Hari Bol: Evolution and Genesis of Funeral Music in Postcolonial Bengal

To talk of the role of ''silence'' in the realm of music is bound to sound paradoxical at the outset. Silence or Death is invariably comprehended as the absence of sound; so much so that only by achieving a complete elimination of sound can a silence be deemed perfect. This commonly current notion, by dwelling on the ''absence'' aspect, relegates silence to a vast mass or nothingness-inert, dark, barren and death. Music which means creation, vibration, movement and growth can derive nothing from such silence; what can such negative phenomenon mean but an absolute antonym to music. This book is an unforgettable journey into the world of dark silence through the forgotten songs of enchantment...