Skip to content Skip to navigation

‘Drihrata’ by Farmaan , a new dimension in Assamese music scenario

The sound that can melt hearts, the melody that can be felt within & the symphony that can bring a head bangers ball, in short this is what Farmaan can be defined as. Farmaan doesn’t have a constrained genre as all the members are having varied influences and musical inclination. It likes to do constant experiments with all kinds of music varying from classic rock & metal to RNB & blues.


Away from their hometown, all the members were quite academically inclined. They have completed their engineering from the prestigious institutions and are currently working as engineers in large PSUs and MNCs. They even got a chance to complete their Masters in elite colleges like Georgia Tech, NUS and many other colleges abroad but their love for the music couldn’t allow them to go away. They stayed back so that they could hold on to their dreams, the dream of making it big & creating a revolution in the Assamese music industry.


Although they stayed back it seemed that their dreams were fading away. Frustrated in their own office cubicles they were trying to work out a plan to get out of their monotonous office work. Luck shone on them and they could find like minded colleagues. This led to the inception of ‘ Vervain Productions’. The brain child of Soumya Dash, Vervain Productions has partners who are basically engineers from colleges like IITs & NITs.


Now under the banner of Vervain Productions the band has released their first album ‘DRIHRATA’ on 23rd May 2010. ‘Drihrata’ contains 9 tracks, 5 in Assamese, and 4 bonus tracks in Hindi. The fact that all the tracks are completely different and each has got its unique style is what makes this band so special. Language doesn’t have a barrier for the band so their lyrics are both in Assamese and Hindi. In the album it can be easily seen that the band doesn’t have any constrained genre, ‘Oxanto Hridoy’ is a power ballad, ‘ Lorali ‘ is a soft rock number, ‘Xopun’ is influenced by R&B and ‘Drihrata’ is more or less a Nu-metal number. So the album has something for everyone.


The band has also released a promotional vide of their song ‘ Oxanto Hridoy ‘ which is undoubtedly one of the costliest music video in the Assamese music industry. The song is about the frustrations of people of all ages which is very aptly portrayed by Deepak Dey , one of the leading video director and choreographer of Assam. The you tube link for the video is given below:









About the band:


Farmaan was formed in 2007 when childhood buddies Neil and Gazi met in Chennai and came to know about each other’s talent. Pursuing their graduation from different cities at that time, Neil and Gazi, managed to jam with Manash(drums) making Chennai as their base for jamming. The band used to practice on every weekend, Gazi would come all the way from Trichy which was a hectic 8 hrs bus journey. Their sound seemed to be fresh but the band felt the great need of a bassist. Finally they found their mutual friend, Madhurjya(Bass) back in Guwahati who completed the sound of Farmaan. During semester breaks they would jam in Guwahati and in a span of 1 year they recorded six tracks.


The band had to face many problems in the initial stages as their language, which was initially Hindi, hindered them to participate in the rock competitions held in IITs and NITs. Hindi rock was completely new and the crowd in Chennai and Bangalore was more inclined to death metal. But the band stuck to its genres and when they promoted its recorded tracks in all the colleges in Chennai the response that they got was immense. They were constantly invited as guest artists in many events of the different colleges. In December 2009 the band also got an invitation to perform in Mood Indigo, the annual cultural fest of IIT Mumbai but due to the job pressure of the band members they had to decline the offer. But now backed by Vervain Productions the band members are not hesitating even to the slightest extent to put their jobs on stake and pursue their true love which is music.


Band Members:



Gazi Mehboob ( Lead Guitars and Vocals):


A graduate in Production Engineering from NIT, Trichy, Gazi Mehboob, a self taught guitarist, has been running his fingers on the frets since the last 7 years. His influences are basically metal acts like Iron maiden , Megadeth , Opeth but at the same time he is also inclined towards sufi and Indian classical. He is the main person behind the compositions and lyrics. He loves to fuse metal with sufi music. He is currently working as a manager in NMDC Ltd, the leading mining organization of the government.


Neil Sarmah (Lead Vocals and Rhythm)


A passed out from SRM University in Electronics & Telecom, Neil Sarmah is a die hard fan of Nusrat, Rahat and Shafqat Amanat and considers them as his prime influence. He is open to all genres. He is a self learned vocalist and his main strength lies in the high pitched aalaps that can be heard in most of the songs of Farmaan. As he has not received any formal training Neil is planning to train himself in Indian Classical Music so that he can even refine his god gifted talent. He is currently working as an Asst. Systems Engineer in TCS, New Delhi.


Manash (Drums)


A graduate from SRM University in Electronics & Communication, Manash a.k.a Max has played the tabla for 12 years and managed to get a visharad before he switched to congo and drums. He is currently working as a Network Engineer in CISCO, Gurgaon.


Madhurjya (Bass)


Currently pursuing his B.Tech in Instrumentation Madhurjya has been associated with different bands in Guwahati before he joined Farmaan. His inclination is towards Nu-Metal, Punk, Grudge and but at the same time he is also a die hard fan of Harris, which can be seen in the bass lines of some of the metal acts of the band.

