Bhatiali is a form of Bengali folk music. Bhatiyali songs are originally from East Bengal. The folk song was widespread in Dacca, Mymensingh, Chittagong, Srihatta, and Noakhali areas of East Bengal. Bhatiali, however, is not just a form of music. The word ‘bhati’ means ‘flow of the river’. As the boatmen row their boats, they express their thoughts in a particular rhythm. This particular way of singing is called Bhatiyali.
Although Bhatiali is chiefly associated with boatmen, in
rural Bengal the cowherds and farmers also sing these songs. The words of these
songs are simple, as both the composers and the listeners are common people. The
songs are sung from the heart and no touch of classical music is to be found
here.
There are two themes that characterize Bhatiali songs, human
love and love for God. Most of these songs talk about the realities of the
lives of boatmen. As they spend most of the time out on the river, far from
their families, the boatmen miss the love of their dear ones. So a large number
of songs talk about the separation of lovers, and of husbands and wives.
However, a number of songs talk about spiritual themes also, as, for instance,
separation of man from God. Life is described as a river and the boatman-singer
asks himself how he will get across the river called life. No instruments are
used while singing these songs.
As per some scholars, the word bhatiyali comes from bhata
meaning "ebb" or downstream. Scholars have also claimed that Mymensingh
District along the Brahmaputra River or the Bhati (lower region of a river)
area of Bangladesh as its place of origin.
Bhatiali lyrics traditionally consist of metaphorical and
emotional verses about the waters and the situation of boatmen and fishermen.
Among the 14 subjects of folk music in Bangladesh, that includes Deha-tatva
(about the body) and Murshid-tatva (about the guru), Bhatiali deals with Prakriti-tatva
(about nature).