Few words about Dohar

For the first time in Kolkata, a group of young energetic people came together to present the ‘songs of the soil’

of Bengal and the North-East in 1999. That was the beginning of DOHAR.

DOHAR the Bengali word, which means Chorus, following a solo lead voice, is a manifestation of the basic

spirit with which this singing group was formed. Our mission is to cater the rustic songs of the soil to the

urban and rural mass in its original form and flavour. We are thus the chorus of those illustrious bauls and

fakirs of greater Bengal and northeast. We are also involved in an endeavour to form an archive of this

treasure chest of tunes and philosophy.

DOHAR is a group of folk musicians of international repute – a platform for cultural personalities, who

consider this world as a musical bonanza and intends to energise it’s inhabitants with the melodious

power of folk tunes, specially of greater Bengal as well as the North Eastern States of the Country.

In brief, DOHAR is an endless journey of music having strong connections with the root, on one hand and

going beyond all boundaries, on the other.

DOHAR demonstrates, represents, produces and works on 30-35 folk forms specially from North eastern

part of India, West Bengal & Bangladesh and use to play more than 25 different kind of etnic/folk instruments

of India.

The genres of folk song DOHAR used to perform : Baul (the devine songs of a Community called Baul in

Bengal), Bhatiyali (songs, specially related to river of East Bengal), Bhawaiya (the basic melody of North

Bengal), Chatka (the faster form of bhawaiya), Jhumur (the basic melody of some part of South Bengal which

also use to sung among the tea garden`s labours of Assam and North-Bengal), Saarigaan(songs of boat

racing, harvesting etc) Jaari gaan (songs in the memory of kaarvala, sung in muharram month of muslim

calendar), Gaajan/Charak(songs of a carnival of Shiva in the last day of bengali year), Dhamail-geet (songs

of different festival), Patriotic folk songs, Bihu-Kamrupi(the songs of Assam),etc.

In the presentations, DOHAR tries to capture the rustic milieu in a few sketches which are not at all

naturalistic but only an aid to stir the audiences’ imagination.

DOHAR also present Tagore songs accompanied with various ethnic folk instruments like DUBKI,

DOTARA, BANJO, FLUTE, SHINGA, MANDIRA, KASHI, KORTAL, HARMONIUM, SARINDA, DHAK, MRIDANGO,

DHOLOK, GANGIRA, MADOL, PAKHOAJ AND OTHER DRUMS & PERCUSSIONS

More than 25 ethnic/folk instruments DOHAR used to play, like :

STRINGS : EKTARA, DOTARA, SARAJ, ANANDA LAHARI.

BOWING & BLOWING : BAMBOO FLUTE, SHINGA, HARMONIUM, SANDIRA, SANKHA ETC.

DRUMS & PERCUSSIONS : DHAK, MRIDANGO, DHOLOK, GANJIRA, MADOL, SRIKHOL, DHAMSHA, BAULA

DHOL, PAKHAJ, TABLA, GOPI JANTRO, DUBKI, KASHI, KORTAL, GHUNGUR, KATH KARTAL.

Kalika Prasad (on behalf of Dohar) is taking felicitation

from Govornor of West Benal – Sri M.K.Narayanan - 2014

Dohar taking Appreciation from Sharmila Ready for the Idea Jalsa Shooting (Zee National) -2010 Tagore at Chinmoy Mission, New Delhi–2006

Dohar Live in BAGA Atlanta USA - 2019 Dohar Live in New Jersey, USA -2014

Dohar Live at Ananda Parban organized by Live at Emirates International School Auditorium Anandabazar Patrika-& Saregama -2006 organized by Bharatia Srihatto Sammelani, Dubai, UAE in the year 2015

Presentation of Costumes by Bibi Russel for Dohar Dohar (kalikaprasad)with international drummer

in a live concert at Gorkey Sadan Peete Locket & Rhythm Maestro Bikram Ghosh in a

project-kingdom of rhythm

Live Musical Presentation at winning celebration of IPL-2013 at Eden Gardens

Live Musical Presentation at Friends Music Festival - 2008 at Nazrul Mancha, Kolkata

A musical Tribute to Tagore at Birla Sabhaghar, Kolkata Dohar Live at R-TV Bangladesh - 2012

organized by Prayas.

