Baadi Traditions
Other than the popular recording artists, Garhwal and Kumaon have a long tradition of wandering musicians and bards. These folk artists, known commonly as the baadi have traveled among the hill villages for millenia, carrying folk legends from valley to valley. Their oral traditions have served to preserve the old folklore and history of the Himalayas.
According to Ganesh Saili, Baadi songs can be classified in four categories:
PANWARAS or ballads:
"These are repositories of ancient and mediaeval history. Songs of valour and chivalry dealing with tales of heroes of old, especially relating to the period between 800 AD and 1700 AD. The earliest tales are those of Raja Ajay Pal of Garhwal, who subjugated some 52 chieftains in the garhs or forts which give the place its name. Then there are heroes like Kaffu Chauhan, Kali Harpal, Baga Rawat, Kunji Pal, and Kirti Pal. Dreamy memories of history are evoked at the mandans (ritual dances) in temple courtyards."
ACHARI-GEET or fairy tales:
"Songs sung at twilight as children return home after grazing their herds. Tales of ever-playful fairies, princesses, half-wits, and knaves. However all these fairies are good hearted, never malignant, as they carry away handsome young lovers to frolic in their alpine abodes."
MASAN, PRET, KHABEES, BHUT, or spirits and ghosts:
"All ghosts in the mountains are the souls of those who died a violent death and were unable to get a proper funeral - like ranbhuts, who are believed to be the spirits of brave soldiers who died in internecine wars among the tribes. They possess the surviving members of their descendants. Magical incantations known as rakhwalis are used to drive away these spirits."
JHUMAILAS or loves-songs:
"Yearnings for home in strange lands form the theme of many a love song. Homesickness is understandable in spring - as the sap begins to rise, the lilt of these melodies echo all over the vale."