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Bengali music () comprises a long tradition of
religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...
and
secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin , or or ), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. The origins of secularity can be traced to the Bible itself. The concept was fleshed out through Christian hi ...
song-writing over a period of almost a millennium. Composed with lyrics in the
Bengali language Bengali, also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Bangla (, , ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family. ...
, Bengali music spans a wide variety of styles.


History

The earliest music in Bengal was influenced by
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
chants, and evolved under the influence of
Vaishnav Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Sh ...
poetry such as the 13th-century '' Gitagovindam'' by
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 ...
, whose work continues to be sung in many eastern
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
temples. The Middle Ages saw a mixture of Hindu and Islamic trends when the musical tradition was formalized under the patronage of Sultan and Nawabs and the powerful landlords ''
baro bhuiyans The ''Baro-Bhuyans'' (or ''Baro-Bhuyan Raj''; also ''Baro-Bhuians'' and ''Baro-Bhuiyans'') were confederacies of soldier-landowners in Assam and Bengal in the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. The confederacies consisted of loosel ...
''. The earliest record of Sufism in Bengal goes back to 11th century AD in connection with the continuation of Sufism in northern India. Shah Sultan Rumi was the first Sufi to come to Bengal, when he came to
Mymensingh Mymensingh () is a metropolis, metropolitan city and capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of the Old Brahmaputra River, Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center ...
in 1053 AD.Sufism not only helped in the spread of Islam in Bengal, but also contributed to the eventual creation of a Muslim society in Bangladesh. Apart from the religiosity, the influence of the Sufis became attached to popular Bengali culture by the confluence of the murshidi, marfati and baul songs, and gazir gan.


Forms


Kotali Gharana

Kotalipara in the Faridpur Zilla of East Bengal (presently Bangladesh) owes its origin to “Chandraburmankot” erected there, circa 315 AD, the remains of which are still extant. “Kot” stands for fort, “Ali” signifies “wall and area surrounding the fort”, and “para” means a settlement or “a neighbourhood”. KotaliPara had been a hotbed of intellectual excellence for ages, especially in music, art and scholarship. Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty (1909-1975), was the first Pan-Indian Khayaliya from Bengal and the pioneer of Kotali Gharana. He had a journey similar to
Ustad Allauddin Khan Ustad Allauddin Khan (8 October 1862 – 6 September 1972), was a Bengali sarod player and multi-instrumentalist, composer and one of the most notable music teachers of the 20th century in Indian classical music. For a generation many of his stu ...
’s, coming to Kolkata penniless from Kotalipara ( currently in Bangladesh ) to learn classical music. Kotali Gharana is built on aesthetics. The aesthetics of the raga, expression, lyrics and thoughts. Over the years, the present Kotali style took the shape in the hands of Pandit Manas Chakraborty, a combination of musical purity and eclecticism, the practice of deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. Vidushi Ruchira Panda, is the global face of Kotali Gharana today.


Bishnupur Gharana

The Bishnupur Gharana is the sole Classical (Drupad) gharana of Bengal. It originated in Bishnupur, Bankura by the court musicians of the Malla Kings. Bahadur Khan of Delhi, a descendant of the Tansen, was the father of Bishnupur Gharana. Bahadur Khan was brought to Bishnupur by Malla King Raghunath Singha II.


Murshidi

Murshidi Gan devotional folk songs that evolved and flourished mainly through sufis. The word 'murshid', derives from the Arabic 'ershad', and means 'to order or give advice'. A murshid gives advice to his disciples and leads them to the spiritual way by means of devotional rites.


Baul

The
Baul The Baul () are a group of mystic minstrels of mixed elements of Sufism and Vaishnavism from different parts of Bangladesh and the neighboring Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley and Meghalaya. Bauls constitute bot ...
s (meaning "divinely inspired insanity") are a group of mystic minstrels (Muslim Sufis and Hindu Baishnos) from the Bengal region, who sang primarily in the 17th and 18th centuries. They are thought to have been influenced greatly by the Hindu tantric sect of the
Kartabhaja The Kartabhaja (), also known as the Kartabhaja Sampradaya (), literally, the Worshippers of the Master, is a religious community of West Bengal in eastern India, which came into prominence in the mid 18th century. It had a significant following i ...
s as well as by Muslim
Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
philosophers. Bauls traveled and sang in search of the internal ideal, ''
Moner Manush () is a 2010 India-Bangladesh joint venture Bengali-language biographical musical drama film based on the life and philosophy of Lalon, a noted spiritual leader, poet and folk singer of Bengal in the 19th century. Directed by Goutam Ghose, wh ...
'' (''Man of the Heart'' or the ''inner being''), and described "superfluous" differences between religions.
Lalon Fakir Lalon (; died 17 October 1890), also known as Lalon Shah, Lalon Fakir, Shahji, was a Bengali spiritual leader, philosopher, mystic poet and social reformer. Regarded as an icon of Bengali culture, he inspired and influenced many philosophers, po ...
, alternatively known as Lalon Shah, who lived in the 19th century in and around
Kushtia Kushtia () is a city located on the banks of the Gorai River in Bangladesh. It serves as the headquarters of Kushtia District and is considered the cultural capital of Bangladesh. The city is known for its Tiler Khaja (sesame sweets), kulf ...
, is considered to be the greatest of all bauls.


Ramprasadi

The
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
devotional songs written and music composed by eighteenth century
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
saint-poet
Ramprasad Sen ( 1723/1718 – c. 1775) was a Hindu Shakta poet and saint of 18th-century Bengal. His '' bhakti'' poems, known as Ramprasadi, are still popular in Bengal—they are usually addressed to the Hindu goddess Kali and written in Bengali ...
are called Ramprasadi. They are usually addressed to Hindu goddess
Kali Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. Kali is also connected with transcendental knowledge and is the first of the ten Mahavidyas, a group of goddesses who p ...
.


Lalon Geeti

The
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
songs composed by
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
saint, philosopher, and social reformer
Lalon Lalon (; died 17 October 1890), also known as Lalon Shah, Lalon Fakir, Shahji, was a Bengali spiritual leader, philosopher, mystic poet and social reformer. Regarded as an icon of Bengali culture, he inspired and influenced many philosophers, ...
are called Lalon Geeti. Lalon was against religious conflict and many of his songs mock identity politics that divide communities and generate violence. He even rejected nationalism at the apex of the anti-colonial nationalist movements in the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
. He did not believe in classes or
castes A caste is a fixed social group into which an individual is born within a particular system of social stratification: a caste system. Within such a system, individuals are expected to marry exclusively within the same caste (endogamy), foll ...
, the fragmented, hierarchical society and took a stand against racism. Lalon does not fit the "
mystical Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight ...
" or "spiritual" type who denies all worldly affairs in search of the soul: he embodies the socially transformative role of sub-continental
bhakti ''Bhakti'' (; Pali: ''bhatti'') is a term common in Indian religions which means attachment, fondness for, devotion to, trust, homage, worship, piety, faith, or love.See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. In Indian religions, it ...
and
sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
. He believed in the power of music to alter the intellectual and emotional state in order to be able to understand and appreciate life itself. It is estimated that Lalon composed about 2,000–10,000 songs, of which only about 800 songs are generally considered authentic. Lalon left no written copies of his songs, which were transmitted orally and only later transcribed by his followers. Lalon left no written copies of his songs, which were transmitted orally and only later transcribed by his followers.
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...
published some of the Lalon song in the monthly ''
Prabasi ''Prabasi'' () was a monthly Bengali language literary magazine edited by Ramananda Chatterjee. History and profile ''Prabasi'' was founded by Ramananda Chatterjee in 1901 and ran for over 60 years. It published many important Bengali author ...
'' magazine of Kolkata.


