Dr Wangchuck Dorjee Negi
Following is the transcript of a lecture by Professor Wangchuck Dorjee Negi, part of the Session IV 'Impact of Guru Padmasambhava in Our Time' from a two-day conference titled 'Conference on the Life and Legacy of Guru Padmasambhava'. This conference was held at the India…
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B.N. Goswamy
Vajrayana—the ‘Diamond Path’—the most commonly practised form of Buddhism in the Himalayan region is essentially esoteric and very hard for anyone from the outside to access. The range and the variety of images alone are staggering, writes Prof. B.N. Goswamy. Colour, direction, stance, weapons,…
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Arunopol Seal
Since my childhood I have come to associate the word brewing with an image of a serving tray with a steaming pot of ‘Darjeeling tea’ in white bone china cups. It was not until my early adulthood that I learnt to associate the word brewing with alcohol—brewing as a sophisticated process of cooking,…
in Overview
Soumik Datta
It addresses the historical origins of the modern solo bhawaiya form, the influence of nature and Rajbanshi culture on the development of the songs, and its gradual dissemination from early theatrical roots through the itinerant moishals (buffalo keepers) and gariyals (cart drivers) to…
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Soumik Datta
He has authored numerous books and essays on different aspects of the sociocultural history of North Bengal as well as ethnomusicological studies of bhawaiya songs. He is also a retired IAS officer and currently an elected representative of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
In this…
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Soumik Datta
Bhawaiya is an iconic genre of folk song practised throughout the sub-Himalayan belt of northern West Bengal, southern Assam and north-western Bangladesh. There is an approximate consensus that the origins of the form may be dated back to at least the sixteenth century, during the reign of Raja…
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Priyanka Chharia
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Soumik Datta
Bhawaiya is a major genre of folk song popular throughout the entire sub-Himalayan belt of northern West Bengal, western Assam and parts of Bangladesh. Drawing its roots from various theatrical and matriarchal ritual folk music traditions, bhawaiya has developed into a socially conscious yet…
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Lopamudra Talukdar
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Thupten Tenzing
Buddhism was introduced to Sikkim in the form of termas or hidden teachings. The teachings prophesied that certain Buddhist masters would discover these ‘treasures’ in the very locations where they had been concealed by Guru Padmasambhava. Therefore, Sikkim is also known as the land of terma. To…
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