-: By Ayushi Kumari
Abstract
Bhojpuri is a dialect spoken primarily by the people of Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and the Terai region of Nepal. It has a speaking population of about five crores and is one of the few dialects in India with an international status. Placing Bhojpuri and other dialects of the north Indian belt under the umbrella of the Hindi language has largely undermined the status of these dialects, leading to a language crisis. Through this article, an analysis of the Bhojpuri language will be done, and light will be thrown on the impact of Bhojpuri in promoting the folk culture of every region this dialect once languished in.
Keywords: Bhojpuri, dialect, nataks
Bihar has been home to multiple dialects, with names varying from Magahi, Bhojpuri, and Maithli to Angika. Sustaining so many dialects for years as long as two hundred and three hundred has been a matter of pride. A few years back, Maithili got its long-due status of language in the eighth schedule of India, crowning it as one of the 22 official languages of India. Just like Maithili, there is another dialect that is spoken by as much as 25 % of the people of Bihar, and that is Bhojpuri. This dialect is mainly spoken in the regions of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and the Terai region of Nepal. A significant portion of people in Mauritius, Fiji, and Suriname also speak this dialect. This came as a result of the process of Colonialism under which indentured laborers from Bihar were taken to these island countries to work on plantations. Once migrated, most of these laborers could not return, making these once distant countries their permanent homes. As a part of acculturation, these people soon started adopting the cultural practices of the new countries but made sure to converse in their native dialect. Thus, Bhojpuri survived, and the descendants of migrants still hold onto this language as a remnant of their ancestry.
Bhojpuri got its name from the region of Bhojpur (a place in Arrah, Bihar), which was captured by the Rajputs from Ujjain, who traced their ancestry from the great King Bhoja. To revere Raja Bhoja, the name of the captured region was changed from Shahabad to Bhojpur, which means the City of Bhoja. The rise of Bhojpuri as a dialect can be marked by the extensive process of vernacularization that took place in the medieval ages. The period from the eleventh to fourteenth century saw the skyrocketed numbers of Bhojpuri Folklore like Lorikayan, Sorathi, Vijaymal, and Raja Bharathariar. During the period of saints, people like Kabir Das, Dharni Das, and Kina Ram started using Bhojpuri in their writings. It is due to the love of these saints for Bhojpuri that Bhojpuri Dialect Day is celebrated each year on the birth anniversary of Kabir Das.
When the British arrived, some of them were especially interested in linguistics and thus began an expansive study of Bhojpuri as a dialect, delving deeper into its Phonology and other things. According to Dr. Sir George Grierson’s Linguistic Survey of India’s report-
“Bhojpuri is the practical language of an energetic race that is ever ready to accommodate itself to circumstances and has made its influence felt all over India. The Bengali and Bhojpuri are two of the great civilizers of Hindustan, the former with his pen and the latter with his cudgel.”‘
Indeed, Bhojpuri, with its pen, has left an indelible mark on the culture of India. The singing of Bhojpuri songs on the occasions of birth, marriage, and fasts is a must in Bihari settings. These songs have given a new meaning to the dialect. Depending on the seasons, occasions, and the social group singing, Bhojpuri ballads have multiple forms. Sohar is sung when a child is born into the family. It is a song of joy. However, other than the feeling of happiness, Bhojpuri writings also point toward the broad socio-cultural beliefs of the period when these songs were composed. For instance, in the Sohar written below, a grandmother is singing expressing her uncontrollable happiness over the birth of a naati i.e. A grandchild.
अंगना में कुइयाँ खोनाइले, पीयर माटी नू ए,
ए ललना जाहिरे जगवहु कवन देवा, नाती जनम लिहले हो।
नाती जनमले त भल भइले, अब वंस बाढ़हू ए।
ए ललना देह घालऽ सोने के हँसुअवा,
बाबू के नार काटहु ए।
ए ललना देइ घालऽ सोने के खपड़वा,
बाबू के नहवाईवि ए।
ए ललना जाहि रे जगवहु कवन देवा,
नाती जनम लिहले ए ।
नाती जनमले त भल भइले, अब वंस बाढ़हु ए ।
ए ललना देई घालऽ रेशमऽ के कपड़वा,
जे बाबू के पेनहाइवि ए ।
In the Bhojpuri writings of the famous Hindi laureate Rahul Sankrityayan, the same emotion is replayed when a girl, Jasodhra, is shown talking to her friends, saying how she was very happy that her brother’s son was born and goes on to explain how the elderly ladies of the house were all singing Sohar. Hearing this, one of her close friends, Lakshmi, countered her, asking if she would have been this happy and would have sung Sohar if a girl had been born.
