Art forms, if you go to the origin of the creation of each and every art form in the history of mankind you will find an intention of recreation behind its birth. Artforms like dance and music were meant for the pleasure of the high society and for the men at the pinnacle of the power tower performed by the smallfolk of their area who would kick and knaw to all extents for their pleasure. While the positioning and perspective on artforms has changed drastically in the past century , the residual of this past mentality still remains in the old india , often regarded as living for the lowlifes in conversations between the elderly who were born before the shackles were broken from our Ashoka Chakra.
Well good news, time changes and so does the world( yeahknow I question this statement often!). From being looked upon as the livelihood of your Palace side common man it has turned into an illustrious career which breathes power and fame. But over the past century another formation has taken place which is well known by us , we see it everywhere , we hear it every once in a while and we feel the power of it – the formation that I am talking about is the transformation of music from a mere pleasure activity to a voice for the voiceless , a shield against the evil and a all binding force that brings the world together in the time of need.
You see music is the most widespread artform in the world ,from the slums of Bombay to the streets of Soho , you will find people who give 2 cents about 50 cent. From the Bronx to the collaseum , Brat summer is everywhere. While it is easy for people and communkty to bond and group up over a subject or activity that brings them pleasure , music is the one thing that binds them together when time are dark and the air carries hurt in it.
Lets take a look at the times India was united by its protest music in the times of distress and need:-
Elections, the periodical assessment of the country’s progress and the process of choosing who leads us into the future, are a big deal for its citizens, and they are treated as such in our country. Political elections in India are the biggest non-religious event that brings people together from every corner as they clash and shake hands over opinions, pick sides, and go to battle for the future of the country’s best interests. Recently, there has been a rise in artists who have used their voices for their political opinions and to unite people for the collective betterment of society. A prime example of this was presented to us in 2021 when, a few months before the first phase of polling in Bengal, a track titled “Nijeder MawteNijeder Gaan” was released. Written by actor Anirban Bhattacharya, the track pushed the message of using unity against hate and coming together for the good of everyone. The track went viral that year and included national award winners like Anupam Roy, Riddhi Sen, and Rupankar Bagchi, as well as several other prominent Bengali public figures.
2022 - In Her Name
Women’s oppression, discrimination, and harassment have always been India’s plight. While it hurts me to write this sentence as a citizen of the country, the statement stands tall even today. The vulgar Kolkata murder/rape case of Moumita Debnath has shaken the country to its core. In such dark times, I remembered the furious sitar of Anoushka Shankar, whose track “In Her Name” was released in 2022 to commemorate ten years since the “Nirbhaya” case, which, in a similar fashion to the past few weeks, was soul-shattering and brought the country together in mourning. “In Her Name” displays the fury and rage of Anoushka on her sitar as she attempts to empower the women of our country and break the chains of oppression.
1940s - The Northeast Indian Independence Music
The tales of our independence are some of the fiercest events of power, revolt, and unity that the world has witnessed. While textbooks are filled with the courageous attempts at freedom by Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, and other freedom fighters, there was another group of people from Northeast India who are often forgotten and were fighting the evil in their own way, with their music giving rise to the first wave of protest music in the country. A prime example of this was Assamese artist Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwala’s "Bishwa Bijoy Nojowan," which today is a well-known track in the state and is a symbol of fighting for your rights within the community.
2018 - No Rape MovementIn revolt against the Kathua rape case of 8-year-old Asifa of Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, Bombay rapper Emiway rose to the occasion to unite with people with his “Norape” track, evoking the hashtag #norape, which was used by numerous artists to use their platform and pen against evil.
The above-mentioned examples of musical heroism may make you feel proud for a mere moment for being a citizen of this country, but let’s cut to the chase and accept that we shouldn’t be. As a country, we have always found a way to unite in times of need and when evil strikes, but we have absolutely failed to prevent the next evil from striking or identifying it within our own people.
Moumita Debnath’s rape was a loud reminder that while we may have reached the moon in this past decade, we haven’tmoved a step forward in humanity. It is not you who can bring change, it is not us who can bring justice to the deserving, but it is we who can move together and kick this terror from our home, which we call India. Premise stands with Moumita Debnath and every other victim of rape. We plead to the artists reading this to raise your voice against this evil with the hashtag #SaathKaSangeet.
Opmerkingen