Folk songs have always been a vehicle for cultural knowledge, a carrier of societal norms. But often they have also been used as in instrument of cultural change and awareness creation. The flexibility of this genre comes from folk music’s orality, its ability to change with every rendition, as well as its rootedness in the culture of the community.

The song here harnesses this regenerative power of folk music, conveying the message of awareness, in this case the gendered reality of rural women' lives. Sung by women artists from Kachchh and Ahmedabad, this song offers social critique as emotional appeal.

A special aspect of the song is one of the instruments being played in the background. Called jodiya pawa or alghoza , it is a double-fluted wind instrument traditionally played by artists from north-western regions like Sindh in Pakistan and Kutch, Rajasthan, and Punjab in India.

Listen to artists from Kachchh and Ahmedabad sing the song

કચ્છી

પિતળ તાળા ખોલ્યાસી ભેણ ત્રામેં તાળા ખોલ્યાસી,
બાઈએ જો મન કોય ખોલેં નાંય.(૨)
ગોઠ જા ગોઠ ફિરયાસી, ભેણ ગોઠ જા ગોઠ ફિરયાસી,
બાઈએ જો મોં કોય નેરે નાંય. (૨)
પિતળ તાળા ખોલ્યાસી ભેણ ત્રામે તાળા ખોલ્યાસી,
બાઈએ જો મન કોય ખોલે નાંય. (૨)

ઘરજો કમ કરયાસી,ખેતીજો કમ કરયાસી,
બાઈએ જે કમ કે કોય લેખે નાંય.
ઘરજો કમ કરયાસી, ખેતીજો કમ કરયાસી
બાઈએ જે કમ કે કોય નેરે નાંય
ગોઠ જા ગોઠ ફિરયાસી, ભેણ ગોઠ જા ગોઠ ફિરયાસી,
બાઈએ જો મોં કોય નેરે નાંય.

ચુલુ બારયાસી ભેણ,માની પણ ગડયાસી ભેણ,
બાઈએ કે જસ કોય મિલ્યો નાંય. (૨)
ગોઠ જા ગોઠ ફિરયાસી ભેણ ગોઠ જા ગોઠ ફિરયાસી,
બાઈએ જો મોં કોય નેરે નાંય.  (૨)

સરકાર કાયધા ભનાય ભેણ,કેકે ફાયધો થ્યો ભેણ,
બાઈએ કે જાણ કોઈ થિઈ નાંય (૨)
ગોઠ જા ગોઠ ફિરયાસી ભેણ ગોઠ જા ગોઠ ફિરયાસી,
બાઈએ જો મોં કોય નેરે નાંય (૨)

English

You opened the locks of brass; you opened the copper seals,
but no one could open the lock on her heart
and feel what a woman feels. (2)
You travel from village to village,
but pay no heed to her face,
it’s always behind a veil. (2)
You opened the locks of brass; you opened the copper seals,
but no one could open the lock on her heart
and feel what a woman feels. (2)

We labour at home; we work in the fields.
But who is there to notice our deeds?
You travel from village to village,
but pay no heed to her face;
it’s always behind a veil.

We lit your kitchen fires and rolled the rotis as well.
But no one ever thanks the woman.
No one, but no one praised her. (2)
You travel from village to village,
but pay no heed to her face;
it’s always behind a veil. (2)

The regime makes new laws.
but who is there to gain, tell me O sister, again?
No one informs us women. (2)
You travel from village to village,
but pay no heed to her face;
it’s always behind a veil. (2)

PHOTO • Anushree Ramanathan

Type of song: Progressive

Cluster: Songs of freedom and awareness

Song: 8

Title of the song: Pittal tala kholaasi, tramen tala kholyaasi

Composer: Deval Mehta

Singer: Artists from Kachchh and Ahmedabad

Instruments used: drum, harmonium, tambourine, jodiya pawa (alghoza)

Recording year: 1998, KMVS studio

English translation: Pratishtha Pandya

These songs, 341 recorded by a community-run radio Soorvani, have come to PARI through the Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS).

A special thanks to Preeti Soni, Aruna Dholakia, secretary, KMVS, Amad Sameja, project coordinator KMVS for their support and to Bhartiben Gor for her invaluable help.

Series Curator : Pratishtha Pandya

কবি এবং অনুবাদক প্রতিষ্ঠা পান্ডিয়া গুজরাতি ও ইংরেজি ভাষায় লেখালেখি করেন। বর্তমানে তিনি লেখক এবং অনুবাদক হিসেবে পারি-র সঙ্গে যুক্ত।

Other stories by Pratishtha Pandya
Illustration : Anushree Ramanathan

Anushree Ramanathan is a Class 9 student of Delhi Public School (North), Bangalore. She loves singing, dancing and illustrating PARI stories.

Other stories by Anushree Ramanathan