मेहरारू के जनमला पर सोहर ना गवाला, खुसिहाली ना मनावल जाला वलुक उलटे घर पर सोग उदासी छा जाला, मालूम होला जनु घर के केहु मरि गइल बा। आ मरद के जनमला पर ई सोहर ई नाच, ई बाजा गाजा ! जसोदरा ! तोहरा कब्बों मन में ना आवै. काहे बेटा-बेटी भै मरद-मेहरारू के ई दु आंख से देखल जाला ।
(Part of Teen Natak by Rahul Sankrityayan)
Gauna songs are sung when married daughters come back to their houses and leave after staying there for some days. Then, there are Songs devoted to various seasons of the year. Chaita songs are sung in the month of Chaitra (April-May), Fag is sung in the month of Fagun (March) and most fag songs are inspired by the themes of Holi. Kajali is the song of Savan and is sung when the monsoon arrives.
हे रामा चईत महीनवा |
कईली हम सोरहो सिंगार सइया नाही अईले |
हे रामा चइत महीनवा |
बहे लगल झिरी झिरी पुरवा बयार |
हे रामा चइत महीनवा |
लंबी कारी केसिया झरली लगाई तेल महकउआ |
लाली बिंदिया सटली कजरा आँखी लहकउआ |
हिया मोर डहके उठे हुकवा हजार |
हे रामा चइत महीनवा |
This is a Chaita song that starts with describing the plight of a woman who is getting ready, but her husband is not there with her. (a reference to the large-scale migration of Bihari Labourers). The woman then explains the changes in the environment happening at the advent of Chaitra month and ends the song outlining the anxiety building inside her heart.
गौरी संग लिए शिवशंकर खेलें फाग
केकर भीगे हो लाली चुनरिया?
केकर भीगे हो लाली चुनरिया?
केकरा भीगे ल सिर पाग?
केकरा भीगे ल सिर पाग?
गौरी संग लिए शिवशंकर खेलें फाग
गौरी संग लिए शिवशंकर खेलें फाग
सिया जी के भीगे हो लाली चुनरिया
सिया जी के भीगे हो लाली चुनरिया
राम जी के भीगे सिर पाग (पगड़ी)
राम जी के भीगे सिर पाग
This is the song of Fagun, and it illustrates the celebration of Holi taking Lord Shiva or Shankar and Gauri as the main participants of this celebration.
आवेला आसाढ़ मास, लागेला अधिक आस,
बरखा में पिया रहितन पासवा बटोहिया।
पिया अइतन बुनिया में,राखि लिहतन दुनिया में,
अखरेला अधिका सवनवाँ बटोहिया।
आई जब मास भादों, सभे खेली दही-कादो,
कृस्न के जनम बीती असहीं बटोहिया।
आसिन महीनवाँ के, कड़ा घाम दिनवाँ के,
लूकवा समानवाँ बुझाला हो बटोहिया।
कातिक के मासवा में, पियऊ का फाँसवा में,
हाड़ में से रसवा चुअत बा बटोहिया।
अगहन- पूस मासे, दुख कहीं केकरा से?
बनवाँ सरिस बा भवनवाँ बटोहिया।
मास आई बाघवा, कँपावे लागी माघवा,
त हाड़वा में जाड़वा समाई हो बटोहिया।
पलंग बा सूनवाँ, का कइली अयगुनवाँ से,
भारी ह महिनवाँ फगुनवाँ बटोहिया।
अबीर के घोरि-घोरि, सब लोग खेली होरी,
रँगवा में भँगवा परल हो बटोहिया।
कोइलि के मीठी बोली, लागेला करेजे गोली,
पिया बिनु भावे ना चइतवा बटोहिया।
चढ़ी बइसाख जब, लगन पहुँची तब,
जेठवा दबाई हमें हेठवा बटोहिया।
मंगल करी कलोल, घरे-घरे बाजी ढोल,
कहत ‘भिखारी’ खोजऽ पिया के बटोहिया।
The aforementioned song is what people call Barahmasa, or twelve twelve-month song. In these songs, the sorrow and separation of a wife are depicted. Full of erotic and pathetic sentiments, these songs focus on the life of a lady for twelve months whose husband is away in a far-off land.
In an article titled “An Introduction to Bhojpuri Folksongs and Ballads” written by Krishna Deva Upadhyaya, two more genres of Bhojpuri ballads are introduced. The first of them is an occupational Bhojpuri song. These songs are inspired by the kind of work singers practice or are practicing while singing. Of these songs, the most remarkable ones are the Jatsar or the grinding-mill /Jata songs, and the Sohani or the wedding songs. To lighten the fatigue of incessant grinding at the millstones, the women sing Jatsar songs in a concert. Two of them sit face to face with their legs spread apart and hands holding tight to the fulcrum of the grinding stone; as they grind, they pour forth all their sorrow and pent-up emotion. The inevitable theme of these grinding mill songs is the proverbial oppression and anguish they suffer at the hands of their relentless mothers-in-law. Sometimes, we hear them narrating their woes to the brother who comes to see them, invariably requesting him not to pass them on to the father and the mother.
