Year: 2024

Nazmul Hoque, Assistant Professor, Department of Music, Udaynarayanpur Madhabilata Mahavidyalaya Abstract The folk life and folk culture of Murshidabad occupy a significant position in the broader tradition of Bengali folk heritage. Shaped by a river-based geography, agrarian economy, historical Nawabi legacy, and long-standing religious coexistence, the region has developed a rich and diverse folk culture. This research-oriented paper examines the socio-cultural, historical, and anthropological background of Murshidabad’s folk life, with particular focus on the folk performance traditions of Alkap and Bolan. Alkap, a folk theatrical form, employs humour, satire, and parody to reflect social realities, power structures, and resistance against exploitation. Its carnivalesque nature, as conceptualized by Mikhail Bakhtin, allows marginalized communities to question authority and social hierarchies through performance. In contrast, Bolan songs are primarily associated with the Gajan festival of Lord Shiva and represent a synthesis of devotion, ritual, and communal participation rooted in the agrarian life cycle. The paper also contextualizes Alkap Read More …

Farjana Yasmin, PhD Research Scholar, Performing Arts (Dance), Sister Nivedita University, DG1/2, New Town, Action Area-1, New Town, Kolkata: 700156, West Bengal, India. Puppetry, one of the oldest forms of theatre, plays a significant role in the folk dramas of Bengal, often referred to as “folk plays.” These performances are typically staged on small to medium-sized platforms, where puppeteers expertly bring human or animal puppets to life through skilful manipulation. In Bengal, puppetry has a rich tradition dating back nearly a thousand years, featuring various forms of puppets including wire, stick, braided, and shadow puppets. Each type has its own unique method of control, from the fine wires used in wire puppets to the hand manipulation of braided puppets, known locally as “Beniputul.” Historically, puppet shows were a beloved form of entertainment in rural Bengal, captivating audiences of all ages with their ability to portray human emotions like joy, sorrow, and humour. The relatable expressions Read More …

Ayan Bandyopadhyay Abstract The evolution of media music in India reflects the profound changes in technology, society, and cultural consumption over the last century. This transition began with print media, where sheet music and songbooks were crucial in disseminating music to a broader audience. These print forms were complemented by early gramophone records and radio broadcasts, marking the initial stages of mass media music. The introduction of film in the early 20th century, particularly with the advent of Bollywood, revolutionized how music was produced, consumed, and shared, making film songs a dominant force in the Indian music industry. As technology advanced, the role of radio, vinyl records, and cassettes played a significant part in shaping India’s music culture in the mid-20th century. With the globalization of media and the rise of satellite television in the 1990s, music videos became a powerful medium of expression and promotion, allowing artists to reach larger audiences through MTV, Channel Read More …

Bedotroyee Sarkar WB SET, MA in Instrumental Music (Sitar) – Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, West Bengal. Email: amar.kotha2011@gmail.com Abstract A melodious sound that soothes the mind and body is termed as music. Music is that medicine through which mind can be healed and mental problems can be cured. Music therapy can be termed as a progressive approach in the treatment of mental disorders. In many cases, music therapy has shown positive results in treating mental disorders like autism, depression, schizophrenia and many more.  Music, as a therapeutic approach, has paved the way for mental as well as physical healing through various processes such as lifting of moods and self-confidence in case of depression. Listening to music is much helpful for children with autism as it can stimulate cognitive functioning and patients with schizophrenia can have motivated thoughts and improved clinical symptoms. This paper discusses about the effects of music therapy on autism, depression and schizophrenia, Read More …

Anwesha Biswas, Visiting Faculty,  Department of French,  Syamaprasad College, Kolkata Abstract This discourse, based on the comparative study of two novels, ‘Une Si Longue Lettre’ and ‘Pratham Pratishruti,‘ from different eras and continents, aims to pay tribute to two pioneers of modern feminism, Mariama Bâ and Ashapurna Devi, and will show how their feminist consciousnesses blend without any barriers of time, culture, and language. Both feminists have taught me how writing is often a means of escaping distress and how despite our sufferings, we can still manage to say something meaningful about life. During the centuries when these two novels were written, the world was preoccupied with major issues such as wars and colonization. The problems inside the four walls, particularly women’s struggles in the domestic world, were consciously ignored. In this discourse, I will demonstrate that although these two novels depict societies from different continents, different centuries, different cultures, and different religions, they blend Read More …

Dr. Soumen Chakraborty, Department of Music, Ramsaday College, Amta, Howrah, WB, India Abstract: In this paper, an attempt has been made to highlight all traditional music particularly emphasizing ‘Tabla’. Afterwards, the transformation of Indian Traditional Music towards modern music in different forms concerning the demand and suitability of the societies of various countries according to their respective culture has been illustrated lucidly in detail. Various examples have been stated accordingly.  Finally, the opportunity of traditional and modern music has been cited in this paper. Introduction: ‘Tabla’ is an important percussion instrument in Indian Music. With the progress of human civilization, gradually the application of its rhythm beats in different forms has come into existence. The Tabla is known as an accompanying instrument. It plays an essential role with the vocalist, instrumental player and the dancers. A good Tabla accompaniment enhances the beauty of musical presentation. The tabla is considered to be an important solo instrument Read More …

Ms. Suparna Nandy, Adamas University, Kolkata, Abstract The detective novel, or polar, is a literary genre in which the story is generally centred on a drama, intrigue, as well as on the progress of an investigation conducted by a private detective or a police officer. The research is methodical: it is a question of collecting as much evidence and clues as possible to solve the mystery. Despite a very short journey, this literary genre started to know its success from its childhood and over the days it has managed to occupy a unique place in the hearts of readers sometimes by meticulous observations, sometimes by intellectual analyses or sometimes by the logical rationalizations of the characters that distinguish this genre from all others. Here, in my research, I would like to exploit mainly the traits and characteristics of two fictional characters – Byomkesh Bakshi, by Saradindu Bandyopadhyay, the hero of the Bengali detective genre and Read More …

Sujatha Swamy, Centre for Global Languages, Bengaluru City University Abstract India and France are two countries that share strategic and friendly bilateral relations.  In 2023, when the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited France as the Guest of Honour for the National Day celebrations, French President Emmanuel Macron offered him some interesting diplomatic gifts:  a photograph entitled A Parisian offers flowers to a Sikh, a unique replica of the Charlemagne chessmen and a series of novels by Marcel Proust In Search of Lost Time.  Moreover, on July 13, 2023, Narendra Modi was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour by Emmanuel Macron. The gifts offered by Macron were a diplomatic tool for which the objective was to promote friendship between the two countries.  However, in the didactic context of learning about the language and culture of France, these gifts could be considered specifically as tools of cultural diplomacy. Our research proposes the discovery Read More …

Suchandra Ghosh (Basu), Amity University Maharashtra, Prajesh Kumar Basu, Amity University Maharashtra Abstract  Diplomacy between France and India, particularly with regard to cinema and the arts, could include collaboration in the promotion and dissemination of the works of Satyajit Ray. Ray was one of India’s most acclaimed directors, recognized for his humanism, realism and artistic depth. He was particularly interested in French New Wave directors, such as François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. His works have been widely shown at French film festivals, and he received the prestigious International Critics’ Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his film “Pather Panchali” in 1956. Ray’s aesthetic and visual style have influenced many French artists, particularly in the fields of cinema, painting and illustration. Satyajit Ray received an honorary Oscar in 1992 for his entire film work. This prestigious award was given to him for his exceptional contribution to cinema and for having enriched the world’s cinematographic heritage. Read More …