Ranu Raut Jagar Gatha: a Folktale of Bravery, Envy, Betrayal, Conspiracy, Love for other’s Woman

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths, Jagar of Kumaon-Garhwal –Haridwar (Uttarakhand) -36

 Chivalry, Gallantry, Graciousness Folklores, Folk Legends, Folk Myths, Ballads of Bravery of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar, Uttarakhand –20  

                                         Bhishma Kukreti

             The Ranu Raut Jagar states that there was Pritam Shah King. However, Pritam Shah was never a Garhwali King. The time of Ranu Raut might be from 1803-1814.

    In Garhwal, people worship Ghosts, Bhoot by several ways and means. One way is to worship Brave family legends or community legends by arranging Mandan. In Mandan the Das play drums and sing the Jagar of particular Brave Soul or legends and Pashwas or people dance according to rhythm and song contents

  Ranu Raut is very famous Legendary Song of Rawat Community. As poem, the poem contains all raptures except Abhorrence in full sense. The readers will enjoy the figures of speeches, proverbs, and many old -new phrases

 The folk poem (Jagar) is as under -

कुमाऊं, गढ़वाल ,हरिद्वार  की लोक गाथाएँ/जागर  -36   

रणूरौत जागर  लोक गाथा वीर-वीरंगनाएं  गाथा : भडौ , कटकू, भड़वळि  या पांवड़ा, जागर 

    (सन्दर्भ - डा हरिदत्त भट्ट  शैलेश  )                    

