‘Dakwan’ (Murder of a Postman) : A True Incident Based Garhwali Thdya Folk Song

‘Dakwan’ (Murder of a Postman) : A True Incident Based Garhwali Thdya Folk Song डाकवान :सच्ची घटना पर आधारित एक थड्या लोक नृत्यगीत

Bhishma Kukreti

Folk songs or folk literature cover a immense range of musical styles and speak various community topics. When the creator creates the folk song , it is contemporary and usually deals with the contemporary issues pertaining to the society. The issues may be changes happening, culture, Folk songs cover tens of areas as war, religion, society’s relationship, love political issues, conflicting subjects among society members, racism, memories, true incident narration, protest against various aspects of politics or society, education etc. In true sense, the folk songs are mirrors or reflections of society of that time when the song was created.

There have been hundreds of instances in each community, when the community members create songs narrating true events happened in the society. For example, ‘ Una rarde fesquita de mayo’ is a famous Latin American folk songs originated at the end of nineteenth century based on true event .

Irish writer Thomas Davis who initiated collection of Irish Folk Songs called the songs related to actual events as- Come-all-yes.

‘ Hua Mulan ‘ song an ancient Chinese folk song is based on true events.

Folk songs are not limited to ancient time only. Folk songs creation is as water flowing into the river. Today, folk songs are taking different root and films, TV serials, concerts are also taking place of folk songs . There are numerous examples of songs based on the true events in modern time all over the world.

John Labarbera provides many examples of Italian folk songs based on true events happened in the respective region in his brilliant book “ Traditional Sothern Italian Mandolin and Fiddle Tunes’.

In a fine book, ‘Howard W Odums folklore, Odyssey transformation to tolerance’, L.M sanders offers details of folk songs based on real happenings.

The readers may find folk songs based on real events in ‘ Ontario Library review , Volumes 36-37’.

G w Edwards presents examples of English Ballads based on true occurrences in his book ‘ a Book of Old English Ballads’.

T A Mood (2004) offers many folk songs which were based on true happenings in the book ‘ American folklore ; a research book and research guide’.

P V Bohlman (2004) describes the details of folk songs based true incidents in his book ‘ The Music of European Nationalism, cultural identity, Modern..’.

Franeil ( 2011) details of many Mexican folk songs originated because of true stories in the book ‘ Mexican American Folklores …’.

G M H Shoolbraid provides many examples of folk songs based on true incidents in the book ‘ The oral epics of Siberia and Central Asia’.

Kemp (2004) provides many examples of folk songs based on true events in the book ‘ Oral Tradition of Southeast Asia and Oceana ..’.

Amresh Datta ( 2006) provides many cases of folk songs of Indian communities in the book “ The Encyclopedia of Indian literature (Vol. 2)’.

In Volume 1 of ‘Peking Review’ (1958), there is descriptions of Chinese folk songs based on true events.

Spence (1990) details of many Egyptian folk songs based on real incidents in the book ‘ Ancient Egypt: Myths and legends’.

Watts (1988) in the book “ The Greek Folk songs’, Beaton ( 2004) in book ‘ Folk Poetry of Modern Greece’, and many writers details folk songs of Greece based on true happenings

By reviewing above literature, it may be concluded that each community time to time, creates folk songs based on true incidents taking place in the area concern. . some such folk songs survive for centuries and some die of natural death as happened today the death of news published on newspapers.

Tradition in Garhwal for Creating Folk Songs based on true Incidents

There tradition in Garhwal (India) to create folk songs based on real incidents. This author has been providing examples of Garhwali folk songs based on true happenings in his many articles. In each region of Garhwal (India), the villagers have been creating songs related to incidents took place there. Howver, the popularity of that song in all over Garhwal depends on its content, exclusivity, unique punctuations, melodies, wordings, and universal subject. This author heard many folk songs related to incidents of Dhangu but he did not hear them in other regions because of above reasons.

