Table of Contents

Jhumur: Music with Roots

Ascribed to one of the tea tribes, Jhumur is one of the famous folk dances of Assam. It is usually performed by a group of young girls holding each other’s waist and dancing in synchronisation to the beats of Madal (a two-headed hand drum). The dancers themselves sing in perfect harmony. The dance is also performed as a ritual for worshipping God, match-making and plenty of rainfall. Many other states like Chhattisgarh, Odisha and West Bengal also perform these dances.

Jhumur reflects the daily lifestyle, sorrow and joys of the people. Jhumur songs have a simple language and tune. It is an ever-changing and living tradition as the songs never get old as they are enriched by the human experience of life and nature.

Some believe that Jhumur is related to ‘Jhumar’ or ‘Ghungroo’ – anklets of bells worn by the dancers. The reason is perhaps that the Jhumur dance is also associated with songs. But wearing musical anklets was not popular among the indigenous tribes. Naachnis use ghungroos to dance with Darbari Jhumurbut, but this started much later. Some musical instruments used are Jhummurare dholak, dhamsa, madol, flute, shenai and mandira. Later, harmonium and tablaare were also used as supplementary instruments.

Jhumur songs are sung in Bengali and Oriya and also dialects like Kurmali, Panchpargania and Nagpuria. Jhumur singers and dancers are from marginal and poor communities like Kurm, Mahato, Kumor (Potter), Rajwad, Ghatal, Hadi, Muchi (cobbler) and so on.

History of Jhumur

Many people suggest that Shri Krishna Kirtan by Chandidas is the oldest example of Jhumur. During the ancient era, the songs were orally composed, and the name of the composer and the lyricist was not mentioned. These songs are about joys, sorrows and vignettes of daily life, corroborating that the tradition does not pertain to any specific religion or ritual.

In the post-Chaitanya period, also known as the middle era of Jhumur, many changes took place in the lyrics and tunes of Jhumur songs. This is also known as the Kabya Yuga. The composers of this time were mostly Vaisnavas. The music is, therefore, influenced by Kirtan and other Vaisnava devotional songs. Many Jhumur songs are about the eternal love of Lord Krishna and Radha and are influenced by the Vaisnava Padabali. Some of them are also based on stories of Ramayana. So, during this period, Jhumur became of great interest to the elite and erudite people. Vaishnava influence is also evident in the Darbari style of Jhumur sung in the courts of the local kings and the rich. The dance of the Naachnis enthralled the Baithaki Jhumur soirees. From this era, the lyricists started writing down the Jhumur songs, and the oral tradition was restructured.

The modern era of Jhumur started after India’s independence. There were two trends observed during this time. One was the emergence of powerful lyricists like Sunil Mahato, Subhash Chakraborty and Kuchil Mukhopadhyay, and the other was the loss of traditional patronage of feudal landlords and local kings with the breakdown of old social structures.

Varieties of Jhumur

Jhumur lyrics are short as they are orally composed. Generally, two or four lines are repeatedly sung. The crescendo typically changes from higher to lower octave. Hakka Jhumur is popular among women.

Jhumur songs are sung in the month of Bhadra (autumn) are called Bhaduria Jhumur. Bhaduria Jhumur has varieties like Jhingaphoolia, Udasia, Rasrasiya, Kamaria, Khemta, etc., the Kamaria Jhumur pertains to the Kama community. Khemta is accompanied by the Khemta dance. These are usually sung in Dnarshaal, Bulbul, Kaati, Chau, Nachni and Natua dance concerts. Jhumur songs sung during the Chau dance do not have any written text. The lead vocalist typically starts with the Ganesh Vandana at the start of the Chau dance.

A Living Tradition

In recent years, Jhumur has gradually lost its popularity owing to lack of traditional patrons, loss of interest among the youth and distortion of the lyrics and tunes. A decade ago, the Jhumur singers and lyricists of Bankura and Purulia came forward to safeguard their tradition. The Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre supported skill transmission from the Gurus to young people.

About 500 Jhumur songs have been documented and published as a book called ‘Jhumur Katha’ with the support of the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre. The dying tradition of the Dharbari Jhumur has also been documented.

Today, Jhumur again enjoys the patronage of the communities in the plateau areas of West Bengal and Jharkhand. Some notable, renowned artists are Naren Hansda, Sunilbaran Das, Swapan Kalindi, Sadhucharan Das and Anjana Mahapatra. The age-old tradition is thus thriving in the new context of modern times.