Live Prformance at Kalamandir, Kolkata -2010 Dohar with Latin American Dancer Soraya

Franko preparing for the live performance

Dohar (Kalikaprasad) acting as Lalon Fokir posing with Prasenjit Chattopadhyay (Antoni Firingee) at

Jatiswar Movie – 2014

Dohar at Banga Mela -2012 Washington, USA Dohar at NABC -2013 Toronto, Canada

Live performance at Premier show of film “JATISWAR” -National Award (Rajat Kamal)

winner movie directed by Srijit Mukherjee -2014

Some important shows of Dohar in abroad :

Durgapuja Programmes in various Cities of USA viz Texas, Atlanta, Boston, New York,

Phoenix etc in the year 2018

Durgapuja Programmes in various Cities of USA viz Kansas City, Dalaware, New Jersey,

Sanfranscisco etc in the year 2017

NABC – 2017, Sanfranscisco, USA in the year 2017

Programme organized by Tagore Centre, Houston, Texax, USA in the year 2016

Programme in Dhaka Shilpokala Akademy, Bangladesh organized by Bangladesh Govt and

Bhupen Hazarika Trust on 90th Birthday ceremony of Maestro Dr.Bupen Hazarika, in the year

2016

NABC – 2016, Madison Square Garden, New York, USA in the year 2016

Programme organized by Eye Doctors (ophthalmologist) Association on their yearly meet at

BICC Dhaka Auditorium, Bangladesh in the year 2016

Baul Shah Abdul Karim’s Birth Centenary programme in Dhaka and Sylhet, organized by

Cultural Ministry of Bangladesh in the year 2016

Programme organized by NRB Bank, Bangladesh in BICC Dhaka on their 3rd year completion

ceremony in the year 2016

Poet Radharaman Dutta’s Death Centerary programme organized in Sunamgunge,

Bangladesh in the year 2015

Emirates International School Auditorium organized by Bharatia Srihatto Sammelani, Dubai,

UAE in the year 2015

Boisakhi TV Live, Bangladesh in the year 2015

Officers’ Club Dhaka, Bangladesh in the year 2015

Desh TV Live & 71 TV Live, Bangladesh in the year 2011, 2015 & 2016

Dakshini, Bengali Association of LA , USA in the year 2014

Bengali Society of Florida, USA in the year 2014

Garden State Cultural Association, New Jersey, USA in the year 2014

Bengali Association of Greater Rochester, USA in the year 2014

Sanskriti, Bengali Association of Buffalo, USA in the year 2014

Bengali Association of Dallas Fort Worth, USA in the year 2014

NABC – 2013, TORONTO, CANADA in the year 2013

BANGA MELA-2012, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in the year 2012

Dhaka Club, BANGLADESH in the year 2011

R-TV Live, Dhaka, BANGLADESH in the year 2011 & 2012

Gulshan Club, BANGLADESH in the year 2012

Some important live shows in India :

Songs of the Nature in Serendipity International Arts Festival GOA, India during Dec 2018.

Musical presentations at VADODARA, Gujrat, Organized by SROTOSWINI in many occasions

during 2015, 2017 & 2018

Musical presentations at ‘Uttar Banga Utsav’ (North Bengal) during 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017

Seminar & Musical Performance at Sidho Kanho Birsha University, Purulia during 2017

Musical presentation at Delhi Book Fair during 2017

Musical presentation at Indian Institute of Management(IIM) Joka during 2016 Musical

presentations at ‘Srihotto Sammelon’ organized by Srihotto Sammelon Committee,

Guwahati, in the year 2016

Musical presentations at Chowdia Memorial Hall, Bengalore, organized by Tagore Cultural

Centre in the year 2016

Musical presentations at ‘Jugasankha Award’ in Maachkhawa Auditorium, Guwahati,

organized by Bytikram during 2015

Musical presentations at Netaji Indoor Stadium Kolkata organized by UNESCO-UNICEF in the

year 2015

Musical presentations at NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL-2010 IN JAIPUR (RAJASTHAN), organized

by UNESCO & INDIAN FOOD MINISTRY.

BANGLAR UTSAV at NCPA (NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS), MUMBAI,

in the year 2009

India International Trade Fair” - Pragati Maidan, New Delhi in the year 2006

Suraj Kund Folk Festival”, HARIYANA, organized by Deptt of Tourism, Govt of India in the

year 2008.

Musical presentations at UTTAR PRADESH BANGLA MELA, organized by UTSARAN - KANPUR -

2010 & 2014

Musical presentations at BANGALORE, on the eve of Rabindra Nath Tagore’s 150 year

celebration in the year 2010

Musical presentations at JAMMU, on the eve of Rabindra Nath Tagore’s 150 year - 2011

Musical Presentation at winning celebration of IPL-2013 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in

presence of Honourable Governor M.K.Narayanan & Chief Minister Smti Mamata Banerjee.

