Pamaria of Deep

This Pamaria group hails from Deep village, Madhubani district, Bihar. The members are: Mohd. Ali, Mohd. Hafiz, Mohd. Narul Aalam, Mohd. Israil, Mohd. Saed Pamaria, Mohd. Mustafa, Mohd. Kaijun Pamaria, Mohd. Nizam Pamaria, and Mohd. Irfan Pamaria. The singers from this group have performed at multiple folk festivals across India and abroad.

 Pamarias are a Muslim folk-artist community from Bihar, traditionally invited to perform at childbirth celebrations in hindu households. A typical three-member troupe has one dancer and two singers or instrumentalists. The dancer, dressed in ghaghra, choli, and dupatta, performs to the rhythms of dholak, dholakiya, khanjri, and ghunghru, while the singers render joyful badhaiya (celebration songs), khelona, bhajans, and other Hindu–Muslim devotional or folk narratives. They often adapt lyrics on the spot to honour the newborn and the household they visit. 

The music and dance tradition of the Pamaria is an integral part of Mithila’s living cultural heritage. Although some Pamaria artists have received recognition in India and abroad, most continue to earn only a modest income and are gradually leaving this profession in search of other traditional means of livelihood.