Comments

Yuvi's picture

Assamese music lovers were in need of such an album ..... the songs are really fantastic .... I guess it will totally redefine the way we see assamese music.... people should watch out for 'lorali' & 'Xopun jen lage '
Priyam Biswas's picture

I need to contact Mr. Deepak Dey, can anyone help?
bhaskarnil's picture

Nice piece of work man....gazi....ur dedication really works out..a must for every neo-assamese generation...for d love of the music..
Honey's picture

neil you rocks...wht to say? just keep on doing good work and entertain us.
Parmita Borah's picture

Great to know about Farmaan.. I think the picture was taken outside St. Anthony's College, Shillong...got m all nostalgic! let me know if am wrong :)
dwarak's picture

Farmaan is rocking...waiting for the national release...all the very best rockstars
Raktim's picture

Are the persons writing comments friends of the band? How can anyone praise such a mess of singing and a video which looks so funny and out of place? Boys, please stick to your engineering. Sngfor yourselves and not for us. Thank you.
Mona's picture

@Raktim this video looks funny? what about the rest of the typical assamese video's huh?those seem to be upto the level of those directed by Sophie Mullers and Joseph Kahns for you, ain't it? I am not saying this is a very good video. atleast these guys worked hard to do something different? And being newcomers they did a gud job from the point of view of the Assamese industry.
debahuti bora's picture

neil pinky ba here u r great man i didnt know u r in a band farmaan wit such a good voice keep going we r in need of such talent. my support n best wishes r always wit u. "BEST OF LUCK FARMAAN".

Pages

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

The Journalists' Forum, Assam is organizing a Citizens' Meet on the menace of flash flood in Guwahati. Several experts on the issue are likely to attend the meet. The deliberations will cover all relevant issues like drainage and siltation, filing up of wetlands, disappearance of open space and traffic mismanagement in the city. It will be held in the Guwahati Press Club auditorium on July 18, Friday at 3 pm.JFA secretary Nava Thakuria has requested all concerned citizens of the city to attend the meet.Photo: UB Photos
Meghalaya Police have picked up 4 Army personnel based in Assam belonging to the Rajput Regiment charging them with assaulting a government employee. They have been handed over to the military police for further action.According to information, Captain Deepak Chanda, Captain P Pathak, Lt Ranjit Sarma and Lt M Singh have been picked up after they assaulted an employee of the Meghalaya Urban Development Agency on Thursday evening following an altercation over parking of their vehicle.Other people who tried to interfere were also roughed up by the officers, resulting in a hand to hand scuffle. Later police rushed to the area and took the officers in custody, not before the public damaged a...
The ULFA cadres and leaders who have recently announced an unilateral ceasefire with the government on Friday have entered the designated camp set up by the government. These people include Mirnal Hazarika, Moon Bora and Jun Bhuyan who have already been expelled by ULFA central leadership recently.According to information, the Assam government has arranged their designated camp a the abandoned building of the Sadiya jail for the A and C company cadres of ULFA’s 28 battalion, now in ceasefire. But as per the government rules, they have not deposited their arms and ammunitions after the government received a list of 67 cadres. Police sources here confirmed that these people will ensure...
Dr Rahul Pandey The recently concluded G8 summit in Japan placed rising fuel and food prices, besides climate change, at the top of its agenda. While fuel crisis is enough to stoke panic, it has also partly induced the food crisis due to both high fuel cost of producing and transporting food as well vast bio-fuel cultivation in the West. With unabatedly rising price of oil and uncertainty about its reserves, energy security is today every nation's concern. This also reflects in the desperation with which the Indian government is pushing ahead nuclear deal with the US. These developments raise some critical questions:- Can energy policy deliver both energy security and climate change...
An attempt was made to enter into the Guinness World Record by massive plantation of 3 lakhs saplings at Choutaki under Srijiongram Development Block in Deohati Gaon Pachayat. The event was organised by Uttar Salmara Sub Divisional Administration, Abhayapuri in Bongaigaon District on 11-07-08. Pix by UB Photos.
Harendra Nath Das, former Chief Secretary and author Dr. Bharat Kalita releasing a book "A Mole in The Breast", which is based on the freedom struggle of Bangladesh (1970-71) written by Dr. Bharat Kalita at Guwahati Press Club in Guwahati on 11-07-08. Pix by UB Photos.
The United Liberation Front of Asom has said it is ready to hold talks with the Centre provided the government agrees to safeguard the sovereignty of Assam. In a statement released here on Thursday night, the proscribed outfit’s chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa further said they will come out for negotiation with the government within a period of 24 hours once the central executive body is allowed to meet. Reacting to an article on ULFA in a local vernacular daily by writer Suchibrata Roy Choudhory, Rajkhowa said it’s their central leadership who have been striving for an amicable solution to the Indo-Assam conflict. The outfit has further alleged that the power-that-be in Delhi has...
Following is the full text of the Indo-US nuclear safeguard agreement that was circulated among the IAEA member nations. Board of Governors GOV/2008/30 Date: 9 July 2008 Restricted Distribution Original: English For official use onlyNuclear VerificationThe Conclusion of Safeguards Agreements and Additional Protocols An Agreement with the Government of India for the Application of Safeguards to Civilian Nuclear Facilities Recommended Action It is recommended that the Board authorize the Director General to conclude with the Government of India, and subsequently implement, the draft Safeguards Agreement reproduced in the Attachment hereto. Atoms for Peace Nuclear Verification The...
Players of MAHARANA (Red) and GREEN VALLEY (White) seen in action at the 4th NN Bhattacharya Memorial football Tournament organised by Guwahati Sports Association at Nehru Stadium in Guwahati on 10-07-08. Pix by UB Photos.
The peace process in Assam is set to take a significant role as ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia is expected to play a vital role along with those in the ceasefire. According to the expelled top ULFA cadre Mrinal Hazarika, who captained ULFA’s crack unit they are more committed to the people and hoped that once Anup is released by Bangladesh they will urge him to take the lead.Addressing a huge rally in Sadiya, Mrinal said despite ULFA diktat they will carry forward it and it would require two stages. Firstly, Firstly, on Friday they would exchange their views with various parties, organisations and individuals in Tinsukia district. Secondly, they will be organising a public rally...