Thaul: A Garhwali Fiction about Fair, Festival, Fun, and Family Fervo

(Review of a Garhwali fiction collection ‘Jonu Par Chhapu Kilai?’  (1967) written by Mohan Lal Negi)

                                  Bhishma Kukreti

  Thaul means fair or place of celebration of praying.  When fair is there in Garhwali-Kumauni villages it beaks the monotonous life of people and provides chances for people to come out with different life styles than routine life. Females get chance of makeup and putting on new dresses or putting on jewels and jewelries.  The most pleasure of festival and fair is for children. Fair brings enthusiasm.

  Thaul is about people visiting fair and enjoying there. A child Sudama could not sleep before the fair night and sees many dreams. Sudama and his friends Kamlu, Raghu, Chaitu et all visit fair and do many activities –chatting, eating, singing buying dolls and toys. They play with toys after coming from fair and sleep with dreaming about plays.  

  The story Thaul by Negi is depicting children enthusiasm and their psychology.  Story writer wove the story very well around fair and children. He uses proverbs and sayings freely and effectively. The proverbs and sayings create or add for creating images of rural life and atmosphere of fair, festival and family fervor.  

१- पर एक ऐब वीं बिछ्न्दे ( ब्वारी मांगी)

२-घिच्चा कि जरा नखरी निथर ..

३- हिडंग- फिडंग अर फ्वीं फाई भौत करदी

४- पग चले पंथ कटे

Thaul is a proof about the strong vocabulary knowledge of story writer Mohan Lal Negi.

      According to Dr. Dabral (2007) ,Thaul is one of the remarkable stories in Garhwali literature.

Sources:

1-Dr Anil Dabral, 2007 Garhwali Gady Parampara:Itihas se vartman

2-Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna, 1975 Gad Mytek Ganga

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 8/6/2012