Kumaoni, Garhwali Folklore about Anchheri /Matri (Fairies)

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaon-Garhwal, Uttarkahnd-6

Religious, Spiritual and Mythological Folklores of Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand – 6 

                                        Bhishma Kukreti 

 Believing on fairies is common belief in all regions. For example, in Irish folk literature there is mention of that fairies were both feared and respected. The si or Irish fairies were is invisible for mortals; fairies lived in chariot and were involved in human activities. Many calamities were believed due to curses of fairies. The Irish folk literature mentions that there was tension between fairies and mortals. The boys used to dress females dress for protecting them from fairies as it was believed that fairies would choose boys before girls.

            Kumaoni - Garhwali Folklores related to fairies

  There are regional folk songs related to fairies in Garhwal and Kumaon. Anchheri or Matar are fairies of Garhwal and Kumaon.

 The followings four fairy folk songs will tell the readers the importance of Fairies in the region’s beliefs.

कुमाऊं और गढ़वाल की लोक गाथाएँ -6

        अंछेरी गाथा गीत 

(सन्दर्भ :डा कृष्णा नन्द जोशी, कुमाऊं का लोक साहित्य , पृष्ठ 66-67)

बैणा उदासि नै रयै ह , बैणु ओसेह सागर ह
हियै की हिमाल ह, बैणा गैलो पाताल ह
न्यूंति कै बोल्यूंला त्वीकै , बैणा पुजि कै पठूंलो ह
तुकणि देऊलों बैणा तुल्या भनार ह
तला को चोख्यूंण ह , जिबाड़ को लूण ह
तुकैणी देऊंलो बैणा , पूसा का ऐत्वार ह
सौणा का सोमबार ह , असोजै सिरौइ ह
कातिकै च्यूड़ा ह , भदों म्हैणै ऋतू ह
तू उदास नि हयै बैणा , हिमाचलै मांझ हो 
तुमारै हिमाल हो , मांसि फूल फुलिया छ
तुम्हारे हिंवाल हो लुड़छुडै बयाल हो
तुमारै मुलक हो चुड़चुड़िया घाम ह
तुमी पुतल्यों को बैणा छ्मराट पड़ी रौ हो
त्वे मैता बोलूंलो , दगडै खेलूँलो
उदासी नै होयै , निरमातौं की चेली
बिन भायों की बैणा उदासी नै होए
घर में बैणोला उदासी नै हयै      

Ranso Mantra (Anchheri Puja mantra): A Garhwali Folk Rite/Folk Ritual for Worshipping Fairies

It is believed in Garhwali and Kumauni culture that Fairy may also harm. Therefore, there are many Fairy worshiping folk rites or folk rituals for satisfying Fairies in Garhwali and Kumauni cultures. The following folk rite/folk ritual is also popular in Garhwali culture. The folk rite or folk ritual is definitely created by a Garhwali folk poet as the folk rite/folk ritual is mixture of Garhwali, Braj and Awadhi languages. The folk rite/folk ritual for worshipping fairies describes many castes and many places of Garhwal. The folk rite/folk ritual about worshiping fairies is in rhyme format and having And Upma alankar (repeated words and comparison figure of speech). The mantra or folk rite/folk ritual is definitely new as the words Pauri and Achar suggest that the folk rite is created after British came to Garhwal.

                 रान्सो (अन्छेरी पूजन) मन्त्र

Ranso Mantra (Anchheri Puja mantra): A Garhwali Folk Rite/Folk Ritual for Worshipping Fairies

        श्री गणेशाय नम: , ओउम नमो गुरु को आदेश:, पाये भरी पोतली भरी, जग भरी, जंगेली भरी,कौजु की धियाणि, थर थर कांपे, जाय जाय देवी तुमकोनमस्कार, अचल दस देवराड़ी, दस रंगी बीस भुजा, जाय जाय देवी भगवती, जसदेई, जसवंती, नागलोक, सागलोक, उंचा गढ़ लंका, जलमण भयो, श्रावण माकौ भ्याटंकार, माहामारी, माग्तानी भरे, इस पिण्डा की रक्षा करदी जाई:माता कालिनका तुमकू जै जैकार, बावन मृगवाले:चार्सम करये: तन्हां को गौरी देवी करै विचार,उत्रागढ़ लंका पार: ते लंका पार: ते

