Little known facts about music in Assam- An article by Dr. Palme Borthakur

 Music:

Music is a cultural aspect that influences human functions over space. Sound is a key facilitator of ideas and spreading culture. During 1980’s a rise in music market was a result of the diffusion of music styles through globalisaion and popular music and it became a multi-billion-dollar industry. In this process musical cultures are commodified, but music never leaves the sphere of the “culture” (Connel,2002). 

Modern Music:

Defining features of modern music leads to breaking down of all traditional framework of music. Basically modern music is not composed binding in a particular raga. Thereby composing music out of all aesthetic characteristics, including melody, rhythm and chord progression can be defined as modern music. Another significant aspect of modern music is it is highly commodified and providing great source of livelihood to the people engaged in the field of music. In that way the idea of music is being redefined through modern music. The components of modern music are composition, singing, lyrics, instruments, recording system (both audio and visual), publishing, market and audience.

Music in Assam - A historical perspective:

The history of music in Assam claims that it is a conglomeration of one thousand years old folk music tradition, about five hundred years old tradition of written drama-songs, nearly three hundred years old tradition of Indian classical music which started since Swargadeo Rudra Singha’s rule (1696-1714), about one thousand years old history of composing charjyapod’s and nearly two thousand years old raga-based classical music ojapali. Borgeet which is another form of classical music in Assam composed by Mahapurush Srimanta Shankardeva and Madhabdeva gave a new dimension to the area. Bengali songs and music (khemta songs, songs of Shyamlal and Dwijendralal, Atul Prasad, Shyama sangeet, Bengali kirtans, and jatras et.al) ruled over the domain of music scenario in Assam until 1883. When we look back to the gradual development of modern music in Assam, it is evident that it’s quite a recent development. The base for this was provided by the agglomeration of various styles of folk music, ragas and raginis, fusion of foreign styles of music with local styles in Assam from time to time. In Assam the trend of modern music actually started in 1883, when Satyanath Bora published Geetabali, the very first book on Assamese songs in then Bengali tunes. So Satyanath Bora can be considered as the first composer of Assamese modern songs. Other contributors of that time were Bhaktaram Dutta (Pranay-gaan, 1901) and Benudhar Rajkhowa (Banhi,1906). They offered their contribution towards modern Assamese music with a strong sense of nationalism.

Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbarua, is considered as the founder of modern culture of Assam. The legend paved the way for modern music in Assam. Real modern music in Assam started with the immense contribution and unconditional efforts by Jyotiprasad Agarwala(1903-1951), Parvati Prasad Baruah(1904-1964) and Bishnu Prasad Rabha(1909-1969).  Media corporations distribute popular sounds across the world beyond their original place and globalisation made this mobility of sounds possible. Different reactions to globalisation can be observed, some musicians are fascinated by new sounds while some others returned to roots. In case of Assam also the impact of globalization on music was the same. Towards the later part of 20th century a new and fresh trend started in Assamese music scenario which brought modern hi-technology and digitized music in the region. Noted singer, composer Jitul Sonowal was the pioneer of this trend in Assam. Later Zubeen Garg with his album named 'Anamika’ created a new sensation in the Assamese music industry. Since 1992 till date he is being recognized as a trend setter who not only experimented with the fusion of western and regional music but also contributed in reviving the traditional songs and styles of Assamese music. With his efforts modern Assamese music got an extended platform at global scale. Some of his contemporaries are singer, composer Tarali Sharma and Angarag Mahanta (Papon) also introduced a new style on experimental basis called ‘folkotronica’, a combination of folk music and electronic music. This phase of Assamese music is the reflection of globalization. It is global ‘Mediascapes’ (Appadurai, 1990). As a result, sub-cultures developed- a new corporate culture emerged due to production and marketing of music (based on commercial logic of media) on the other hand audience culture developed which is based on listeners, fans and critics. This is the new trend of modern music based industry in Assam in the 21^st century which is a mosaic of its various indigenous traditional styles of music with a variety of popular sounds and styles travelled from the west.

References:

Appadurai, A. (1990). Disjuncture and Difference in the Global cultural economy. Public Culture, 1(11).15-24.

Bhuyan, K. (2014). Akashbani Guwahatir Adhunik Geet Aru Geetikar. Jorhat: Asam Sahitya Sabha.

Connell, J. (2002). Suondtracks Popular Music, Identity and Place. London: Routledge.

(This article is prepared from the writings of unpublished thesis ' Modern Music in Guwahati Metropolitan Area(GMA), Assam: A Study of Cultural Fusion and Diffusion’ by Dr. Palme Borthakur from University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya and author's published book chapter 'MODERN MUSIC IN ASSAM: A MOSAIC OF CULTURAL FUSION & DIFFUSION' in the book Musical History of North East India,2019 )