Hasan Raja "s Songs

This songs are composed by legendary Bengali mystic poet, songwriter, and philosopher ,
Hason Raja Dewan Hason Raja Chowdhury, or simply known as Hason Raja (; 21 December 1854 – 6 December 1922), was a Bengali mystic poet and songwriter from Sylhet, Bengal Presidency (now Bangladesh). His unique style of music made him one of the most p ...
, from Sylhet, Bangladesh. His songs focus on spiritual awakening, the transient nature of life, and the search for divinity within oneself. These compositions, often referred to as ''Baul songs'', are filled with mysticism, simplicity, and profound truth. Hasan Raja's works have inspired countless folk singers and spiritual enthusiasts.


Rabindra Sangeet

The leading proponent of Bengali music is
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...
(known in Bengali as ''Robi Thakur'' and ''Gurudeb'', the latter meaning "Respected Teacher" (in the Bengal of that time, the suffix 'deb' was an honorific, ascribed to people who enjoyed immense respect, but this title was primarily used by his students at Santiniketan, though many others did use the address/) Tagore was a prolific composer with around 2,230 songs to his credit. His songs are known as '' rabindrasangit'' ("Tagore Song"), which merges fluidly into his literature, most of which—poems or parts of novels, stories, or plays alike—were lyricised. Influenced by the ''
thumri Thumri () is a vocal genre or style of Indian music. The term "thumri" is derived from the Hindi verb ''thumuknaa'', which means "to walk with a dancing gait in such a way that the ankle-bells tinkle." The form is, thus, connected with dance, dram ...
'' style of
Hindustani music Hindustani classical music is the Indian classical music, classical music of the Indian subcontinent's northern regions. It may also be called North Indian classical music or ''Uttar Bhartiya shastriya sangeet''. The term ''shastriya sangeet'' ...
, they ran the entire gamut of human emotion, ranging from his early dirge-like Brahmo devotional hymns to quasi-erotic compositions. They emulated the tonal colour of classical ''
raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...
s'' to varying extents. Some songs mimicked a given raga's melody and rhythm faithfully; others newly blended elements of different ''ragas''. Yet about nine-tenths of his work was not ''bhanga gaan'', the body of tunes revamped with "fresh value" from select Western, Hindustani, Bengali folk and other regional flavours "external" to Tagore's own ancestral culture. His music is an exemplary instance of 'kavya-geeti', a style of composition that later found widespread use in the music industries at Bombay and Calcutta. In 1971, ''
Amar Shonar Bangla "" (, ) is the national anthem of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. An ode to Mother Bengal, the lyrics were written by Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore, while the melody is derived from Baul singer Gagan Harkara's " Ami Kothay Pabo Tare ...
'' became the national anthem of Bangladesh. It was written — ironically — to protest the
1905 Partition of Bengal The Partition of Bengal in 1905, also known as the First Partition of Bengal, was a territorial reorganization of the Bengal Presidency implemented by the authorities of the British Raj. The reorganization separated the largely Muslim eastern ...
along communal lines: cutting off the Muslim-majority East Bengal from Hindu-dominated West Bengal was to avert a regional bloodbath. Tagore saw the partition as a cunning plan to stop the
independence movement Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of a ...
, and he aimed to rekindle Bengali unity and tar communalism. ''
Jana Gana Mana "" is the national anthem of the Republic of India. It was originally composed as " Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata" in Bengali by polymath and activist Rabindranath Tagore on 11 December 1911. The first stanza of the song " Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata" ...
'' was written in '' shadhu-bhasha'', a Sanskritised form of Bengali, and is the first of five stanzas of the Brahmo hymn '' Bharot Bhagyo Bidhata'' that Tagore composed. It was first sung in 1911 at a Calcutta session of the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
and was adopted in 1950 by the Constituent Assembly of the Republic of India as its national anthem. For Bengalis, the songs' appeal, stemming from the combination of emotive strength and beauty described as surpassing even Tagore's poetry, was such that the ''Modern Review'' observed that " ere is in Bengal no cultured home where Rabindranath's songs are not sung or at least attempted to be sung... Even illiterate villagers sing his songs". Tagore influenced ''sitar'' maestro
Vilayat Khan Ustad Vilayat Khan (28 August 1928 – 13 March 2004) was an Indian classical sitar player, considered by many to be the greatest sitarist of his age. Along with Imdad Khan, Enayat Khan, and Imrat Khan, he is credited with the creation a ...
and ''
sarod The sarod is a stringed instrument, used in Hindustani music on the Indian subcontinent. Along with the sitar, it is among the most popular and prominent instruments. It is known for a deep, weighty, introspective sound, in contrast with the sweet ...
iyas''
Buddhadev Dasgupta Buddhadeb Dasgupta (11 February 1944 – 10 June 2021) was an Indian filmmaker and poet best known for his Cinema of West Bengal, Bengali-language films like ''Bagh Bahadur'', ''Tahader Katha'', ''Charachar'' and ''Uttara (film), Uttara''. Five ...
and
Amjad Ali Khan Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (born 9 October 1945) is an Indian classical ''sarod'' player, best known for his clear and fast ekhara taans. Khan was born into a classical musical family (the Bangash lineage of the Senia Gharana) and has performed ...
. Most of his musical poems are detailed in two series of books – the '' Gitabitan'' (that only has the texts of the poems) and the ''Swarabitan'' (that has the poems and their musical notation). However, there exist several poems of his that are set to music, and yet find no mention in either of the above. These are handed down from his students to their students and so on. Some of the notable exponents of Rabindrasangeet are Shantideb Ghosh, Debabrata Biswas, Pankaj Kumar Mullick,
Kalim Sharafi Kalim Sharafi (8 May 1924 – 2 November 2010) was a Bangladeshi Rabindra Sangeet singer. He joined at Indian independence movement. He gave his ideas in several publications regarding politics, culture, and Tagore. He is regarded as one of the b ...
,
Kanika Bandyopadhyay Kanika Banerjee, also known as Kanika Bandopadhyay (12 October 1924 – 5 April 2000) was a famous Bengali singer known for performing Rabindra Sangeet. She frequently performed on All India Radio Kolkata and at institutions across India, Euro ...
,
Rajeshwari Datta Rajeshwari Datta (born September 22, 1988) is an Indian actress known for her work in Indian cinema and television. She is known for her roles in the TV series '' Jamai Raja'' and '' Tujhse Hai Raabta'', and for ''Zee TV''. Early life Rajeshwa ...
, Malati Ghoshal,
Nilima Sen Nilima Sen (28 April 1928 – 28 June 1996) was a famous Rabindrasangeet singer. Early life Nilima was born as Nilima Gupta in Kolkata, India on 28 April 1928. Her parents moved to Shantiniketan when she was six. She had her education there an ...
,
Suchitra Mitra Suchitra Mitra (19 September 1924 – 3 January 2011) was an Indian singer, composer, artist exponent of Rabindra Sangeet or the songs of Bengal's poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore, professor, and the first woman Sheriff of Kolkata. As an aca ...
, Aditi Mohsin,
Rezwana Choudhury Bannya Rezwana Choudhury Bannya (born 13 January 1957) is a singer from Bangladesh. She is an exponent of Rabindra Sangeet, the songs written and composed by Rabindranath Tagore. She has won many awards including Bangladesh's highest civilian award, t ...
,
Subinoy Roy Subinoy Roy (8 November 1921 – 9 January 2004) was an Indian singer, considered one of the best-known exponents of the Rabindra Sangeet. Early life Subinoy Roy was born to Bimalangshu Prakash Roy and Sukhamoyee Devi at Kolkata. His father wa ...
, Chinmoy Chatterjee,
Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (16 June 1920 – 26 September 1989), known professionally as Hemanta Mukherjee and Hemant Kumar, was an Indian music director and a playback singer who primarily sang in Bengali and Hindi, along with several other Indian ...
, Dwijen Mukhopadhyay,
Sagar Sen Sagar Sen (15 May 1932 – 4 January 1983) was a Bengali singer. Though primarily known as an exemplary Rabindrasangeet artiste, he had recorded numerous Bengali modern songs and directed a few as well. Career Born 15 May 1932 in a ''zamind ...
, Santosh Thakur, Purabi Mukhopadhyay,
Kabir Suman Kabir Suman (; born as Suman Chattopadhyay; 16 March 1949) is an Indian singer-songwriter, musician, music director, music composer, writer, actor, politician, and former journalist.Banani Ghosh Banani Ghosh (died 7 June 2023) was an Indian Bengali musician, primarily known as an exponent of Rabindra Sangeet, but also specializing in the music of Atulprasad Sen, Rajanikanta Sen and others. Biography Ghosh was born in Mymensingh in ...
, Mita Haque, Indrani Sen,
Srikanto Acharya Srikanta Acharya is an Indian singer-songwriter and music director. Acharya primarily sings contemporary Bengali songs and is one of the most prominent exponents of Rabindra Sangeet. Early life Srikanta Acharya was born in Kolkata Kol ...
,
Shreya Guhathakurta Shreya Guhathakurta (শ্রেয়া গুহঠাকুরতা) (3 February 1975) is an Indian Rabindra Sangeet singer. Early life Shreya Guhathakurta was born into a family of renowned musicians. Her orientation with music started ...
Sahana Bajpaie Sahana Bajpaie (born 6 February) is an Indian singer-songwriter and a contemporary Rabindra Sangeet vocalist in Bengali. Born in Siliguri and brought up in Santiniketan, Sahana started singing by the age of three. She released her debut album '' ...
Mohan Singh Mohan Singh (4 March 1945 – 22 September 2013) was an Indian politician from the Samajwadi Party. He was elected three times to the Lok Sabha from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh. He was the General Secretary of the Samajwadi Party. He died on 22 S ...
Furthermore, it is believed that on December 27, 1931, Dhurjatiprasad Mukhopadhyay wrote an essay titled “রবীন্দ্রনাথের সংগীত” (Rabindranath’s Music) for Tagore’s 70th birth anniversary, in which the term 
Rabindrasangeet
was used for the first time. In January 1935, Kanak Das’s recording  P11792, featuring “মনে রবে কিনা রবে আমারে” (“Whether or not I remain in your  recollection”) and “কাছে যবে ছিল পাশে হল না যাওয়া” (“When you were near, I couldn’t  reach you”) first used
Rabindrasangeet
on the label.


