CHAITA SINGING ORGANIZED

CHAITA SINGING ORGANIZED

13-APRIL-ENG 4

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------The "Bhikari Thakur Traditional Artists' Chait Singing – 2026" event was organized by the Bhikari Thakur Social Research Institute, Arrah, at the local Sardar Patel Bus Stand.

The program was presided over by veteran theater artist Sharafraz Ahmed and anchored by journalist Narendra Singh, the Founder-President of the Bhikari Thakur Social Research Institute.

The Chait singing program was inaugurated collectively through the ceremonial lighting of a lamp. Subsequently, garlands and floral tributes were offered to the statues of Bhikari Thakur, Babu Lalan Ji, and the renowned Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan Ji, which are installed within the premises.

As the Chait singing program was held on the "Bhikari Thakur Cultural Stage," the *Mangalacharan* (invocatory prayer) composed by Bhikari Thakur—"Rakhiha charan ke sharan, more Ganga Ji ho..."—was performed by Bhikari Thakur's disciple and colleague, Raghu Paswan.

Vyas Kamlesh Paswan commenced the Chait singing by performing "Ram Ji ke bhaile janmawa ho Rama, Chait mahinawa..." (Lord Ram was born in the month of Chaitra), while Vyas Raghu Paswan completed the ritual of *Nar Katai* (cutting of the umbilical cord) by singing "Sone ke hansua se narwa katail..." (The umbilical cord was severed with a golden sickle). Since Lord Ram had now been born, the singing of a *Sohar* (birth celebration song) was only fitting; thus, renowned theater artist Sadhana Srivastava delighted the audience by singing the *Sohar*—"Jug-jug jiyas lalanwa, mahalwa ke bhag jagal ho..." (May the child live for ages; the palace's fortune has awakened)—and immediately followed up by singing the *Badhai* (congratulatory song)—"Kangan lebo ho babua ke badhaiyan..."—to ask for her traditional celebratory gift.

Vyas Sachchidanand Srivastava—a popular singer associated with T-Series and various radio stations—elevated the Chait singing to its crescendo by performing "Khetwa mein lagle kataniya ho Rama, piya palataniya..." (The harvest has begun in the fields, O Rama; my beloved has returned from the army).

All these singers were accompanied on the harmonium by Kamlesh Paswan; on the *Naal* by Dev Muni Pandey; on the *Dholak* by Ramanand Paswan; on the *Jhal* (cymbals) by Chandrakant Shah, Ashish Kumar Ram, and Dipawali Srivastava; and on the flute and *Khanjadi* by the poet Dudheshwar Mishra. The occasion was graced by the presence of several dignitaries, including Dr. Jaya Jain; veteran theater artists Dr. Anil Singh, Chandrabhushan Pandey, and Ranjan Yadav; Dr. Kumar Sheelbhadra (Bihar State President of the National Bhojpuri Institute); Suresh Bhojpuri (Bhojpur District Coordinator); Dr. S.K. Sinha; Naturopath Nand Kishore Ram; Sanjay Kumar Singh; Vinod Kumar Lal; and Munna Rai (Principal of the Primary-Middle School, Mishrawaliya).

During the program, certificates awarded by the government—in recognition of their performance of Bhikhari Thakur's play "Videshiya" at the Premchand Rangshala in Patna—were presented to Dr. Anil Kumar Singh, Chaitanya Nirbhay, Dipawali Srivastava, Kamlesh Paswan, and Ashish Kumar Ram by senior theater artists from the city of Arrah.

The artists who participated in the "Chaita" singing performance were honored by the "Rang Urvashi Foundation" with traditional stoles (*Angavastra*), floral garlands, and mementos.

Welcoming the guests, veteran theater artist Krishna Yadav—known as "Krishnendu"—remarked, "Amidst the whirlwind of commercialism, Bhojpuri art and culture are becoming distorted; such wholesome events are essential to keep the soul of Bhojpuri culture alive."

At the conclusion of the program, a two-minute silence was observed to pay tribute to Anant Kumar Singh (Editor of *Janpath* and a progressive writer) and the internationally acclaimed singer Asha Bhosle.