Tarja (folk poetry contest)
Encyclopedia
Tarja is a form of folk poetry contest from Bengal
with a long tradition. Historically it used to be performed in the village gathering around a chandimandap or altar for village god, mela
and other social events, in streets, and marketplace religious festivals. The themes of the contest are usually taken from Ramayana
, Mahabharata
or Puranas
the poets sings his/her part in the form of doggerels and the other participant has to guess the meaning of it. During the rising bhadralok
population of the Bengal renaissance
many of these clubs as well as jhumur clubs had been destroyed on the basis of its obscene content.
An example of a tarja couplet will be like:
This literally translates as "the hussy has thrown the bloke flat on his back, with her foot on his chest/ wordless she stands glaring in anger". The answer to this puzzle will be the goddess Kali
and the legend connected to her. The answerer to this will also sing out his/her answer in a poem made at that instant of time.
, tappa
and has contributed to a degree to the music of Bengal
.
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
with a long tradition. Historically it used to be performed in the village gathering around a chandimandap or altar for village god, mela
Mela
Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning 'gathering' or 'to meet' or a Fair. It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gathering and can be religious, commercial, cultural or sports. In rural traditions melas or village fairs were of great importance...
and other social events, in streets, and marketplace religious festivals. The themes of the contest are usually taken from Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
or Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
the poets sings his/her part in the form of doggerels and the other participant has to guess the meaning of it. During the rising bhadralok
Bhadralok
Bhadralok is a Bengali term used to denote the new class of 'gentlefolk' who arose during colonial times in Bengal. It is still used to indicate members of the upper middle and middle classes of Bengal.-Caste and Class makeup:...
population of the Bengal renaissance
Bengal Renaissance
The Bengal Renaissance refers to a social reform movement during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the region of Bengal in Undivided India during the period of British rule...
many of these clubs as well as jhumur clubs had been destroyed on the basis of its obscene content.
An example of a tarja couplet will be like:
Maagi minsheke chit kore fele diye buke diyechhe paa
Aar chokhta kare jhulur jhulur, mukhe neiko raa
This literally translates as "the hussy has thrown the bloke flat on his back, with her foot on his chest/ wordless she stands glaring in anger". The answer to this puzzle will be the goddess Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
and the legend connected to her. The answerer to this will also sing out his/her answer in a poem made at that instant of time.
As an art form
The music grown out of this poetry contest has a particular flavour in it. It is also highly conntected to the other similar forms like jhumurJhumur
Jhumur is a traditional dance form, existing in eastern part of India. The dance is performed by young girls. they are also acconpanied by fewer male members, who by and large maintain the rhythm with musical instruments and vocals.- Performance :...
, tappa
Tappa
Tappa is a city and a municipal council in Sangrur district in the Indian state of Punjab.-Demographics: India census, Tappa had a population of 18,887. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Tappa has an average literacy rate of 57%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male...
and has contributed to a degree to the music of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
.