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

A devastating fire that broke out in the city’s Lakhara area has completely gutted a biscuit factory on Saturday. According to information, the source of the fire that ravaged Krishlay Snacks Food Products is an electric short circuit that took a terrible turn and it took almost four hours for fifteen fire tenders to douse it and by then the entire fire has engulfed the factory. The management has informed that properties worth Rs 20 crore has been destroyed by the fire at broke out at around 10 in the morning.Photo: UB Photos
Union Grants Commission (UGC) sponsored workshop on HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION IN ASSAM is all scheduled to be held on 28th June 2008 with a day long program at ADP College premises Nagaon organized by English Department, ADP College. The agenda of the program starts off with lighting of the ceremonial lamp at 10.30am by Dr. J Balaji D.C Nagaon. A photo exhibition on the them HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION IN ASSAM will be in display by UB Photos a premier photo news agency of the North East and its director Utpal Baruah will brief the gathering on documentation of those photos and his experience on the subject. Kuladhar Saikia IPS IGP Assam Police will address the house on "Human Rights- HISTORY...
The 1st International Invitational Karate-Do Championship 2008 is scheduled to be held at Bhogeshwar Phukannini Indoor Stadium, Guwahati from 28th to 29th June 2008 organised jointly by All Assam Shito-Ryo Karate Do Association and Arkawa-Stanley Wado-Ryu(KAI) Karate-Do Association Assam in loving memory of Late Biswajit Das, Memboob Rahman and Partha Pratim Medhi. Four Asian country namely Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and SriLanka have consented to participate in the said competition. Nepal Army , Assam Rifles,Naga Regiment and SimaSurksha Bal ina separate entity will participate in the Championship recognized by World Karate Do-Federation and Internatiuonal Olympic Association. Players...
ULFA leader Mrinal Hazarika addressing the media in a press conference organised under the 28th Battalion of ULFA at a ULFA camp on 26-06-08. The A and C companies of powerful 28th battalion of the ULFA declared an Unilateral Ceasefire few days back. Pix by UB Photos.
Assamese Film Actress Moloya Goswami lighting the lamp at the inauguration of the North East Crafts and Textile Exhibition held at NEDFi Hut premises in Guwahati on 25-06-08. The exhibition is going to be held up to 2nd July. Pix by UB Photos.
HS Arts classes have been started from this academic session at Bokakhat HS School keeping in view the demands of the public. The school has been imparting HS classes in Science.The HS Arts classes were inaugurated at a public meeting on June 17 presided over by Tosheswar Bora, president of the Governing Body of the school. The meeting was attended by ex-MLA BN Bhuyan. Jitu Sarmah Rajkhowa, president of the Bokakhat Sub-division Journalists' Association. Thaneswar Hazarika and Deben Sarmah, retired Principal and Vice-Principal of JDSG College, Bokakhat respectively, among others. The newly-constructed Girls' Common Room and the HS classes were inaugurated by BN Bhuyan and Thaneswar Hazarika...
Devotees offering prayers to the Goddess Kamakhya as the temple door has opened today after four days at the Kamakhya temple premises, believed to be the center of the Hindu cult of Tantra in Guwahati on 25-06-08. Today is the last day of the ongoing annual four-day "Ambubachi Mela". Thousands of seers and pilgrims converged at the temple for the festival, which began on June 22. Pix by UB Photos.
A farmer is seen ploughing his field at Ambagaon, Udalguri, as the monsoon arrived timely in the region this year. Most people in this area solely are dependent on agriculture. -UB Photos
Surrendered 26 hardcore ULFA militants along with Major General Chander Prakash VSM, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Red Horn Division and Mr. Chandar Nathan IGP Lower Assam and senior Indian Army officers at a surrender function organized by HAMEESHA AAGE BODE, Red Horn Division of Indian Army at Tamulpur in Baska dist. of Assam on 24/06/2008. -UB Photos
A member of the JAMBELI BAND performing live at the Rattle Hum North East India Music Festival held at Guwahati on 21-06-08 night. Various music bands across the North East India performing at the music fest.Pix by UB Photos.