The Bhawaiya Song : Place of woman in Bhawaiya ; Part 1

Woman has played predominant role in the folk based religion that has evolved out of the effects of interaction of various religious groups and speech groups. The role of woman in the society has been well recognized particularly because here woman is the companion of man in his economic pursuits of labour intensive agriculture and related activities.

Woman plays important role in socio-religious activities too. Woman is accepted as the priest of the rituals to agriculture. Agriculture-based folk society is controlled by the mother figure who is the source and abode of fertility and reproduction. This is why there is tremendous influence of folk goddess on Kamrup’s social life and lots of songs have evolved based on the glory and greatness of these deities.

The physical, mental and emotional life of the people here has been largely influenced by the bounty of nature. The singer and the composer of Bhawaiya intoxicated by the feasts of nature have sought inspiration from woman, the like figure of nature.

All the three forms of woman – mother, daughter and lover are reflected in Bhawaiya, although it is true that the lady love predominates as in other forms of folk in Bengal. Love has placed women to the realm of dream distant from the hard realities. Union, separation, grief and sorrows, and happiness on the other hand accompany love for either of both the sides.

In Bhawaiya, the mother form of woman we get mainly in the songs relating to the worship of deities and rituals – Shaitol Gaan, Bishahara Gaan, Tistaburir Gaan, Subacanir Gaan, Biyar Gaan etc. These folk deities are adored as mother goddess.There are, of course, a few songs reflecting the eternal love between mother and son or mother and daughter.

For example:

O mor kaga re kaga;

Jakhan mao mor rande bare patra na dyan kaga mayer haste

Mairbe mao mor agunot pariya re.

O mor kaga re kaga,

Jakhan mao mor anja kote, patra na dyan mayer haste,

Mairbe mao mor galat katari diya re…

Jakhan mao mor bichinat sote patra dyan kaga mayer haste.

Mairbe mao mor bichinat sutiya re.

Here the daughter form of woman in distress and grief is communicating her tales of sorrow through a letter to be carried to her mother by the crow. She is in such abject poverty and distress that the mother will commit suicide as soon as she knows the content of the letter. The daughter is asking the crow to deliver the letter in an appropriate time so that she can die in piece. The most appropriate time will be when she goes to bed after completing her day’s works.

In spite of this example, the predominant theme of Bhawaiya is the passionate love of the singer for his ladylove. The woman as ladylove and the stories of their eternal love have occupied the major portion of the domain of Bhawaiya.

The deep pangs of the heart of a woman is so touching in Bhawaiya that it overtakes the boundary of land, time and environment and creates an ever-lasting appeal. The expression of her feelings is very straight and simple without any hesitation and fear. The depth of man-woman relationship gives an extra-ordinary glory and prestige to Bhawaiya.

Reference (text):

1. Bhawaiya____  Dr. Sukhbilas Barma