Nazrul Geeti

Nazrul Sangeet (
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
: নজরুল সঙ্গীত), also Nazrul Geeti (
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
: নজরুল গীতি; lit. 'music of Nazrul'), refers to the songs written and composed by
Kazi Nazrul Islam Kazi Nazrul Islam (24 May 1899 – 29 August 1976) was a Bengalis, Bengali poet, short story writer, journalist, lyricist and musician. He is the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul produced a List of works by Kazi Nazrul Islam, large body of ...
, the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul Geeti incorporate revolutionary notions as well as more spiritual, philosophical and romantic themes. Nazrul wrote and composed nearly 4,000 songs (including gramophone records), which are widely popular in
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
and
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. Some of the most notable Nazrul Sangeet include '' Notuner Gaan'', the national
marching song A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Richard ...
of Bangladesh and ''
O Mon Romzaner Oi Rozar Sheshe "O Mon Romzaner Oi Rozar Sheshe" (, ) is a popular Bengali Eid-ul-Fitr song, written by Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh. The song was written and composed in 1931 at the request of Nazrul's disciple, Abbasuddin Ahmed. The so ...
,'' a Bengali Islamic song on the festival of the Bengali celebration of
Chand Raat Chaand Raat (, ) is a South Asian Cultural observance on the eve of the festival of Eid al-Fitr; it can also mean a night with a new moon for the new Islamic month Shawwal. Chaand Raat is a time of celebration when families and friends gather ...
and
Eid-ul-Fitr Eid al-Fitr () is the first of the two main festivals in Islam, the other being Eid al-Adha. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the ...
. Some of the notable Nazrul Geeti singers from India include Suprova Sarkar, Dhirendra Chandra Mitra,
Manabendra Mukhopadhyay Manabendra Mukhopadhyay was an Indian singer and music composer in Bengali films. Coming to limelight in the early 1950s Manabendra was an innovative and stylish singer who had a strong foundation in Indian classical music. With his distincti ...
, Dr. Anjali Mukhopadhyay, Dhiren Bose, Adhir Bagchi, Purabi Dutta, Firoza Begum,
Anup Ghoshal Anup Ghoshal (1944/1945 – 15 December 2023) was an Indian playback singer and composer in Hindi and other vernacular Indian films, especially Bengali-language. He was known in his native Bengal primarily as one of the foremost artists of the ...
, and, Bangladeshi singer
Sohrab Hossain Sohrab Hossain (9 April 1922 – 27 December 2012) was a Bangladeshi singer and an exponent of Nazrul Sangeet. From his childhood, he was interested in music and started learning music. He met singer Abbas Uddin in a function in Ranaghat. Then he ...
.


