MeraPahad Community Of Uttarakhand Lovers

Kukreti and Jakhmola Women Fighting With Bahuguna Women for Equal Rights 
                     (Folk Tales from Garhwal series)
           Narrated by Mrs. Damayanti Kukreti, Jaspur, Pauri Garhwal
                            Bhishma Kukreti
        A social, political, cultural or religious Movement brings other movements too. Arya Samaj Movement and Independent movements brought many innumerous movements in urban and rural India.   
              In an Uttarakhand village Jaspur, Malla Dhangu, Pauri Garhwal, Arya Samaj Movement could make awareness among deprived class (Harijan) and Harijan men started putting one Janeu (an auspicious thread). Though there were conflicts and confrontations among Harijan and upper Castes in Jaspur for Harijan putting Janeu. 
       Jaspur is original village of Kukreti settled in Garhwal long back in the fourteenth century. Kukreti brought a Bahuguna Pundit (Guru) from Takoli, Chalasnsyun for performing ritual performances. Kukreti offered land and a Kukreti girl was married to Chaitram Bahuguna in the early or mid-nineteenth century.
 In early twentieth century, there were three Brahmin families -Kukreti, Jakhmola and Bahuguna families in Jaspur. Bahuguna comes under High-Class Brahmins. In that time, there were many social norms. One norm was that Bahuguna men and women did not take Rice and Dal cooked by Jakhmola and Kukreti, especially in Feast. Bahguna used to cook food for Bahuguna people in any feast. In feast row for taking food, Bahuguna women used to sit separately or just one or two yards away from Kukreti and Jakhmola women. Another discrepancy was that Kukreti and Jakhmola men and women used to participate in Bahuguna’s marriage for fetching water, collecting wood, collecting malu leaves for Pattal, making Pattal etc. But Bahuguna women did not participate or help in the marriages of Kukreti and Jakhmola.
      The above norms created social tension among Kukreti-Jakhmola and Bahugunas. The most critical aspect was that when two sisters of Dabral Brahmin class were married in Jaspur one to Kukreti or Jakhmola and the other to Bahuguna, after marriage, Dabral sisters used to get different social statuses. The Dabral sister married to Bahuguna used to get higher social status than Dabral sister married to Kukreti or Jakhmola. Even in feast, a Dabral sister married to Bahuguna never took food cooked by her own sister married to Bahuguna. In person such discrepancy was not there. The Dabral sister married to Bahuguna did not help to her own Dabral sister married to Kukreti or Jakhmola in the marriage ceremony but Dabral sister married to Kukreti or Jakhmola used to work (fetching various works) in the marriage ceremony of her sister married to Bahuguna.
      When both the sister used to be in their Mayka (mother village) they were equal in every social norm.  This norm was creating lowness among Kukreti and Jakhmola women. Kukreti and Jakhmola women tried to fight that social fight many times for many years. However, the religious or caste system was so hard that Kukreti and Jakhmola women could not get results easily in getting equality among them and Bahuguna women.
   One day, there was a feast and Kukreti and Jakhmola women told that if Bahuguna women and men do not take food cooked by Kukreti and Jakhmola men or women they would not invite Bahuguna in feast and even would not accept the invitation from Bahuguna for their auspicious works. Due to pressure from Kukreti and Jakhmola on their men, Kukreti and Jakhmola people stopped inviting Bahugunas in their feast. Kukreti and Jakhmola women stopped participating in the marriage works of Bahuguna families. The situation passed for one or two years. At last, Bahuguna came to terms. Bahugunas accepted the terms of Kukretis and Jakhmolas that Bahugunas would take food cooked by Kukreti and Jakhmola in feast and Bahuguna women would also participate in marriage ceremony works of Kukreti and Jakhmola.
 These incidents took place before 1925 or around that time. Today, it looks the fight would be easy but that fight for equality was not easy because nobody wanted to conflict with Guru or High priest as Bahuguna.
When this author asked his mother Mrs. Damayanti Kukreti about the time period and she did not remember the exact time. She tells that her mother-in-law told such a story.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 26/5/15, Mumbai, India
Notes on South Asian,  Garhwali Folk Stories about Women Equal Rights from Garhwal, Uttarakhand; South Asian,  Garhwali Folk Stories about Women equal Rights from village Jaspur , Garhwal, Uttarakhand; South Asian,   Garhwali Folk Stories about Women equal Rights from Jaspur Malla Dhangu , Garhwal, Uttarakhand; South Asian,  Garhwali Folk Stories about Women equal Rights from Lansdowne Tehsil, Garhwal, Uttarakhand; South Asian,  Garhwali Folk Stories about Women equal Rights from Gangasalan Garhwal, Uttarakhand; South Asian,  Garhwali Folk Stories about Women equal Rights from Pauri  Garhwal, Uttarakhand; South Asian,  Garhwali Folk Stories about Women equal Rights from Garhwal, Uttarakhand; South Asian,  Garhwali Folk Stories about Women equal Rights from Garhwal, Uttarakhand, North India; South Asian,  Garhwali Folk Stories about Women equal Rights from Garhwal, Uttarakhand, South Asia   

