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.
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)
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.
