Subhadeep Mahato is a passionate young researcher and cultural enthusiast from Purulia, West Bengal. Deeply rooted in the land and culture of the Chotanagpur region, his academic journey focuses on preserving its rich folk traditions, especially the orally transmitted form of Jhumur and other indigenous songs. He holds a postgraduate degree in English (2023). He is currently pursuing his Master's in Kudmali, along with a Diploma in Jhumur (2025) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Kudmali (2024) from Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University. His core interests include folk literature and indigenous language studies. As a native Bengali speaker whose mother tongue is Kudmali, and fluent in Hindi, he brings a multilingual perspective to his research. Voices of the Ancestors is his first major publication.
Dr. Laxmiram Gope is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West Bengal. With over eight years of postgraduate teaching experience, he is known for his dedication to both academic excellence and student growth. He also serves as Coordinator of the Department of Jhumur (SDC), promoting indigenous culture through education, and as an NSS Programme Officer, encouraging youth involvement in community service. Dr. Gope is actively engaged in research on cultural aspects of the Chotanagpur region, and has published books and journal articles highlighting its rich traditions. His work reflects a thoughtful balance of study, cultural advocacy, and social responsibility.
This study, entitled Voices of the Ancestors: An Analysis of the Tradition of Adi (Ancient) Jhumur and Other Folk Songs of Chotanagpur, is an emotional and creative journey into the soul of castern India's indigenous culture that has nurtured and shaped its music through generations. However, it's not just about music alone; rather, it's about memory, conviviality, identity, survival, and deep community connection with the surrounding forest, rivers, and Mother Nature. At its heart lies Adi Jhumur the earliest and purest form of the Jhumur tradition, a folk music style rooted in oral culture, shaped by the rhythm of everyday life, and passed down through generations without the need for pen or paper.
The book unfolds by exploring how Adi Jhumur was never created for the stage or applause. It was sung while working in crop fields, gathering firewood, grazing cattle, or mourning a loved one. It was born not in institutions, but in the intimate moments of life. These songs became the heartbeat of agrarian and tribal communities spread across Chotanagpur, particularly in the dry, wavy and rocky terrain of Purulia, Bankura, West Medinipur, spreading further to encapsulate adjacent areas of Jharkhand and Odisha. The communities who sang them the Kudmi, Bhumij, Rajwar, Bauri, and others are people often left out of mainstream histories. But their songs endure, pulsating with nostalgia of bygone days and a unique legacy of spatio-temporalities that continue to inspire the voice of verse in pursuit of traditions characterized by idyllic, rural, non-capitalist forms of life. Herein lies the beauty of their songs that recreate a cognitive bridge embedded in the impulse of collective remembrance.
The study begins by grounding readers in the cultural geography of "Jhumur Desh" the homeland of this song tradition. From there, it explores the language and spirit of the people who created these songs, with a particular focus on the /kurmali/ language, spoken widely among agrarian and artisan communities. A rich linguistic context is offered to explain how the shared language among these communities isn't just a mode of communication but a tool of cultural preservation. The word Hitmitan, for instance, is unpacked to show how it represents the collective, cooperative identity at the heart of the folk culture. It is in this spirit of collaboration and shared life that Adi Jhumur lives on not through isolated individuals, but through communities singing together, feeling together and empathetically sustaining together.
What makes this study unique is its commitment to presenting Jhumur not as a single genre, but as a layered and evolving tradition in contrast to the overtly economical or unethical bent in modernism. Through historical main types: ancient Jhumur Adi Jhumur), festival-based songs, reform-classification is not just technical it helps readers understand that not all folk oriented songs such as Biha Geet, and children-centric songs. This songs are Jhumur, and not all Jhumur is the same. The authors aim to festival songs follow rituals, reform songs mark essential landmarks, such as emphasize that Adi Jhumur stands out in its spontaneity and spirit. While life transitions like marriage or funerals. Thus, Adi Jhumur flows with the linear dynamics of life. It might rise with the dawn or echo at dusk, but it never asks permission. It is raw, real, and emotionally charged.
The study also pays close attention to the absence of authorship in traditional Jhumur. Unlike classical or modern music, Adi Jhumur has no credited composer, no named poet. Its lines evolved over time, shaped by one voice, refined by another, passed from grandparent to child. This anonymity is not a weakness; it's the essence of oral tradition. Every person who sings becomes both a keeper and a creator. The song belongs to all, and that collective ownership reflects a deeper philosophical worldview one where art is not for ego but for the ontology of perennial expression.
Another primary focus of the study is the debate surrounding the origins of Jhumur. While some researchers have tried to link it to the Santal musical tradition, linguistic and structural analyses, such as those presented by Karan (1964), challenge that view. The research argues that the rhythm, vocabulary, and performance style of Adi Jhumur are more closely aligned with the traditions of the indigenous communities of Chotanagpur. This is a significant contribution to folk scholarship, as it reclaims cultural ownership and provides a voice to communities who have historically been underrepresented or overlooked.
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