References:

1. www.awesomeassam.org/ExploreAssam/Place/jhumur-dance

2. bharatstories.com/about-jhumur-dance/

The Swarajathi

To Carnatic music as a presented art, there are broadly two aspects. The first is the Manodharma Sangeetham which is the creative, innovative outpouring of the artistes’ own thinking and study. It is performed impromptu, and can not be taught, as it is, by definition, ‘of one’s own mind’. However, Manodharma Sangeetham does not arise by itself. For an artiste to be mature and capable enough to express his/her feelings and emotions however he/she wishes while simultaneously remaining broadly within the framework of the Ragam and thalam is no easy task, made tougher by the fact that it can only be self-taught.

So, the artiste relies not solely on his/her own aesthetic sense but on the second aspect of Carnatic music, the Kalpita Sangeetham, or the compositions. These are preset and preconceived pieces in a particular Ragam and thalam, that are but a highly structured form of the Manodharmam of the composer of said piece. Like the written and notated pieces in western music, we have these pieces that are the main focus of a Carnatic music presentation today. These are both highly worthy of aesthetic presentation and essential sources of information about the Ragam used. Artistes develop their Manodharmam based on the compositions they have learnt. One such compositional form belonging to the Kalpita Sangeetham category is the Swarajathi, which we shall look at in detail.

There are several more, like Sambashiva in Khamach, Raveme Maguva in Anandabhairavi and so on, but these are rarely heard in concerts and are generally taught at an early stage, which is why perhaps artistes shirk from singing those, considering them too simple and easy for a kutcheri. They too, are excellent pieces, and ought to be heard more in concerts.

Finally, let us look at a rendition of the rarely heard Swarajathi in Ragam Athana, composed by Ponnaiah Pillai, one of the Tanjore Quartette.

With this, we have had a brief look at the compositional form that is the Swarajathi. There exist many more Swarajathis, and a detailed study of the form and its many facets is definitely warranted. I do hope this article inspires my readers to delve into the world of Swarajathis, and discover the many musical gems this world has to offer.

References:

1. South Indian Music Vol.1-6, Prof. P Sambamurthy

2. Theory of Music, Vid. T S Vasantamadhavi

3. Karnataka Sangeetha Dharpana, Dr T Sachidevi and Prof. T Sharada

4. Sangeetha Sampradaya Pradarshini Vol.1-2, Subbarama Dikshitar

5. Evolution of compositional forms in Carnatic Music (Doctoral thesis), Dr T Sachidevi

(Reproduced from a post published by the author on his blog ‘Carnatic Connection’ at https://carnaticconnection.wordpress.com/)

Kavad - An Art of Storytelling

Storytelling is rooted in the tradition of art and literature. It's told in the form of music and art. One of the storytelling traditions in India is Kavad Bachana, i.e., oral storytelling through Kavad.

Kavad is a portable shrine used by the Kavadiyas to narrate stories. It has a visual representation of gods, goddesses, saints, local heroes and patrons whose legends are described. Traditionally, the tales are from the epics of Mahabharata, Ramayana, Rigved, Puranas, caste genealogy and folk tradition. It is about a 400-year-old tradition whose origins are related to mythology.

The three communities involved in this tradition are the Suthar (carpenter) community; which make the Kavad, Kavadiya Bhats; the storytellers who bring the Kavad to the house of the patrons and the Jajman; the patrons.

Suthars

Suthars are the carpenters who make Kavad. They live in Nalla Bazar, a village in Bassi which is 25 kilometres away from Chittoor. Out of 25 families of Suthars, nearly 5 to 6 families make Kavadas these days.

It is said that they were bought from “Nagaur in Shekhawati region by Prince Jaimal of Devgarh in 16 CE" (Design Thoughts, 2009). They are also called Basayatis.

They believe that they are the descendants of Vishwakarma, “the cosmic architect". He had five sons, out of which one is 'Maya, the carpenter (Suthar)'. Some of them add the surname Suthar and others Jangid to signify their community as Jangid, the descendants of Lord Vishwakarma. They are both Kavad makers and painters.

Kavadiya Bhats

Kavadiya Bhats are the storytellers, and this tradition is called Bachana or Katha. They live near Jodhpur, Nagpur, Marwar and Kishangarh districts of Rajasthan.