सिरीनगर रंद छयो राजा प्रीतामसाही

कुलावली कोट मा रंद रौतु औलाद

हिंवां रौत को छयो भिंवा  रौत 

 भिंवा रौत को छयो रणु रौत  

रणु रौत होलू मालू मा को माल

जैको डबराळया माथो छ , खंखराल्य़ा जोंखा

घूंडों पौंछदी  भुजा छन जोधा की

मुन्गर्याळी फीलि छन मेरा मरदो

माल मा दूण   रांजड़ा ऐन

तौन कांगली सिरीनगर भेज्याली 

रूखा रुखा बोल लेख्या तीखा लेख्या स्वाल  

बोला बोला मेरा कछडि का ज्वानू

मेरा राज पर कैन त यो धावा बोले

मेरा गढवाल मा कु इनु माल होलू

 जु भैर का मालू तै जीतिक लालू 

तबरेक उठीक    बोलदू छीलू     भिम्ल्या 

यी तरैं     को माल होलू कुलवाली कोट 

हिंवां रौत न तलवार    मारे 

रणु रौत मी तलवार मारलो

रणु रौत होलू तलवार्या जवान 

जैका मारख्वल्य़ा   छन बेला 

जैका चौसिंग्या खाडू होला, खोळया होला कुत्ता 

कुलवाली कोट को वो रणुरौत  

मेरो भाणजा      मालू साधिक लालो 

प्रीतम साही मराज तब कांगली लेखद

हे बुबा रणु रौत तू होल्यु बांको भड़                                                                             

  भात खाई तख हात धोई यख    

जामो पैरी तख तणि बाँधी यख   

कागली पौंचीगे रौत का पास 

तब बांचद कांगली रौत 

शेर  जसा मोछ   छ्या रौत का 

तैका    मणि का मान धड़कन लै गेन 

तैकू हात की मुसळी बबल़ाण लै गेन

कंड़ीळ  बंश का    कांडो जजराँद

 निरकुलो पाणि    डाली सि हिरांद

तब धाई लगान्द रणु राणी भिमला

मै त जान्दो राणी सैणि   माल दूण     

मेरा वास्ता पकौ निरपाणि    खीर 

 राणी भिमला तब कुमजुल्या ह्व़े गे

नई नई मया छे ऊंकी जवानी की ,

नयो नयो ब्यो छो 

राणी  भीमला ड़ाळी सि अळस्येगे 

छोड़दी पयणा नेतर रांग सा बुंद

मै जोडिक स्वामी तुम जुद्ध को  पैटयां

सुमरदो तब रौत देवी झाली माली 

ढेबरा लुक्दा बखरा लुक्दा

मर्द कबि नि रुकदा शेर कबि नि डरदा

लुवा  जंगी जामा पैरण लैग्या

सैणा  सिरीनगर ऐ गे रणु

जैदेऊ माल्यान गरदनी मालिक

हे रौर आज जैदेऊ त्वेक च  बुबा 

तू छे  मेरा रणु मालू मा को माल

त्वेन मारणान  ल्वे चटा माल

राजा क आज्ञा लेक रौत चलीगे

माल को दूण कुई माल बोदा

ये t ऐ चखुनी  चूंडला आंगुळी मारला

तब छेत्रो को हंकार चढ़े रौत

मारे तैंन मछुली   सी उफाट

छोड़े उडाल तलवार 

तैंन मुंडू का चौंरा लगै न

तैंन  खूनन घट रिंगेन मरदो

तै माई मरदु  का चेलान मरदो

सि  केल़ा सि कचेन गिदुडु सि फाडिन  

बैरी को नौ रखे ऋणना  

             Pritam Shah was Shrinagar King. Raut pair used to live in Kulavalikot. Hinva Raut had son named Bhinva Raut.  Bhinva Raut had son Ranu. Ranu Raut was the bravest among braves. A few brave men came to Doon ki Mal and wanted capturing the kingdom. The king of Doon ki Mal requested to Pritam Shah for sending brave men. Pritam Shah became worried. Chhilu Jhimlya advised Pritam Shah for taking help of Ranu Raut.

   King Pritam Shah sent message to Ranu Raut. Taking blessing of Jhali-Mali goddess and informing his wife, Ranu Raut reached to Shrinagar. From Srinagar, Ranu Raut reached to Doon ki Mal. Ranu Raut killed all brave men those wanted Doon ki Mall kingdom.

           Chhilu Jhimlya was maternal uncle of Ranu Raut. His son was Jhankru. Jhankru the son of Jhimlya was bad man. Jhankru reached to Bhimla the wife of Ranu Raut. Jhankru told a lie to Bhimla that Ranu Raut is killed by brave men in Doon ki Mal. Jhankru put an advice for marrying queen Bhimla. Bhimla had to get ready.  

   Due to Jhali Mali goddess, Ranu Raut knew the conspiracy of Jhankru in dream. Ranu Raut reached his home. Jhankaru saw Ranu and asked Bhimla to help him for hiding. Bhimla hid Jhankaru into a box. Ranu called his wife from outside,” I am hungry for nine days. Cook Kheer (milk-rice pudding).”  Since, Jhankaru took whole milk, Bhimla cooked rice in buttermilk (chhanchhera). Seeing chhanchhera, Ranu Raut became angry, he took out his sword. By this, Jhankru was afraid and by his shivering the box started sounding. Ranu Raut asked his wife Bhimla, ”What is there inside box?”  Bhimla replied that there were kittens inside box. Ranu Raut hit the box. Jhankru ran to queen Amravati (mother of Ranu Raut). Queen Amravati hid Jhankaru. Ranu came to his mother and asked who was there. Queen Amravati told a lie. Queen Amravati told to Ranu that his father engaged him with Syunsla but Meghu Kaluni was marrying her. Ranu Raut became angry and vowed to kill Meghu Kaluni. He started journey for Diyalikhal with Jhankru to kill Meghu Kaluni. There was marriage procession of Meghu was ready at Diyalikhal. Ranu Raut killed all guests. Meghu hid into bush. Ranu Raut and Jhankru were taking rest. Meghu threw arrows on Ranu Raut and Jhankru and killed them.

             Meghu denied marrying Syunsla. Syunsla burned her with pyre of Ranu Raut.      

Copyright (Interpretation) @ Bhishma Kukreti, 25/5/2013

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaon-Garhwal-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued…37  

Chivalry, Gallantry, gracious Folklores, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand to be continued…22    

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