Murdering for greed is an universal property of human beings There have been murders for money in recent times ( pre independent and post independent ) . for example, there was a murder of a government servant late Sachidanand Barthwal of Khand (Bichhla Dhangu) near Bagon-uttinda. Though murder was not proved nor the murders were caught but it was believed that thugs of the area murdered Sachidanand Barthwal and they threw his body into Bhel (steep hill) after taking money of government treasury. The women created songs on the case in Bichhala Dhangu and they used to sing while cutting grass. However, the song did not come out of Bichhala Dhangu because the song was never sung in open.

Dr Sivanand Nautiyal writes about the following folk song ‘Dakvan’ that Bachu Singh a postman was murdered by his uncle Ganga Singh near Adwani area and later on people created folk song on the true incident

डाकवान :सच्ची घटना पर आधारित एक थड्या लोक नृत्यगीत

(गढ़वाली लोक नृत्यगीत , उत्तराखंडी थड्या लोक गीत, भारतीय लोक गीत )

झम बल, थेब सिंग का नौना रे गंगा Ganga was the son of Thebsingh

तीला धारु बोला . झम

झंगोरा की धाण

मैकू पकाऊ रोटी मांजी , Bachu said to his mother for cooking bread

मीन डाक लिजाण . झम I am going taking post

खेली जाली गेंद बचुरे , खेली जाली गेंद बचुरे

बचू रे तू डाक कू जांदी रे Mother said- hey! Bachu you are going for post

क्वी छट छट छीन्द , झम . Somebody sneaked

खेली जाली गेंद बचुरे , खेली जाली गेंद बचुरे

बचू रे तू डाक कू जांदी रे

क्वी छट छट छीन्द , झम

ग्युं लाइ गौन्छी

बचुरे घर बटी पैटी Bachu started journey from his house

बचुरे तू डाखाना पोंछी Bachu reached to post office

काटी जाली राई,

थेबसिंग कू नौनु गंगा Ganga was the son of Thebsing

त्वे दगडी आई . झम Ganga came with you (Bachu)

बाखरी बियाली ----बचुरे ---बाखरी बियाली ----बचुरे

अदवाणी का डांडा In Adwani mountain

बचुरे तमाखू पियाली . झम ganga said, “ hey Bachu ! Let you smoke tobacco’

घुमे जाली घोड़ी -- बचुरे , घुमे जाली घोड़ी -- बचुरे

तमाखू पीण कू , बचुरे ? For smoking

पता लेटी तोड़ी . झम Bachu took leaves

ढुंगा धोळी मारी - गंगा रे

रुप्यौं का बान गंगा रे for the sake of money, ganga Sing ! you murdered bachusing

तिन डाक्वान मारी . झम

बाबुला की बोत -- गंगा रे, बाबुला की बोत -- गंगा रे

कन लगाईं तिन गंगा रे Ganga ! You hit him by an axe

कुलाड़ी की चोट . झम

बाखरी की तांद - झम , बाखरी की तांद - झम

को भागी बरतोलो गंगा रे . Bachu said, “ who will enjoy my beautiful wife shaka ?’

