Rasanchauki - the oldest musical instrument of Mithila in practice

Evoking the real fragrance of Mithila tradition

Find video links of this group below the name of the author of this article / Mobile no. 8084433296

See the desolation in the eyes of Makkhan Ram a co-member of Rasanchauki troupe headed by Ghonghar Ram from vill+post- Koilakh (Distt- Madhubani). Belonging to a caste delegated to the lowest rung of so-called most cultured  Maithil society of India, poverty, hungry, deprivation and diseases are his natural companions. But the astounding fact is that he is worried neither about them as he knows well how to live in face of these adversities. What he does not know is how to live without his cherished inheritance of Rasanchauki- a typical Maithil musical instrument descended through an  ancient era. 

The Mithila society best known for their high family values, unparalleled respect to their elders and strictly followed cultural conventions is losing its sheen nowadays. Though the merits of soft spokenness and well mannerism are so deeply ingrained that are hard to go but the fad of DJ has not taken any time to creep in. And the musical poison of DJ is killing the most popular traditional musical instrument Rasanchauki which is but older than Shahanai (clarinet).  

Ghonghar Ram, Makkhan Ram, Suman Ram and Ramdev Ram.all resident of vill+PO- Koilakh (Madhubani) feel pride in playing Rasanchauki. They say when they are invited to a customary rituals like 'mundan', 'upanayan', 'marriage' etc their eyes glow with happiness not because their four-member group will receive an amount of Fifteen thousand rupees for three days but for the matter that Rasanchauki is yet to live. 

All the four members of the troupe are literate and can read and write in Hindi and Maithili. One is Matriculate and others studied up to Seventh class or so. This was the second time when they visited Patna with the band. Their demand is in Nepal as well and they have visited various nook and corners of Nepal. They feel sorry that their children are disenchanted with the instrument and almost none of them could be initiated. It must be made clear that the troupe play Rasanchauki mainly because of a fervent desire to keep it alive and this is not their main subsistence. They have to labour hard in others fields  for daily wages to  feed themselves and family on most of the days of the year.

Rasanchauki is accompanied by a specific kind of small tabla beaten by little wooden sticks. The sounds emerging are so sonorous that put you in a purest spiritual heaven of Mithila. The whole atmosphere is filled with the pristine fragrance of Mithila you are bound to get enamoured. While three artists play the rasanchauki one accompanies on the tabla. Vidyapati geet, Tirhutta, Samdaun, Maheshwani, Nachari, Sohar, Kirtan means all the mithila melodies are played on this magical  instrument. Not only this even other than classicals like Jat-jattin, Gopichand, Nattin, Salhesh do also  get place in their menu. 

Sri Jaidev Mishra of Chetana Samiti (established in 1954) says that the artists of Rasanchauki are yet to get due respect in the society.

Efforts must be taken to preserve this invaluable instrument of Mithila so that Miithila does not reduce merely to a geographical boundary. Special attention is urgently required to fill the gap of new generation artists before it is too late.

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Author- Hemant Das 'Him'

Photographs- Binay Kumar

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Mobile number of Ghonghar Ram (Rasanchauki troupe)-  8084433296

Video links of this troupe (Listen to rasanchauki melody by Ghonghar Ram troupe)-
Click here for Video-1,   Click here for Video-2

Ghonghar Ram / घोंघर राम

Makkhan  Ram / मक्खन राम

Ramdev Ram  / रामदेव राम

 Suman Ram / सुमन राम