A general notion that came to the minds of most of the music lovers and music critics was that the Goalpariya folk song genre of Assam had died with the death of Pratima Barua Pandey. For them, this was the end of the long illustrious sojourn of Goalpariya folk songs. But, this particular rich genre among the folk songs of the greater Assamese culture is still alive. Thanks to a few singers, who have made serious efforts to keep alive the particular genre, and Banikona Ghosal is surely one of them. Her immense popularity in recent times in this particular genre of songs clearly proves this.

The singer has been drawing attention and applause in recent years, by performing Goalpariya folk songs in different parts of the State and Bengal, specially at Bihu functions. The inimitable performance by the versatile singer reminds us of the legendary singer Pratima Barua Pandey. Today, Banikona Ghosal is a name to be reckoned with in the musical field of Assam. Well versed in classical, modern and bhajan, besides Goalpariya folk songs, she has carved a niche for herself since 1980. A regular vocalist of AIR and DDK, Guwahati, she is keenly interested in popularising traditional Goalpariya folk songs and earnestly dedicating herself for the cause. She has been popularising them even in Kolkata, Santiniketan, Coochbehar and Jharkhand. Prominent dailies and periodicals of Kolkata have highly praised her performances. Bartaman, the daily from Kolkata, has termed her as a representative of the Assam-Bengal cultural bond. Her album of Goalpariya Lokageet, titled Junglee Hatir Mahut Re, has gained immense popularity among listeners. She had never hankered for prizes, but did get her share of recognition. In 1986, she was honoured with the special Mahanayak Uttam Kumar award of West Bengal. She was also the recipient of the coveted Dishari award from the West Bengal Journalists Association, in 1993. She also had received the BR Ambedkar fellowship in 1999, conferred by the Dalit Sahitya Academy, Delhi and the Jadu Samrat PC Sarkar award. Though a recipient of several prestigious awards, Banikona feels that given a choice, she would place a higher value on the love and appreciation of the people, than on any awards. Moreover, music bestows on her an inner satisfaction, which by itself is a reward.

A life member of the Asom Sahitya Sabha, she has won the hearts of listeners in the Sabha sessions at Kampur, Pathsala, North Lakhimpur, Hojai, Silapathar and Nagaon. A Sangeet Visharad from Bhatkhande Music College, Lucknow, she still practises music for hours together. She has also received the State Government’s Artistes pension (ex-gratia) in the year 2006. In the year 1987, she performed at the Mahajati Sadan in Kolkata, as an invited artiste by Sangeet Manjari, a musical society. Prominent critic Sandhya Sen highly praised her rendition of bhajan, along with Jugantar and Amrit Bazar Patrika. Kudos to Banikona Ghosal.

Apurba Kumar Das