They are called Bhanwar Bhats, meaning a bumblebee whose origin is also related to mythology. They are born from the speck of ash that fell from Lord Shiva's forehead. This ash then became a bee who was turned into a human being by Lord Shiva upon its request to have an identity. They also claim that they are the descendants of Shravan Kumar of Ramayana, the nephew of king Dashrath.

Apart from this, the Kavadiya Bhats pursue agriculture or labour work in the monsoons, the season in which the Gods sleep so the patrons cannot wake up the Gods.

Jajman

The Jajmans are the patrons. They belong to 36 jatis, and each Kavadiya Bhat visits 30 to 50 patrons once a year (Design Thoughts, 2009). They earlier consisted of local aristocrats. After the storyteller finishes their narration, the patrons are bound to make donations. Their origin is believed to be from the Jatas (coiled hair) of Lord Shiva.

Kavad making

The first stage of Kavad making is to make the wooden structure. They use the wood of neem or mango trees. Most Kavads are 1' to 2.5' in length with 12-16 wooden pivots or metal hinges. They are painted using natural dyes derived from minerals, but nowadays, they use artificial colours. The natural dyes are in powdered form, which, when mixed with a tree resin solution, act as an adhesive. The outlining is done by using a fine brush. Traditionally, the background is of red colour, but different colours are used to catch attention these days. The colours are added layer by layer, imparting a nice texture to it.

The stories are from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Lord Krishna's childhood exploits, Rigved, Puranas, and fables from Jataka Tales. In addition to that, local heroes (like Kundana Bai, a patron saint of the Kavadiya Bhats), saints (like Kabir, Meera and others), caste genealogy, and folk traditions are the sources of these stories.

Origin of Kavad

The word 'Kavad' means Kivaad (door). The origin of Kavad tradition is mythological. It is related to Shravan Kumar of Ramayana. He carried his blind parents in kava to various pilgrim sites. He was accidentally killed by King Dashrath, which left his work unfinished. To fulfil this task, the Kavadiyas continue this tradition of bringing the pilgrims (the Kavad shrines) to the patrons.

The Tradition of Kavad Bachana

Kavad Bachana starts with the introduction of the Kavadiya Bhat to the patrons in their house. Then they sit with the Kavad on their lap, light the incense stick and pray a small prayer. Then they begin with their narration by pointing at the pictures using a peacock feather or directly using their fingers. The panels are opened one after another, and the narration continues. After the Kavad Bachana ends, the patrons give them Dakshina and offer food.

Kavad in Modern Times

The popularity of Kavad is decreasing in the modern world due to the lack of patrons or audience, economic support and decreased popularity of old stories.

To keep on going their tradition, some Suthars have taken the role of both carpenters and storytellers. They adopt modern stories like Meena ki Kahani (girl child education), tales to prevent COVID-19 (global pandemic), etc. They are making dolls, toys and wooden shrines to display the image of a deity in addition to Kavads.

“Contemporary Kavads are moving into urban living rooms, art collections and museums." (Dastakari Haat Samiti-Bassi and beyond article)

References:

1. https://artsandculture.google.com

2. Design Thoughts, July 2009, “The Kavad storytelling tradition of Rajasthan" by Nina Sabnani

3. http://www.idc.iitb.ac.in/resources/design-thoughts.html

4. https://youtu.be/OunTh5aGZno

5. https://www.inditales.com/Kavad-storytelling-box-of-rajasthan/

6. https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/emily-chakraborthy-sheds-light-on-traditional-storytelling-methods/article29768880.ece

7. https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/ancient-bassi-art-on-the-brink-of-extinction-118112901111_1.html

I attend the celebrations each year, and it is pretty fun. As the procession begins, the exhilarating noise of people repeating slogans fills the air with a festive aura. Various cultural activities such as dance, drama etc., are also organised during the festival. People wear new attires and ornaments, prepare delicious delicacies and distribute them to everyone.

The festivities culminate with the burning of Marbat and Badgya. Two special Marbats attract everyone's attention, the Black Marbat and the Yellow Marbat. In 2019, the Black Marbat completed 139 years while the Yellow Marbat completed 135 years. In 2020, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time, the Marbat was cancelled.

Though the British left India a long time ago, Nagpurkars do not seem to have forgotten the misdeeds of Bankabai, celebrating every Marbat with more enthusiasm than the previous one.

References:

1. Wikipedia - Marbat

2. Lokmat News Articles