Jasimuddin Songs

Jasimuddin (1903–1976), also known as the Poet of the Village, was a renowned Bengali poet, songwriter, and folklorist. His works often celebrated rural life, nature, and the simplicity of village Bengal. His songs are deeply rooted in folk traditions and are filled with emotional depth and lyrical beauty. A notable singer is
Abbasuddin Ahmed Abbasuddin Ahmed (27 October 1901 – 30 December 1959) was a Pakistani folk song composer and singer born in the Bengal province of British India. He was known for Bhawaiya folk song which is a style commonly found in Rangpur, Undivided Goalpa ...
.


Shyama Sangeet

Shyama Sangeet Shyama Sangeet () is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali which is a form of supreme universal mother-goddess Durga or parvati. It is also known as Shaktagiti or Durgastuti. Shyama Sangeet appeals t ...
is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or
Kali Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. Kali is also connected with transcendental knowledge and is the first of the ten Mahavidyas, a group of goddesses who p ...
which is a form of supreme universal mother-goddess
Durga Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...
or
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
. It is also known as Shaktagiti or Durgastuti.
Shyama Sangeet Shyama Sangeet () is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali which is a form of supreme universal mother-goddess Durga or parvati. It is also known as Shaktagiti or Durgastuti. Shyama Sangeet appeals t ...
appeals to the common man because it is a musical representation of the relationship of eternal and sublime love and care between the mother and her child. It is free of the common rituals of worship and also the esoteric practice of the Tantra. A notable singer is
Pannalal Bhattacharya Pannalal Bhattacharya (c. 1930 – 27 March 1966) was an Indian singer of Bengali music. Most of the songs he sang were written by Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya, both of whom were Shakta poets of Bengal. He was the younger brother ...
. Generally all music dedicated to goddess Mother
Kali Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. Kali is also connected with transcendental knowledge and is the first of the ten Mahavidyas, a group of goddesses who p ...
is called '
Shyama Sangeet Shyama Sangeet () is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali which is a form of supreme universal mother-goddess Durga or parvati. It is also known as Shaktagiti or Durgastuti. Shyama Sangeet appeals t ...
' in
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
. Two famous singers of this
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
Shyama Sangeet Shyama Sangeet () is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali which is a form of supreme universal mother-goddess Durga or parvati. It is also known as Shaktagiti or Durgastuti. Shyama Sangeet appeals t ...
are
Pannalal Bhattacharya Pannalal Bhattacharya (c. 1930 – 27 March 1966) was an Indian singer of Bengali music. Most of the songs he sang were written by Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya, both of whom were Shakta poets of Bengal. He was the younger brother ...
and
Dhananjay Bhattacharya Dhananjay Bhattacharya (10 September 1922 – 27 December 1992) was an Indian Bengali singer and composer. He was a versatile Shyama Sangeet singer. Career He started his career by singing modern Bengali as well as Hindi songs. His first son ...
.
Pannalal Bhattacharya Pannalal Bhattacharya (c. 1930 – 27 March 1966) was an Indian singer of Bengali music. Most of the songs he sang were written by Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya, both of whom were Shakta poets of Bengal. He was the younger brother ...
's elder brother Prafulla Bhattacharya and middle brother
Dhananjay Bhattacharya Dhananjay Bhattacharya (10 September 1922 – 27 December 1992) was an Indian Bengali singer and composer. He was a versatile Shyama Sangeet singer. Career He started his career by singing modern Bengali as well as Hindi songs. His first son ...
were the first music teachers of saint artist
Pannalal Bhattacharya Pannalal Bhattacharya (c. 1930 – 27 March 1966) was an Indian singer of Bengali music. Most of the songs he sang were written by Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya, both of whom were Shakta poets of Bengal. He was the younger brother ...
.
Dhananjay Bhattacharya Dhananjay Bhattacharya (10 September 1922 – 27 December 1992) was an Indian Bengali singer and composer. He was a versatile Shyama Sangeet singer. Career He started his career by singing modern Bengali as well as Hindi songs. His first son ...
stopped singing devotional songs after finding devotional spirit in his brother Pannalal. However, after the demise of
Pannalal Bhattacharya Pannalal Bhattacharya (c. 1930 – 27 March 1966) was an Indian singer of Bengali music. Most of the songs he sang were written by Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya, both of whom were Shakta poets of Bengal. He was the younger brother ...
, he contributed again in Bengali music with many devotional songs by his sweet, melodious voice.


Dwijendrageeti

Dwijendralal Ray's Dwijendrageeti (the Songs of Dwijendralal), which number over 500, create a separate subgenre of Bengali music. Two of Dwijendralal Ray's most famous compositions are Dhana Dhanya Pushpa Bhara and Banga Amar Janani Amar. Ray is regarded as one of the most important figures in early modern Bengali literature.


Rajjob Geeti

Rajjob Ali Dewan was a legendary Bengali folk singer, poet, and lyricist who made significant contributions to Bengali folk music, particularly in the genres of Baul, Bhatiali, and Marfati (Sufi-inspired) songs. His works reflect rural life, spiritual love, and mysticism. Rajjob Ali Dewan's songs are cherished for their philosophical depth and connection to everyday life. Famaous singers of Rajjob getti are Abdul Alim , Momtaz Begum , Arif Dewan.


Atulprasadi

Atulprasadi, one of the major lyricist and composers of early-modern period, is also widely popular in Paschimbanga. Atul Prasad is credited with introducing the Thumri style in Bengali music. His songs centred on three broad subjects: patriotism, devotion and love.


Prabhat Samgiita

Prabhát Saḿgiita also known as Songs of a New Dawn and Prabhat Songs, are songs composed by Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar. Sarkar composed a total of 5,018 songs including the lyrics and the tune, in a period of eight years from 1982 until his death in 1990, making using of eight different languages: Bengali, Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Urdu, Magahi, Maithili and Angika.


Mujbhandari Songs

Mujbhandari Songs are Islamic devotional songs associated with the Mujbhandari Sufi Order, a renowned Sufi tradition originating in Bengal, particularly linked to the shrine of Hazrat Shah Sufi Syed Ahmad Ullah Mujbhandari of Chittagong, Bangladesh. These songs praise Allah, Muhammad, and Sufi saints while promoting spiritual love, peace, and devotion. Famous Mujbhandari Singers are Sufi Samrat Abdul Gafur Hali, Jalal Uddin, Abdul Latit, Shafi Mondol and Arif Dewan.


Rajanikanta Sen's Songs

Rajanikanta Sen (1865–1910) was a renowned Bengali poet, composer, and lyricist known for his devotional songs, patriotic anthems, and emotional melodies. His songs reflect deep spirituality, patriotism, and love for humanity.


