I have been charmed by the concept of saudade (in context of fado Portuguese songs) since Karin’s session and in my mind I found similarity in the songs of the boatmen (Bhatiali) from the riverine plains of lower gangetic delta. The etymology of the word saudade is disputed with most scholars claiming its origin from the Latin word for solitude. However, some claim it has roots in the Arabic word sauda which among other things means melancholy/black/dark. In my map, culture and specially music is a universal expression and I am fascinated by the linkages and common inspirations. Bhatiali (bhata meaning low tide in bangla) songs are composed and sung by the boatman community whose lives depended on the treacherous river and the songs reflect their lives of uncertainty yet the sweet longing for the river, who can give abundance and take away lives at whim. The songs often have a melancholy mood filled with stories of hardship and yet longing for a higher love with an overarching theme of celebration of life and nature. This is what I found inspiring – the common human condition, the cultural expressions and how we are all connected in so many ways.