मेरी शाका बांद . झम

मारी च बिराळी --- गंगा रे , मारी च बिराळी --- गंगा रे

तीन लास धोल़े गंगा रे Ganga ! you threw the dead body below the road

सड़की तिरवाळी . झम

खाटी को जंगला --झम

खाली खचर ऐन , दादा रे the empty mule reached to post office at Pauri bunglow

पौड़ी का बँगला . झम

देखी जालो ऐना--दादा रे , देखी जालो ऐना--दादा रे

खाली खचर देखिक दादा रे . by watching empty mule, everybody became worried

सबि घबडै गेना . झम

चिलमो को पीच --दादा रे , चिलमो को पीच --दादा रे

दादा रे खाली खचर ऐना , दादा , Empty mule came

खचरोई क्वी नी च . झम no rider was there

तौली पाको भोज, दादा रे , तौली पाको भोज , दादा रे

खाली खचर ऐना , दादा रे ? Empty mule came

कारो डाक की खोज . झम Go! Find out postal material

मारी जालो कवा --दादा रे , मारी जालो कवा --दादा रे ,

क्वी अदवाणी जावा , दादा रे Somebody should go to Adwani shrine

क्वी थाणा मा जावा , दादा रे Go! somebody go to police station

कुखडा की बची --दादा रे , कुखडा की बची --दादा रे

तैं पौड़ी का बीच . दादा रे There was scuffles in Pauri

हैला-चल मची . झम

दाथुडि की धार --दादा रे , दाथुडि की धार

डाक क बाना .दादा रे The sent telegram

ऊन दे दीन तार . झम

बाबुला की गुच्छी दादा रे , बाबुला की गुच्छी दादा रे

क्वी जावा अदवाणी , दादा रे somebody ! go to Advani and bring Ganga

क्वी गंगा ल़ा पूछी

काटे जालो बांस दादा रे , काटे जालो बांस दादा रे

सड़कू क तिरवाळी दादा रे The dead body of Bachu was near road

तै बचू की लास . झम

गुठ्यारो को कीच दादा रे गुठ्यारो को कीच दादा रे

गंगा सिंग का ड़्यार , दादा रे they said that Ganga Sing was not at his house

गंगा सिंग नी च . झम

धागों की लाछड़ी दादा रे , धागों की लाछड़ी दादा रे

तै बचू की लास , दादा रे They took dead body of Bachu to Pauri court

पौड़ी की कछेड़ी , झम

ढुंगा धोळी गारी दादा रे , ढुंगा धोळी गारी दादा रे

खचरोई ब्वादन , दादा रे Other mule owners told that Ganga sing killed Bachusing

गंगासिंग न मारी .झम

काटे जालो तूण दादा रे , काटे जालो तूण गंगा रे

बचुसिंग की मांजी , गंगा रे Mother of Bachu started weeping

कन बैठी रूण . झम

मारे जाली सीटी --गंगा रे , मारे जाली सीटी --गंगा रे

बचुसिंग की मांजी , गंगा रे She was roaming in madness

घिंडुड़ी सी रीटी .झम

काटे जालो काण्ड गंगा रे काटे जालो काण्ड गंगा रे

गंगा रे कनु करे तीन , गंगा Hey Ganga! Hwo come you killed Bachu and made daughter inlaw as widow

जेठी ब्वारी रांड , झम

आलू काटे भुजी गंगा रे , आलू काटे भुजी गंगा रे

तिन भतीजो मारे , गंगा रे Ganga ! You killed nephew. How you thought?

त्वे कतै नि सूजी . झम

चिलमो को पीच गंगा रे , चिलमो को पीच गंगा रे

तिन डाक्वान मारे , गंगा रे Ganga! You killed postman between seven families

सात खोलोँ (खोळओं ) का बीच . झम

काटे जालो कांडा गंगा रे , काटे जालो कांडा गंगा रे

तीन भतीजो मार , गंगा रे ganga! You killed nephew in Advani shrine

अदवाणी का डांडा . झम

आंगड़ी को मैल गंगा रे , आंगड़ी को मैल गंगा रे

हतगड़ी लगी की गंगा सिंग Ganga Singh was handcuffed and brought Pauri jail

ल़ी गेन पौड़ी की जेल . झम

गैड़ी च तकमा गंगा रे , गैड़ी च तकमा गंगा रे

गंगासिंग कू ह्वेगे , गंगा रे There was order for death sentence for Ganga Singh the son of Thebsingh

फांसी को हुकमा , झम

(स्रोत्र: डा शिवानन्द नौटियाल, गढ़वाली लोक गीत,)

Dr shiva Nand Nautiyal mention it as inspirational story for society that not to indulge in inhuman activities.

The song is sung as Thadya dance style or it is group circle dance song of Garhwal.

The dakvan’ folk song is an example that in each community, people create songs based on real incidents and many songs become popular that they survive for many generations.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti

Bcklukreti2gmail.com