Other

*
Bhatiali Bhatiali is a type of ancient folk music which expresses the deep feeling from the heart of a group of local and professional people. It is based on their common and natural style of expression and uninfluenced by the rules of conventional mu ...
* Qwali *
Bhawaiya Bhawaiya is a musical form or a popular folk music that originated in Northern Bengal, especially the Rangpur Division in Bangladesh, Cooch Behar district of West Bengal, India, and the undivided Goalpara district of Assam, India. It has rec ...
*
Polli Geeti Polli may refer to: Places * Põlli, a village in Märjamaa Parish, Rapla County, in western Estonia * Polli, Estonia, a village in Mulgi Parish People * Andrea Polli (born 1968), environmental artist * Carlo Polli (born 1989), Swiss footbal ...
* Lokgeeti * Fakir Gaan * Dhamail *
Gombhira Gombhira, Gambhira or Gamvira () is a type of Bengali folk song and dance originating in the Bengal region, from what is known today as northwestern Bangladesh and north eastern West Bengal, India. In West Bengal (India), gombhira perfor ...
*
Kavigan Kavigan (), Kobi Gaan, Kobi Lorai or Kabigan is a form of Bengali folk performance wherein folk poets sing and perform. A verbal duel among the poets, this mystic minstrels art was popular with rural folk form in nineteenth century in Bengal ...
, poems sung with simple music usually presented on stage as a musical battle between poets. * Jatra Pala, songs associated exclusively with plays (performed on-stage). Usually involves colourful presentations of historical themes. Numerous other poets and composers had laid the foundation for the rich repertoire of Bengali music in the 19th century and early 20th century. Some stalwarts of this ear include Ramnidhi Gupta (commonly known as
Nidhu Babu Ramnidhi Gupta () (1741– 6 April 1839), commonly known as Nidhu Babu, was one of the reformers of Bengali '' tappā'' music. Nidhu Babu was born in Chapta, Hooghly District at his maternal uncle's house.Samsad Bangali Charitabhidhan by Anjali ...
),
Lalon Fakir Lalon (; died 17 October 1890), also known as Lalon Shah, Lalon Fakir, Shahji, was a Bengali spiritual leader, philosopher, mystic poet and social reformer. Regarded as an icon of Bengali culture, he inspired and influenced many philosophers, po ...
,
Atulprasad Sen Atul Prasad Sen (; 20 October 1871 – 26 August 1934) was a Bengali composer, lyricist and singer, and also a lawyer, philanthropist, social worker, educationist and writer. Early life Atul Prasad Sen was born as the eldest child of Ram Prasa ...
,
Dwijendralal Ray Dwijendralal Ray (19 July 1863 – 17 May 1913), also known as D. L. Ray, was a Bengali poet, playwright, and musician. He was known for his Hindu mythological and nationalist historical plays and songs known as '' Dwijendrageeti'' or the ''Songs ...
,
Rajanikanta Sen Rajanikanta Sen, also known as Kantakobi, (26 July 1865 – 13 September 1910) was a Bengali poet and composer, known for his devotional (bhakti) compositions, as well as his patriotic songs. Early life, education and profession File:Sri Gurupr ...
and a large canon of patriotic songs from India's Independence movement.Chatterjee, Gita. ''Bengal's Swadeshi Samgīt.'' Published in Banerjee, Jayasri (ed.), ''The Music of Bengal''. Baroda: Indian Musicological Society, 1987.


