Sanskar: Investigating the Problems of Migrated Garhwalis

(Review of Garhwali Story Collection ‘Bwari’ (1987) by Durga Prasad Ghildiyal)

         [Let us celebrate Hundredth Year of Modern Garhwali Fiction]

                                          Bhishma Kukreti

           Every migrated Garhwali of cities far away from Garhwal has ambition for visiting ancestral village. However, there are various problems in visiting the village. Raveendra gets invitation letter from his younger uncle for attending his son’s marriage. All family members go to village for attending marriage including seventy years old Ravindra’s mother. The old woman fells ill. There is no basic hospital facilties in village. Now every member is worried if old woman dies there. However, she is happy if she dies at ancestral village.

            Sanskar investigates the areas of concern of migrated Garhwalis and reasons for their not visiting village regularly. The migrated Garhwali far away from ancestral place face the following questions in the life not once but many times –

महेश न बोले "... बीस बरस बिटि व कही जमीन- जायजाद छोड़ याले अर इनी हालत मा अगनैभि क्या भरोसो कि हम वीं ताप मूक कर सकला. स्यो इबारे सुन्दर मौक़ा च . दस पन्दरा दिनका वास्ता इ सही , हम जैकी ब्यो मा भि शामिल ह्व़े जौंला अर अपणा घर द्वार , मुलक-देश,देखी भि ऐ जौंला..."

रविन्द्र क जेठा नौना सतीश न बोले- “सैधांतिक रूप मा स्यू महेश अर दादी बोलना त ठीकछन, पर व्यवहारिक रूप मा या समस्या तीन हजार रूप्या फिजूल मा खर्च करनै च . ततनाखर्च करनै बाद भी वी होण' कख गै छया बल कि कखि ना, अर क्या लै छया , बल कि कुछ ना'.

Reference-

1-Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna, Gad Myateki Ganga

2-Dr Anil Dabral, 2007 Garhwali Gady Parampara

3-Bhagwati Prasad Nautiyal, articles on Durga Prasad Ghildiyal l in Chitthi Patri

4-Dr. Nand Kishor Dhoundiyal, Garhwal Ki Divangat Vibhutiyan

5-Notes of Prem lal Bhatt on the Stories of Durga Prasad Ghildiyal

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti, 25/7/2012

                                                       Let us celebrate Hundredth Year of Garhwali Fiction!