This “song” is based on a prose narrative inBahr-e-Zakhkhār, the Persian biography of Indian saints and mysticsproduced by Wajihuddin Ashraf in 1788-89.The Sufis described in this biography, from which a short excerpt has been selected, not only had…

This “song” is based on a prose narrative inBahr-e-Zakhkhār, the Persian biography of Indian saints and mysticsproduced by Wajihuddin Ashraf in 1788-89.The Sufis described in this biography, from which a short excerpt has been selected, not only had…

This “song” is based on a prose narrative inBahr-e-Zakhkhār, the Persian biography of Indian saints and mysticsproduced by Wajihuddin Ashraf in 1788-89.The Sufis described in this biography, from which a short excerpt has been selected, not only had…

The fourth song is taken from the corpus of lyrics by Ramprasad Sen, a well-known saint and devotee of Goddess Kali, who lived Halisahar, Bengal, during the 18th Century. Ramprasad's devotional songs to Goddess Kali, known as "Ramprasadi", influenced…

Ramprasad was deeply affected by the Bengal Famine of 1769-70 (described in one of our famine tales) and the scarcities that rural Bengal experienced during his life time. The song selected here reflects his empathy with the suffering poor, which is…

The fifth song is a poem by "Kangal Phikirchand" - the pseudonym was adopted by Harinath Majumdar (1833-1896) who made a pioneering contribution to Bengali journalism, particularly in the cause of oppressed peasants of the region, in the 19th…

The fifth song is a poem by "Kangal Phikirchand" - the pseudonym was adopted by Harinath Majumdar (1833-1896) who made a pioneering contribution to Bengali journalism, particularly in the cause of oppressed peasants of the region, in the 19th…

The fifth song is a poem by "Kangal Phikirchand" - the pseudonym was adopted by Harinath Majumdar (1833-1896) who made a pioneering contribution to Bengali journalism, particularly in the cause of oppressed peasants of the region, in the 19th…

This is one of two songs in our collection by Kabir the well-known fifteenth-century "weaver poet", whose works circulated widely and survive in often variant forms in later manuscripts. In his life and subsequent reputation, Kabir was influential…

Thischoukopata (square scroll) was painted by Rupjan Chitrakar, Dukhushyam's grand-daughter and one of the artists from the youngest generation of scroll painters in Naya. Here we see Rupjan focusing on the figure of Kabir in meditation.

Graphic artist Debkumar Mitra makes vivid the dark symbolism of Kabir's poem and its criticism of greed.

This is one of two songs in our collection by Kabir the well-known fifteenth century "weaver poet", whose works circulated widely and survive in often variant forms in later manuscripts. In his life and subsequent reputation, Kabir was influential…

Thischoukapata(square scroll) illustration of the poem by Jahanara Chitrakar, in her characteristic elegant style and use of colour, emphasises the intensity of religious devotion in sparse surroundings.

The graphic artist Sekhar Mukherjee builds on the more satirical edge of Kabir's tone in his interpretation of this song.

This graphic story by Sarbajit Sen tells the tale of Dukhushyam's self-fashioning in the act of writing famine from below.

The choukopata(square scroll) accompanying the poem is painted by Dukhushyam in his inimitable style, perhaps one of few contemporary scroll painters who still insist on the tradition of working directly on paper with colours, without any need for…

Our final song is by our contemporary poet, painter, and singer Dukhyshyam Chitrakar. In this short lyric, Dukhushyam speaks in the blended voice of thepīr, drawing on multiple religious traditions to the point that these are indistinguishable. His…