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Theculture of West Bengal is anIndian culture which has its roots in Bengali literature, music, fine arts, drama and cinema. It is intertwined with theculture of theBengal region of theIndian subcontinent. Different geographic regions of West Bengal have subtle as well as more pronounced variations between each other, with Darjeeling Himalayan hill region andDuars showing particularly different socio-cultural aspects.
West Bengal's capital Kolkata—as the former capital of India—was the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought,[1] and is referred to as the "cultural [or literary] capital of India".[2][3] The presence ofparas, which are cluster of neighbourhoods that possess a strong sense of community, is characteristic of West Bengal.[4] Typically, eachpara has its own community club and, on occasion, a playing field.[4] Residents engage inaddas, or leisurely chats, that often take the form of freestyle intellectual conversation. However, with the growth of apartments, expansion of neighbourhoods and rapid urbanisation, this culture is on decline.[5][6]
TheBengali language boasts a rich literary heritage, shared with neighbouringBangladesh. West Bengal has a long tradition in Bengali literature, evidenced by theCharyapada,Mangalkavya,Shunya Purana,Shreekrishna Kirtana,Krittibasi Ramayana,Kashidasi Mahabharata,Chaitanya Charitamrita,Khanar Bachan,Thakurmar Jhuli, and stories related toGopal Bhar. In the nineteenth and twentieth century,Bengali literature was modernised in the works of authors such asBankim Chandra Chattopadhyay,Michael Madhusudan Dutt,Rabindranath Tagore,Kazi Nazrul Islam, andSharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Coupled with social reforms led byRam Mohan Roy,Swami Vivekananda, and others, this constituted a major part of theBengal Renaissance.[7] The middle and latter parts of the 20th century witnessed the arrival of post-modernism, as well as literary movements such as those espoused by theKallol movement,hungryalists and thelittle magazines.[8]
Bengal has a long tradition of indigenous theatre that dates back to the 1770s and consists of popular tales enacted through dance, music, and narration. Modern theatre was introduced by Europeans in the mid-19th century and sustained by colonial educational institutions. The mythological and historical plays dominated the last quarter of the 19th and first quarter of the 20th century, but gradually gave way to urban middle-class predilections in society. TheIndian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) was founded in 1943 and produced plays with far-reaching impacts. In the 1950s, amateur group theatre emerged to address contemporary sociopolitical and financial issues.Star Theatre,Academy of Fine Arts,Rabindra Sadan, Nahabat, andGirish Manch are the most popular Bengali theatres, known for their development and socially conscious plays.[9] Among other types of theatre, West Bengal has a tradition of folk drama known asjatra.[10][11] Kolkata is the home of theBengali cinema industry, dubbed "Tollywood" forTollygunj, where most of the state's film studios are located.[12] Its long tradition ofart films includes globally acclaimed film directors such asAcademy Award-winning directorSatyajit Ray,Ritwik Ghatak,Mrinal Sen,Tapan Sinha, and contemporary directors such asAparna Sen,Buddhadeb Dasgupta,Goutam Ghose,Koushik Ganguly,Rituparno Ghosh,Anjan Dutt,Kamaleswar Mukherjee,Sandip Ray.[13]Uttam Kumar was the most popular lead actor for decades, and his romantic pairing with actressSuchitra Sen in films attained legendary status.[14]Soumitra Chatterjee, who acted in many Satyajit Ray-films, andProsenjit Chatterjee are among other popular lead male actors. As of 2020[update], Bengali films have won India's annualNational Film Award for Best Feature Film twenty-two times in sixty seven years, the highest among all Indian languages.
