Chal Maangan : An Invocating deities Folk song for Pnadaun, Garhwali-Kumauni Folk Dance

(Garhwali Folk Dance, Garhwali folk songs, Kumauni Folk Dances, Kumauni Folk Songs )

                                    Bhishm Kukreti

   Pandau Nrity geet (Pandau dance-Song) is a very popular and likable religious and community dance-song of Kumaun and Garhwal regions of Uttarakhand.

             Pandau Nrity is a dance of Mandan (मंडाण). Mandan dance means where the worship and dance is performed around fire (Agni devta). The place is usually, country yard, community yard and dancers dance in groups with full vigor. There is no restriction of numbers of dancers in Pandaun dance (पंडोउ-

नाच). The dance is called ‘Mandan (मंडाण) only when there is worshipping of fire at the corner by music instrument players-Aujee/das. Lighting fire by rituals calls the deities. The Aujees worship deities as Bhumipal, Khetrpal, Ghandyal, and Kurum deities by aid of Chandan, Akshat, Roli-Pithai, dhoop-deep after worship of fire. The fire is burnt till the dance ceremony is not completed (Pnadon nrity samapan).

   Male Pandau dancers dance in circle and there is lighted fire in the centre of circle called ‘Bhad or Homastahal. The music instrument players and the jagar singer who is also a Aujee and music instrument Dhol player.

 After Agni Pooja and Vastuk pooja, the Aujee/singer (the dhol player ), perform the Chauras Baja ceremony through music and ritual songs.

  When Chauras performance is over , the singer or Pandoli (who is specialist of Pandau stories) asks for ‘Chal’ which is called ‘Chauras Mangan’.

 The song for ‘Chal-mangan ‘is as under:

           गढवाली लोक नृत्य पंडो नाच का 'चाल मांगण ' गीत

अमर रयान तेरी राम तोता बाणी ..... (ढोल-दमाऊ की ध्वनि-- गिजा-गिजड़ी ),

अमर रयान तेरा ह्रदय सागर ...........(ढोल-दमाऊ की ध्वनि-- गिजा-गिजड़ी ),

अमर रयान तेरो सोवन कनौठी........(ढोल-दमाऊ की ध्वनि-- गिजा-गिजड़ी ),

अमर रयान यो तामा बिजेसार ......... (ढोल-दमाऊ की ध्वनि-- गिजा-गिजड़ी ),

अमर रयान नौ टंका नागर ............(ढोल-दमाऊ की ध्वनि-- गिजा-गिजड़ी ),

अमर रयान सोळ टंका ढोल ...............(ढोल-दमाऊ की ध्वनि-- गिजा-गिजड़ी ),

पिता स्याम्दासु ! माता महाकाली .........(ढोल-दमाऊ की ध्वनि-- गिजा-गिजड़ी ),

लगौ मेरा दास टकनौरी रान्सा ............ (ढोल-दमाऊ की ध्वनि-- गिजा-गिजड़ी ),

जंगलूं          की      सैर ..............(ढोल-दमाऊ की ध्वनि-- गिजा-गिजड़ी ),

   As soon as the Dhol Bajan val Aujee (The dhol player who also sing Chal-mangan Jagar geet)

Starts singing and both Dhol and damau players play Dhol-Damau in the tone of ‘gija-Gijadi..Gija-gijadi’

, the dancers stand in circle and start dancing. The dance of Chal-mangan’ is very slow and creates the  rapture of peace (Shant evam Bhakti Ras) .

Source: Dr Shiva Nand Nautiyal,  

Folk Dance, Garhwali folk songs, Kumauni Folk Dances, Kumauni Folk Songs to be continued in following page..

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