Sohagi Murmu :: Sohagi Murmu sings Sohrai
We recorded Sohagi Murmu nearly ten years ago (2017) while documenting Sohrai wall art. The two song she sings are Sohrai songs, which are always sung during the harvest season, from October to January. The first is in the Santali language and the second in Bengali. In an earlier time, it was the practice to compose songs in Bengali in honour of special non Santali invitees to a village event. The special invitee may have been a local ruler or zamindar. Thus many old traditional songs of the Santals are in the Bengali language. Even though the songs are sung in celebration of a harvest, the lyrics primarily reflect pathos. It is the tune that is the identifier of a song category; the lyrics could refer to any aspect of Santal life, their struggles, their history and traditions.
 
Date : January 2017
Location : Panrasol, Purulia, West Bengal
Duration : 2m 53s
Source : Live recording
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Subject : Santal, Sohrai, Purulia