View source for Gombhira

{{short description|Traditional Bengalese song form}}
{{Use Indian English|date= January 2021}}
{{Expand Bengali|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name              = Gombhira
| image             = Gambhira.jpg
| stylistic_origins = [[Chapainawabganj]], [[Maldah District]]  
| cultural_origins  = 
| popularity        = 
| derivatives       = 
| subgenres         = 
| fusiongenres      = 
| regional_scenes   = 
| local_scenes      = 
| other_topics      = 
}}
{{Music of West Bengal}}
{{Music of Bangladesh}}
{{Music of Bengal}}

'''Gombhira''', '''Gambhira''' or '''Gamvira''' ({{Langx|bn|গম্ভীরা}}) is a type of [[Bengalis|Bengali]] folk song and dance originating in the [[Bengal region]], from what is known today as northwestern [[Bangladesh]] and north eastern [[West Bengal, India|West Bengal]], [[India]].<ref>{{cite book |author1=A. F. Salahuddin Ahmed |author-link1=A. F. Salahuddin Ahmed |author2=Bazlul Mobin Chowdhury |title=Bangladesh, national culture, and heritage: an introductory reader |date=2004 |publisher=Independent University, Bangladesh |pages=407–410 |isbn=978-984-8509-00-5}}</ref><ref name="rubin">{{cite book |last1=Don Rubin |last2=Chua Soo Pong |last3=Ravi Chaturvedi |last4=Minoru Tanokura |last5=Ramendu Majundar |title=The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific |date=2001 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9780415260879 |pages=78–86}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-93439|title=Mango festival and cultural programme in Chapainawabganj|work=The Daily Star|date=20 June 2009 |access-date=2016-04-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/rajshahi-university-school-college-wins-divisional-round-36391|title=Rajshahi University School, College wins divisional round|work=The Daily Star|date=9 August 2014 |access-date=2016-04-02}}</ref>

In [[West Bengal (India)]], gombhira performances are centred around the [[Malda District]] whereas [[Chapai Nawabganj District]] is the main centre of Gambhira performances in Bangladesh. The tradition is also popular in the nearby districts of [[Rajshahi District|Rajshahi]] and [[Naogaon District|Naogaon]].<ref name="rubin" /> It is performed with a particularly distinctive rhythm and dance with two performers, always personifying a man and his maternal grandfather, discussing a topic to raise social awareness.

== Gambhira mask ==
The Gambhira dance is performed all over the [[Malda district]] of North Bengal during the festival of Chaitra Sankranti. The masks for Gambhira dance are made out of neem and fig trees by the local [[Bengalis|Bengali]] ''[[Sutradhar]]'' community. Sometimes they were also made the mask of clay.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=http://www.biswabangla.in/ldf-blog/2015/9/22/the-mask|title=The Mask|work=Biswa Bangla|access-date=2018-02-13|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213140142/http://www.biswabangla.in/ldf-blog/2015/9/22/the-mask|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Performance==
Gambhira songs frequently employ biting satire to mock and ridicule people, even those who are powerful and are in attendance.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Khan |first1=Mobarak Hossain |author-link=Mobarak Hossain Khan |title=Music and Its Study |date=1988 |publisher=Sterling Publishers |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-207-0764-8 |page=74}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fakhruddin |first1=A. U. M. |title=Baishakh and Bangla Calendar |journal=Bangladesh Quarterly |volume=8 |issue=2 |date=June 1988 |page=5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Hossain |first1=Mahmudul |editor1-last=Selim |editor1-first=Lala Rukh |chapter=Cartoon and Caricature |title=Art and Craft |date=2007 |publisher=Asiatic Society of Bangladesh |oclc=299379796 |page=243}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Masks of West Bengal]]
* [[Folk Music Festivals in Bangladesh]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bioKwg93Wag  Gomvira song performed by Chapai Nakshi Gomvira teem ]

{{Culture of West Bengal}}{{Dance in India}}

{{West Bengal}}

[[Category:Music of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Asian dances]]
[[Category:Song forms]]
[[Category:Music of Bengal]]
[[Category:Folk dances of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Bengali music]]


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