Janm Lok Geet: A Traditional Folk Song of Ravain and Garhwal for Celebrating Child Birth

Bhishma Kukreti

  [Notes on traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Ravain tribe culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Garhwali culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Uttarakhandi culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in North Indian culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Indian culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Chinese, Japanese and Thai  culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Asian culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in European and Canadian culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Jews culture]

{ पुत्र जन्म के लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के लोक यूरोपीय गीत; पुत्र जन्म के एशियाई लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के जापनी लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के चीनी लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के थाई लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के भारतीय लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के उत्तराखंडी लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के गढ़वाली लुप्त होते लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के रवांइ इलाका में प्रचलित लोक गीत लेखमाला}

    In most of the culture there are folk songs sung at the occasion of child birth. For examples in Pashto culture (in Afghanistan and Pakistan), Shaan is a celebratory folk song sung at the occasion of child birth and marriage. There are many ethnic groups sing folk songs and dance too at the occasion of childbirth.

               Jintana Thunwaniwat provides information that Thais performed Chinese folk Dragon dance-Song at the occasion of the birth of the son of Crown Prince Mahavijiralongkorn (Chinese Music in Chinese and Thai Culture).

                The international Shakuhachi society’s blog (1) provides details of many Japanese folk songs and ceremonies at the time of child delivery for safe delivery and childbirth.

  Hajara folk music was common in Arabic countries to celebrate the childbirth.

  Jay Althouse provides an example of a Spanish folk song – ‘A La Nanita nana’ performed for celebrating birth of any child (International Folk Songs for Solo Singers).

  Judith Cohen provides examples of Judeo-Spanish folk songs sung in Canada for celebrating childbirth (Jewish Folklore and ethnology review, vol-12-15, page 25) 

                      Folk songs of general Garhwal those are no more sung

    Anjali Cipila states those now days, in Garhwal, people don’t sing folk songs once sung for celebrating child birth in her book Images of women in the folk songs of Garhwal Himalaya: a Participatory research (pages 145-147 and 288-289). Cipila provides translation of two folk songs were once popular around Budakedar regions –

1-Dear mother your daughter has won the battle

By giving birth to a son

Helle Primdahl (1993) provides both the above folk songs about celebrating son birth in his book (3)

           पुत्र जन्म पर गढ़वाल का एक लुप्त होता एक लोक गीत

जा धौं भौंरा माजी का पास हमारि

जा धौं भौंरा कुशल मंगल बोल आई

जा धौं भौंरा बाबा जी क पास हमारि

कल्याण बोल आई , कुशल मंगल सुणाइ

धियाण तुमारी मै बोलणि भौंरा

जा धौं भौंरा भै क पास तू मेरा

जा धौं भौंरा कुशल मंगल सुणाइ

बैण तुमारि मै, बोलणि भौंरा

धियान तुमारी माजी जाळ तोड़यो

धियान तुमारी माजी रण जीत्यो

जा धौं भौंरा माजी का पास हमारि

Curtsey –Helle Primdahl (3)

Another song is as translated by Anjali Cipila also refred by Helle

2- Dear son!  You are the fruit of my sacrifice!

To attain you, I underwent several austerities

…….

Of light that illuminates the mountain peaks at down

My dear son, may you become the light of my ‘kul’.

  This author is also of opinion that baring a couple of regions as Ravain, now a days, people don’t sing song celebrating child birth or son birth. Definitely before British took over Garhwal, there was tradition to sing folk song to celebrate son birth.   

              Janm Lok Geet: A Folk Song of Ravain for Celebrating Child Birth   

              A famous Garhwali poet and Hindi writer Dr. Jagdish Prasad (jaggu) Naudiyal provides various types of folk songs of Ravain in his research book.

     Ravain region is on west-north part of Uttarkashi district, Garhwal of Uttarakhand state. The following is a folk song of Ravain, Uttarkashi of celebrating the childbirth. The song is about the birth of lord Krishna

रवांइ क्षेत्र का जन्म के समय का लोक गीत

पगूड़ी को पेंट रे लाल कृष्ण , पंगूड़ी को पेंट रे लाल कृष्ण

कृष्ण जी जनम्यों रे लाल कृष्ण , देवकी के पेट रे लाल कृष्ण I

झंगूरा का बाल रे लाल कृष्ण , झंगूरा का बाल रे लाल कृष्ण

देवकी का पेट रे लाल कृष्ण , कंश को काल रे लाल कृष्ण I

फूली जाली जाई रे लाल कृष्ण ,फूली जाली जाई रे लाल कृष्ण ,
गोकुल मा जनम्यों रे लाल कृष्ण ,मथुरा पंहुचाई रे लाल कृष्ण I ,
घड़ी काटो घास रे लाल कृष्ण ,घड़ी काटो घास रे लाल कृष्ण

मथुरा पंहुचाई रे लाल कृष्ण ,यशोदा के पास रे लाल कृष्ण I

हरी काटी लौकी रे लाल कृष्ण , हरी काटी लौकी रे लाल कृष्ण

यशोदा को लाडो रे लाल कृष्ण , मखन को शौकी रे लाल कृष्ण I

डाडू मारी थ्यारी रे लाल कृष्ण ,डाडू मारी थ्यारी रे लाल कृष्ण

यशोदा को लाडो रे लाल कृष्ण , राधा तैकी प्यारी रे लाल कृष्ण I

Translation-

Deviki gave birth to Krishna

  Krishna’s birth for killing cruel Kansh

Krishna took birth in Gokul

Krishna is deported to Mathura

Yashoda is now mother of Krishna

Krishna is fond of butter

Krishna loves Radha

Song Curtsey: Dr Jagdish Naudiyal

Reference:

1-International Shakuhachi Society,  http://komuso.com/pieces/pieces.pl?piece=2113

2-Dr Jagdish Prasad Naudiyal, 2011, Uttarakhand ki Dharohar (Ravain kshetr ke lok sahity kaa sanskritik adhyyan)

3- Helle Primdahi, Central Himalayan folklore: folk songs in Rituals of Life cycle

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti, 11/6/2012

Notes on traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Ravain tribe culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Garhwali culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Uttarakhandi culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in North Indian culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Indian culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Chinese, Japanese and Thai  culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Asian culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in European and Canadian culture; traditional folk songs celebrating child birth in Jews culture to be continued.

पुत्र जन्म के लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के लोक यूरोपीय गीत; पुत्र जन्म के एशियाई लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के जापनी लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के चीनी लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के थाई लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के भारतीय लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के उत्तराखंडी लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के गढ़वाली लुप्त होते लोक गीत; पुत्र जन्म के रवांइ इलाका में प्रचलित लोक गीत लेखमाला जारी ...