17 October 2006

Janapada Jatre

In our village, there was a real huge tamarind tree just behind our house. It was so big that during summers, when it fruited, some ten-fifteen people would take 2-3 days to pluck them from this tree. I would wait eagerly for this part of the year because, those people would sing songs when they did their work! Amazing!!

I was not able to get the exact words, but the rhythm in those un-heard songs would make a grand impression up on me. This was a regular happening when I was a school going, probably in the late 80s or early90s. I would've heard them sing these folklore for probably three consecutive years, but later, sure there were tamarind pluckers, but there was no music, they would just chat while doing work, to my disappointment. I kept asking my mother why they wont sing, she had no visible answer, but would soften me by saying next year they would definitely do it. But that next year never came. I also realised that those songs were on the extinct way. The songs the villagers sung, was not written anywhere. It was not taught in any school either. Still, they had some nice essence about them; those songs would make any dull day bright. The tiresome long days at physical work of those tamarind pluckers would be well forgotten. I am eagerly waiting for those songs, somewhere...somehow...I might get them back!!

That day, probably, has come back. In an effort to bring the folklore to the city, the Karnataka Govt. recently organised a "Janapada Jatre"(FOLK FESTIVAL) in Bangalore. The tamarind plucking songs might not be back, but the essence and the feel of it would. In this way, this Jatre is really welcome.

Oh! How I miss those wonderful rhythmic songs!!

P.S. Follow the link to see some brilliant pictures of the event Courtesy Mr. Prashant Reddy.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

nice to read about the tamarinds and folk singers. hallu jummmm anthu tamarinds bagge odhidha mele.

deepavali shubhashayagalu

best wishes
bellur

Anonymous said...

Srik,
Interesting thoughts.. looks like the "tamarind" songs have been replaced by movie songs.. sad indeed...