    वै लंका गयी, ते लंका ते चढ़ी, ते लंका ते उतरी गै , देवी अकरी गै पार, तब पैडूळ पड़ी, कौन गडी कौन मड़ी , इश्वारण गड़ी , पारवती ने मड़ी, तहां मूक क मन कान भया, छयासी छिद्र भया, बयासी बयाली भई, नौ सेनानी ऐना, उंचाई बाल, निस्सा पातळ, संकचूड: ब्रह्म्खत्री: सियालो ग्वालो, खबर-थबर, तु वकीयाली, धर्मगणलीणों औतार, देवतों, नौ सेनानी ऐना, चलण लागी, कंसासुरी बाजा बजण लागो, सीयुं परिवार वासुकी नाचण लागो: आंख्युं अन्कारो मरिगो;, कंदुड़ परी भारिगोपिट्ठी, पीठी का शाल भयो, पीठी को पखालो भयो:, बारा सांई छना , ले छना माता रे आछरी विचालदी छना, रमोले, खपोले, (कफोले) , घुरदौड़े, कण्डा ने छ्या, बंगानेबर्त्वाल्यो छयो:, खुड्या चौवान छया, पवाने पोखरियाल छया, रिंग्वाडा बुटोल्या छया, बागुड्या चौड़यालु के धीएणी छई, रौथाणे नौ को धियाणे छया, तडयाल्या उम्राऊके धिये छया, कुमाऊं की कुमैणी छया, ढौंड की धौंडीयाली छया, बाटल्या साबल्या छया, जोनल की विश्वर्ग्या जुपल्या छई,सीर्नग्र्या नैथाणी छया, जसयाणो उन्यालाछया, बुधराया कुकरेणी छ्या, सिरतोल्या गैरोल्या छया, खुगस्यालेया खड़योल्या छया, बारा जाती छतीस पौन की अन्छेरी छयी, अठारह वर्ण देवियों; राजा मनुसाई कीसार्दुला , तलबी की भित्रा रैंदी छया, कमलौ का बीच : बदाक्युं का मोरा, व सीपड़यूँ का बीच, वाखी भयो औतार:देवियों , पैल औतार देवियों हरि हरद्वार, दुजो औतारबदरी का बार;, तीजो औतार तिरजुगी नारायण, चुथा औतार चौखम्बा बदरी, पांचो औतार पंचकेदार भयो, छठो औतार देवियों: छ्टासी भैरव भयो, सातों औतारदेवियों: सतनात का घर, आठों औतार देवियों अष्टभुजा देवी क घर, नौंऊं औतार नौकुली नागों का घर, दासों औतार देवियों: दसुअग्री रावण का घर.

        मांग भोरी जा बैणी, मुंडले क्न्गेला: स्योंद लगी डोल्या वैरायों धौलि सी फाट, भेंटुले बौन्दिल्या बजी सी पात:छडयाली सिंदूर दिऊलो, गाजल दिउलो, सिरकीबिंदी दिउलो, नाक की बुलाक दिउलो, अणोट की बिछुआ दिउलो, टाटू की सोन माला दिउलो, पेरू जामा घुंघुरू दिउलो, बाजूबंद चूड़ी दिउलो, आरसी मुंदड़ी दिउलो, डब्बेकी सिंदूर दिउलो, श्रीफल की चूड़ी दिउलो, सिर की च्यूंट दिउलो, सान्कुरी दिउलो, मखमल की आंगी (अन्गुड़ी ) दिउली, लोसदी (घिसटती) घाघरू दिउलो, कुम्मयाँसाज का

agar of Anchheriyan / Matariyan

               अन्छेरी या मतारियों के  जागर : अतृप्त अप्सराओं  की आत्मा शांति हेतु  जागर

           (Spiritual Folk Literature of Kumaon, Garhwal and Himalayas)

                        

    (Manuscript by Patiram Nautiyal, Village Sald, Badahat, Uttarkashi, Edited by Dr Shiva Nand Nautiyal)

   Anchheri or Matar means Fairy /Pari. Their place is supposed to be Khaint danda and where Anchheri or Matar are there there should be lake, flower beds too. These Anchheri or Matar are the souls of female child who died in early age (Matar ) or died before marriage (Anchheri) . Many dead female souls become Anchheri because they were taken by deities forcibly.

  The story is told in a Detective story style that first the result is cleared to audience and then the story goes back in chronological path. I salute those folk creators who might be not educated but they were well knowledgeable about creating interest in story. There we may also find various Alankar (figures of Speeches) for creating melodies such as Anupras alankar Upama Alankar (repetition of words, comparison, and simile)

    The poetic story creator was also well versed with geography and knowing the psychology of females .What a marvelous piece of poetry ...Splendid!!!!!!!!!!!

