Sadei: Poetic Folktale about Unique Sacrifice by a Sister for Her Brother

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaon-Garhwal, Haridwar, Uttarkahnd-55

 Folklore, Folktales, Folk Ballads, Folk Stories of Human Behavior, Human Relationship, Human Psychology, Human Sensitivity, Human values, Human Sacrifices, interpersonal bond from Haridwar,   Garhwal, Kumaon (Uttarakhand) – 2 

The write up is dedicated to late Tara Datt Gairola who first time brought the hidden Folklores of Garhwal and Kumaon and analyzed them in ‘Himalayan Folklores’)

                                        By: Bhishma Kukreti

  Tara Datt Gairola was first Garhwali who collected and edited folk songs of Garhwal and Kumaon with Oakley.

 Sadei a folk song is very long poetry published in book form by Tara Datt Gairola. The folk story is about a woman’s unique sacrifice for her brother’s life.

 The following a couple poetry lines are about wish of a married woman to have brothers in her Mayka. However, the story is long.

            कुमाऊं, गढ़वाल ,हरिद्वार  की लोक गाथाएँ  -55       

                 गढ़वाल , कुमाऊं ,  हरिद्वार, की मानवीय संवेदनाओं की  लोक गाथाएँ-2  

                            सदेई : एक असाधरण त्याग गाथा 

         (सन्दर्भ:तारा दत्त गैरोला , सदेई, खंड काव्य )
हे ऊँचि डांड्यों तुम नीसि जावा,घणी  कुळायुं तुम छाँटि होवा।
मैकू लगीं छ खुद मैतुड़ा की,बाबा जी को देश देखण देवा।।
मैत कि मेरि तुत पौन प्यारी,सुणौ तू रैबार माँ को मेरी।
गाड गदन्यु व हिलांस कफू,मैत का तुम मेरा गीत गावा। बारा ऋतू बौड़लि बार मास,आली -जाली जनु दाई फेरो।
आई नि आई निरभाग मैक,क्वी बि नि आई ऋतुमेरि दांक।
बसंत मैना सबका त भाइ,भेंटण आला बैण्यु को अपणा।
दीदी भुली मीलिक गीत गाली,गळा लगाली खुद बिसराली।  ….

          When Sadei was very young she was married to far village Thati Kathud. Sadei could not watch her mother’s land as in between there were mountains and dense pine forest. She did not have brother. Therefore, no body used to visit her from her parents. Sadei used to wish that she would have brother who would call her to Mayaka. Sadei had two sons.

   She prayed before her family goddess Jhali-Mali. Sadei promised a gift to goddess after she had brother. Goddess blessed her.

  After some time, she came to know that her mother delivered a male child (her brother). He was named as Sadeu.

 When Saeu became young his brother told him that he has a sister married to far village. One day, Sadeu saw dream that his sister was weeping under a tree and was calling ‘brother! Brother!

Next day, he goes to his sister in law village.

Sadei saw her brother and became happy. Her sons also were pleased seeing their maternal uncle.

  As per promise to goddess, Sadei performed a Yagya (ritual). Now, time came for sacrifice, there was Akashvani (call from sky) that goddess does not want animal sacrifice. Sadei became ready to sacrifice herself instead of animal life. There was Akashvani that goddess does not take female life for sacrifice. Akashvani suggested for her sons sacrifice for goddess.

  Sadei became unconscious for time being. However, after some moments, she became ready to offer her sons life.

  She undressed her sons, her sons asked about their undressing by her, She replied them they would take bath. She offered them bath. Sadei beheaded her sons by sword. She took head inside room and came beheaded bodies of her sons at alter place. Again there was Akashvani that offer means heads and not bodies. Sadei goes to room and found that her sons were alive.

Copyright (Interpretation) @ Bhishma Kukreti, 12/06/2013

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaon-Garhwal-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued…56  

Folklore, Folktales, Folk Ballads, Folk Stories of Human Behavior, Human Relationship, Human Psychology, Human Sensitivity, , Human values, Human Sacrifices,  interpersonal bond  from Haridwar,   Garhwal, Kumaon (Uttarakhand) – 3 

                          

                                  Curtsey and references

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Bhishma Kukreti, Garhwal ki Lok Kathayen, Alaknanda Prakashan

Bhishma Kukreti, Notes on History, Folk Literature of Haridwar

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