She is away from her loved one but in heart, willing to cross the seas for him, she longs to be by his side. The song is a plea:

કુંજલ ન માર વીરા કુંજલ ન માર , હી કુંજલ વેધી દરિયા પાર
Do not kill the kunjal. Oh please, don’t! The kunjal will go across the seas

She does not want him to forget her. That would be equivalent of killing the kunjal , a local name for the demoiselle crane, that flies to the arid grasslands in Kutch every winter from faraway Siberia. The kunj bird that she identifies with is a familiar, much loved and revered one in Kachchhi folk culture. It effortlessly enters the world of women characters, as a friend, confidante and counsel, even a metaphor of her identity and aspirations.

What he can do instead, she says, is to get her some jewellery pieces: a nose ring, a necklace, a pair of anklets, ornaments for the forehead and fingers. And get a pair of kunjal birds carved on each of them in a way celebrating their union. This song beautifully rendered by Juma Vagher of Mundra taluka is another beautiful one among the number of ‘ornithological folksongs’ found in this series.

Listen to the folk song sung by Juma Vagher from Bhadresar

કરછી

કુંજલ ન માર વીરા કુંજલ ન માર, હી કુંજલ વેધી દરિયા પાર
કડલાર રે ઘડાય દે વીરા કડલા ઘડાય દે, કાભીયે જે જોડ તે કુંજ કે વીરાય
કુંજલ ન માર વીરા કુંજલ ન માર, હી કુંજલ વેધી દરિયા પાર
મુઠીયા રે ઘડાય દે વીરા મુઠીયા રે ઘડાય, બગલીયે જે જોડ તે કુંજ કે વીરાય
કુંજલ ન માર વીરા કુંજલ ન માર, હી કુંજલ વેધી દરિયા પાર
હારલો ઘડાય દે વીરા હારલો ઘડાય, દાણીએ જે જોડ તે કુંજ કે વીરાય
ન માર વીરા કુંજલ ન માર, હી કુંજલ વેધી દરિયા પાર
નથડી ઘડાય દે વીરા નથડી ઘડાય, ટીલડી જી જોડ તે કુંજ કે વીરાય
કુંજલ ન માર વીરા કુંજલ ન માર, હી કુંજલ વેધી દરિયા પાર
કુંજલ ન માર વીરા કુંજલ ન માર, હી કુંજલ વેધી દરિયા પાર

English

Do not kill the kunjal . Oh please,don’t! The kunjal will go across the seas
Make me a couple of kadalas , please, a pair of anklets for my feet,
and get two kunj birds carved on each
Do not kill the kunjal . Oh please,don’t! The kunjal will go across the seas
Make me muthiyas , please, muthiyas for my fingers,
and couple of bangles with a pair of kunj birds carved on each.
Do not kill the kunjal . Oh please,don’t! The kunjal will go across the seas
Make me a haar , please, a haar adorning my neck,
and get a pair of kunj birds carved on it.
Do not kill the kunjal . Oh please,don’t! The kunjal will go across the seas
Make me a nathani , please, a nathani to adorn my nose,
and a tiladi for my forehead, with a pair of kunj birds carved on those.
Do not kill the kunjal . Oh please,don’t! The kunjal will go across the seas
Do not kill the kunjal . Oh please,don’t! The kunjal will go across the seas

PHOTO • Priyanka Borar

Type of song: Traditional folk song

Cluster: Songs of love and longing

Song: 12

Title of the song: Kunjal na maar veer kunjal na maar

Composer: Deval Mehta

Singer: Juma Vagher from Bhadresar village of Mundra taluka

Instruments used: drum, harmonium, banjo

Recording year: 2012, 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). For more of these songs visit this page: Songs of the Rann: archive of Kutchi folk songs

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

प्रतिष्ठा पांड्या पारीमध्ये वरिष्ठ संपादक असून त्या पारीवरील सर्जक लेखन विभागाचं काम पाहतात. त्या पारीभाषासोबत गुजराती भाषेत अनुवाद आणि संपादनाचं कामही करतात. त्या गुजराती आणि इंग्रजी कवयीत्री असून त्यांचं बरंच साहित्य प्रकाशित झालं आहे.

यांचे इतर लिखाण Pratishtha Pandya
Illustration : Priyanka Borar

Priyanka Borar is a new media artist experimenting with technology to discover new forms of meaning and expression. She likes to design experiences for learning and play. As much as she enjoys juggling with interactive media she feels at home with the traditional pen and paper.

यांचे इतर लिखाण Priyanka Borar