MeraPahad Community Of Uttarakhand Lovers

From Here and There
(A Satire)
                    Cine Awards in Rural Uttarakhand
                              Bhishma Kukreti
       Today, in Mumbai, I got telephonic call from my cousin from my native village,” Bhishma ! This is urgent .You will have to be very active.”
        I answered , “ Sorry Bhaiji ! I forgot  to write letters to Gramin Jal Vibhag Lansdowne that  all the water reservoirs in Jaspur are dried up and villagers have to go three Kilometers for water .”
       My Bhaiji told,” Forget about drying of all water reservoirs in Jaspur and  we have to travel three four kilometers for water . We shall  bear that difficult hardship as our forefathers used to tolerate we shall also bear”
           “Is there another problem like no electricity. From Mumbai, I shall write a strong letter to the executive engineer Gramin Vidyut  Vibhag , Pauri for that matter” I interrupted
          He said,” No ! No ! electricity is urgent but now, electricity  is not that important .”
    Guessingly I said, “ Is our village school without teachers? If so I shall post a strong letter from Mumbai to the education minister Dehradun”
  He answered,” No !No that is not the case and  is also not a very burning issue, Teacher less school in our village is part and partial of our life.”
     I again speculated and said,”  Should I send hundredth reminder to the health minister Dehradun that there is no nursing staff and doctor  in our village hospital for last twenty five years?”
 He said calmly,” We villagers are happy with hospital Guards (Choukidar) and sweeper taking care of patients very effectively. They both are better than so called trainee doctors or nursing staff”
       I made presumption and verbalized,” Should I write a long letter to transport minister Dehradun that fifty years old planned motor road is still incomplete and our village folks have to go seven miles on foot to catch motor?”
 He said,” Yes! Motor road  is a long time problem but the transportation problem is not that much critical crisis”
          I estimated and said,” Oh! I forgot very grave issue that in our Dhangu , there are  around fifty graduates who are not getting employment for many years. I shall write a letter to chief minister of Uttarakhand  for eradicating unemployment from our Dhangu area.”
My cousin  spoke , “ Definitely unemployment  had been  a quandary but at present , the unemployment has no relevancy at all. Every graduate is registered with Jawahar Rojgar Yojna and they are happy to earn by  doing some hard work.
   I asked, “ What is the real and vital issue in village”
He disclosed, “ You know we  organize Nagraja Pujai every third year and this year there is cooperative Nagraja Pujai .”
      I answered , “ Yes! Most of the migrated villagers from all over India are coming to village participating in Nagraja Pujai”
He detailed,” Now our village council decided that at the time of Nagraja Pujai, we shall also distribute Uttarakhand Cine Awards”
    Shockingly, I questioned, “ How come ! The Cine Awards are more urgent than other burning issues?”
He said,” Each village council in our area is organizing Uttarakhand Cine Awards. Now, organizing Cine awards has become prestigious point for every village concils in the are. If our village council will not organize  Uttarakhand Cine Awards , our prestige would  go down.”
  I wanted to explain, “ But water problem…”
   He said, “ It is question of  status of our village. We must do something for our prestige. . Nak Ka Sawal hai, Hamen Apni Nak Bachani hai”
         Reluctantly, I asked, “ Should I write letter to Cultural Minister in Dehradun ?”
  He said, “ No ! No you don’t need to write any letter as you, usually write letters to authorities in Uttarakhand on our behalf from Mumbai . We have already   convinced Vijaya Barthwal ji the minister of Uttarakhand and our area M LA and she will inaugurate Uttarakhand Cine Awards Jaspur.”
    I asked, “ Bhaiji ! What do you expect from me ?”
    He ordered ,” Just collect two  lakh rupees from our villagers in Mumbai .. I have already told Delhi, Dehradun wale to collect three four lakhs to save our prestige and everybody is happy that we are protecting  our village prestige  by organizing Uttarakhand Cine Awards “
Copyright @ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India, 2010
 
   

 
 



 

