As the name suggests “Echoes of Indian Music” is about the resonating musical fabric of India. It is about the various musical genres, styles and melodies, native to the Indian subcontinent but having little traction even within the other parts of India. Bringing into focus this multicolored music culture and its rightful appreciation, to the people is a moral obligation of sorts and much needed. Our monthly magazine Khanak is all set to feature write-ups under the “Echoes of India” banner to promote this initiative.

While we as a culture have always been receptive to various musical influences even from outside India it is ironical that few Indians have an inkling of the music that shapes us, often at a deep level. There is that strange apathy around that has thwarted the growth and spread of music within the country. Go figure: How many from Punjab would know what a Lavani from Maharashtra is ? Would a Karnataka resident truly appreciate a Mand from Rajasthan; or for that matter how many outside Bengal would truly know the beauty of Rabindra Sangeet? The answer stares us in the face. Hardly any will pass that litmus test.

At IPRS we feel that this had to change and would like to take baby steps to correct this anomaly.

We at IPRS can sense that there is need to go the extra mile to transport our musical roots through the map of India. Our monthly magazine Khanak, we believe, is the right vehicle to carry out this honorable venture of reaching the multitudes.

Keying off with the music of the North Eastern state of Assam, every Khanak issue will headline one Indian region and talk about its assorted musical genres. As IPRS, we do feel that there’s a clear link between music and cultural tourism and are keen to deliver a concerted effort to uncover this treasure for our members and the public at large.

Cue the music!

Given the fact that music in India is deeply rooted in the cultural ethos of its various regions, the sheer grandeur of the musical spread is awe inspiring. Among the world’s great musical cultures, Indian music, with its breath-taking expanse, continues to astound listeners and transcontinental music artists.

Taking shape in the time of Bann Raja, Assamese music can be traced to princess Usha and her companion Chitralekha, who the Assamese revere as the first artist to have walked the planet.

Ethnic societies, large and small, that have been part of the various settlements in Assam over centuries, have added an inimitable effervescence to Assamese music endowing it with a lasting appeal.

Misings Bodos, Karbees, Assamese tribes with their own instruments, melodies, folk music, are an indelible part of Assamese cultural music and add multidimensional layers to its vivid tapestry.

A veritable treat, Assamese Folk music encompasses a variety of melodies. An aural feast Bihu Geet and Dance are the most recognized form of art and dance music performed during the spring festivals. Accompanying instruments Pepa, Gogona, Dhol add spice to the catchy and resplendent compositions espousing love, farming, and a spirited life.

Expressing their emotions through folk music, Assamese women have left an indelible mark on Assamese society and on the larger canvas of everyday life in Assam. Tugging at the heartstrings are the tender Goalporiya Lok-Geet. Biraha or pathos laden, these expressive musical nuggets become the medium for married women to pine for their husband.

Adorned with moving ballads/ Malita Assamese music is a comprehensive repository of musical forms accommodating every traditional and modern musical convention with flair. The origin of Ragas and the story behind their creation is unveiled in the sublime Malitas sublime giving them a mature historical guise.

Sukhabi Narayan Dev, the legendary Assamese poet has composed hymns dedicated to the snake goddess Manasa. Another popular musical form is the Ramayani. Musical compositions based on situations from the epic Ramayan intertwined with lyrics of Assam folk life catapults Ramayani into a delectable offering in terms of form and melody across any ethnic world art form.

The Vaishnavite influence on Assamese culture is palpable. This influence surfaced through music with Sankardev and Madhav Dev creating the devotional Borgeet introducing the Sattriya culture that went on to have a telling impact on Assamese music over the coming years.

While this is a telling aspect of Assamese music and its growth over centuries and as folk music along with the myriad musical forms continue to cascade down the years, it is clear that Assamese musicians are open to experimenting and absorbing new sounds while retaining their resplendent musical ethos.

Bhupen Hazarika, Assam’s music and cultural icon, celebrated globally, has given Assamese music the wings to transcend geographical borders. His music suffused with folk elements skillfully blended modern music arrangements into the mix conjuring a popular subgenre for his legion of music fans.

How about a mix of EDM, Hip-Hop, Dance Music to partake in? Modern Assam has ingrained all this and more in its eclectic musical melting pot. Music Festivals like Rongila Bihu offer a contemporary platform to celebrate the sounds of the Borgeet, Bihu and Baul, emanating from the bed of the gushing great Assamese river Brahmaputra perennially entwined with its musical entity.