Part -19- ANCIENT HISTORY OF GOR BANJARAS

Wajana Song

The permission of the Tanda’s Naik is needed before celebrating the Holi. The Holi group reaches in front of the Naik’s home and sings the song called Wajana.

आन भाईरे खेलतून कुद्त गेरीया उतरे……।। आयेन उभे छरे ¶ यामुऱे दरबार जो ¶ यामुऱे दिनो छ आवो आदर मानजो।। ओरी नायकण (कल्पना) दिनी छरे एक आदर मानजो।। आदर मानजो।। उजी येन दिनी छक ताट केरी थिकळी || उजी येन दिनी छरे जल केरो लोटीया ।। उजीयेन, पुछी सकेरी कसळात जो- वोरी नायकण दीनी छर छळछळ बोकडो।। उजीयेन दिनी छर छळछळ बोकडो।। उजीयेन दिनी छरे हात केरो मुंदडो।। जामुळीरे, छुंगलाती रक, गेरीया होळी रमे।। खाजोन पिजोर, वडिय तारी वेल जो।। अन भाई रे नायक दिनो पाच रपीया पचास मान जो…….

Meaning: The festivals of Holi and Diwali are two sisters and both are same for us. A group of Geriya has arrived to ask permission for Holi. They are asking for sweet items for Holi. The youth are asking for goats. The group of young and elders alike has come dancing and singing in front of the huge home of the Naik to ask permission for Holi. Naik has given five rupees to play the Holi. We consider the amount as equal to 500 rupees and bless the Naik. The Holi goddess should bless the Naik with 100 years of life.

When the Naik gives the permission the group first visits the house in which some tragic event has taken place, consoles the family, take them into the group and then go to the house where a child is born earlier and then the dancing and singing starts.

Dhawalo – The last night of the bride at her parent’s home:

तारा छांयी, चांदा छांयी रात हं हिंय्या…. काळो जंजाळ वाट ये हं हिंय्या…. घडी एक वदेस ये रात, म सोउ मारे याडीरे गोदेम हं हिंय्या…. सुतो छीक, जागरो छी, मारे बापुरे हं हिंय्या….. तारी बेटीप आधी रात वक्त पडगो, हं हिंय्या…. घडी एक घडी उठन बेस बापुरे हं हिंय्या…. बा, फाटी पपोळी बेजाय बजाळो, ले जाय पतिया हं हिंय्या….. घडी भर बोलेस झामरी झुलेरो तितर, हं हिंय्या…… नायक बापु उठीय। समळ पुचीये, फेर रोक दिये आज हं हिंय्या घडी एक मत बोल, मारे बापुरो पाळो पोसो कुकडो घडी न एक बोलीस तो, म बेसीव तो मारे साथळुरे साथ हं हिंय्या….

Meaning: The night full of the moon and stars looks like spread with a black net. Dear night, may you prolong for some time. Don’t let the dawn appear. If you listen to me then I will sleep in my mother’s lap. Dear Bapu, are you awake or sleeping? Your daughter is in distress this night. She requests to the Teetar bird in the jungle to start its inauspicious calls. In the morning Bapu will inquire about good and bad omen and would not allow me to go considering the day as inauspicious. O, dear cock, do not give call in the morning even though the day breaks. I will share some (secret) thoughts with my friends.

Holi folk song sung on the beats of drum:

सुन्दल नार करेणी संसार। घटी दोपेरींर सुन्दल…. घरेरे धनींर, सिले पाळे टकडा। दोसतेन पोळी खराव, दोसतेन पोळी खराव, सुन्दल नार…. सासु ससरेन देखेनी भाळेनी घडीघडी माको वाहव छर, अन धडी धडी मातो वाहव छर सुन्दल ढोर ढांढेरी घरदारे, छेंनी येन काळजी बेटी बेटी टांग हलावर, सुन्दल नार….

Meaning: The behaviour of a woman named Sundal from the Tanda is not up to the mark. It is doubtful whether she will behave responsibly with her family. She does not wake up early and operates grindstone in the afternoon. She offers the leftover stale food to her husband but offers sweet meal to her friends with love. She is not at all attentive towards her family. She neglects her father-in-law and mother-in-law. She maintains her hair frequently. She does not care about the household work and the animals. She stands in the doorway swinging her legs. Even though such a woman is beautiful it is doubtful whether she will be able to look after the family.

Haveli Widai (Farewell from Home)

The girl is seen off after her marriage from home. An ox is decorated for the purpose. She is made to sit on his back. She slightly removes her face-cover and takes a last look at her house and at the same time requests to the ox.