    The following Jagar has a story of seven Rawat sisters of Rautgaon . huniya deity took them forcibly to Khaint hill and after their death they all became Anchheri (Pari, Fairy)

             तुम रैंदा ल़े तै दागुडिया गाँव , दिसई  दागुडियो

              तुम होली रौतों की बियाण , दिसई  दागुडियो
               चला बैणी मारछा  काटण दिसई  दागुडियो
               चला बैणी मारछा कूटण दिसई  दागुडियो
              चला बैणी द्यू ह्वेगे उराड़ो,  दिसई  दागुडियो
             तख़ ऐगे हुणिया को रथ दिसई  दागुडियो
             तुम पडीग्याँ हुणिया  का रथ दिसई  दागुडियो
             सात बैणि एक छ भाई भड़ दिसई  दागुडियो
            चला बैणी बाटा का उडयारो दिसई  दागुडियो
            बाटा  का उड्यारी टपकण्या पाणी  दिसई  दागुडियो
             चला दागुडि बुरांसी का द्यूळ दिसई  दागुडियो
            तुम ह्वेगी पर्दा का धनी दिसई  दागुडियो
            चला बैणी सैणि खरसाली दिसई  दागुडियो
            कमर बांदी ऐड़ू की पुंगडि दिसई  दागुडियो
            चला बैणी तै उन्द गंगाड  दिसई  दागुडियो
           तख़ हूंद  जीरी बासमती  दिसई  दागुडियो
            चला बैणी सैणि बड़ागडी दिसई  दागुडियो
             तख दीन्दा मऊ का बुखाणा दिसई  दागुडियो
              तख़ देंदा डब्लू का गौणु दिसई  दागुडियो
              तख़ देंदा पगड़ी का खाजा दिसई  दागुडियो
              तख़ देंदा छुणक्याळी दाथुड़ी दिसई  दागुडियो
             चला बैणि तै पावा वारसू   दिसई  दागुडियो
             चला बैणी उच्चा रैथल दिसई  दागुडियो
              तख़ देंदा पोस्तु का छुम्मा दिसई  दागुडियो
              चला बैणी तै दागुडू गाँव दिसई  दागुडियो
               चला बैणी घर कै जौंला दिसई  दागुडियो
               तुम ह्वेग्याँ डांड़यूँ  का आंछरी  दिसई  दागुडियो
  Now ,at the time of Ghadela, the jagari offers many materials appropriate for a female young lady that Anchheri /Matari or fairy leaves the Pashwa

                         सुवा पंखो त्वेकू मी साड़ी द्युलू     

                          त्वे सणि    लाड़ी मै गैणा द्यूंल़ू

                          नारंगी मै त्वेकू चोली द्युलू

                         सतरंगी त्योकू मि दुशाला द्योलू

                          सतनाजा त्योकू मि डीजी द्योलू

                           औंल़ा सरीको त्वे डोला द्योलू 

                            सांकरी त्वेकू मि समूण  द्योलू

                            झिलमिल आइना त्वे कांगी द्योलू

                            न्यूती की लाडली त्योकू बुलौलू

                           पूजिक त्वे साड़ी घर पठौल़ू

Curtsey and references:

Dr. Krishna Nand Joshi, Kumaon ka Lok Sahity

 Dr Trilochan Pandey, Kumaoni Bhasha aur Uska Sahity

Dr Siva Nand Nautiyal, Garhwal ke Lok Nrityageet 

Dr Govind Chatak, Garhwali Lokgathayen

Dr. Govind Chatak, Kumaoni Lokgathayen

Dr Urbi Datt Upadhyaya, Kumaon ki Lokgathaon ka Sahityik Adhyan

Dr. Prayag Joshi, Kumaon Garhwal ki Lokgathaon ka Vivechnatmak Adhyayan

Dr Dinesh Chandra Baluni, Uttarakhand ki Lokgathayen

Dr Jagdish (Jaggu) Naudiyal, Uttarakhand ki Sanskritik Dharohar, (Ravain) 

Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna, Dhunyal

Shambhu Prasad Bahuguna, Virat Hriday

Copyright (Interpretation) @ Bhishma Kukreti, 19/4/2013

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaun-Garhwal, Uttarakhand- to be continued…7

Religious, Spiritual, Mythological Folklores of Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand to be continued… 7