• DR. MADHAB CHANDRA ADHIKARY

Rajbanshi is the most influential caste among the Hindu ethnic groups of Eastern India. They live mainly in the northern parts of West Bengal, Rangpur in Bangladesh, East Dinajpur, North-East of Mymensingh in Rajshahi District and parts of Bogura District, Lower Bhutan, Assam, Meghalaya, Bhadrapur, Jhapa of Nepal and More Districts and East Purnia, Katihar and Kishanganj Districts of Bihar. The Bhawaiya is the is folk songs of Rajbanshis. In Bhawiaya, the main inhabitants of North Bengal have mixed their own language. Thus Bhawiaya, the mother tongue of Hindu-Muslim, Rajbanshis, is a necessary reform. The eminent bhawiya artis were - Surendranath Roy Basuniya, Abbasuddin Ahmed, Shailen Roy, Jeeten Maitra, Shivendra Narayan Mandal, Shasadhar Bhattacharya, Harishchandra Pal, Nayeb Ali Tepu, Pyarimohan Das , Tulsi Lahiri and others. But today Bhawaiya is no longer limited to regional areas but accepted in the international arena. Partitition of India (1947) introduced this Bhawaiya to the international arena. This Bhawaiya song is also getting priority in various government functions. The Bhawaiya is associated with Rajbanshis in every step of life of the society. Hence Bhawaiya songs are also sung in various puja parbans, deities, marriage ceremonies and various cultural and family rituals.

Rajbanshi, Hindu-Muslims,Bhawaiya, puja parbans, regional, cultural family rituals

"‘Bhawaiya’ the Folk Culture of the Rajbanshis Society: The Affluence of North Bengal (West Bengal)", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 9, page no.d604-d618, September-2023, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2309364.pdf

"‘Bhawaiya’ the Folk Culture of the Rajbanshis Society: The Affluence of North Bengal (West Bengal)", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 9, page no. ppd604-d618, September-2023, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2309364.pdf