Our inherent treasure: the folk songs

Mustafa Zaman Abbasi performing in front of an august audience at the Bengal Foundation.

'Why are folk songs so appealing?' I ask Mustafa Zaman Abbasi. 'The answer is simple,' he replies. 'Firstly, the melody, its rhythm, lyrics and techniques are very close to one's heart. The story of a village belle drawing water from the river, and looking far beyond, for her lost love, or the boatman travelling to far away lands yearning for his sweetheart--all these common sentiments centre around the folk songs.

'Folk songs are a part of our rural culture and surely arouse sentiments of the commoners with its in-depth message. The lyrics are simple, yet powerfu,l in its content', said Abbasi during the launching of his CD titled Urilo Shonar Payra at the Bengal Foundation. Inam Ahmed Chowdhury, Chairman of Privatisation Commission, unveiled the CD.

A live presentation by Abbasi enchanted the select audience and fans who flocked in to listen to a truly gifted and dedicated artiste.

Abbasi is full of enthusiasm, wit and passion even at 66. His evergreen voice speaks of his affinity with a culturally weathered family. His father, the celebrated folk singer of the country, Abbassuddin Ahmed surely instilled the passion for music in him.

Abbasi is himself a collector of folk songs and has been dominating the cultural field for more than half a century. He has been hosting several popular TV shows on folk songs for the past 20 years, titled Amaar Thikana, Amaar Bhubon, Loukik Bangla and Bhora Nodir Bankey. Abbasi has been travelling from place to place in search of our lost treasure.

In the CD Urilo Shonar Payra, MZ Abbasi presents his Bhawaiya and Chatka songs--songs of the northern Bangladesh.

The famous Chatka Abo Nao Darita Maria is about a young man lamenting over the death of his wife. The frustrated man gives an account to his grandmother (Abo) about the sound and echoes which his sweetheart has taken away from his life.

In English, this is onomatopoeia, sound echoing the sense. George Gearson, D.C. of Rangpur during the British rule and a famous folklorist, first collected the two-hundred-year-old song. The song was later printed in the Linguistic Survey of India, Volume XIII and was first recorded some 70 years from now by Abbasi's father late Abbasuddin Ahmed.

Similarly Nak Dengaran Betata, a comical song, narrates how a lady, married to an imposter, later on realises that she is deceived by false promises.

'This album,' says Abbasi, 'not only comprises authentic folk songs of Bengal but is also a verbal documentation of the relevant songs'.

Abbasi presents the famous lyricists of Bhawaiya namely Abdul Karim (his paternal uncle, who composed the best Bhawaiya songs of Abbasuddin Ahmed), Mahesh Chandra Roy of Rangpur, Rafiqul Huq and others. His artistic skill in voice modulation and Bhawaiya songs were a treat to the listeners.

Many countries put in rigorous work to preserve their national treasure of music. Bengal Gallery has similarly taken initiatives to preserve the golden voices of eminent artistes. MZ Abbasi regretted that the album could have been recorded at least twenty years ago, which could have helped in spreading our cultural heritage. More albums of such nature and other folk songs could be preserved for posterity by Bengal Foundation as well as other sponsors.'