Gombhira, Gambhira or Gamvira (Bengali: গম্ভীরা) is a type of Bengali folk song and dance originating in the Bengal region, from what is known today as northwestern Bangladesh and north eastern West Bengal, India.[1][2][3][4]
In West Bengal (India), gombhira performances are centred around the Malda District whereas Chapai Nawabganj District is the main centre of Gambhira performances in Bangladesh. The tradition is also popular in the nearby districts of Rajshahi and Naogaon.[2] It is performed with a particularly distinctive rhythm and dance with two performers, always personifying a man and his maternal grandfather, discussing a topic to raise social awareness.
Gambhira mask
The Gambhira dance is performed all over the Malda district of North Bengal during the festival of Chaitra Sankranti. The masks for Gambhira dance are made out of neem and fig trees by the local Bengali Sutradhar community. Sometimes they were also made the mask of clay.[5]
Gambhira songs frequently employ biting satire to mock and ridicule people, even those who are powerful and are in attendance.[6][7][8]
See also
References
- ^ A. F. Salahuddin Ahmed; Bazlul Mobin Chowdhury (2004). Bangladesh, national culture, and heritage: an introductory reader. Independent University, Bangladesh. pp. 407–410. ISBN 978-984-8509-00-5.
- ^ a b Don Rubin; Chua Soo Pong; Ravi Chaturvedi; Minoru Tanokura; Ramendu Majundar (2001). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific. Taylor & Francis. pp. 78–86. ISBN 9780415260879.
- ^ "Mango festival and cultural programme in Chapainawabganj". The Daily Star. 20 June 2009. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ^ "Rajshahi University School, College wins divisional round". The Daily Star. 9 August 2014. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ^ "The Mask". Biswa Bangla. Archived from the original on 2018-02-13. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ Khan, Mobarak Hossain (1988). Music and Its Study. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers. p. 74. ISBN 81-207-0764-8.
- ^ Fakhruddin, A. U. M. (June 1988). "Baishakh and Bangla Calendar". Bangladesh Quarterly. 8 (2): 5.
- ^ Hossain, Mahmudul (2007). "Cartoon and Caricature". In Selim, Lala Rukh (ed.). Art and Craft. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. p. 243. OCLC 299379796.
External links