SHYAMA SANGEET : DEDICATED TO THE DIVINE DEVI KALI

 Shyama Sangeet is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali which is a form of supreme universal mother-goddess Durga or parvati. It is also known as Shaktagiti or Durgastuti.Shyama Sangeet appeals to the common man because it is a musical representation of the relationship of eternal and sublime love and care between the mother and her child. It is free of the common rituals of worship and also the esoteric practice of the Tantra.

The term 'Shyama' refers to the skin color of Kali (usually depicted in black or deep blue.) Literally, it means dusky.Shyama Sangeet conceptualizes Goddess Kali as a loving human mother and the singer is longing for The Mother's love. The songs have become popular not only for its devotional side, but also for its human appeal.

Ramprasad Sen is regarded as the “Father of Shyama Sangeet”. Towards the middle of the 18th century, the poet Ramprasad Sen instilled new life into it and turned it into a distinct genre of Bengali songs. He is credited with popularizing the bhakti Shakta tradition and Shyama Sangeet. Ramprasad was succeeded by number of composers like Kamlakanta Bhattacharya (1772–1821), Rasikchandra Ray (1820–1893), Ramchandra Datta (1861–1899), Kazi Nazrul Islam ( 1899 - 1976),Trailokyanath Sanyal, Ramdulal Dutta, Sadhak Bamakhyapa and Nilakantha Mukhopadhyaya. 

Shyama Sangeet became more popular at the time of Sri Ramkrishna Paramhansa, who was an ardent Kali bhakta/devotee. Ramprasad Sen, Rabindranath Thakur, Girishchandra Ghosh, and Swami Vivekananda, among others, composed numerous Shyama Sangeet. In modern times both Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam have composed poems of Shyama Sangeet genre.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF ONE OF THE SHYAMA SANGEET:-

Amar Maa Twang hi tara (X2)

Mother, Thou art our sole Redeemer

My Mother, Thou art our sole Redeemer

Tumi triguna dhara parat-para

With the Support of the three gunas, Thou art Higher than the most high

Ami jani Maa o dina daya-mayi

Thou art the ever-compassionate, I know Mother

Durgamete dukha-hara

Who takest away our bitter grief

Tumi Sandhya, Tumi Gayatri, Tumi Jagaddhatri go Maa

Sandhya art Thou, Thou art Gayatri, Thou art Jagaddhatri, O Mother

Akulera trana-katri

Mother, the Help art,Thou Of those that have no help but Thee

Sada - Shiber Manohara

O Eternal Beloved of SadaShiva!

Tumi Jole Tumi Sthole Tumi Adya-mule go Maa

Thou art in earth, Thou art in water, Thou liest at the root of all

Acho shorbo ghote orgho phute

Thou art in every religious pot blooming as a flower

Shaakar-aakar nirakara

Yet art Thou being both personal as well as the formless Reality.

Written by Saikat Bandhyapadhyay.