DOHAR @ 25
This article provides an insightful look into the journey of DOHAR, a Bangla folk group, from its inception in 1999 to its upcoming 25th-anniversary celebration. It highlights the group’s unique approach to preserving and presenting traditional folk songs from Bengal, Assam, and Bangladesh. The article also discusses DOHAR’s challenges, including the passing of its founder Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya, and how the group has evolved over time. The piece culminates with a tram ride event that signifies the group’s synergy with the cultural heritage of Bengal and its own history.
It was a hot afternoon around March 2001. Inside the Arts Faculty building on the Jadavpur University campus, a motley crowd had gathered in one of the nondescript classrooms and patiently waited for a Bangla folk group, which had recently cut and released its first album, to perform there that afternoon. Four of the vocalists of this group hail from Silchar, a city snuggled in the Barak Valley of Cachar district, Assam.
Even though, in those days “band” used to be a shibboleth in the Bengali music scene, but that group preferred calling themselves ‘Dohar Loko Ganer Dol’ or “DOHAR” which means “chorus”, following a solo lead voice, a manifestation of the basic spirit with which this group was formed. Led by the late Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya DOHAR started its musical journey singing ‘songs of the soil’ of Bengal and the North-East in 1999.
DOHAR released its first album “Bandhur Deshey” in 2000. It was a collection of Bengali folk songs where each song represented a different singing tradition or was based on lyrics of some renowned lyricists (padokarta). The album started with a bandana, the only song that was penned by DOHAR’s Kalika. Arranger Mayukh-Mainak had done a wonderful job in retaining the flavour of folk songs like Maach Dharar Sari Gaan, Nouka Baicher Sari Gaan,
Charaker Gaan, Chad Petar Sari Gaan, Mursidi , Bhaitiyali et al. Traditionally, Bengali folk songs are branded as “lokogeeti” or “palligeeti” and generally have a solo rendition. Abbassudin Ahmed, Sashanka Sinha, Girin Chakraborty, Kamala Jharia, Amar Paul, Nirmalendu Chaudhuri, Sachin Dev Barman, Dinendra Choudhuri, Geeta Choudhuri, Purna Das Baul, Manju Das, Anshuman Roy, Pratima Barua and many others who had, over the decades, built a bridge between the urban listeners and this rustic culture. DOHAR, in contrast, built up an enviable repertoire of folk songs which they collected from various parts of Bengal, Bangladesh, and Assam, and presented the songs in the format of “group singing”, accompanied by an entire set of ethnic musical instruments. They emerged at a time when the band music was topping the listeners’ choice and unarguably ushered in a new sound, so refreshing and unadulterated yet so earthy.
DOHAR also brought to the fore different lyricists like Lalon Fakir, Shah Abdul Karim, Piyar Shah, Durbin Shah, Dwijodas, Monomohan Dutta, Pulin Chand, and many others who, perhaps, many urban audiences might have been ignorant about. It opened up the treasure trove of their creations which are impregnated with deep philosophical thoughts or a social message that is so beautifully expressed metaphorically.
The beautiful nuances of folk songs performed by DOHAR whether it is a Baul, Bhatiyali, Bhawaiya, Chatka, Jhumur, Saarigaan, Jaari gaan, Gaajan/Charaker gaan, Dhamail-geet, Bihu-Kamrupi gaan, Tarja, Gouri Puriya lokogeet, etc. have a magical effect on the listener through which she gets a chance to revisit her roots.
DOHAR also presented Rabindranath’s songs, which are an inseparable part of our musical fabric, in a new style accompanied by various ethnic folk instruments.
DOHAR’s journey had seen lots of ups and downs. With Kalika’s untimely demise in 2017 today Rajib is the only vocalist from the founder team who continues to sing and shoulder the responsibility of carrying DOHAR forward, which he owes to his mentor “Prasad da”. The ensemble of Rajib, Sudipto, Amit, Mriganabhi, Rittick, Satyajit, Rahul, and Niranjan on stage has a mesmerising effect that is truly intoxicating.
DOHAR is at the threshold of its 25th year of existence and performance. To mark the beginning of the year-long celebration a tram ride was planned on 7th August, which is the birthday of the group. But why a tram ride? Kolkata tram, a part of the city’s heritage, has just completed its 150th anniversary. On the other hand, DOHAR continuously strived to explore the cultural treasure and heritage of Bengal and walked many miles since 1999. Therefore the tram ride, which is named is an attempt to synergise these two.
Another way the tram ride is significant. The second album of DOHAR “Banglar Gaan Shikorer Taan” was launched in 2002 inside a tram car, diligently decorated with folk motifs. Therefore, in a way, the 7th August event was revisiting a time gone by and walking down the memory lane for DOHAR and their friends.
The event started at Gariahat Tram Depot in the rain-soaked afternoon with tram car number 716 decked up with banners and colourful paper buntings. Before the tram slowly trundled out on the road on its musical journey, a short performance took place in front of the tram car where DOHAR and a few other folk artists performed. As per DOHAR’s tradition, it commenced with the singing of a bandana gaan.
On board, Bengali lokogaan ruled the roost which in the last 25 years got immense popularity with DOHAR and the crowd reached a dizzy height of joy in no time. They clapped, they danced, they sang – and above all, they refrained in unison which is the true spirit of DOHAR! As the city of Kolkata received the monsoon rain and the “ganer gari” moved forward negotiating the congested roads, “pagla hawar badol dine”, a Rabindrasangeet aptly caught the mood!
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