Modern Bengali music

Modern Bengali and South Asian music has been enriched by singers like Jaganmoy Mitra (1918–2003) (who is considered a pioneer of modern song),
Kamal Dasgupta Kamal Uddin Ahmed (28 July 1911 – 20 July 1974), was a Bangladeshi music director, composer and folk artist active in Hindi and Bengali cinema especially in pre-partition British India. Rāga and thumri were the main elements of his music. ...
, Firoza Begum, as well as artists such as
Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (16 June 1920 – 26 September 1989), known professionally as Hemanta Mukherjee and Hemant Kumar, was an Indian music director and a playback singer who primarily sang in Bengali and Hindi, along with several other India ...
,
Kishore Kumar Kishore Kumar (born Abhas Kumar Ganguly; ; 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987) was an Indian playback singer, musician and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of modern India ...
,
Manabendra Mukhopadhyay Manabendra Mukhopadhyay was an Indian singer and music composer in Bengali films. Coming to limelight in the early 1950s Manabendra was an innovative and stylish singer who had a strong foundation in Indian classical music. With his distincti ...
,
Sandhya Mukhopadhyay Geetashree Sandhya Mukherjee (also spelled Mukhopadhyay; 4 October 1931 – 15 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and musician, specialising in Bengali music. She received Banga Bibhushan, the highest civilian honour of the Indian st ...
,
Manna Dey Prabodh Chandra Dey (; 1 May 1919 − 24 October 2013), known by his stage name Manna Dey, was an Indian playback singer, music director, and musician. He had a classical music background, being part of the Bhendibazaar gharana, Bhendibazaar Gh ...
,
Sachin Dev Burman Sachin Dev Burman (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. He was a member of the Tripura royal family, but his father was excluded from the throne. He started his career with Bengali films in 1937. He late ...
,
Rahul Dev Burman Rahul Dev Burman (; 27 June 1939 – 4 January 1994) was an Indian music director and singer, who is considered to be one of the greatest and most successful music directors of the Hindi film music industry. From the 1960s to the 1990s, Burman ...
,
Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika (; 8 September 1926 – 5 November 2011), widely known as Sudha Kontho, was an Indian singer, songwriter, writer, filmmaker and politician from Assam. He has written songs mainly in the Assamese language, which are marked by h ...
,
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar (; born Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. He ...
,
Asha Bhonsle Asha Bhosle (; ; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur, actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the media as one of the ...
,
Talat Mehmood Talat Mahmood (24 February 1924 – 9 May 1998) was an Indian playback singer who is considered as one of the greatest and most popular Indian male film song and ghazal singers. Although he tried his luck as a film actor, he did not succeed a g ...
,
Aarti Mukherji Aarti Mukherjee, also known as Aarti Mukherji or Arati Mukhopadhyay (born 18 July 1943), is an Indian playback singer who has sung in Hindi films such as '' Geet Gata Chal'' (1975), ''Tapasya'' (1976), ''Manokamana'', '' Masoom'' (1983), and ' ...
,
Kabir Suman Kabir Suman (; born as Suman Chattopadhyay; 16 March 1949) is an Indian singer-songwriter, musician, music director, music composer, writer, actor, politician, and former journalist.Amit Kumar Amit Kumar (born 3 July 1952) is an Indian playback singer, actor, music composer. Kumar launched his own music production company, named Kumar Brothers Music. He predominantly worked in Bollywood and regional film songs since the 1970s, ...
, Shibaji Chatterjee,
Kumar Sanu Kedarnath Bhattacharya (born 20 October 1957), professionally known as Kumar Sanu, is a leading Indian playback singer who primarily sings in Hindi film songs. He is widely regarded as the Melody King of Bollywood. He holds the record for winn ...
,
Dhananjay Bhattacharya Dhananjay Bhattacharya (10 September 1922 – 27 December 1992) was an Indian Bengali singer and composer. He was a versatile Shyama Sangeet singer. Career He started his career by singing modern Bengali as well as Hindi songs. His first son ...
,
Shyamal Mitra Shyamal Mitra (14 January 1929 – 15 November 1987) was an Indian versatile playback singer and music director along with Hemanta Mukherjee and Manna Dey. Mitra worked in many Hindi and Bengali films as a music director and film producer. He w ...
, Mehuli Thakur,
Shreya Ghoshal Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
, Monali Thakur,
Arijit Singh Arijit Singh (; born 25 April 1987) is an Indian playback singer. A leading figure in contemporary Hindi film music, he is the recipient of several accolades including two National Film Awards and seven Filmfare Awards. He was conferred the P ...
, Mitali Mukherjee, Dwijen Mukhopadhyay,
Manabendra Mukhopadhyay Manabendra Mukhopadhyay was an Indian singer and music composer in Bengali films. Coming to limelight in the early 1950s Manabendra was an innovative and stylish singer who had a strong foundation in Indian classical music. With his distincti ...
,
Sachin Gupta Sachin Gupta (born 9 March 1978) is an Indian film producer, writer and director. He produces films under Chilsag Motion Pictures and is also an artistic director of Chilsag Chillies Theatre Company. He made his writing and directorial debut w ...
,
Subir Sen Subir Sen (24 July 1934 – 29 December 2015) was an Indian playback singer who sang modern songs in Bengali and Hindi. He was also one of the artists of Rabindra Sangeet. Personal life Sen was born in Dibrugarh, Assam to Sailesh Chandra Sen a ...
, Uma Bose,
Kanan Devi Kanan Devi (22 April 1916 – 17 July 1992) was an Indian actress and singer. She was among the early singing stars of Indian cinema, and is credited popularly as the first star of Bengali cinema. Her singing style, usually in rapid tempo, was ...
, Utpala Sen, Alpana Banerjee, Sabita Chowdhury, and D. L.Roy Dilip Kumar Roy. Tapan Chowdhury, Azam Khan,
Abdul Jabbar ʿAbd al-Jabbār (ALA-LC romanization of ) is a Muslim male given name, and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-Jabbār'', one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric ...
,
Ferdousi Rahman Ferdausi Rahman (; born 28 June 1941) is a Bangladeshi playback singer. She sang some popular film songs for Pakistani films also in the 1960s especially working with the music composer Robin Ghosh in film Chakori released in 1967. She was award ...
,
Khurshid Alam Md. Khurshid Alam (born 1 August 1946) is a Bangladeshi playback singer. His notable songs include ''Chumki Choleche Eka Pothe'', ''Bondi Pakhir Moto'', ''Maa Go Maa'', ''Miss Lanka'', ''Ajke Na Hoi Bhalobasho'', ''Dheere Dheere Chol Ghora'', ''C ...
, Bashir Ahmad,
Syed Abdul Hadi Syed Abdul Hadi (born 1 July 1940) is a Bangladeshi singer. He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer five times for his playback performance in the films '' Golapi Ekhon Traine'' (1979), '' Sundori'' (1979), ''Kosha ...
,
Shahnaz Rahmatullah Shahnaz Rahmatullah (; 2 January 1952 – 23 March 2019) was a Pakistani and later Bangladeshi singer. Her notable songs are Prothom Bangladesh, ''Prothom Bangladesh Amar Sesh Bangladesh'', ''Ekbar Jete De Na Amar Chotto Sonar Gaye'', ''Je Chilo ...
,
Kalim Sharafi Kalim Sharafi (8 May 1924 – 2 November 2010) was a Bangladeshi Rabindra Sangeet singer. He joined at Indian independence movement. He gave his ideas in several publications regarding politics, culture, and Tagore. He is regarded as one of the b ...
, Abida Sultana,
Kanak Chapa Kanak Chapa (; born 11 September 1969) is a Bangladeshi singer. She received the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer three times, for her performance in the films ''Love Story'' (1995), '' Premer Taj Mahal'' (2001) an ...
,
Shakila Zafar Shakila Sharma (known as Shakila Zafar; born 28 February 1962) is a Bangladeshi singer. Zafar's career began as a result of her appearance in the 1983 BTV program '' Jodi Kichu Mone Na Koren'' where she performed an astrology themed song "Tul ...
,
Samina Chowdhury Samina Chowdhury (born 28 August 1966) is a Bangladeshi singer. She mostly sings modern and classical songs. Her notable songs include ''Jonmo Theke Jolchi Mago'', ''Amar Buker Moddhyekhane'', ''Amar Dui Chokhe Dui Nodi'', ''Ekbar Jodi Keu'', ''K ...
,
Kumar Biswajit Kumar Bishwajit (born 1 June 1963) is a Bangladeshi singer and composer. He received Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer two times for the films ''Swami Streer Wada'' (2009) and ''Ma Amar Chokher Moni'' (2011). He also g ...
, Arnob, Farida Parveen,
Andrew Kishore Andrew Kishore Kumar Baroi (widely known as Andrew Kishore, 4 November 1955 – 6 July 2020) was a Bangladeshi playback singer. He is considered the "Playback King" of Bangladesh for his contributions to the golden era of dhaliwood. He worked ...
,
James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
,
Ayub Bachchu Ayub Bachchu (; 16 August 1962 – 18 October 2018) was a Bangladeshi rock guitarist, composer, singer and songwriter, who was the founder of the Bangladeshi rock band Love Runs Blind and earned success as the lead singer and the lead guitarist ...
