We do not call ourselves a band. Aamra ganer dal. That sets the record straight at the outset, but there’s more to Madol than not being a band. It’s the first girl gang singing folk songs in Bengal.

As four of the five-member band — Kamalkali, Tupsi, Sharmistha and Rita — record for Radio Sonar at the WorldSpace studio on Park Street, it’s clear that this group is frill-free. It’s all about the music.

The core of Madol was formed when Rita and Kamalika’s mother, Shikha, along with Tapan Roy, were studying folk music at Rabindra Bharati University in 2002. Roy, a researcher, provides the traditional songs. “We do not believe in presenting folk songs with westernised arrangements,” says Rita.

In over five years of its existence, Madol has performed in Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangladesh.

Madol’s members may be from the city, but getting the rural inflexion right has not been a problem. “After a show for the Bangladesh High Commission, we were asked which part of Sylhet we came from,” recalls Tupsi, the newest member of Madol.

The girls are gearing up to launch a Puja album from Saregama. “It was suggested that since we have created a platform, we should use it to address women’s issues,” Rita says. The result: two originals on the dowry system and the capabilities of women. Here’s to girl power!