Bhawaiya is a folk song. It
bears all the characteristics of folk song. Folk songs are regional. Cultural
reflection of the wider group of people of the particular region is the main
characteristic of folk song. Folk song grows out of the folk community. It is
the reflection of philosophy of the folk community.
What is
called folk community? It is a people of common background – social, economic,
ethnic, sectional, urban, rural, mountainous, occupational. The background must
have developed over a period of generations so that they are well set in the
mind of the group. To common backgrounds are added common goals, interests and
values and the most of all, common pressures. From backgrounds and common goals
and awareness of common pressures evolves a common psychology.
In the
case of Bhawaiya this folk community
is the Rajbanshi community of the then Kamrup. This area is nourished by the
Rajbanshi cultural environment. However, it has to be made clear that not only
Rajbanshi but the Brahmin, Khen, Yogi, Koch, Mech, Rabha, Muslim – all these
people who have traditionally resided in the greater area of the then Kamrup
are patron as part of this Rajbanshi culture. It can, therefore, be stated that
the people of this area – their ideas, manners and behavior, philosophy of
life, happiness and sorrow, religious belief, attitude to art and culture, the
geographical features of the area, the river, nature, the language spoken in
the area – all these have contributed to the growth of Bhawaiya.
There
are more than one viewpoint about the Rajbanshis. Some say, the Rajbanshis are
of Kshatriya origin, and they have subsequently become degraded Kshatriya and
made themselves known as Rajbanshi, the term denoting their association with
the King (Raja), the Kshatriya. Others opine that they are included in the Koch
tribe of Bodo origin. Both the viewpoints deserve some amount of discussions.
The anthropological and cultural history of the Rajbanshi is intimately connected with the history of Kamrup-Kamta, Pragjyotispur, Pundravardhan, and then Cooch Behar. Entrusted with the responsibility of collecting information on the various sects of population of the Eastern India, Sir Buchanon Hamilton did a survey in the years between 1807 and 1817. Based on Buchanon Hamilton’s findings, Montgomary published “The History, Antiquity, Topography and Statistics of Eastern India” in 1838. Buchanon’s report “Account of the District Rangpore, 1810” inserted in that book gives an account of the history of the Rajbanshis. As such it is the principal source of this history. According to this report, Koch and Rajbanshis, both being part of the larger Bodo stock, belong to same caste. The report, however, says that not all the Rajbanshis are Koches, although most of them are. Those who have become degenerated by adopting the profession of palanquin bearer are Koch.
According
to Hunter, the Koches are related to
the Mech and the Kacharis of the adjacent region and are descendantof the
Himalayan group. They have become Rajbanshis after adopting Hinduism.
H.B. Rawnwy has
stated in his book, Wild Tribes of
India, 1872 that as a result
of inter caste marriages of the Koches with the Hindus, their ancient behavior,
manner, culture and religious rites have undergone substantial changes. A part
of the tribes thus Hinduised and converted in Rajbanshi.
O. Donnel has viewed the whole of
the Rajbanshi community to belong to the Mongolian stock from the stand point
of origin. According to him, the Rajbanshis are a part of the third batch of
Mongolian people coming through the eastern parts.
We can find some similarities between the lifestyle of the Rajbanshis of North Bengal and the Mongolian people. Such as, the music of Bhawaiya song of North Bengal and Ulan-Batore of Mongolia are the same. As the main theorem of Mongolian song is Horse, the main theorem of Bhawaiya song is Buffalo. In Mongolia, the Maritoj, the horse-keeper is thought to be a lucky person as in North Bengal, the Maishal, the buffalo-keeper is thought to be the lucky person.
It is
clear from above discussion that the folk community of Bhawaiya song is the Rajbanshi
community.
Reference:
- Bhawaiyar Janmabhumi____ Mustafa Jaman Abbasi
- Bhawaiya____ Dr. Sukhbilas Barma
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