Other than these Bhojpuri ballads, social gatherings in the Bhojpuri belt area are dominated by Nataks. Bhikhari Thakur, given the title of Shakespeare of Bihar, is one of the finest theatre artists of Bihar who developed a new form of theatrical presentation called Bidesiya. Bidesiya refers to Nataks based on the theme of the departure of a family member to some other city in search of work and the kind of pain that the family members and especially the wife of the migrant face. In the nataks directed by Bhikhari Thakur, it was said that no matter when the natak was scheduled, the seating area would always be full. Ram Chandra Manjhi, a prominent launda dancer who had the golden opportunity to work with Bhikhari Thakur in his childhood, explained that the success of a natak of Bhikhari Thakur was judged based on the number of people who used to fall in the pond while taking a glimpse of the natak. Nataks like Bidesiya were always accompanied by the melodies of Harmonium and tabla. Characters like Labaar were added to the play for comedic relief, and they had the liberty to enter the natak anytime according to their convenience.
Three plays by Bhikhari Thakur specifically caught the attention of people and had far-reaching consequences. The first natak was Bideshiya, which dealt with the theme of migration and loyalty. The main character, Bideshiya, was forced to go and work in Calcutta due to circumstances, leaving his newly married wife, Pyari Sundari, behind. Bideshiya remarried a woman named Saloni in Calcutta while Pyari kept on waiting for him in the village. Throughout the play, a clash of values, dilemmas, and betrayal is portrayed, bringing to light the problems associated with large-scale migrations and their long-standing effect on family dynamics.
Then, there was a second natak titled Garbhaghichor, which focused on the same themes as that of Bidesiya. Betrayal, Extra-marital affair, and Filial Piety. In the play, a woman named Galij Bo bore a child with Garbari when her husband, Galij, was out of the village for some work. When Galij came back after fifteen years and saw a son, he thought that he was the father of Garbarghichor (the son). Thus, he decided to take his son to the town. When the biological father of Garbarghichor got to know this, he started fighting to keep his son in the village. The mother, Galij, also intervened, saying that she would not allow her son to be taken outside. This matter reached the ears of the Pancha, and a panchayat was called to decide who had the right to keep Garbarghichor with himself/herself.
Beti Bechwa, the third natak, was inspired by the real-life practice of selling daughters for marriage to earn money. In these cases, the bridegrooms used to be old, and through the play of beti bechwa, the same theme is invoked. Such was its influence that there were stories of young girls leaving the mandap and running away instead of docilely marrying the old men their parents had taken money from. In Nautanwa village in Uttar Pradesh, after the play was staged there, the villagers sent back a Baraat of an old bridegroom.
Bhojpuri Nataks always focused on the inherent patriarchy of society, exposing its double standards. Preference for male children, dowry, human trafficking, fights between brothers over property, and many more themes can be found resonating throughout the nataks in Bhojpuri. Laapata Ladies, an Indian movie that was sent for the Oscars, can be found taking inspiration from the Bhojpuri play of Rahul Sankrityayan titled ‘Teen Natak. ’ In this natak, a man named Upadhiya lost his newlywed wife at the railway station who was all dressed in a Red Saree with a long veil. When he finally found his wife, another man started claiming that she was his wife. The situation worsened, and finally, the girl was asked to confirm her whereabouts.
Nataks like these were staged in the villages on the occasions of festivals, fasts, or marriages. How theater can broaden the views of the public can be best understood by the magic of Bhojpuri Nataks on the minds of the public. Despite being such a sweet and easily understandable dialect, today Bhojpuri is associated with embarrassment. New generations find it humiliating to speak in Bhojpuri because of the large-scale stereotype and discrimination that has been associated with the dialect. The degrading quality of movies and songs produced by Bhojpuri cinema has played a prominent role in accelerating this view, and people have come to believe that speaking Bhojpuri will align them with obscenity. The true nature of Bhojpuri is getting lost today, partially due to the overemphasis being put on Hindi today, along with the factor of hyping up the negative things associated with the dialect by the general public. Reels on Instagram associated with the dialect’s nature have also created an intense impression. What Bhojpuri needs today is an everlasting support. Ravindranath Srivastav, a famous Bhojpuri writer, says that a dialect survives only when it is independent. Bhojpuri has to be made self-dependent today. Srivastav proposes a way to this independence, and that is having a newspaper written completely in Bhojpuri. Constant efforts need to be taken from the sides of both the Government and the people. Parents should talk with their children in the local dialect so that children can pick up the dialect easily. Government programs should be launched focusing on teaching local dialects. ‘Proud to speak Bhojpuri’: this essence is missing among the majority of people today. This spirit needs to be instilled, and this cannot happen without the assistance of the government and locals. Dialects should be allowed to grow naturally as it is these dialects and languages that keep the future generation connected to their roots!
References-
- Teen Natak by Rahul Sankrityayan
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/4317636
- https://bhojpurisahityangan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Vibhor-_-Ank-05-_-Jun-Dec-2004.pdf
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/24737156
- https://youtu.be/mKixIQyriWE?si=QxgqWL4tFNQgRXMy
- https://youtu.be/uVRsHqUlSVY?si=DKMhdWlq2Es_PvGn
- https://scope-journal.com/assets/uploads/doc/804f0-1055-1066.202410498.pdf
