An Extinct Folk Culture of Murshidabad District: Muslim Wedding Songs/ মুর্শিদাবাদ জেলার এক বিলুপ্তপ্রায় লোকসংস্কৃতি : মুসলিম বিবাহ গীতি

Abstract

An ancient tradition of the Murhidabad district is the Muslim wedding songs. Since time immemorial, Muslim wedding songs have been enriching the folklore and folk culture of this district as well as entire Bengal. The main feature of the Muslim wedding songs in Murshidabad is a special type of folk music conducted and sung by the rural Muslim women of the villages. The singing programme continues for 6-7 consecutive days from ‘Gaye Halud to Iburo Bhat’. Once, Muslim wedding songs were the main means of expression of the minds of rural Muslim women folk. Muslim women use to perform different types of songs for spending their leisure time and for entertainment on the occasion of marriages. Rural illiterate Muslim women of the Murshidabad district generally play a one-sided role in promoting and spreading the practice of Muslim wedding songs. Even the listeners of these songs are women. On this occasion, the entry of the men folk of the house are strictly forbidden. Muslim wedding songs are not only melodious, but also reflect the laughter, tears, sorrows, pains and joy that happen in our daily lives. Once, Muslim wedding songs were literally meant the wedding ceremonies and the songs about the bride and the groom. But nowadays Muslim wedding songs are not only limited to wedding related talks and accompaniments, rather this culture of Muslim wedding songs has also been constantly changing over time and according to geographical locations. In keeping with the wedding ceremony, the style of Muslim wedding songs has also changed in different places of the Murshidabad district. Muslim wedding songs of this district are actually one of the mirrors of society and culture. These songs highlight the various sporadic incidents that happen in daily human life. The happiness, sorrow, pain and suffering, social customs, various types of diseases, marital life of girls, social status of women, child marriage and ill effects of child marriage, widowhood, problem of old husband, polygamy of men, extramarital affairs, domestic violence against women, the negative impact of not getting polio vaccination in rural areas, the ill effects of not receiving proper education are skillfully and beautifully portrayed through the Muslim wedding songs.