Page 9 - Oct - Dec 2020

VOL. 17 No. 4
DIVINE JOURNEY Songs of kajri
infl uenced
Similar to other regions, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar celebrate many festivals thumri
and have numerous traditions and rituals. Accompanying these are many
beautiful songs celebrating harvest, seasons, weddings, songs dedicated to
divinity, and much more.
MITHILA MAGIC
CLOUDS AND KAJRI
BIHAR
UTTAR PRADESH
Kohbar songs are native to Mithila
Kajri is the most popular region of Bihar. After the wedding,
form of folk music in Uttar
the bride and groom stay in a room
Pradesh. It originated in which is called the Kohbarghar. This
Mirzapur and Varanasi
room is decorated with beautiful
and gradually became paintings called Kohbar paintings
popular in other parts
and this is where the main rituals
of the country. The take place. During the rituals these
singers in the past
songs are sung.
received patronage from
kings and were highly Song
respected. चलू चलू देखू सिख चलू जनकपुर धाम हे

Theme देिखयनु गऽ रामचन्द्र के कौने रंग कोबर हे
Kajri word comes from Kajal or Kohl, because during the
(Come friends let’s go to Janakpur Dham,
rainy season the clouds would become dark. It is in the
let’s see which colour is Ramchandra’s Kohbar.)
rainy season that these songs are sung. A popular style
is the Dhunmuniya Kajri which is sung by women during
the celebrations of Nagpanchami and Rakshabandhan. ACTIVITY: SONGS FOR SEASONS

Song
कै से खेले जाइबू सावन में कजिरआ, बदिरया घेिर आई ननिद....
Kaise khele jai bu saawan mein kajaria,
Badariya gheri aayi nanadi
(How will I go out and play, dark clouds are gathering!)
Hardik Nagariya, Class 10 A, Tripti Tiwari, Class 7 A, Delhi Public School,
Chhatarpur, MP; Samarpita Banerjee, Class 8 B, Apeejay School, Park Street,
Kolkata

RASIYA SONGS Painting by Balbinder Kumar Kangri

Rasiya folk music has a The Barahmasa songs are popular all over the country.
unique connection with These are based on the various seasons of the region.
the festival of Holi in Braj Similarly, Barahmasa paintings also depict the many
region. Here the festival is seasons. Find out about these paintings and songs and
celebrated as Lath-Maar Holi then select one season and write a similar song.
or Stick-beating Holi. During
the festival, men begin MY FAVOURITE SEASON ___________________________
singing Rasiya songs which ITS SONG _____________________________________
are based on Krishna-Radha’s ______________________________________________
love, the women then beat ______________________________________________
them with sticks!

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