Live performance at Premier show of film-“Moner Manush” at Birla Sabhaghar in the year

2011

Live performance at Premier show of film-“Jatiswar” at Priya Cinem11a in the year 2014

Live Musical performance at “Ananda Parban” organized by Ananda Bazar Patrika &

Saregama at Nazrul Mancha in the year 2006

A Musical Live show – VODAFONE AGAMANI-2010 at Nazrul Mancha, Kolkata

Few playback of Dohar in Hindi & Bengali Movies :

Hindi Film - GUMSHUDA directed by Ashok Biswanathan, in the year 2007

Bengali Film - CHATURANGA directed by Sumon Mukhopadhyay in the year 2008

Bengali Film - MANER MANUSH (Golden Peacock Award winner) - an INDO-BANGLA joint

project directed by Gautam Ghosh- a feature film based on the novel by Sunil

Gangopadhyay on fakir LALAN SHAH’S LIFE & PHILOSOPHY in the year 2012

Bengali Film –JATISWAR – National Award (Rajat Kamal) winner movie directed by Srijit

Mukherjee in the year 2014

Bengali Film –SELFIE – directed by Sovan Tarafdar in the year 2014

Bengali Film – HRID MAAJHARE directed by Ranjan Ghosh in the year 2014

Bengali Film – BHUBAN MAAJHI directed by Fakrul Arefin Khan in the year 2017

Bengali Film – BISHORJAN directed by Koushik Ganguli in the year 2017, and for that

Kalikaprasad (Music Director) received many awards.

Bengali Film – ROSOGOLLA directed by Pavel in the year 2018

Bengali Film – BIJOYA directed by Koushik Ganguli in the year 2019

Bengali Film – SITARA directed by Ashish Roy in the year 2019

Few Back Ground Music (BGM) in Films :

Bengali Film –SELFIE directed by Sovan Tarafdar in the year 2014

Bengali Film – BHUBAN MAAJHI directed by Fakrul Arefin Khan in the year 2017

Bengali Film – ROSOGOLLA directed by Pavel in the year 2018

Bengali Film – SITARA directed by Ashish Roy in the year 2019

DOHAR in few important tele-show:

Content designing and mentor at SAREGAMA (Zee Bangla) since June’2015 till 2018

Idea Jalsa- Zee TV (National) recorded in the year 2010 and telecasted in many occasions.

Zee Bangla - Ranna Ghar, Barsha Baran, Dadagiri etc in many occasions.

As anchor & musician in a weekly TV serial SURER SAFAR at Mohua Khobor, a popular news

channel in Bengal -2011.

Performs Tagore song in a weekly musical show CHIRANTANI at Tara Muzic, a popular music

channel of Bengal - From 2010 till date .

Daily Live Musical Chat show with Dohar – VODAFONE GAAN LIVE-2009 for 10days from

Mahalaya to Bijoya Dashami in the ETV Bangla

Dohar’s Theatre Production :

“AAJOB KUDRATI” – a dialogue between folk music and Tagore musical philosophy at

NATIONAL RABINDRA FESTIVAL organized by HAPPENINGS , in the year 2009

Dohar’s Albums (Music CDs) :

“Bandhur Deshey” by Concord Music – 2001

“Banglar gaan Shikorer Taan” by SONY Music – 2002

“Rupsagare” by SAREGAMA HMV – 2004

“Bangla” by SAREGAMA HMV – 2006

“2007” by SAREGAMA HMV – 2007

“MATI’SWAR” by ORION ENTERTAINMENT- 2009

“MATIR KELLA” – Video Album, a Musical Documentary of Folk Music of Bengal

by SAREGAMA HMV -2011

“BAUL FOKIRER RABINDRANATH” by ORION ENTERTAINMENT- 2012

“SAHASRA DOTARA” by ORION ENTERTAINMENT- 2013

“UNISHER DAAK” – by PICASSO ENTERTAINMENT-2015

Dohar’s Latest Youtube Releases :

Gouri Elo from Bengali Music Directory – 2017

Pujo Strings ‘Nao Jaay re’ from Sangeet Bangla (SVF) – 2018

Fine Tune Season 01 from Asha Audio – 2018

Diganta (Theme Monsoon - A dialogue between Rabindra Sangeet & Bengali Folk Music)

from Asha Audio – 2018

‘Biyer Gaan’ , ‘Nadir Gaan’ and ‘Pratibader Gaan’ from Studio 69 : Project Phoenix -2018

Bangla Aamar Bhalobasha from ‘doharfolk’ youtube channel (own youtube channe) - 2019

DOHAR Live at Serendipity Art Festival Goa, India on December 2018

DOHAR – a group of folk musicians 14A, Eastern Park, 1st Road, Santoshpur, Kolkata-700075

Email : doharfolk@gmail.com, web : www.doharfolk.com

Tel : 9830247747 & 9830909398