The distinctive melodies of Bhawaiya, Lalon, Baul, Murshidi, and Marfati echoed through the remote village of Deodoba along the banks of the Teesta River in Lalmonirhat. Children held ektaras and dotaras, while others played flutes and violins. It was into this vibrant musical gathering on Monday afternoon that Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, the Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh, arrived for an official visit.
The diplomat visited the village in Aditmari upazila to observe the community activities of ‘Mayer Tori’, a cultural and social organisation dedicated to preserving rural heritage. During his tour, the ambassador watched children practicing traditional folk music, inspected instrument training sessions, and reviewed the broader operations of the initiative.
Listening to the young performers, the ambassador expressed particular admiration for their technical skill across indigenous instruments such as the ektara, dotara, sarinda, violin, and flute.
Reflecting on his experience, Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen stressed that grassroots initiatives are vital to preserving Bangladesh’s rich cultural legacy. He commended ‘Mayer Tori’ for its decade-long work, noting the meaningful role it plays in empowering rural youth and strengthening community identity.
The ambassador observed that folk music and oral traditions do not merely preserve a nation’s history, but serve as a powerful bridge between diverse communities. Through ‘Mayer Tori’, children from underprivileged backgrounds gain structured access to artistic education, ensuring that regional folklore, traditional songs, and native instruments are passed on to future generations.
Over 500 Children Trained Across Nine Regional Centres
Sujan Kumar Beda, Executive Director of ‘Mayer Tori’, explained that the organisation currently runs nine ‘Guru Grihas’—traditional, home-based learning centres—spanning the districts of Lalmonirhat and Kurigram. More than 500 children are receiving regular instruction in Bengali folk music through these centres.
Additionally, two specialised folk instrument training centres provide instruction to roughly 125 students, while a dedicated monthly masterclass caters to a select cohort of 15 advanced pupils.
Organisers noted that each guru conducts classes within their own residential compounds. Despite persistent financial constraints, most instructors contribute their time on a voluntary basis.
Driven by personal commitment and community care, these local teachers guide pupils through the complex vocal styles of Lalon, Baul, Murshidi, Marfati, Bhawaiya, and regional rural folk songs. The young apprentices also gain practical mastery over traditional instruments, including the violin, ektara, dotara, flute, tabla, khamak, and sarinda.
Call for Modern Recording Facilities and Digital Archiving
Lipi Debnath, a guru at the Deodoba learning centre, highlighted that limited funding and a lack of preservation infrastructure represent their greatest operational challenges.
She noted that establishing a modern recording studio would enable local organisers to systematically record performances by both veteran folk masters and young learners. Creating a digital archive would protect hundreds of unwritten songs, local dialects, and rare oral melodies from permanently disappearing.
Yousuf Alamgir, an organiser at ‘Mayer Tori’, stated that the initiative aims to foster personal growth, moral grounding, and a deeper perspective on life among children through the discipline of folk art.
He remarked that ‘Mayer Tori’ has sustained its mission for ten years reliant solely on voluntary effort, modest resources, and local dedication. Even without major institutional infrastructure or modern technical facilities, music lessons continue uninterrupted in open rural courtyards across the region.
Alamgir emphasised that placing an ektara, dotara, or flute in a child’s hands is far more than a music lesson; it represents an active conservation campaign to safeguard Bengal’s endangered auditory heritage and transmit it to coming generations.
Deep Historical Ties Linking Norway to Rural Bengal
The story of ‘Mayer Tori’ is inextricably linked to Ms Wera Sæther, a Norwegian author, folk researcher, photographer, and poet.
She first arrived in Bangladesh in 1998. While documenting post-flood recovery efforts in the South Namaz Char area of Roumari upazila in Kurigram, along the Brahmaputra River, she was deeply moved by the soulful Marfati and Murshidi songs sung by local women living on the river islands.
Her growing passion for Bengali folk traditions led her to collaborate with local musicians and community organisers to formally establish ‘Mayer Tori’ in 2016. Demonstrating her commitment to Bengal’s literary heritage, she also translated 53 songs composed by the mystic bard Lalon Shah into Norwegian, publishing them in a dedicated volume.
During Monday’s visit, Ambassador Gulbrandsen was accompanied by a diplomatic and development delegation, including Aletxanda Falk Biden, Deputy Head of Mission; Shahpar Selim, Programme Officer; Mizanur Rahman, Country Director of Strømme Foundation; and Chandan Kumar Sarkar, Programme Manager.
Surrounded by singing children and the acoustic resonance of ektaras and dotaras in a rural courtyard, the Norwegian ambassador’s presence turned a quiet afternoon along the Teesta into an inspiring demonstration of international cultural diplomacy.
