Nodir Kul: An authentic folkloric representation of Bengal

Jashim Uddin, also known unanimously as 'Palli Kabi' by speakers of the Bengali language, was one of the pioneers in portraying the raw and authentic splendour of rural Bengal through his songs and poetry. 

'Nodir Kul Nai' is one such creation of the poet, which reached enormous popularity after being sung by another legendary veteran of the Bengali music industry, Abbasuddin Ahmed.

In its second season, Coke Studio Bangla came up with a new rendition of the song, with young musician Ripon Kumar Sarker, also known by his alias, being the lead vocalist of the song. This rendition has already received much critical acclaim, with Ripon's deep yet melodious voice being one of the biggest reasons behind it.

The original rendition by Abbasuddin Ahmed already created a feeling of long-lost melancholia among the listeners; however, this edition, with the masterful composition by Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, not only captures that aspect well but also does quite a good job of infusing contemporary musical traditions with one of the musical conventions that not only have its roots in Bangladesh but are also deeply ingrained in the Bengali psyche, the Bhatiali. 

Idris Rahman and his basset also did a fantastic job when reinvigorating the feelings of grief in a despondent soul.

The song immediately makes a listener forget about his surroundings. It takes him to the middle of a river, which not only seems not to have a bank but also is unforgiving in its own ways, replicating the feeling of pensiveness that is quite synonymous with being human. 

Just like the river, human life seems quite overwhelming, henceforth creating a feeling of extreme sorrow and existential dread among us, often putting us in the position of a boatman rowing a boat without knowing where to go or what to do.

Coca-Cola Studio was most successful in bringing this 20th-century emotion of Bengalis into this century and smoothly integrating it with the current time. 

Abbasuddin Ahmed first sang the song when there were hardly any cities in erstwhile Bengal, and the song seemed quite relatable to almost all the Bengalis. However, despite the turn of the century and situations, the rendition by Coca-Cola Studio still takes the listener into a nostalgic past, something he might have never experienced himself.

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