Introductory Note for Garhwali Kavitavali by   Rai Bahadur Pundit Tara Datt Gairola
   Many of my good friends asked me .“Whether we should create poems in Garhwali -‘Prakrit ?’ Garhwal is a small nation whose population is merely seven or eight lakhs. There are many provincial languages spoken in this small nation. There are a few learned Garhwalis who create poems in Garhwali language. Many learned personalities suggests from many reasons behind not creating Garhwali poetry that there is no advantage in creating Garhwali poems. However, my friends as the very learned creative of Sanskrit, Hindi and English  late Chandra Mohan Raturi could have created amusing poetries written in any of these languages. His view was that  Garhwali poets (who write in Hindi or English) should write poetries in Garhwali language because it is easier to bring tenderness, raptures, emotions in your own language which, is not possible in other’s language. I also support the views of late Chandra Mohan Raturi. I researched a lot on Garhwali folk  songs, Garhwali bhadwali (ballad  etc) and came to conclusion that our folk creative created high standard poetries. Once, after my initiation, a Jagri sand songs before late Chandra Mohan Raturi . Pundit Chandra Mohan Raturi ji shouted that it is not possible to create  better poems than these Garhwali language poems and it is our duty/responsibility that we collect and publish these marvelous pieces of poetries. It is very painful that Chandra Mohan Raturi ji expired at early age. His death a big loss to Garhwali literature. I collected many Garhwali folk songs. These poems are amusing and emotional ones. The poems edited in this volume (Garhwali Kavitavali) are modern Garhwali poems and these  poets created modern Garhwali poems on the basis (copying) of style, forms, of Hindi and Sanskrit poetry.
                   Many Garhwali learned persons attracted educated Garhwali community by publishing Garhwali poetries in ‘Garhwali news paper’ being published for last twenty six years. We should call this time (birth of Garhwali news letter) as the birth time of modern Garhwali poetry. Late Chandra Mohan Raturi was the first garhwali poet who published first Garhwali poem in ‘Garhwali news paper‘.  These first  ever published Garhwali poems are ‘Devvan’ and ‘Viirah Vasant Vilap’ .These marvelous and highly standard poems of late  Raturi inspired other learned Garhwali literature  and educated Garhwalis so much that other learned and educated Garhwali creative started publishing their Garhwali poems in Garhwali news paper. Late pundit Satya Sharan Raturi was famous Hindi poet whose poetries used to publish in ‘Sarswati ‘(a very high standard Hindi magazine) started writing  Garhwali language poems too and provided a pride to Garhwali literature. No body  had knowledge about the poetic power of late Atma Ram Gairola also published his amusing Garhwali poems in ‘Garhwali newspaper’ We did not find the lyrical sweetness, tenderness, inspirational thoughts, patriotism, and simplicity in other Garhwali poems as we find in the poems of late Satya Sharan Raturi. Garhwali community will respect his poems ‘Suryoday’,’Betuli’, Panchhipanchak’ and Tiree’.The poems of late Chandra Mohan Raturi are difficult (for intellectuals only) and are full of figures of speech . There is no exaggeration that the position of late Pundit Chandra Mohan Raturi is not lesser than Shelly and Keat. It is awful  that god called him in his early age. The life of Raturi ji was also of high standard. Apart from poems in this volume, Raturi ji created many classic Garhwali poems.
   Now, we are confident that the poems of this volume will eradicate the doubts of question that we should create poems in Garhwali or not .I don’t get enjoyment in other language poems which, I get from reading Garhwali verse. Who will not enjoy the poetry written in the language which, he spoke in his childhood?
  At the end, I expect that the newly educated Garhwalis will respect their mother tongue(Garhwali) and will enhance the pride of Garhwal nation. We should remember that  Rabindra Taigore was well versed with English language but he used to create poetries in his own language Bengla 
Shanti Ashram                                              Tara Datt Gairola
Pauri, Garhwal
21st Gate, Chitr Samvat 1989
Copyright @  and Mrs Lalta Vaishnav , Dehradun

