Preserving Tradition: The Evolution of Bihu Geet in the Modern Era

 Preserving Tradition: The Evolution of Bihu Geet in the Modern Era

Bihu Geet is a part of the Assam music culture more particularly a folk music of the state. It is played during all the three Bihu festivals especially Rongali Bihu and the songs collections are all about the pleasures of life, nature and Assamese culture. Also called the ‘season of Bihu Geet’, this form of entertainment has been in existence as early as in several centuries. However, similar to majority of conventional art forms, Bihu Geet is called upon to be changing its mode of performance and perception. The pre-urbanized, traditional ones are slowly giving way to more contemporary representations and this has led to public discourse on the issue of such features’ conservation and evolution. Historical background of Bihu Geet If the agrarian cultblast of Bihu is universally Pabitra, the Bihu Geet that has shrilled the strident note, that has jingled the shrill, zephyr note of New Year, has roots in the rural backyard, the paddy waggon harness, the tropic waist of rural Assam.

Bihu Geet has its origin in the rural culture of Assam as it is in or around every farmer’s house. The songs were sung during the onset of New Year of Assamese months and of the Sowing Season by the villagers. But these songs are all strictly linked with the Rongali Biú, the most popular one which marks the advent of Spring and fertility. The subject of Bihu Geet is mostly on love, courtship, nature and even mundane aspects of rural Assam life, which still holds innocence in its raw form. The songs are generally allegorical and embody the spirit of Assamese style and pattern of living while the dancing complements the singing.

Themes and Characteristics

 

Bihu Geet is fun filled and has good beat and very often instruments like dhol, pepa, toka and gagana are used. It contains a variance of texts, using nature, love and processes of life’s cycle as distinguished themes. Some recurring themes include:

Romantic Love: Most Bihu Geet are associated with relationships with many complaints singing the joys of young love and initial interactions between couples.

Nature: The scenic beauty of landscapes; river, hills and fields; is recurring motif; depicting unity of the people with the land.

Fertility and Agriculture: Since Bihu Geet is sung across the country to celebrate the agricultural year, it contains reels and references to ploughing, crops, and the yield of the earth.

Social Satire: Although, some of the songs are sarcastic and others may be portraying a political or social injustice from the views of the masses.

Celebrating Bihu at Kakratoli – Tradition behind Bihu Geet

Originally sung during Riha, Bihu Geet was executed in grounds, courtyard and common places. Men and women get into different circles and start singing, dancing alongside each other making it lively. The costumes girls and women wore during these performances are especially designed, like the mekhela chador and the boys’ dhoti-kurta add value to the beauty of the performance and depicts the Assamese texture work.

The dances especially are unsophisticated and qualities are raw, characteristics that make the festival to be more of a congregation. People clap and sing along, even though it implies the separation of performers and spectators, Bihu is in its essence inclusive.

 

Modernization of Bihu Geet

 

Over the many decades, Bihu Geet have got many changes in aspects. Modernisation has played the part of spreading art form to other places beyond Assam but has also raised questions of its purity. Key changes include:

Fusion with Contemporary Music: Modern Bihu Geet mostly have lyrics of Bihu but the beats are that of Bollywood and western Music.

Commercialization: The modern manifestation of Bihu competitions on television, social media platforms, and so on has reduced Bihu into a mere showbiz and sometimes a whole lot of caricature.

Changes in Lyrics and Themes: There are those that seem very glitzy and more concerned with style than with the subjects of love, nature and the countryside.

Professionalization: Bihu Geet once a community event these days is sung by professional singers and dancers not by the community which makes it less community oriented.

 

Impact of Modernization

 

Thus the analysis shows that the modernization of Bihu Geet has brought certain benefit and certain detriment. On the same hand, it has been able to popularize the art form hence guaranteeing its continuity in the ever liberalized and globalizing world. Contemporary adaptations have also given a new dimension for artists as well as the musicians which in fact has helped the cultural commerce of Assam.

On the other hand, the traditional factor of Bihu Geet has become somewhat endangered. Forcing the tradition might lead to repetition of the full, but avoiding dynamism and the enthusiasm that comes with the rural aura of the traditional format, crosscutting the social aspect of the tradition by making it insufficiently communal. Furthermore, there is also a possibility that the next generation of three centrist east Asis countries will be more culturally ignorant, out of touch with the original meaning and embodyment of Bihu Geet.

Attempts made for the conservation of Bihu geet

 

Recognizing the need to preserve the authenticity of Bihu Geet, various initiatives have been undertaken:

Cultural Organizations: The embarrassment of riches in Bihu Geet owing to their popularity has seen their patronage through groups such as the Assam Sahitya Sabha and Sangeet Natak Akademi through performances, workshops, and seminars.

Educational Programs: Many a school and college in Assam include teaching and practical demonstration of Bihu and its ethos and students are encouraged to sing traditional Bihu songs.

Festivals and Competitions: Such occasions like the Bohagi Utsav give opportunities to the Bihu dance so that the stream does not fade away.

Documentation: Some attempts are also being made now to video and document these traditional Bihu geet for further use.

Thus the discourse of tradition and modernity is balanced and we come across Grand Trunk Road or G.T road or G.T highways system.

 

The two main concerns while incorporating new elements into Bihu Geet are balancing between the new and old forms of Bihu Geet. Some steps that can help achieve this balance include:

 

Promoting Authentic Performances: Ministers should use major festive celebrations and cultural events to encourage traditional songs and dances to prevent them from being distorted.

Innovative Yet Respectful Fusion: Modify aside, the lyrical contents of Bihu Geet can today be subject to variation without diminishing the cultural significance of the creation in which they form part –traditional and new can be made to blend, perfectly.

Community Involvement: Popularizing the ability to participate in the Bihu performances will be useful for few people to get close to the traditions again.

Use of Technology: As the college activities are being conducted in the digital platform, one could use the same with a purpose to spread the true essence of Bihu Geet in the raw form.

 

Bihu Geet is not only about our musical culture but it symbolizes or even celebrates the very spirit of existence of Assam. Modernization has provided newer waves of making it popular but at the same time there are threats to its Originality. This way the two variant seminal forms, explicitly traditional and the modernized Bihu Geet are not only viable but also necessary. I believe that by maintaining the traditions that this outstanding art form is built upon, but adapting to newer developments we can guarantee that it will develop and become even more of an asset to human culture and happiness. Bihu Geet which has been sung in the fields of Assam and has now spread its music all over the world thus makes it a gem that should be preserved.

Rutanshi Mehta

Related post