Release of Book titled “SanskritirRatnabhandar: BhawaiyarItibritta” (Bhawaiya: A Cultural Treasure and Its Historical Journey)authored by Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy and Ms. Sangita Roy

Today, on the release of the book Sanskritir Ratnabhandar: Bhawaiyar Itibrittothe dignitaries sharing the dais with me, Hon’ble MP, Rajya Sabha, Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla Ji; Hon’ble MP of Lok Sabha and Author, Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy Ji; Former VC, Cooch Behar Pancha-nan Barma University, Prof. Dr. Nikhil Chandra Ray Ji; Publisher, Katha-O-Kahini, Shri Debraj Patra Ji; Bhaiyon and Behnon. Sabko Namaskar!

Firstly, I extend my congratulations to both the authors, Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy and Ms. Sangita Roy, for their dedicated efforts to bring the Rajbanshi culture to the mainstream. I also congratulate the publishers of the book. Dr. Roy, a Member of 17th Lok Sabha and now of the 18th Lok Sabha, is a doctor by profession. He is a dedicated parliamentarian. I am happy to learn that Smt. Sangita Roy is a renowned folk music artist. Her passion is such that she travelled from village to village across the state of Assam, collecting folk songs.

India’s strength lies in her extra-ordinary diversity. Across the length and breadth of our country, we have preserved our identity through language, music, customs, and traditions. These cultural expressions are a treasure-house of collective memory and living testimonies of our shared heritage. Through this book, I came to be introduced to the art form – Bhawaiya. Bhawaiya, emerging from the soil of North Bengal and adjoining regions, has for generations carried the emotions, aspirations, struggles, and wisdom of ordinary people. The beauty of this art is that it reflects the relation-ship between human life, nature, society, and culture.

The book “SanskritirRatnabhandar: BhawaiyarItibritto” systematically and comprehensively traces the historical evolution of Bhawaiya. The four major themes collectively offer a fresh perspective on the origin and development of this tradition. The history of the art, the role of Khemta dance and Pret-Nach, the influence of folk rituals, religious practices, agricultural customs, seasonal festivals, and community life, and other traditions demonstrate how Bhawaiya has evolved as an organic expression of the social and cultural experiences of the people. The significance of this work lies in its ability to bring forth an understanding of the cultural history of North Bengal and the KochRajbanshi community.

I am pleased to know that the central theme of the book is that ‘music does not emerge in isolation’. This perfectly aligns with our Vedas. In ancient Bharat, music was a tool to connect the human consciousness with the cosmic order. The Sama-Veda is entirely dedicated to musical chanting. From the ancient concept of Nada Brahma to the devotional traditions of Bhakti and Sufi-ism, music has always been hailed as cosmic vibrations and a pathway to the Divine. Long before Western Classical Music emerged, we had the ‘Natya Shastra’ by Bharatha Muni. It treats music as a fundamental expression of human emotion and divine realisation. No other country in the world can match the various art forms of music across our Bharat. The book also explores the close relationship between music, spirituality, and social life.  

I am extremely pleased to see thatthe journey from mantra to music, as described by the authors, reflects the remarkable continuity of Indian civilization. The book also highlights the deep connection between Bhawaiya and the KochRaj-banshi community.

In this book, we get to see that communities have pre-served their cultural identity not only through written records but also through songs, stories, rituals, and customs. We saw in the beautiful short clip played here that Bhawaiya music is a medium of expression for farmers, cattle herders, artisans, and women. Bhawaiya is a celebration of life through collective participation.

Today I would also like to touch upon the resilience of Bhawaiya. It has been truly remarkable how, in spite of the forces of modernisation, urbanisation, and globalisation, it continues to survive and evolve. This has been possible because Bhawaiya remains rooted in authentic human experiences and universal emotions. Another important factor is that there are people like Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy and Ms. Sangita Roy who continuously strive to preserve cultural heritage.

I also urge every young citizen to work on using technology to preserve languages, customs, values, and knowledge systems that form an essential part of our cultural wealth. We should be the guardians of our culture, tradition, and identity. Only a few days back, we celebrated the International Day of Yoga. I was part of the celebrations of the Yoga Day in Ladakh. In my address, I had told how our ancient traditions have solutions for modern age problems. Thanks to the efforts of our Hon’ble PM, Shriman Narendra Modiji, the entire world is now increasingly looking up to Bharat for solutions – be it Yoga for Health, Mission LiFE for climate change, and so on. Our Nation has so much to offer to the world. As India moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047, cultural preservation must remain an integral part of national development. But we should always remember that development becomes meaningful only when it is accompanied by cultural confidence and civilisational awareness.

I once again congratulate Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy and Ms. Sangita Roy for this outstanding contribution to Indian cultural scholarship. I am confident that this book will become an important reference for the study of Bhawaiya, KochRaj–banshi culture, and the broader cultural history of eastern India. I would like to conclude by highlighting the beauty of our Nation. I, belonging to the State of Tamil Nadu, am releasing this book in Bengali about the Bhawaiya of the northern part of Bengal and Assam. Our great Tamil national poet, Subramania Bharathi, had written :

முப்பதுகோடிமுகமுடையாள்உயிர்,
மொய்ம்புறஒன்றுடையாள் –
இவள்செப்புமொழிபதினெட்டுடையாள்எனிற்,
சிந்தனைஒன்றுடையாள்.

These lines celebrate the timeless ideal that India’s strength lies not in uniformity, but in unity amidst diversity. We have many languages, cultures, and communities, yet we are one nation and share one civilizational spirit. Bharat is One and shall remain one forever!

• Thank you.
• Jai Hind!
• Long Live Mother Bharat!

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