Satire and Fatkar
                   Loosing Sleep in Mumbai   Over  Alcohol Consumptions in Uttarakhand 
                                         Bhishma Kukreti
      My Uttarakhandi friend, who stays in a skyscraper tower in Mumbai, has two worries. The first and foremost worry is to settle in America and another worry is development in rural Uttarakhand.
    Whenever he gets free time, he called the renowned Uttarakhandi social workers of Mumbai and discuss with them in details about development in Uttarakhand. Nearly after tow years he got free time and he called ten current super stars in Uttarakhandi social circle to discuss an extremely worrying and very important issue .
 Since, the meeting was just a discussion and there was no fear of  responsibility or action for any social worker, every body reached in time sharp at 6PM at my friend’s six thousand square feet duplex flat.
My friend who is real lover of rural Uttarakhand explained his agenda of the meet,” I am too much worried about increasing alcohol consumptions in villages of my motherland.”
  The meeting ran for two hours but no body could talk seriously about how to stop alcohol consumption in rural Uttarakhand and how to bring to a halt,” Sury Ast Uttarakhandi Mast”
 At sharp 8PM, my Uttarakhand devotee friend declared,” I think no body is able to offer us innovative idea for stopping alcohol consumption in Uttarakhand, Therefore, let us go to my bar”
Taking us to his latest bar , he informed,” Famous ‘Aerostudio Architect in Caba San Lucas, Mexico designed my bar and no body has this type of bar in India.”
  After taking seats and getting first glass of starting drink of ‘SweetKiss Cocktail” , every social worker felt that new ideas are emerging in their minds for stopping alcohol consumption in Uttarakhand.
After finishing first peg within a minute and sipping second cocktail named ‘Drunken Grandma’ by mixing  Tequila and Vodka’ , the oldest social worker told,” The government should stop providing quotas to ex-army men of Uttarakhand. These ex- army men are the  biggest culprits in increasing the alcoholic consumption in villages”
      Taking another  fresh peg of cocktail named ‘Absinthe Liquor’ made from Bacardi, my Uttarakhandi aficionado rich friend said,” I totally agree with you that ex-army people are one of the culprits making young people habitual of alcoholic consumption”
   Gulping in one shot the third cocktail drink named ‘Madman’s First Love’ made by mixing Marie Brizard Banana liquor with Cognac, another seasoned social worker advised,” The state government should establish anti alcoholic squad in every village”
       Relishing  Coquito Bueno drink , my rich friend encouraged,” You are absolutely right”
   Guzzling a peg of Cranberry Cordial made by light rum, the young social worker recommended,”  I strongly advocate that teaching community  should be given extra responsibility for counseling and preaching the rural community”
     Getting extra  pleasure from  the  Italian Limoncello peg, my affluent friend clapped and said,” Oh! Ground breaking idea! From the young generation”
   Finishing fourth peg of Sangria Liqueur Classic,  lawyer by profession and legal advisor of all Uttarakhandi social organizations in Mumbai give his opinion, “ There is a strong need of reformation in prohibition laws in Uttarakhand”
 Savoring  *ized Screwdriver peg, my moneyed friend commented “ Definitely, I will also write a letter to all ministers in Uttarakhand for reforming prohibition laws immediately”
  Like that the discussion ran for many hours till next  morning .My extra prosperous friend concluded the meeting with sipping ‘GoodKnitght Kiss’ wine cocktail, “This was excellent intellectual discussion and our brothers sisters will definitely get good help from our ideas in stopping alcohol consumption in rural Uttarakhand”
Everybody applauded.
At the end of the meet , my friend asked me,” Send the gist of this splendid discussion to all newspapers in Uttarakhand and copies to each M.L.A and M.P. of Uttarakhand.”
 A answered delightfully,“ yesterday afternoon,  I have already posted the gist of meeting to all newspapers in Uttarakhand and copies to all legislator.”
 Surprisingly , he asked,“ How come ?”
I explained,” For decades, we Uttarakhandi social workers in Mumbai, invariably, in each cocktail party,  discuss the matter of worries for  increasing alcohol consumption and in each cocktail party, we discuss the same solutions to stop alcoholic consumption in rural Uttarakhand”
 He was more delighted,” It means we are very serious  about our motherland “
 I supported him and said,” Yes! We Uttarakhandis of Mumbai and other cities are always worried about Uttarakhand , specially , when we are drunk”

