>Arimaboss at 23:02, 9 April 2021

2021-04-09T23:02:26Z

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{{Short description|Bhojpuri Folk music genre}}

'''Biraha''' (sometimes known as '''Birha''') is an ethnic Bhojpuri [[Folk music|folk]] genre of [[Ahir]] communities in [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Bihar]], and [[Jharkhand]] in [[India]]. Its place in folk songs is as important as that of ''Dwipadi'' in [[Sanskrit]], ''Gatha'' in [[Prakrit]] and ''Barwai'' in [[Hindi]]. It is composed of two episodes. When one side says their point, the other side answers in the same verse. There is no limit to the number of quantities. The volume varies with the tune of the song. It indicates the intense longing of the spouse and the pain of love or feeling of separation from him. ''Separation is a king, a body that does not know separation, it is a living corpse.'' Outside India, this genre can be found in the former colonies of where [[Indian indenture system|Indian indentured laborers]] from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand emigrated to, such as [[Fiji]], [[Guyana]], [[Mauritius]], [[South Africa]], [[Suriname]], and [[Trinidad and Tobago]].

==History==

=== Khari Birha ===
The modern Biraha has evolved nearly 150 years ago, from its older form which is called ''Khari Birha'' (Pure Biraha). These were used to written in the form of two rhymed lines used to performed without any musical instruments.<ref name=":0" />

<blockquote>Rām kī laṛaiyā ke nā païbe rawanawā, jekarī bagal me hanumān

Sonā kē laṃkā toharī mātī me milaīhen, tūṛ dihen toharo gumān

''Ravan, you can not succeed in fighting Ram, who has Hanuman at his side''

''Your golden Lanka will be mixed in the soil (destroyed), your pride will be broken''</blockquote>

=== Khari Biraha to Biraha ===

[[Bihari Lal Yadav]] is universally recognised as the founder of Biraha. Bihari made several modifications in khari Bihari, instead of [[Couplet]], consisting of two line he allowed unlimited numbers of rhymed lines in his Biraha. He also added a variation of [[Khartal]] as a musical instrument which became the identifying element of this genre. He introduced this genre in cities like [[Benaras]] by performing it in temples. As Biraha became a famous genre, Bihari Lal acquired a number of "Chelas" (disciples). These disciples later acquired their own disciples and these led to formation of several lineages which were called ''akhārṛā''. These Akharas played a major role in organising social and performance aspects of the tradition. All the written text of Biraha were the property of that particular Akhara, so one had to take the membership of those Akharas in order to become a Biraha singer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Freitag|first=Sandria B.|title=Culture and Power in Banaras: Community, Performance, and Environment, 1800-1980|publisher=University of California|year=1992|isbn=9780520080942|pages=95-98}}</ref> Over the years different Akharas did some more modifications are created other variants. The three main varieties were: ṭeri, antarā and Uṛān.

==Types and Structure==
Biraha are mainly of two types viz. Short Biraha and Long Biraha. The short Biraha is consists of two lines and called ''Khari Biraha''. Each line is further divided in to two parts, hence the whole Biraha has four parts, that is why it is called ''Charkadiya'' ([[Literal translation|trans.]]: of four parts). The last word of both the lines must rhyme or the rhyme scheme should be AA. Each line should have 26 akshars ([[Syllable]]), with 16 syllables in the 1st part of each line and 10 syllables in the 2nd part of each line. However According [[George Abraham Grierson]] the 2nd part of 1st and 2nd line should have 11 and 12 syllables respectively. The last two syllables of first part of both line should be [[Iamb (poetry)|iambic]] (in order of 1-2) however the that of 2nd part should be in order of 2-1.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Upadhyaya|first=Krishnadev|title=Bhojpuri Lok Sahitya Ka Adhyayan|year=1960|pages=210}}</ref> In some Birahas 18 and 11 syllables are also observed in the 1st and 2nd part of the 2nd line.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shandilya|first=Rajeshwari|title=Bhojpuri Lokgeetan me geeti tatva|publisher=Bhojpuri Sansthan|year=2001|location=Patna|pages=189}}</ref>

==Notable Biraha singers==
* [[Bihari Lal Yadav]], Father of Biraha Genre
* [[Baleshwar Yadav (Folk singer)|Baleshwar Yadav]]<ref>{{Cite web|title="वो 'झरेला' भोजपुरी गायक, जिसका गाना बॉलीवुड चुराता है"|url=https://www.jansatta.com/entertainment/bhojpuri/chali-aana-tu-pan-ki-dukan-pe-bhojpuri-singer-baleshwar-yadav-amitabh-bachchan/724551/|website=[[Jansatta]]}}</ref>
* [[Hiralal Yadav|Heera Lal Yadav]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=70 वां गणतंत्र दिवसः लोक गायकी के सरताज हीरालाल को जीवन की सांझ में मिला पद्न पुरस्कार|url=https://www.patrika.com/varanasi-news/padma-shree-to-folk-singer-hiralal-yadav-4038807/|website=[[Rajasthan Patrika|Patrika]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Hiralal Yadav, Padma Shri awardee Bhojpuri folk singer passes away at 93|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/celebrities-hiralal-yadav-padma-shri-awardee-bhojpuri-folk-singer-passes-away-at-93-519717|website=[[India TV]]}}</ref>
* [[Dinesh Lal Yadav]], Ghazipur

==Notable Works==

* [[Biraha Bahar]], by [[Bhikhari Thakur]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Folk songs]]
[[Category:Folk music]]

Biraha - Revision history

>Arimaboss at 23:02, 9 April 2021