Community Media and Traditional Music

Cultural traditions from various regions of the state of West Bengal reflect the rich diversity of Regional Music of the state. Each region has its own particular style and Jangalmahal (Purulia, South Bankura, Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur districts of West Bengal, India) is no different. For example, Jhumur, is the premier folk music of Jangalmahal . The Jhumur songs manifests sorrows and joys of common mass, their lifestyle, their love and pain for not being with loved one, their hopes and despairs, dreams and disappointments. The Jhumur songs are characterized for their love and compassion for life. Now according to the experts of Jhumur it is “neither new nor old, it is like a forest tree with roots deeply buried in the past but which continuously puts forth new branches, new leaves, new fruits.”  To maintain the continuum in the contemporary world it is imperative that these kinds of workshops are immensely helpful to protect the traditional forms of the songs from the continuous onslaught external culture which is alien to the people of the land.

Tribal and folk music is not taught in the same way that Indian classical music is taught.  There is no formal period of apprenticeship where the student is able to devote their entire life to learning the music, the economics of rural life does not permit this sort of thing.  The musical practitioners must still attend to their normal duties of hunting, agriculture or whatever their chosen profession is. In addition, over the years the traditional way of singing and the knowledge on folk music has become concentrated on few locally gifted people. Against this backdrop the workshops were organized to popularize the traditional way of singing among the young people and to preserve the distinct culture of the people living in the margins.  The trainees were trained to use songs to aware common masses to promote health and development among them.