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India, 2010

 


 

 






 

Festivals of Uttarakhand
Festivals  of India
Himalayan Festivals
Festival of Garhwal
                     Memoir of Bikhot (Baisakhi) an Important festival of Uttarakhand
(Bikhot, Baisakhi, Baisakhi as Jwalamukhi, Baisakhi as Sury Pooja, Rangoli Bihu, Naba Barsha,Puthandu, Vishu, Pana Sankranti, Maha Bishuba Sankranti,)
                                                      Bhishma Kukreti
         As in Indian people, Uttarakhandis celebrate festivals with same zeal and same joy. There are festivals, which are celebrated as other Indians do as Deepavali, Rakhsabandhan,Dashhera,Holi.There are some festivals, which are localized as makar Sankranti, Gudi padiva, and Baisakhi.
 Bikhot or commonly called Baisakhi come on first day of Baisakh month. Baisakhi or Bikhot is the Solar New Year (Surya Sambatsar ka Pratham Divas) .of Hindus. Every community celeberate Bikhot with different name. Sikhs, Punjabi, North Indians call Bikhot as Baisakhi. Himachali celebrate Bikhot or Baisakhi by worshipping Jwalamukhi goddess , which is the symbol of Fire or heat. In Bihar, the people honour Sury Devta (Sun God) Asamese caal to Bikhot  (Biasakhi)  as Rangoli Bihu, Bengali call Bikhot as Naba Barsh or Pahela Boishakh and Tamilian call Bikhot as Puthandu (Tamil New Year),. The Oriya people call Bikhot (Biasakhi) as Maha Bisuba Samkranti or Pana Amkranti , while, Keralites call Bikhot (Baisakhi) as Vishu. Sinhali of Shri Lankka celebrate the Bikhot (Baisakhi) as New Year.
  Uttarakhandis celebrate Bikhot ( Baisakhi) as the sign of beginning of summer . Bikhot is the last day of putting flowers by  unmarried girls on  both the outside corners of  the doors of house in Uttarakhand, which used to start from first day of Chita month . This day is also the end of Geeton ka Mahina or month of song (Chita, when in night, the villagers sing and dance ) .
People prepare many types of Pakwan and distribute on this auspicious day as they prepare in Deepavali or Makar sonorant.
    People take auspicious dip in Ganges, Bhagirathi  or Alaknanda on Bikhot .In Gangasalan, people visit the auspicious places at the bank of Ganges as Vyaschatti, Mahadve Chatti, Bandarbhel, Phool Chatti, Rishikesh, Haridwar or visit to Dev Prayag on this very auspicious day .
  When I was thirteen years old (1965 Ad) , I visited Vaschatti -the meeting place of Nayar (very valuable river of Pauri Garhwal) with reverend river Ganges. It is also said that sage Vyas did Tapasya here and did meet the God her near bank of Ganges. Vyaschatti lies in Banelsyun and we may say that this place is connecting place for the people of  Banelsyun, Dhangu, Maniyarsyun, Langur Pattis of Gangasalan .
   My village Jaspur (Malla Dhangu ) is eight or nine miles away from Vyaschatti and while going from village we have to go down and while coming from Vyaschatti we have to walk on ascent.
   If Jaspur fellows have to go Vyaschatti for the fair of Bikhot, they have to go on Sekh ( end of Chit month) . I remember along with ten or twelve children of my age we were around thirty forty people of Jaspur who were visiting Vyaschatti on that day. My tuji gave me ten rupees and he also gave thirty rupees to my younger sister who was supposed to take care purchases. (On that time forty rupees were big amount) . All villagers were having Puri, Pakodi tied in cloth bag and this food was for the night and next day too. The villagers started journey around two O clock. Watches were not common on that time. Hence, the shadow of sun on some specific places, villages or place of sun was the only source of knowing the time.
