Bhawaiya is a special type of folk song popular in North Bengal. Some people believe that this song has its origin in Ranpur and Cooch in
Bihar. This song is mainly sung by cart drivers called gaarhials. The literal meaning of the word ‘bhava’ is emotion, from which the folk song got its name. This song has two forms – one sung in depressed notes, the other in a skipping tone. The first form usually depicts a young woman’s feeling of love and separation. The fast paced chatka is about expectations and ambitions, about conflicts and the ups and downs of family life.