TheBaul tradition is a unique heritage of Bengali folk music, which has also been influenced by regional music traditions.[15] Other folk music forms includeKabigaan,Gombhira,Bhawaiya,kirtans, andGajan festival music. Folk music in West Bengal is often accompanied by theektara, a one-stringed instrument. West Bengal also has a heritage inNorth Indian classical music. The state is recognised for its appreciation ofrabindrasangeet (songs written by Rabindranath Tagore) andIndian classical music.Nazrul Geeti is another classical music of Bengal, which is written and composed by poetKazi Nazrul Islam. He was person in Bengal music who created the first Bengalighazals.[citation needed]
Generally all music dedicated to goddess MotherKali is called 'Shyama Sangeet' in Bengali. Two famous singers of this BengaliShyama Sangeet arePannalal Bhattacharya andDhananjay Bhattacharya.Pannalal Bhattacharya's elder brother Prafulla Bhattacharya and middle brotherDhananjay Bhattacharya were the first music teachers of saint artistPannalal Bhattacharya.Dhananjay Bhattacharya stopped singing devotional songs after finding devotional spirit in his brother Pannalal. However, after the demise ofPannalal Bhattacharya, he contributed again inBengali music with many devotional songs by his sweet, melodious voice.
Popular music genres includeadhunik songs.[16][17] Since the early 1990s,new genres have emerged, including one comprising alternative folk–rockBengali bands.[16] Another new style,jibonmukhi gaan ("songs about life"), is based on realism.[18]UNESCO selected The Rural Craft Hub of Bengal to showcase their artwork in Paris in 2015.[19]
West Bengal is known for its diverse culture, and dance plays a significant role in showcasing this. Each region has its own unique dance form that not only reflects the culture and history of the area but also incorporates worldwide themes. The Brita dance is a traditional folk dance performed by women to seek blessings from the Gods for their children's wishes to come true or to celebrate recovery from illness. The Gambhira dance is a devotional folk dance that addresses social, political, and moral issues of contemporary society, and it is popular during festivals in North Bengal. The Santhal dance celebrates nature and addresses gender issues and land rights, and it is performed by both men and women of the Santhali tribe. The Lathi dance is a well-known form of dance that expresses various emotions of human life, including celebration, anger, pain, and love. Finally, the Chhau is a widely practised tribal dance that incorporates martial arts, athletics, and religion, with stories taken from the great epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.[20]
Though Bengali women traditionally wear the specialBenarasi sari andJamdani, Western attire has gained acceptance among younger and professional women.[21] Western-style dress has greater acceptance among men, although the traditional costumes likedhoti,panjabi,kurta,pyjama andlungi are seen during weddings and major festivals. Like any other metropolis, Kolkata also has an eclectic mix of western wears with a tinge of ethnic wears. People are found dressed in jeans along with kurtas, or sari along with an overcoat.
West Bengal is famous for its culture and festivals are an inevitable part of this culture. Some festivals are celebrated statewide, while others are local in nature. There are also various other village fairs and seasonal tribal festivals.Durga Puja is the biggest and most important festival ofWest Bengal, and it features colourful pandals, decorative idols of Hindu goddess Durga and her family, lighting decoration and immersion processions. Other major festivals areKali Puja,Diwali,Dol,Saraswati Puja,Jagaddhatri Puja,Rath Jatra,Kojagori Lakshmi Puja,Vishwakarma Puja,Poush Parbon,Poila Boishakh,Christmas.Kolkata Book Fair,Kolkata International Film Festival andDover Lane Music Festival are major annual cultural events of Kolkata, whereasPoush Mela,Ganga Sagar Mela,Jhapan are some of the major annual fairs of the state. The diverse ethnic populace ofDarjeeling Himalayan hill region celebrates several local festivals such asLosar,Dusshera orFulpati,Tihar,Ram Navami,Maghe Sankranti,Chotrul Duchen,Buddha Jayanti,Tendong Lho Rumfaat,Eid al-Fitr etc.
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West Bengal has a long tradition of popular literature, music and drama largely based on Bengali folklore andHinduepics andPuranas.
The jatra industry based out of Kolkata's Chitpur Road has gone through a severe blow with the growth of video parlours.
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