On the way to Vyaschatti , we were meeting people from other villages and Pattis as Dabralsyun Langur etc. We also met many of relatives of other villages on the way and this meeting relatives or family friends was making  the day very special. Whenevr, a married daughter of our village met she used to weep ( I think it was a custom ) . We also met our school friends who were also going Vyaschatti fair.
 Each villagers were with their Das (drum players) and das were playing the drum (Dhol and Damau). Many Jagris were also visiting Vyaschatti with their Damru and Thali . Whoever, there was plan places the Das used to play the tone of Pandon and people used to dance on the tune of Pandaun. Every where, there was joy, happiness, enthusiasm in the atmosphere.
 Joyfully, we reached to Vyaschatti just before the sun set. Since, there was no electricity there, it was mandatory that we take dip of last day of Chait (Sekh ko Nayan) in the Ganges . Ver fast and carefully, we took dip in the  Ganges .The Patromax lanterns were only source of light. Most of villagers of a village brought Patromax lantern with them and there was light everywhere. The shopkeepers were with Gas (Patromax lamp) on the street. As on now, I just remember, “ Joy, dance, singing of that  night of Vyaschatti. :.
   After taking dip in the Ganges, we paid visit to a temple and also worshipped before the smal statue of sage Vyas .
 There was no hotel in Vyaschatti at that time and thousands of people used to take shelter in side the ‘Baba kamli wale ki Dharm Shala’. We all children were roaming around the three streets of Vyaschatti. There were many activities whole night in Vyaschatti. Some were dancing Pandon, Some were busy meeting their relatives, many young people were also busy in teasing women and there were incidents of beating the teasers. There were Baki who were telling the Bak (telling future). The Jagris were busy in Ghadelas . Many pundits were busy in worshiping ‘Chhaya’ on some women . Badi Badans of each areas were also there. People were enjoying the dance and singing of Badi Badans 9a dancing and singing community) too . The Badi -Badan were getting rewards from the piligrims according to their calibers of sing and dancing.. Many were busy in purchasing whatever they like. It was also best place to meet relatives and people were meeting the relatives of other villagers came to fair. There was talk of eligible bachelors among elders too.
    late night, we came to Dharmshala and slept on the bare floor . The Dharm shala was jam packed.
   Early morning, our elders took us to take dip into Ganges. We took the dip came to the place where Silsu Devta ki Palki had come from Danda ka dev sStahl Banelsyun.we worshipped Silsu Devta
  After taking breakfast (which we brought with us from our house) we roamed in the Bazar full of people only. We once again went two three times to take dips in the ganges. We children were also afraid of sound of Ganges and the meeting place of Nayar river with Ganges. In each children teams, the elders were their to take care that children don’t go far from bank of ganges.
 From  sun rising the dancing teams of nearby villages started to come to vyaschatti. They were with their das and were dancing  Pandon  while walking. I remember to cont around twenty teams reached to Vyaschatti from nearby villages of Banelsyun, Maniyarsyun and Talla Dhangu.
 In between, people were busy purchasing the items of their choice and eating Jalebi etc.
    Many of us stayed back there or went to Silsu village and they were supposed to go and worship Danda ka Nagraja another day.

