First of all this is not at all an advice on Bhojpuri folk music. I will request MS to modify the title as’Bhojpuri folk music’.
Bhojpuri is spoken in a number of districts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. As large number of people from this belt settled in West Indies and Mauritius many years back, Bhojpuri remains the main language there too. Bhojpuri folk music is melodious as Bhojpuri language itself is.
My mother tongue is not Bhojpuri, however as I did my schooling at Ara, the heart of Bhojpur district, I learnt this language. It has every thing, sweetness, melody and can reflect very bold and powerful mood too.
During childhood I remember bjojpuri songs from Bharat Thakur, Munna Singh etc. but the one which we loved most was from Sharada Sinha. Her songs were class apart. Melodious, simple in tunes and would touch different aspects of life. We used to make collection of her songs. Sharda Sinha gave her voice to few Hindi movies also and one of her songs in the movie Maine Pyar Kiya became very famous.
I left the Bhojpuri belt 15 years back . Though I have not been following Bhojpuri actively but one thing I can say for sure that there was nothing much to be followed. Sweetness and melodieis of Sharada Sinha has been replaced by vulgarity and incoherent voice of fellow singers. There are so many singers whose songs are so dirty!. These songs may be heard on a Paan dookan but not in a house! This complete vulgarity in Bhojpuri folk music is really upsetting. I am not able to understand why so much of dirt is being accepted in Bhojpuri society. Just look at one of the latest Bhojpuri albums from T-series “Harami Kela” As the name itself suggests its content, nothing needs to be said more of this. However a big name like T-series releasing such albums, this is disgusting. Does it all reflect the overall deterioration of Bihar!
In the March of this month I had gone to Ranchi and in a three wheeler I heard a song in a touching female voice ‘ Piya bansia bajae aadhi ratia ki Manawa bhail baawaria’. The tune, theme and music everything was heart rendering. I asked the three wheeler drivr who the singer was and it was “Devi” and the album was “Bawaria”.
From then, I have purchased different albums from Devi and I could observe the following:
Devi’s voice quality is excellent . It resembles that of Sharada Sinha.
Devi’s albums have maintained sanctity of Bhojpuri folk music and has maintained a great distance from vulgarity.
Her so called paramparic tunes have rejuvenated the sweet songs Bhojpuri women folk have sung over the years.
These songs are for every one
Devi’s albums have registered record braking sales. She is the most sought after Bhojpuri singer today. Doesn’t it reflect that Bhojpuri people still love good music which is melodious and good enough to be played in house, among family members!
This is my first review on Bhojpuri folk music. I will be glad to see more reviews on the topic.