, Mila,
Anusheh Anadil Anusheh Anadil is a Bangladeshi musician, artist, cultural activist, and social entrepreneur. The band 'Bangla' was the first female lead band from Bangladesh that became iconically popular in both Bangladesh and West Bengal (India), for their fir ...
,
Sabina Yasmin Sabina Yasmin (born 4 September 1954), is a Bangladeshi singer. She is best known as a playback singer in Bengali cinema. She has won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer a record 14 times. She has recorded more th ...
, and
Runa Laila Runa Laila (born 17 November 1952) is a Bangladeshi playback singer and composer. She started her career in the Pakistani film industry in the late 1960s. Her style of singing is inspired by Pakistani playback singer Ahmed Rushdi and also f ...
all hailing from Bangladesh. Krishna Chandra Dey and
Pannalal Bhattacharya Pannalal Bhattacharya (c. 1930 – 27 March 1966) was an Indian singer of Bengali music. Most of the songs he sang were written by Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya, both of whom were Shakta poets of Bengal. He was the younger brother ...
, were famous for their renditions of devotional songs, while
Abbasuddin Ahmed Abbasuddin Ahmed (27 October 1901 – 30 December 1959) was a Pakistani folk song composer and singer born in the Bengal province of British India. He was known for Bhawaiya folk song which is a style commonly found in Rangpur, Undivided Goalpa ...
,
Kiran Chandra Roy Kiran Chandra Roy is a Bangladeshi Baul folk singer. In 1997, he won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer and the BACHSAS Best Singer Award for his performance in the film '' Dukhai''. He is also a lyricist and music compo ...
, Amar Pal were stalwarts in singing Bengali folk music. Bengali music is highly indebted to
Lalon Lalon (; died 17 October 1890), also known as Lalon Shah, Lalon Fakir, Shahji, was a Bengali spiritual leader, philosopher, mystic poet and social reformer. Regarded as an icon of Bengali culture, he inspired and influenced many philosophers, ...
,
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...
,
Kazi Nazrul Islam Kazi Nazrul Islam (24 May 1899 – 29 August 1976) was a Bengalis, Bengali poet, short story writer, journalist, lyricist and musician. He is the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul produced a List of works by Kazi Nazrul Islam, large body of ...
,
Ramprasad Sen ( 1723/1718 – c. 1775) was a Hindu Shakta poet and saint of 18th-century Bengal. His '' bhakti'' poems, known as Ramprasadi, are still popular in Bengal—they are usually addressed to the Hindu goddess Kali and written in Bengali ...
and Jasim Uddin. All traditional Bengali music is based on classical music or on its variations. Some of the most reputed classical musicians of the sub-continent come from Bengal including
Ustad Allauddin Khan Ustad Allauddin Khan (8 October 1862 – 6 September 1972), was a Bengali sarod player and multi-instrumentalist, composer and one of the most notable music teachers of the 20th century in Indian classical music. For a generation many of his stu ...
, Tarapada Chakraborty, Pandit Jnan Prakash Ghosh (1909–1987), Pandit
Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitar, sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known expert of Hin ...
, Pandit Manas Chakraborty, Ustad
Ayet Ali Khan Ayet Ali Khan was a Bengali classical musician. Early life Khan was born in Shibpur, Brahmanbaria, Bengal Presidency, British Raj in 1884. He trained under his brothers Fakir Aftabuddin Khan and Ustad Alauddin Khan. He trained in Rampur under Ust ...
and Ustad Abed Hossain Khan. Notable Bengali music composers active in Calcutta (
Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...
) in the 1930s through the 1980s include Himangshu Dutta,
Kamal Dasgupta Kamal Uddin Ahmed (28 July 1911 – 20 July 1974), was a Bangladeshi music director, composer and folk artist active in Hindi and Bengali cinema especially in pre-partition British India. Rāga and thumri were the main elements of his music. ...
,
Rai Chand Boral Rai Chand Boral (19 October 1903 – 25 November 1981) was an Indian composer, considered by music connoisseurs to be the Bhishma Pitamah, the father of film music in India. He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in India ...
, Pankaj Kumar Mullick, Anupam Ghatak,
Sachin Dev Burman Sachin Dev Burman (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. He was a member of the Tripura royal family, but his father was excluded from the throne. He started his career with Bengali films in 1937. He late ...
,
Rahul Dev Burman Rahul Dev Burman (; 27 June 1939 – 4 January 1994) was an Indian music director and singer, who is considered to be one of the greatest and most successful music directors of the Hindi film music industry. From the 1960s to the 1990s, Burman ...
Nachiketa Ghosh Nachiketa Ghosh (28 January 1925 – 12 October 1976) was a Bengali music director in India. He mainly composed for Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia ...
,
Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (16 June 1920 – 26 September 1989), known professionally as Hemanta Mukherjee and Hemant Kumar, was an Indian music director and a playback singer who primarily sang in Bengali and Hindi, along with several other India ...
,
Salil Chowdhury Salil Chowdhury (19 November 1925 – 5 September 1995) was an Indian music director, songwriter, lyricist, writer and poet who predominantly composed for Cinema of West Bengal, Bengali, Hindi cinema, Hindi and Malayalam films, Malayalam films. ...
,
Sudhin Dasgupta Sudhin Dasgupta (; 9 October 1929 – 10 January 1982) was a prolific Bengali language, Bengali music director, lyricist and singer. He worked in various other Indian languages, such as Hindi, Assamese language, Assamese and Oriya language, ...
,
Shyamal Mitra Shyamal Mitra (14 January 1929 – 15 November 1987) was an Indian versatile playback singer and music director along with Hemanta Mukherjee and Manna Dey. Mitra worked in many Hindi and Bengali films as a music director and film producer. He w ...
,
Kabir Suman Kabir Suman (; born as Suman Chattopadhyay; 16 March 1949) is an Indian singer-songwriter, musician, music director, music composer, writer, actor, politician, and former journalist.Nachiketa Chakraborty Nachiketa Chakraborty, simply known as Nachiketa, is an Indian singer, songwriter, musician, composer and playback singer who is known for his modern Bengali lyrics. He achieved fame in the early 1990s, with the release of his debut album ''Ei Be ...
,
Ajoy Das This is a list of all cricketers who have played in first-class, List A or Twenty20 matches for Bengal, mostly in the Ranji Trophy (FC), Vijay Hazare Trophy (LA), and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20) competitions. Seasons given are the first and la ...
, and
Bappi Lahiri Bappi Aparesh Lahiri (born Alokesh Aparesh Lahiri; 27 November 1952 – 15 February 2022), also known as Bappi Da, was an Indian singer, composer and record producer. He popularised the use of synthesised disco music in Indian music industry and ...
, while
Pranab Roy Pranab Roy (born 10 February 1963) is a former Indian cricketer who played two Test matches for India. Early life He received his early education at Rama Chandra School in Kolkata. His father Pankaj Roy taught him cricket when he was 5 yea ...
,
Gouri Prasanna Majumdar Gauriprasanna Majumdar (5 December 1925 – 20 August 1986) was an Indian lyricist and writer known for his work in Indian cinema. He is most commonly associated with the black and white era of Bengali cinema, when he penned several enduring cla ...
,
Kabir Suman Kabir Suman (; born as Suman Chattopadhyay; 16 March 1949) is an Indian singer-songwriter, musician, music director, music composer, writer, actor, politician, and former journalist.Pulak Bandyopadhyay Pulak Bandyopadhyay (; 2 May 1931 – 7 September 1999) was a Bengali people, Bengali Indian lyricist and songwriter of Cinema of West Bengal, Bengali cinema. Early life He was born and brought up in Salkia, Howrah. His family had close links w ...
were well-known lyricists.
Jeet Ganguly Jeet Gannguli (, born Chandrajeet Ganguly, on 24 May 1977), is an Indian playback singer and composer who works in Hindi and Bengali cinema. Early life and education Born in a Kulin Bengali Brahmin family, Gannguli was initiated into the ...
is a modern music composer of Bengali film songs and
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
songs. Nachiketa Chakraborty continues his established musical career for decades being a multi-dimensional singer, lyricist and composer with extraordinary class and caliber. An artist who has more than 450 released songs created and sung by him, more than 300 unreleased songs of his own, an artist who drives to develop his next generation. It is hard finding his parallel, probably impossible. The boss of Bengali Music revolution in the 90s, the educator honored as Banga Bhushan, who ignites the moral value in millions in the society, the philosopher who simplify life’s equations in simple language, the avenger who inspires common people to throw away an age-old rotten ruling system from Bengal.He is an idol for numerous people across the world and has inspired many renowned Bengali singers from time to time (Editor: Rajonyo Nandi).


