Bhoomi (band)

Bhoomi
Origin	Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Genres	folk, fusion
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Sa Re Ga Ma, Times Music, Universal Music Group
Website	http://www.bhoomiband.com

Bhoomi (ভূমি)(literally means earth) is a Bengali urban folk music group based in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Starting in 1999, it soon become hugely popular and performed in various local, national and international platforms. In July 2006 they performed at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Bhoomi has also performed in Montreal Jazz Festival in 2008.

This is the only band which defines its music as ‘urban folk'. The band uses a fusion of modern, urban lyrics with rural Bengali folk tunes like baul, which was a very early style of music by wandering minstrels in rural Bengal or Bhatiyali (traditionally sung by the boatmen on the Ganges and also the Padma in Bangladesh). They have also re-done old folk songs which were unknown to the modern day urban Bengali and revived such gems with an infusion of fresh music and a lively spirit and pep to the old songs.

The band's efforts have been to expand their brand of urban music beyond the college campus and youth circuit to the older listeners. One of their main inspirations behind their music is everyday city life, which they experience and which is experienced by so many people everywhere.

Their popularity is rooted in a unique sound that combines a variety of traditional folk tunes with an array of western rhythms with western instrumentations and mixed harmoniously with Bengal's folk instruments like the Khamak, Ektara, Khonjoni, etc.

Their current line-up includes 4 band members -

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