The heart senses the equivalent of but a drop; what more can I describe? In the case of premodern Bengali literature, however, neglecting the fact that texts were performed leads to a misunderstanding, not only of the way poems were composed, but also of the dynamics at work in the formation of the literary tradition as a whole. Since Krishnadhan was also opposed to the harmonium, we cannot interpret these authors purely in terms of modernization and Westernization. It focuses on the seven core principles essential for creating music from scratch, forming the foundation of its seven chapters. This complicated the epistemological transition of music under British rule: while Bengalis asserted their intellectual authority in a colonial space, their ongoing relationships with Hindustani culture, musical professionals, and Mughal texts suggest that they also found ways to accommodate an appreciation for pre-colonial and nonBengali culture in their modern and increasingly provincialized identity.
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