the Ekasarana religion. Its importance in the religio ...
*
Bhagavat of Sankardev The Bhagavat of Sankardev is the Assamese adaptation of the Bhagavata Purana made by Srimanta Sankardev in 15th-16th century in the regions that form present-day Assam and Cooch Behar. Though the major portions of the work was transcreated by ...
*
Dihanaam Dihanaam is a type of congregational prayer sung by women in Assam in praise of the Assamese saint Sankardev. Instruments like the '' Negera'', '' taal'', ''khol The khol is a terracotta two-sided drum used in northern and eastern India f ...


References


General sources

* * * * * * {{refend Music of Assam Culture of Assam