Gombhira

{{short description|Traditional Bengalese song form}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{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 Bengali folk song and dance originating in the Bengal region, from what is known today as northwestern Bangladesh and north eastern 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 and 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 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>

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

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

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