Why a Khadik tree of Jaspur is called by Daundya Khadik Dal?

(Folk Tales from Garhwal for Management Training Series -133)

(Training - How the name of a place or thing change with time)

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Collected and Edited by: Bhishma Kukreti (Management Trainer)

(Narrated by Shri Virendra Jakhmola from Jaspur)

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     Human being put a name for every place and thing. Initially, the name usually speaks about characteristics of place and thing. However, many times, the name loses its original purpose and many time, the name is changed by circumstances.

           The following folk story from Jaspur, Dhangu, Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand) tells us the concept of naming something, value of relationship without discriminating caste and create and the changing of original name of a thing.

     There is a big Khadik tree on the road of Jaspur-Mahdevchatti at Nath. This Khadik tree is land mark for Jaspur people for knowing many direction and destinations too. The name of that Khadik tree is ‘Daundya Khadik’. ‘Daundya’ is usually perceived as strong and rage full person. For example, Daundya Narsingh means that now, the normal peaceful Narsingh deity is in rage and agile. However, nothing to do of Daundiya or rage fullness with the Khadik tree of Nath, Jaspur.

    When the tree was in its youth its name was Sauna. The tree grew on a farm owned by a Jakhmola family but cultivated by family’s ironsmith Sauna. So people started calling the Khadik tree as Saunya Khadik meaning Khadik of Sauna.

      In Garhwal, there is tradition of valuing relationship without discriminating Brahmin, Rajput or scheduled caste. Even if a Scheduled caste is father in law of a Brahmin or Rajput woman by village relationship, the Brahmin woman cannot call the scheduled caste by name. Sauna a scheduled caste by caste was father in law in relation of many Jaspur women. Such women could not call Khadik tree as Saunya. Those women who were daughter in law or sister in law of Sauna in village relation started calling that Khadik Tree as Daunya Khadik. By time, all villagers started calling Khadik of Nath as Daunya Khadik. Since, Daunya does not have any specific meaning, people started calling that Khadik tree as Daundya Khadik.

        Daundya Khadik is still live there and is still a landmark for Jaspur fellows.

   

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, 2017 Training from Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Himalayan Folk Stories for Management Training from Garhwal, Central Himalaya; Himalayan Folk Stories for Management Training from Garhwal, North India; Himalayan Folk Stories for Management Training from Garhwal, India; Himalayan Folk Stories for Management Training from Garhwal, South Asia; Himalayan Folk Stories for Management Training from Garhwal, Asia