Bengali rock

Bengali rock is a music genre in which the song lyrics are written in the Bengali language. It may refer to: * Rock music of Bangladesh *
Rock music of West Bengal Bengali Rock music or Bangla Rock (India) originated in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The first Bengali rock band in West Bengal and India was Moheener Ghoraguli. In modern times, in this type of music distorted electric guitars, bass guitar, ...
Western influence has resulted in the emergence of the phenomenon of Bengali bands, both in
Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
and in
Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...
, as well as songs reflecting the joys and sorrows of the common man, ''Jibonmukhi Gaan'' (songs from life), which was inspired by
Kabir Suman Kabir Suman (; born as Suman Chattopadhyay; 16 March 1949) is an Indian singer-songwriter, musician, music director, music composer, writer, actor, politician, and former journalist.India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
and
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
, and have since become entrenched in modern Bengali culture. Recently, traditional folk-based Bengali songs are also being released by bands. ;Rock music of Bangladesh Bangladeshi rock or Bangla rock originated in Chittagong with roots in 1960s and 1970s rock and roll. Bangladeshi rock music was influenced by the American and British rock and roll music. In the 1960s, blues rock was introduced by Zinga, The Windy Side of Care, The Lightnings, Rambling Stones etc. From early to mid 1970s pop rock music was introduced by Uchcharon, Souls, Feedback and Miles. In the 1980s number of subgenres such as hard rock and heavy metal was introduced. In the 1990s hard rock and heavy metal broke through the mainstream with bands like LRB, Feelings, Ark and Warfaze, Miles, Maqsood O' Dhaka, Souls etc. music of Bangladesh ;Rock music of West Bengal Rock music of West Bengal originated in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The first rock band in West Bengal was
Moheener Ghoraguli Moheener Ghoraguli (, literally "Moheen's horses") was an Indian rock group from Kolkata, established in 1975. Their music drew from a wide variety of influences, including Bengali folk, Baul, urban American folk, and jazz. They sometimes desc ...
and also India's first rock band. In modern times, in this type of music distorted electric guitars, bass guitar, and drums are used, and sometimes accompanied with pianos and keyboards and in early times the instruments used in the modern times were also accompanied by saxophone, flute, violin and bass violin. Bhoomi a Bengali rock band formed in 1999 has also been using flute in their music.


Famous bands

;Bangladesh Some famous Bangladeshi bands are
Nova A nova ( novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white ...
, Uccharon, Spondan,
Souls The soul is the purported immaterial aspect or essence of a living being. It is typically believed to be immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that describe the relationship between the soul and the bod ...
,
Obscure Obscure may refer to: *Heraclitus of Ephesus was called " The Obscure" * ''Obscure'' (video game), a 2004 survival horror game * Obscure (band), a Bangladeshi pop rock band * Obscure Records, a 1975–1978 UK label founded by Brian Eno *"Obscu ...
, Different Touch,
Feedback Feedback occurs when outputs of a system are routed back as inputs as part of a chain of cause and effect that forms a circuit or loop. The system can then be said to ''feed back'' into itself. The notion of cause-and-effect has to be handle ...
, Ark,
Miles The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of length; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 English f ...
, LRB,
Warfaze Warfaze is a Bangladeshi heavy metal band formed on 6 June 1984 in Dhaka by Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal, Meer, Helal, Naimul, and Bapi. They are one of the earliest heavy metal music, heavy metal bands in Bangladesh. The band had numerous line-up change ...
, Joler Gaan,
Dalchhut Dalchhut is a Bangladeshi pop rock band formed by Bappa Mazumder and Sanjeeb Choudhury in Dhaka in 1996. History In 1997, Dalchhut released their first album ''Ah''. In 2000, Dalchhut released their second album ''Hridoypur''. In 2002, Dalc ...
, Avash,
Shironamhin Shironamhin (English: ''Untitled'') is a Bangladeshi rock band formed in Dhaka in 14 April 1996. Following as a rock group emerging from Dhaka's underground music in the late 1990s, they were distinguished for their extended psychedelic and p ...
,
Nagar Baul Nagar Baul (English: ''Urban Baul'') is a Bangladeshi rock band that was founded in Chittagong in 1977 by Kumar Bishwajit. The band is considered to be one of the pioneers of rock and blues music in the country. The frontman of the band, James, ...
. ;India Bands like
Moheener Ghoraguli Moheener Ghoraguli (, literally "Moheen's horses") was an Indian rock group from Kolkata, established in 1975. Their music drew from a wide variety of influences, including Bengali folk, Baul, urban American folk, and jazz. They sometimes desc ...
, Bhoomi, Chandrabindoo,
Fossils A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
,
Cactus A cactus (: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, ...
, Lakkhichhara, Krosswindz, Kalpurush(), Prithibi, etc. English bands from Kolkata include Cassini's Division, Bolepur Bluez,
Insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...
,
Underground Authority Underground Authority is an alternative rock and rap rock band from India. Formed in early 2010, in Kolkata, their music is flavoured by a blend of protest poetry, reggae, alternative rock, rap rock and hard rock. The band is noted for their so ...
,
Pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
,
Chronic Xorn Chronic Xorn (), is a heavy metal music, metal band, based in Kolkata, India. Chronic Xorn started in 2007, and shot to prominence after being featured in October 2009 in Headbanger's India. History Early years (2007–2009) In 2010, Chroni ...
, are also notable. Singers like Ajoy Chakraborty and
Kaushiki Chakraborty Kaushiki Chakraborty Desikan (born 24 October 1980) is an Indian classical vocalist of the Patiala gharana. Her repertoire covers pure classical, ''Khyals, Dadras, Thumris, Bhajans'' and several other forms of Indian music. She is the recipi ...
are working to bring back classical
raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...
influence into Bengali music. Bengali bands use a wide variety of styles such as
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
,
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
,
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...
, and fusion. Their music is influenced both by popular American music as well as traditional Bengali folk music such as
Bhatiali Bhatiali is a type of ancient folk music which expresses the deep feeling from the heart of a group of local and professional people. It is based on their common and natural style of expression and uninfluenced by the rules of conventional mu ...
,
Bhawaiya Bhawaiya is a musical form or a popular folk music that originated in Northern Bengal, especially the Rangpur Division in Bangladesh, Cooch Behar district of West Bengal, India, and the undivided Goalpara district of Assam, India. It has rec ...
,
Shyama Sangeet Shyama Sangeet () is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali which is a form of supreme universal mother-goddess Durga or parvati. It is also known as Shaktagiti or Durgastuti. Shyama Sangeet appeals t ...
and
Baul The Baul () are a group of mystic minstrels of mixed elements of Sufism and Vaishnavism from different parts of Bangladesh and the neighboring Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley and Meghalaya. Bauls constitute bot ...
.


Bangladeshi hip hop

Bangladeshi hip hop is a genre of music and culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music developed in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi hip hop is heavily influenced by US hip hop, and started in early 2000.


Notes


Works cited

* {{Indian Music, expanded=Territory
Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
Music of Bangladesh Culture of West Bengal