" O my mind !
Why do you weep,
Without any reason or motive ?"
.......Perhaps profound joy and deep sorrows spring from one and the same source, same root. In my early years, I remember, when my paternal aunty met my grandma after a long time, they used to cry at first sight. It seemed odd drama to us as kids. Later on, it became clear to me, that 'cry'. was due to overwhelming joy of meeting. together .
"I first heard the above song many years ago in my village from a 'Baisnabi' beggar.
'Baisnabi' or 'Bostom' is a sect like a minstrel in the European country. Love and humility were the base of their religion.
The story of this sect is quite interesting; mainly in Birbhum district of Bengal became the centre of origin: men and women attracted to each other, they lived together without any ritual marriage, which was a rigid social custom/rule at that time; the sect continued strong even up to 1930/40s, perhaps before 'live- together' was recognized widely in the western world!!
I don't know exactly when this maverick 'culture' evolved in Bengal. And exactly why?
It may be, I guess, compulsory early marriage of the girls, the burden of dowry system, rigid caste systems, the dominance of patriarchal society, custom of multiple marriages by the 'Kulin' Brahmins, economic poverty, all these together caused to evolve it. Even love between a girl and boy of different caste was considered heinous crime in society.
I will search for this theme later on in the internet. Let me divulge now what I know.
Anyway, leaders of the village (called"morols'') were
very powerful in society for a long time even during the British rule. The fathers(mostly upper caste) were tortured and outcast in society by the "morols" if they failed to marry their daughters before 12/13by age.
so often many girls were absconding; absconded girls found shelter under some secret secured place led by some social reformer which later came to be known as "AAKHRA."
Every aakhra used to had some headman who set up some rules and regulations which were abided by the members. They thought themselves as devotees of Lord Krishna; Above all,'
They depicted Krishna as very much like human and not as the Avtar of Hindu epic established by the elite;
The common mass accepted the music composed of simple language from the ordinary folk as divine though many of them were purge of drastic sexual flavor.
In simple language, Krishna was practically humanized at the level with basic emotions of common mass; Image of Krishna was thus democratized. All males of 'aakhra' were thought to be part of Lord Krishna and the female as part of Radha.
Radha-Krishna became the model of aakhra's lifestyle.
Radha was a married woman much elder than Krishna. So they had to meet secretly. Sitting on a tree and hiding under the leafy branches Krishna played his flute to let Radha know of his presence,(like call in cell- phone); Sound of flute made Radha too crazy to stay away from Krishna. Krishna had affairs with a lot of women from his days of the adolescent.
Radha-Krishna became the model of aakhra's lifestyle.
Radha was a married woman much elder than Krishna. So they had to meet secretly. Sitting on a tree and hiding under the leafy branches Krishna played his flute to let Radha know of his presence,(like call in cell- phone); Sound of flute made Radha too crazy to stay away from Krishna. Krishna had affairs with a lot of women from his days of the adolescent.
The irresistible attraction for illicit love, "flirting" which is inherent in human nature and imposing it on Radha-Krishna(the divine figure)they included subtly different shades of love which society never approved;
common people were touched by the music and simple lyrics that composed the theme of passionate love with a touch of immense romanticism.
"Bolo, bolo tobo kushalo suni,= (How do you do)
Tomar kusole kusolo mani" =. (If you are fine, me too!)
Any girl or boy falling in love could inform the leader(i.e.Pradhan) Neither age nor caste, nor money, but only by exchanging Tulsi-mala (garland of basil seeds) and bindi of sandalwood and yellow chalk on forehead they lived as partner as long as they wished; they were also free to choose other partner quitting the old one.
...'Begging' was their common profession; they composed beautiful lyrics of love and composed music which they sang with cymbals when they walked through the neighbourhood on the village-path mostly with the white dress with thin yellow border; they considered begging as a symbol of humility or benign-ness. As they walked slowly villagers came out and gave rice and vegetables or lentils or coins on their bag / or on the spread piece of cloth; they never need to demand.
In my parent's house, we had attached ancestry-temple with big courtyard; The singers loved to sit on the stairs of the temple and presented song after song. It was their resting place. Villagers also requested their favorite song to sing.
Gradually, everywhere of Bengal propped up many 'aakhras'. The music with simple lyrics became very popular as it reached and touched the people of both the grass-roots and middle class.
In fact, it was a kind of social uprising like recent 'intifada' 'Arab spring'or 'Perestroika', but peacefully by super coating in a capsule of religiosity.
In course of time, the music and lyrics created by them were known as "Baishnab Padabali' that left a great contribution to Bengali Literature and culture. Biashnab Padabali was included in the syllabus of Bengali literature in Master degree in the University.
'Aakhra','lila-kirtan'etc often used in a derogative sense during our college life. Because like most organization, corruption, sex-malpractices caused degradation of Aakhras'.
In course of time with social upliftment, this sect merged with the Gaudiya Math and became popular as "Hare-Krishna Hare Ram'Temple which is same as ISKCON temple of Mayapur , Nabadwip which is the birthplace of SRI. CHAITANY Mohaprabhu.
In1960 the new 'wave of love ' dashed in US also .Throughout the world "ISKCON Temples of Goudya Math have been set up by the western devotees!
The great novelist Saratchanra chottopadhaya and Tarashankar Chakravarty wrote several fictions, some of which released an award-winning movie like Kamal-lata, acted by Suchitra sen Uttam Kumar. These novels and movies flashed light on 'the then' social set up.
The great novelist Saratchanra chottopadhaya and Tarashankar Chakravarty wrote several fictions, some of which released an award-winning movie like Kamal-lata, acted by Suchitra sen Uttam Kumar. These novels and movies flashed light on 'the then' social set up.
'Aamaro bodhua aanobari jai /aamar- e angina diya'--o--o-
Translation >:
'My fiancee passed by tiptoeing
To flirt, piercing my heart,
With paramour !
Through my own courtyard !!!
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