© 2023 JETIR September 2023, Volume 10, Issue 9 www.jetir.org(ISSN-2349-5162) JETIR2309364 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org d604 ‘Bhawaiya’ the Folk Culture of the Rajbanshis Society: The Affluence of North Bengal (West Bengal) Dr. Madhab Chandra Adhikary Professor of History Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University Panchanan Nagar ,Vivekananda Street Cooch Behar-736101 Abstract: Rajbanshi is the most influential caste among the Hindu ethnic groups of Eastern India. They live mainly in the northern parts of West Bengal, Rangpur in Bangladesh, East Dinajpur, North-East of Mymensingh in Rajshahi District and parts of Bogura District, Lower Bhutan, Assam, Meghalaya, Bhadrapur, Jhapa of Nepal and More Districts and East Purnia, Katihar and Kishanganj Districts of Bihar. The Bhawaiya is the is folk songs of Rajbanshis. In Bhawiaya, the main inhabitants of North Bengal have mixed their own language. Thus Bhawiaya, the mother tongue of Hindu-Muslim, Rajbanshis, is a necessary reform. The eminent bhawiya artis were - Surendranath Roy Basuniya, Abbasuddin Ahmed, Shailen Roy, Jeeten Maitra, Shivendra Narayan Mandal, Shasadhar Bhattacharya, Harishchandra Pal, Nayeb Ali Tepu, Pyarimohan Das , Tulsi Lahiri and others. But today Bhawaiya is no longer limited to regional areas but accepted in the international arena. Partitition of India (1947) introduced this Bhawaiya to the international arena. This Bhawaiya song is also getting priority in various government functions. The Bhawaiya is associated with Rajbanshis in every step of life of the society. Hence Bhawaiya songs are also sung in various puja parbans, deities, marriage ceremonies and various cultural and family rituals. Key Words: Rajbanshi, Hindu-Muslims,Bhawaiya, puja parbans, regional, cultur,al family rituals Rajbanshi is the most influential caste among the Hindu ethnic groups of Eastern India. They live mainly in the northern parts of West Bengal, Rangpur in Bangladesh, East Dinajpur, North-East of Mymensingh in Rajshahi District and parts of Bogura District, Lower Bhutan, Assam, Meghalaya, Bhadrapur, Jhapa of Nepal and More Districts and East Purnia, Katihar and Kishanganj Districts of Bihar. 1 There is evidence of their living in Tripura. Judging from the numerical point of view, the Rajbanshis occupy the third largest section of the Hindu society. According to the 1961 census statistics, Rajbanshi people lived in all the districts of West Bengal except Purulia district. The identity of the Rajbanshis is known from the writings of over a dozen different national and foreign (colonial) researchers. According to many indigenous experts, the Rajbanshis are the descendants of the