Agricultural labourers working in the field. Or maybe a group of salt-pan workers, or a few miners, or fishermen on their boats, bursting into song while labouring, is not a surprising sight. In traditional cultures, hard physical work has often been accompanied by songs about specific occupations or forms of labour. Occupational folk songs have existed across cultures. Sometimes, they encourage and coordinate a group of people working together. Sometimes they relieve the boredom and pain of a wearying job.
The 170-metre long Gulf of Kachchh, a vast intertidal zone with a network of creeks, estuaries and mudflats, houses a large ecosystem and is a breeding zone for many marine organisms. Fishing has been a traditional occupation for many in the coastal region. The song here speaks of the challenges faced by the fishing communities whose livelihoods are being steadily eroded by waves of coastal development activities.
Unions of fisherfolk in Kachchh, academicians, and others have reported the adverse impact of these activities. They have blamed the Mundra Thermal Plant (TATA), and the Mundra Power Project (Adani group) for the rapid decline of marine diversity, which in turn affects the fishing communities in the area. The song presented here, utterly simple in its language, hints at these challenges.
This work-song is beautifully rendered by Juma Vagher of Mundra taluka, a fisherman himself. He is the lead singer, and the chorus chants the refrain – ho Jamalo (hey, fisherfolk). The song’s captivating melody transports us to the fast-changing, distant shores of Kachchh.
કરછી
હો જમાલો રાણે રાણા હો જમાલો (2), હી આય જમાલો લોધીયન જો,
હો જમાલો,જાની જમાલો,
હલો જારી ખણી ધરીયા લોધીયું, હો જમાલો
જમાલો રાણે રાણા હો જમાલો,હી આય જમાલો લોધીયન જો.
હો જમાલો જાની જમાલો, હો જમાલો
હલો જારી ખણી હોડીએ મેં વીયું.
જમાલો રાણે રાણા હો જમાલો,હી આય જમાલો લોધીયન જો.
હો જમાલો જાની જમાલો,
હલો લોધી ભાવર મછી મારીયું, હો જમાલો
જમાલો રાણે રાણા હો જમાલો,હી આય જમાલો લોધીયન જો.
હો જમાલો જાની જમાલો,
હલો મછી મારે બચા પિંઢજા પારીયું, હો જમાલો
જમાલો રાણે રાણા હો જમાલો, હી આય જમાલો લોધીયન જો.
હો જમાલો જાની જમાલો,
હલો પાંજો કંઠો પાં ભચાઈયું, હો જમાલો
જમાલો રાણે રાણા હો જમાલો, હી આય જમાલો લોધીયન જો.(૨)
English
Come, come on kings of the sea.
Come, let us get together brothers, this group of fisherfolk
Oh yes, this group of us fisherfolk.
Let’s take the nets and go to the sea, o’ fisherfolk
Let’s get together brothers, this group of fisherfolk
Come on! Come brothers!
Let’s take your nets and get on to the boats.
Let’s get together brothers, this group of fisherfolk
Come, come on, let us go for a big catch.
Let’s get together brothers, this group of fisherfolk
Come on! Let’s go fishing, we need to care for our children
Let’s get together brothers, this group of fisherfolk
Come, come on, it is we, who will save our ports,
save our ports.
Let’s get together brothers, this group of fisherfolk
Type of song : Traditional folk song
Cluster : Songs of land, places and people
Song : 13
Title of the song : Jamalo rane rana ho jamalo
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 Kutchifolk 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.