Folk songs raise poll pitch this summer

KOLKATA: Dependence on folk songs as a tool of election campaigning has always been an intrinsic part of the poll pitch but not like this summer; especially after Bengal’s main opposition party has given the clarion call for change.
Rural voters in districts of south Bengal are lured to ballots with various forms of folk songs like Patua, Bolan among others with lyrics tuned to political colours.Sahadeb Sarkar, who has a team of Bolan singers and lyricists in Burdwan district's Uddharonpur, says: "Usually, we compose songs with contemporary incidents and with a specific rhythm we perform those in villages in the run-up to Chaitra Sankranti. Unlike previous years, we interspersed political words in the songs, as people now prefer listening to what’s happening in the polling ring."
Bolan, accompanied by drums, is performed in a group for last three days of the Bengali year. Popular in parts of Murshidabad, Birbhum and Burdwan, this folk traditon of centuries has found importance in poll campaigning for the sheer interest it generates among rural masses. Sk Shahnawaz, the Trinamool Congress candidate of Burdwan’s Ketugram constituency, says: "We have used Bolan songs during visits to several villages. Uddharonpur being the centre of Bolan, campaign to the area reverberated with drum beats and songs."
Besides myths, political uprisings and incidents also find mention in Patua songs - mostly in West Midnapore’s Pingla area. Dukhushyam Chitrakar, now in his late sixties, says: "I have written a lot using incidents affecting people’s lives. Even during Emergency, I was jailed because of my song, ‘Congress Biplobi’." More recently, lyrics from his song, "Roktakto Nandigram", have been used by leaders of different parties alike: "Karkhanar jonyo moder haralo jibon/ Karkhanati hole ki ar firbe bachhadhon (We have lost lives because of the plant/ And we won’t get them back even if the plant is built now."
Samar Kar, a local CPM leader of West Midnapore, said Patua singers might be invited to villages to accompany candidates during campaigns. "Neta der ke marchhe kintu bonduk theka diya/ Bomabaji kore abar grame gonje giya/ Sokal hole jaye paliya chokher arale (Leaders are shot/ Bombings in villages/ But they flee in morning) - lyrics like these help us convince voters in villages about Maoists," says CPM supporter Ratan Mahto, who has now taken shelter in a relative’s house in Jhargram after his village had been raided by Naxalites last year.
"We do not have a political inclination but as artists, we observe a situation and compose songs based on it," says Rahim, Dukhushyam’s son, adding that sometimes parties ask them to write songs praising them.
Political overtones mark Jhumur songs - famous for its tradition in Maoist-hit Bankura and Purulia districts - this poll season. Septuagenarian Sunil Mahto, who has been writing songs for years, says: "I composed many a political song. This year I may not write such a song but many others in our Purulia town and adjacent areas will compose those." Undoubtedly, folk songs are the most convenient medium to woo voters in remote areas as the lyrics communicate in their language and thoughts. Political parties have picked up the style just in time in the run-up to the elections.