
These songs carry a deep "emotion" of biraha or separation and loneliness. According to a survey( conducted by the Folk cultural and tribal cultural centre, Government of West Bengal) among the performers of Bhawaiya song the name is derived from the word Bhao > Bhav. According to Abbas Uddin, a notable singer and composer of Bhawaiya song, this song is like the random and pleasant wind blowing of North Bengal and it is named as Bhawaiya. So the derivative meaning of this word is emotionally charged. The derivative of the word Bhawaiya is Bhav > Bhao + Iya = Bhawaiya. According to some other researchers, Bhawaiya is derived from the word Bawaiya, which is subsequently derived from the word bao (breeze). Buffalo keepers used to sing this song while ploughing. Low-lying land with shrubs and other vegetables are called Bhawa. There are various explanations of the meaning of Bhawaiya.
