Rasiya
Encyclopedia
Rasiya is a style of folk song of North India
's Braj
region (around Agra and Mathura).
Rasiya songs are sung in the regional Hindi dialect of Brajbhasha, and are performed in a variety of styles, ranging from unpretentious women's songs to group performances by semi-professional akhara
s (clubs) of men, who sing in a more elaborate style with sophisticated and varied poetic meters and texts on a wide range of topics. Folk-pop rasiyas have also been widely marketed on cassettes since the 1980s, and on mp3 discs since then. While a wide range of melodies are used, a core set of familiar tunes recurs, and serves as a primary feature distinguishing the genre. Rasiya texts are typically amatory, often portraying the bashful country girl being teased by a man (the rasiya - often implicitly Krishna
, the playful cowherd). Rasiya texts, however, can also be devotional paeans to Krishna Gopal, or, in the case of cassette rasiyas, they may be downright smutty and are accordingly controversial.
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
's Braj
Braj
Braj is a region mainly in Uttar Pradesh of India, around Mathura-Vrindavan. Braj, though never a clearly defined political region in India but is very well demarcated culturally, is considered to be the land of Krishna and is derived from the Sanskrit word vraja...
region (around Agra and Mathura).
Rasiya songs are sung in the regional Hindi dialect of Brajbhasha, and are performed in a variety of styles, ranging from unpretentious women's songs to group performances by semi-professional akhara
Akhara
In Hinduism, Akhara is an organization of the different sects of Sadhus Vairaghis yogis or Hindu Renunciates....
s (clubs) of men, who sing in a more elaborate style with sophisticated and varied poetic meters and texts on a wide range of topics. Folk-pop rasiyas have also been widely marketed on cassettes since the 1980s, and on mp3 discs since then. While a wide range of melodies are used, a core set of familiar tunes recurs, and serves as a primary feature distinguishing the genre. Rasiya texts are typically amatory, often portraying the bashful country girl being teased by a man (the rasiya - often implicitly Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, the playful cowherd). Rasiya texts, however, can also be devotional paeans to Krishna Gopal, or, in the case of cassette rasiyas, they may be downright smutty and are accordingly controversial.