Music of West Bengal


The music of West Bengal includes multiple indigenous musical genres such as Baul, Bishnupuri Classical, Kirtan, Shyama Sangeet, Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, Bengali rock. The city of Darjeeling, which has many Nepali people, is a center for Nepali rock, too.

Bishnupur Gharana

The Bishnupur Gharana is the sole Classical gharana of Bengal. It originated in Bishnupur, Bankura by the court musicians of the Malla Kings. Bahadur Khan of Delhi, a descendant of the Tansen, was the father of Bishnupur Gharana. Bahadur Khan was brought to Bishnupur by Malla King Raghunath Singha II.

Rabindra Sangeet

Rabindra Sangeet, also known as Tagore Songs, are songs written and composed by Rabindranath Tagore. They have distinctive characteristics in the music of Bengal, popular in India and Bangladesh.
Rabindra Sangeet has been an integral part of Bengal culture for over a century. Indian social reformer Swami Vivekananda became an admirer of Rabindra Sangeet in his youth. He also composed music in the Rabindra Sangeet style, for example Gaganer Thale in Raga Jaijaivanti.
A genre of Nepali Folk song of the Tamang people and popular amongst the Nepali-speaking community in West Bengal, India and around the world. It is accompanied by Tamang instruments, the Madal, Damphu and Tungna, although now-a-days musicians have taken to modern instruments. A Tamang Selo can be catchy and lively or slow and melodious and is usually sung to convey sorrow, love, happiness or day to day incidents and stories of folklore.
Hira Devi Waiba is hailed as the pioneer of Nepali Folk songs and Tamang Selo. Her song 'Chura ta Hoina Astura' is said to be the first Tamang Selo ever recorded. She has sung nearly 300 songs through her musical career spanning 40 years. After Waiba's death in 2011, her son Satya Waiba and Navneet Aditya Waiba collaborated and re-recorded her most iconic songs and released an album titled Ama Lai Shraddhanjali.

Shyama Sangeet

Shyama Sangeet is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali which is a form of supreme universal mother-goddess Durga or parvati. It is also known as Shaktagiti or Durgastuti.

Atulprasadi

Atulprasadi or the Songs of Atulprasad Sen, one of the major lyricist and composers of early-modern period, is also widely popular in Pachimbanga. Atul Prasad is credited with introducing the Thumri style in Bengali music. His songs centred on three broad subjects - patriotism, devotion and love.

Prabhat Samgiita

Prabhát Saḿgiita, also known as Songs of a New Dawn and Prabhat Songs, are songs composed by Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar. Sarkar composed a total of 5,018 songs, including the lyrics and the tune, in a period of eight years from 1982 until his death in 1990, making using of eight different languages: Bengali, Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Urdu, Magahi, Maithili and Angika.

Band music and Bengali rock

Popular Rock Bands
Year formedBand nameGenreLanguage
1975Moheener GhoraguliBengali rockBengali
1990KrosswindzBengali rock, fusionBengali, English, Hindi
1991ChandrabindooBengali rockBengali
1992CactusBengali rock, hard rockBengali
1996Hip PocketRock, hard rockEnglish
1998FossilsBengali rock, hard rock, metalBengali, English, Hindi
1998KalpurushBengali Rock, Bengali Pop, Rock, PopBengali, Hindi
1999BhoomiBengali rockBengali
1999Skinny AlleyRock, alternative rockEnglish
1999LakkhichharaBengali rockBengali
2001Cassini's DivisionRock, alternative rockEnglish
2002InsomniaBengali rock, alternative, nu metalEnglish, Bengali
2005RikterskaleBangla Rock-
2005PrithibiBengali rockBengali
2005AgnishBengali Rock, Hard rock, Rock n RollBengali
2005Calcutta BluesBengali rockBengali
2006DestinyProgressive, neo-classical
2006PinknoiseExperimental rock, alternative rockEnglish
2006PseudonymAlternative rock, hard rockEnglish
2006KanvasAlternative rock, Folk rockBengali, Hindi
2007Five Little IndiansAlternative rockEnglish
2008soul unity of rhythmAlternative rockBengali
2009KendrakaJazz rock-
2010Underground AuthorityAlternative rock, rap rock, hard rockHindi, English, Bengali
2012RobiONobinFolk rock-
2013Lotus EaterCountry, Alternative rock, rap rock soft rock, folk fusion, rock 'n' rollHindi, English, Bengali https://web.archive.org/web/20150218104000/http://www.fruithuntt.com/lotus-eater/
2014Cross ChordsExperimental Rock, Progressive Rock, MetalBengali, English
Parama
Aurko
2015the troubadoursFolk, Blues, mainly known for their Protest songs, such as 'Raasta ta howa dorkar'Bengali, English

Rock at Someplace Else (Kolkata)

Someplace Else is a pub in Kolkata which features daily performances by live bands. Since 1994 it has been promoting different kinds of music, and established artists share the space with aspiring performers. The pub is situated inside the Park Hotel, and regarded as a heritage spot of the city. Famous bands like Skinny Alley, Hip Pocket, Lou Majaw, Prestorika, Parikrama, Indian Ocean, Soulmate, Cassini's Division, Underground Authority, The Supersonics and many international musical acts have performed in this pub. International artists like Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling, QED, Dub FX and many more have performed in this pub. The pub hosts 3285 hours of live music every year, the most anywhere in India.

Daily Bands