Understanding the nexus between rhyme, rhythm and happiness in Bengali chharas (nursery rhymes)

ABSTRACT

The paper explores the nexus between rhyme, rhythm and happiness in Bengali chharas while justifying the latter as the defining attribute of the verses. Chharas are short, happy Bengali rhymes. Elementary chharas, particularly, are designed for children yet to grow language and social awareness and manifest as affectionate interpersonal interactions between a caregiver and a child. The children's positive responses to these verses, despite their maturity, indicate the embedded joy being well grasped. Given this background, rhyme and rhythm are observed to make the language playful, enhancing the children's appreciation and involvement with the verses while contributing to the chharas’ happiness quotient. Through a discourse pragmatic methodology that emphasizes the speaker, listener and their interpersonal relationships, the various sources of fun and happiness in elementary chharas are analyzed, and the crucial contribution of rhyme and rhythm in determining pleasure and delight in elementary chharas is thus established.

KEYWORDS:

• Bengali elementary chhara
• rhyme
• rhythm
• fun
• happiness
• functional utility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 A decorative mark is worn in the middle of the forehead usually by Indian women, as well as men and children, particularly Hindus, for beauty/religious purposes or to ward off evil.²

2 Translations and transliterations are done by the author unless otherwise mentioned.