घडी एक छुट जारे मारे बापुरो डोळीया हं हिंय्या… तोती छुटो डोळीया हारो जवाहारे। माती घुटे मारी बापुरी हवेली हं हिंय्या….घडी एक रासडी तोडर छुट जारे हं हिंय्या….. तु छटो तो झामरी झालेरो खड खरादु। दुविया तळायेरो पाणी परादु हं हिंय्या * घडी एक दोई सिंग सोनेती मडादू…..। तोन करादु कपाळेरो चांदीया घडी एक हं हिंय्या….

Meaning: My dear Doliya, my Bapu’s loved one, cut the ropes and run away. If you run away you will get green grass. If you did not run away I will have to loose my parent’s village forever. Please show mercy on me and run away as early as possible. I will give you green grass and water to drink form the Dudhiya Lake. I will plate your two horns with gold and give an ornament for your forehead.

She bids adieu to the Tanda while crying loudly. All the men and women accompany her up to a distance and then halt. She requests them with a heavy heart to walk with her for some distance and then stop.

Farewell Song:

जराक आंगेसी आवो, याडी बापु ओ हं हिंय्या… याडी ये रुंगळीरो, आज होटो देन चालीय हं हिंय्या….तमारी बेटीन, सास देन चाली ये याडी हं हिंय्या… गटलारो आडो दे लालडीन, भुलाडी पाडदेन चाली याडी ये हं हिंय्या…. मारे बापुरो हारी कोट बंगला, मोती सुनो पडगो याडी ये हं हिंय्या….ओळी वाटेन, सुद वाट करण हं हिंय्या….सो कोसेन, कोस समजन सात समन्दर पार करन तारी भेनरी खबरेन आयेस विरेणा हं हिंय्या…

Meaning: Don’t stand away from me; accompany me for some more distance. Oh, mother, I have given everything to you and now leaving you. I will forget you now. I am crossing the mountain and going to live in another mountain. I am afraid I will get lost in them. The beautiful bungalow of my Bapu will become deserted now, nobody will feel happy in such a place. Dear brother, do not forget your sister. However difficult the road to my in-laws place might be, do come to visit me. Think that the distance is just 1 mile even though it might be hundred miles, cross the seven seas and come to meet me.

Holi Reli Song – Sewabhaya

अगल बगल परकोट छ रे माई देवळ बंधोच। मांई देवळ बंधोच ओत भाया बेठोच, मांई देवळ बंधोच… भाया बेठोच वत टिको लगोच-अगल बगल भाया बेटोच वत नारळ चढच, नारळ चडच ओत भोग लगच, अगल बगल…. भाया बेठोच ओत मराम्मा खडीच। मराम्मा खडी ओत दिवो लागोच-अगल बगल भाया बेठोच ओत धुळी बळीच धुळीं बळच ओत लगी हुभी छ। अलग बगल परकोट छ रे।

Meaning: Memories of Sewabhaya are retold prior to Holi celebration. The place where Sewabhaya ended his life is described in this song. The place has been surrounded by beautiful wall on four sides. A temple of Sewabhaya is built inside. Sewabhaya is sitting inside with sandal paste applied on his forehead. The devotees are offering fruits, flowers and coconut to him. Goddess Maryamma is standing near to him. A lamp is glowing in front of her. Fire is active in a place in front of the temple. The white flag of Sewabhaya is swinging on wind. Such is this beautiful, peaceful place providing solace to the minds. Devotees are paying obeisance to the Samadhi of Sewabhaya.

Holi Song – Payee

धुम मची, धुमे मचायो बणजारा धुम मची धुमे मचायो बणजारा हासलो लारे सेताळी बणजारा तारे हासले प धुमे मचायो बणजारा लोवडी लारे हुं बणजारा…. तारी लोवडीण धुमे मचायो बणजारा धुम मची धुमे…… भुरीया लारे नकराळो बणजारा मारे भुरियाण धुमे मचायो बणजारा धुम मची धुमे… चुडलो लारे लोभी बणजारा तारो चुडलो प धुमे मचीरे बणजारा धुम मची धुम मचारो बणजारा….धुम…

Meaning: The Tanda has lost its all sense due to dancing and singing. Banjaras are engrossed in playing the Raas. The atmosphere is fully charged. Oh, Banjara, bring a necklace for your Banjara fiancé. We will play Holi for the necklace. Oh, friend, bring a Chunari for your friend. We will dance and sing for the Chunari. Oh, naughty friend, bring a nose ring for the Gerani girlfriend. When she puts the ring on her nose, we will play Holi with a new vigour. Dear friend, that way you are very mean but bring bangles for the girl. We will treat the girl as a bangle and enjoy the Holi with no bounds.

As regards singing obscene songs on the occasion of Holi it is said that those who will use obscene words and sing songs about the male and female sexual parts to get protection from Dhundha demons then they will be forgiven. (The End)

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