Iife and death

Iife and death

 

Dawa bid farewell to his mother Nima, old man Lavani and Pema, and embarked on a journey to Myanmar with Agudengba. With the help of old man Lavani and her mother, the young Dawa girl has now become Agudumba's partner.

Along the way, Agudenba led the donkey, but Dawa sang happily. Dawa said to Agudumba:

I am very grateful to you for accepting me and agreeing to go to Myanmar together to find the father of my best friend Yadan. Yadan was kind to me. She became my best friend after being kidnapped and taken to the island. Her father is a famous man. A musician, she received music and singing and dancing education since she was a child. Yadan not only taught me singing and dancing, but also taught me a lot of knowledge in this area.

Dawa said: Yadan told me that music and dance are very important parts of Bangladesh’s cultural heritage. Bangladesh’s music and dance have various forms, including Baur, Rajpat, Bongo. These music and dances have their own unique characteristics and reflect the rich culture and history of Bangladesh.

Bangladeshi music is as famous as the Carnatic classical music of South India and the Hindustani classical music of North India, but folk music occupies a more important position in its traditional music.

There are many songs related to religion in Bangladeshi folk songs, mainly including "Kaweigan", "Letougan", "Gasila", "Galigan", "Palagan", "Baur" and other varieties. "Gan" means "song" in Bengali, and "Kawe" means "lead singer" or "lead singer". "Kaweigan" is a popular folk group duet singing form. Each group has a leader, and the group sings under his leadership, hence the name. This kind of song sings Hindu mythology in the form of questions and answers, which may last for several hours. "Le Tou Gan" and "Ka Wei Gan" are relatively similar in content and performance form, but with the addition of dance, they are more comprehensive and more attractive to the audience than "Ka Wei Gan".

Dawa continued: In addition to "Kaweigan" and "Letogan", there are also songs related to Hinduism such as "Gasila". "Gasila" is a song in praise of the Hindu god Shiva. It was originally sung when worshiping Shiva, and now it is also a song for worshiping the god. The performance of "Gasila" includes not only songs, but also dance and performance parts. It is a comprehensive art form.

Islam is the state religion of Bangladesh, and "Bayati" is a song sung by Islamic believers about Islamic historical stories and war stories. Its melody and language are closely combined and have the nature of chanting. Another type of rap song sung by "Bayati" is called "Palagan". This kind of song is performed by a lead singer and two or three accompaniments. The accompaniment accompanies the singer with instruments and sometimes asks some questions for the lead singer. The person answered. The main content of "Palagan" is a popular folk hero story in Bangladesh. Its form includes speaking, singing, dialogue, and sometimes some simple dance movements to match the storyline.

Agudemba looked at Dawa who was full of youthful vitality with great joy. He didn't say much along the way, but just listened to Dawa's narration.

In front of a small tree, Agudemba said to Dawa: There is a small river and a piece of grass here. Let's take a rest and let the donkeys drink some water and eat some grass.

During the break, Dawa danced the "Baur" dance. She said to Agudemba:

"Baur" is a folk religious belief in Bangladesh. People who believe in this religion express their beliefs and ideals through singing. When dancing the "Baur" dance, four or five people usually sit together and perform, accompanied by the plucked instrument "Ecotra" and drums.

The lyrics in "Baur" songs are very beautiful and philosophical, and the tunes are also very colorful. The songs written by Tagore combine elements of "Baur" songs and Bangladeshi classical music.

Dawa danced the "Baur" dance and sang the love song "Life and Death" written by Rabindranath Tagore:

      

In my empty heart,

You are the distant and quiet dusk cloud that I explore.

I shape you with my full tenderness

You belong to me, flying in my boundless heart.

My blood stains your feet,

You stroll in my dreamland at dusk.

The arsenic and nectar on your lips

It’s the joy and pain that I crushed

You belong to me, wandering around in my lonely life.

You are at ease in my enchanted eyes,

The eyelids are smeared with the smoke of my dreams.

The song I sing wraps around your waist -

You belong to me and will accompany me through the cycle of life and death.

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