One of the most well-known musicians and composers hailing from Tripura is Sadagar Debbarma. Now at over 90 years of age, he is one of the most respected in the community for not only keeping the traditional music alive but also witnessing the evolution of the music-scape for over nine decades. Popularly known as a ‘one man band’, all he needs to captivate the attention of his audience, who come in large numbers to listen to him, are his sarinda and an enchanting voice. Those who have heard him performing live can vouch for the fact that his tunes are immensely attractive, play on loop in the mind, simple and rustic, and reflect daily life.
What makes him stand out from other musicians is his own innovations in the field, which are a fusion of Baul sangeet and his own style. This makes him not only an innovator, but also one whose works are very different because of their originality. In fact, his works have taken him to such great heights that an entire village has been named after him, as Sadagar Para.
We caught up with Debbarma on the sidelines of the Ziro Festival in Arunachal Pradesh, where he talks about his journey, his influences, and the contribution and influences of contemporary music festivals in promoting traditional music. He also reveals how he makes and improvises his own instrument, a customised version of the traditional instrument Chongpreng, and recalls how today musicians, from local bands to Bollywood playback singer,s have sung renditions of his music, keeping his rhythms alive through generations.
Excerpts:
What drew you to music?
Growing up with and among Sahur and Bhairagi's has really influenced the music I'm doing at present. My music reflects of this personal experience of the time spent with them, understanding their music and the way I look at life ahead.
The sarinda is used by different folk communities in Bengal, Rajasthan, Punjab, and the Northeast. Is there a difference in how the musical instrument is interpreted in different regions and communities?
Yes, we do have similar instruments all around the country or globally which is strings and fret-oriented instrument. However, the instrument I play is the improvised version of Chongpreng which is our folk instrument which I made out of six strings. I tried to improve the skill of instrumentation through the process of making it. All of my instruments are crafted by me which helps me to understand the deep state of music which I compose and perform.
Your music is a blend of Baul and your original style. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I do have Baul influence because of the very close border we share and for spiritual matter but I always tried to create my music with emotions I've been feeling at the moment and that somehow took me to where I am now, where I still play the music I composed years ago.
What kind of music do you like to listen to?
I listen to my elders and my own, which leads me to the kind of music I make.
What would you have to say about the initiative of the Ziro Festival that is trying to discover and connect folk music to a global audience?
I'm really inspired by the fact that our country still has a platform for preserving the magic of music with its purity. I really wish the Festival achieves more heights in the future.
How are newer generations accepting folk forms?
I'm happy to see new generation of bands especially from Tripura, like Waara has done a version of my song Dudu dudu ( Oh mama ), which I played in my set at the Festival, and tried to take it to a new way of expression. Also, I've heard that famous Bollywood singer Papon has also sung my song Jadu Hwnmale in his performance in the Khumulung Festival of Indigenous Tiprasa (FIT) a few years ago, which brings joy to me as the new generation are also preserving the music I made.