November S HjF.9

There are tongt in which
Hie rhythmic elements
are strikingly prominent,'
while iliero are alto such
tiiiis iih would never
allow rb\ ili 111 to come to
the forefront. In the
texts of some tonga we
find deep philosophical
thoughts and secrets of
mysticism garbed in very
ordinary language. There
are again a vast number
of songs which speak of
the pettiest incidents of
peasant life. The classi-
fication of songs thus
baoeraee very complica-
ted, if sought to be done
subject-wise.

In a rough olassifi-
oation, however, we may
divide the folk songs of
Bengal into (i) out door
songs and (ii) indoor
songs I may try to give
hire a short account of
the more important types
of such songs relating to
their nature occasion
and musical significance-

Bhaliuli : Generally it
is the song of the pea-
sant or the boatman. In
Hhatiali, the syllables of
the text are uttered in
groups followed by long
monotonous stra.ins al-
most free from the rules
of rhythm. In faot this
tvpe of song does not
accept the Tola system
of Indian music, though
it would not be fair not
to rncognise the sense of
proportion maintained
between a group of sylla-

bles and the monotci.e
that follows it lheut,ual
theme for a Bhatiali is 1
the return of a cowboy
with his cattle from the
grazing fii Id or the rest-
ing on the oars I y a
boatman while his boat
is running by sails and
not by bis physical efforts,
and such other situations
in whiih the worker is
not called upon to act
in a rhythmic order.

Personally, 1 regard
Bhatiali as basic of many
other types of folk songs.
The melodic patterns of
Bhatiali are readily co-
pied in festival songs,
songs Ming in folk talts,
women's songs and even
in Sari' and other prin-
cipal types of songs in
which rhythm is very
prominent. .

Even in pure Bha
tiali there are several
classes. For instance, the
cow boy's song is not the
same as that of the
keeper of buffaloes. Tie
difference becomes ob-
vious when one compares
the rather easy and
smooth life of the for-
mer with the risky and
hazardous life of the
latter. I have heard a
few songs in Bhutiali in
which some elements of
Bengali Tappa have been
adapted with necessary
modification.

The Sari

Sari as a type of
song offers b sharp con-

trast to Bhatiali from
the point of view of
rbytLm. 'i he occasion
for the Sari is when a
number of people aie
rown g a boat or beating
the plaster on the ten ate
or any other occasion in
whitb agroupol lubiuifis
works in rhythmic order
and in perfect unison.
The text of the Sari is
sometimes identical with
that of Bhatiali or even
in Haul. 'I he thime of
the song at times con-
centrates on matters i.e.
ouliar to a boatman's
werk or thoughts. Sari
is generally sung in East
Bengal which abounds* in
big rivers and lakes where
boat racing is a comrron
pastime. 'J here are diffe-
rent kinds of Sari songs—
suitable for commencirg
a boat race, seme for
its conclusion, otleisfrr
the winning party or the
losing party, at the case
may be. The strain of
the tune also differs ac-
cording to these occasions.

Baul: Baul is actual-
ly a religious tect. whise
songs alto are known us
Baul. A Baul may 1 e a
devotee of God Vishnu
or an admirer of Lord
Gouranga, but Baul as
such bat nothing to do
with God or devotion to
God. His philosophy ori-
ginated from the Sabajia
cult, which in its turn
derived- its philosophy
from the Siddha Yogis