A music band of 6 members, known by the name of Assam Bamboo Band, has religiously taken the initiative to promote Assamese music through the richness of bamboo.
The band members who hail from Ramdia, a village which is located few kms away from Guwahati started their journey in the year 2006. Like several other music bands, they had their own shares of initial challenges.
The members play music using xylophone, flutes, mridanga, congo, benu, which are all created with bamboo.
The band members collaborate in composing songs which evokes the harmony in Assam, the unity in diversity among the various ethnic communities of the state, and identities of Assam.
Talking to G Plus, Hiranya Das, the team leader of the band said, "Music is everywhere. Unlike western instruments, we try to discover and create music with bamboo, an asset which is very much Assamese. We performed at the International Trade Fair, New Delhi, and it was overwhelming to see people accepting our music."
“I search for new notes in different baahor chunga. And it’s amazing to see how different the music is produced each time,” he added.
The songs that the band members create, shout of the glorious beauty, history and identity of the state of Assam. From iconic figures to places of religious significance and tourism aspect alike, the songs carry the vibe of Assam in abundance. Several songs performed by the band revolve around Assamese assets like, jaapi, kaah-baason, paat-kapur, Bokakhator pera, Gamusa, Bhupen hazarika, Hajo, Kaziranga, Majuli, Maihang baati amongst several others.
As informed by Das, the band has also started to work on jamming with western music, and gift the people of Assam a new taste of regional music.
(Photo source: Eco Tourism Society of North East India)