India, Dec. 26 -- By Animesh Deb

Guwahati/New Delhi [India], December 26 (ANI): Once confined to the courtyards, riverbanks, among cattle herders, elephant keepers, and villagers of undivided Goalpara, Goalpariya folk music has today travelled far beyond its geographical and cultural origins. Yet, even as the music finds new listeners and performers across Assam and beyond, the question of preserving its originality remains a concern.

That delicate balance between expansion and authenticity was at the heart of a conversation with Punam Barua, a member of the Gauripur royal family and a close relative of legendary Goalpariya folk singer Padma Shri Pratima Barua Pandey.

Pratima Barua Pandey's death anniversary is observed on December 27....