 We started our journey back around three and we reached our village in the early night .
    I shall always remember this fair for my whole life which tells me what is joy, what is happiness, what is society, what is togetherness, what is belief on god/goddess, what  is mythology and what is collective joy.
Copyright @ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India, 2010

History of literature
History of Indian literature
History of Himalayan Literature
Critical History of Garhwali Literature
                            Kameda Akhar: Narration off Images of Women       
        ( Review of Kameda Akhar the Garhwali poetry collection by Beena Benjwal )
                                          Bhishma Kukreti

       As the world literature critics praise the women poets as Anna Adams, Anne Stevenson, Anne Cluysenaar, Alison Pryde, Carol Ann Duffy, Carole Satyamurti, Dinah Livingstone, Elaine Feinstein, Elizabeth Bartlett, Fleur Adcock, Fiona Sampson,,Gillian Allnutt, Gillian Clarke, Gerda Mayer,  Gladys M. Coles, Higgins, Helen Ivory,Isobel Thrilling,   Judith Kazantzis, Jackie Kay, Jane Duran. Jean Binta Breeze,   Kate Clanchy , Katherine Gallagher, Katrina Porteous,  Kim Addonizio, Lotte Kramer,  Linda Chase , Merle Collins,  Moniza Alvi, ,Marilyn Hacker, Patience Agbabi, ,  Paula Meehan, Esther Morgan, M.R.Peacocke, Pascale Petit,   Myra Schneider, Penelope Shuttle, Pauline Stainer, Rita Ann Mimi Khalvati, Rose Filt, Selima Hill,  Shanta Acharaya, Susan Wicks, Tamar Yoselof, U A Fanthorpe, Ruth Fainlight, Vicki Feaver. For their narrating lives of women various ways through verses, Garhwalis will always appreciate Beena Benjwal for her portraying Garhwali women through her Garhwali language poems..
     From the start of modern Garhwali poetry creation, male poets used to potrait women in their poetries. Wome poetess as Vasundhara Dobhal and vidyavati Dobhal started writing poems in Garhwali language .  Women ’s representation in Garhwali literature are now, making strong impact in Garhwali literature, specially, in Garhwali poetic filed.  Veena Pani Joshi , Neera Kukreti , Veena Kandari and  Beena  Kandari , Shakuntala Istwal, are other important females Garhwali language poets who contributed garhwali poetry by narrating women and their lives in their verses. Beena Kandari has significant  place among all female Garhwali  language poets .
      ‘Kameda Akhar ‘ is one of the important poetry collections by Beena Benjwal in Garhwali language for narrating women lives in rural Garhwal. The poems of Kameda Akhar prove that in Garhwali poetic field, the great strength of women is increasing diversity , aspiration and ambition.   In each poem of this collection, readers will find known images of Garhwali women but with different symbols, which till date no other poet could do so. Beena ‘s poems tell the truth that Beena had been experiencing many pains and happiness of Garhwali female child and a common Garhwali woman.
        It is a fact that women is a power in Garhwal. She is everywhere in social, family or political field or even in spiritual filed of Garhwal. Beena Binjwal successfully narrates various aspects of the power women power in Garhwal. And many sacrifices of women in Garhwal. The poems as Kunabud, hitnee rai, Kanai bingan, Yeen As man, ghiyan etc in this volume are powerful poems describing the images of Garhwali women in Garhwal.
  The world is changing and so there are changes in Garhwal too. Beena narrates those changes differently by different representations and shows what may go wrong by unwanted changes in Garhwal specially disturbing the ecology of Garhwal by human beings . The poems as suddi, paad ko sach, etc shows the changes in Garhwal and Beena alerts for declining situation of social values.
    The readers will find varied emotions in the poems of Beena benjwal of this volume comprising hope and hopelessness; childhood and old age; change, development and declining many social values; responsibility, courage and sacrifice of women; or all experiences of a women in her life.
   The language is simple with lots of dialects of Chamoli Garhwal. The flow of each poem is appreciable. The style or form of poems are unconventional poetry that is all poems are in prose-form(Gadyatmak rup) but with proper lyrical taste .
    This volume ‘Kamed Akhar’  brought recognition, fame and high respect for Beena Benjwal and Garhwali Sahity Parishad  Kanpur awarded Beena Benjwal by Pundit Adity Ram Navani garhwali Bhasha Puruskar
Published in 1996 by Garhwali Sahity Parishad Kanpur
   Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India 2010