            Loss by Information Sharing: a Garhwali Folk Story from Garhwal

                     (Folk Tales from Garhwal series-110)
                           Collected by Bhishma Kukreti
                 (Narrated by late Shrimati Kukari Devi Kukreti)
 (The Old generations do not tell this folk tale to the children they tell other common stories. The people of Jaspur tell the story when there is repetition of same or related happening or incident. The story is two sentences story for Jaspur people)
         Once many hundred years back, Ghantu Jyoru (Grandfather in law) went a high hill Layad ka Danda forest for grazing his big sheep goat herds. Ghantu Jyoru (Grandfather in law) had biggest sheep –goat herd in the village. When Ghantu Jyoru came back with sheep –goat herd at water source that was near to village, he was worried man that three goats and two sheep were missing. Ghantu Jyoru had to be worried man s within hour there would be night and it was difficult to find out those goats and sheep in dark in that Danda (Hill forest). He called to his wife from village that she could take goat herd to village and he could go back to forest for finding the lost goat and sheep. While Ghantu Jyoru was waiting his wife to take goat herds, Gabul Dada Jyoru (Gabul -Grandfather in law) came from village side.
 Gabul Jyoru asked to Ghantu Jyoru,” Uncle! What happened?”
Ghantu Jyoru replied,” I lost three goats and two Sheep”
Gabul Jyoru said,” Oh that Spotted goat and other goats?”
Ghantu Jyoru replied,” Yes! Yes! Out o five one goat is spotted one.”
Gabul Jyoru answered,” From my house I saw that those were grazing above the road in Kaunda Bhel” and he said further,” I think, at that time you already crossed that road”
Ghantu Jyoru said,” Are you sure you saw those goats and sheep?”
Gabul Jyoru answered with pride,” I have sharp memory for recognizing the animals”
Ghantu Jyoru order to Gabul dada Jyoru,” Since you saw my goats and sheep, you go and bring those from Kaunda Bhel”
Gabul Dada had to go for bringing goats and sheep of Ghantu Dada Jyoru.
“Poor Gabul Dada Jyoru had to pay penalties for sharing information”






Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 4/5//15, Mumbai, India
References

1-Bhishma Kukreti, 1984, Garhwal Ki Lok Kathayen, Binsar Prakashan, Lodhi Colony, Delhi 110003, 
2- Bhishma Kukreti 2003, Salan Biten Garhwali Lok Kathayen, Rant Raibar, Dehradun
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            Loss by Information Sharing: A South Asian, Garhwali Folk Story from Garhwal; Loss by Information Sharing: A South Asian, Garhwali Folk Story from Garhwal, Uttarkhand; Loss by Information Sharing: A South Asian, Garhwali Folk Story from village Jaspur, Garhwal; Loss by Information Sharing: A South Asian, Garhwali Folk Story from village Jaspur, Patti Dhangu, Garhwal; Loss by Information Sharing: A South Asian, Garhwali Folk Story from village Jaspur, Patti Dhangu, Tehsil Lansdowne, Garhwal; Loss by Information Sharing: A South Asian, Garhwali Folk Story from village Jaspur, Patti Dhangu, Tehsil Lansdowne, District Pauri Garhwal; by Information Sharing: A South Asian, Garhwali Folk Story from Garhwal, Central Himalaya  ; Loss by Information Sharing: A South Asian, Garhwali Folk Story from Garhwal, North India;

 Jhatri ka Pani: Garhwali Folk Story about emerging Water Source

                     (Folk Tales from Garhwal Series-112)
                           Collected by Bhishma Kukreti
           (Narrated by Shri Tribhuwan Balodi of Jhatri village, Patti-Sheela, Pauri Garhwal)
  There are folk stories about emerging new water sources and drying of old water sources in every village of Garhwal.
           There is a folk tale about emerging of a new water source in Jhatri village, near Dadamandi, Sheela Patti, and Pauri Garhwal.
 Balodi caste community lives in Jhatri village, of Sheela Patti.   Long back, Then there was no water source in the Jhatri village of Pauri Garhwal. People used to go to one mile steep down for fetching water. Long back, one day, in high summer noon, a sage came to Jhatri and asked a woman for water. The woman felt sorry and started weeping by listening request of the sage for water. After asking the reason of weeping by the sage, the woman told the sage that it was her poor luck that she could not offer water to a thirsty sage. Even there was no water drop in her pots in the house. The Jhatri woman told the sage to wait for a couple of Ghadi(time unit)as she would go to down and would fetch water.
 The sage felt pity on the villagers and they had to go steep down for water.   The state told the woman not to go down and blessed that Jhatri would get water within a couple of Ghadi in the village itself.
The sage went from Jhatri and after some time, the Jhatri woman was happily shocked that water started oozing from the place where the sage was standing. The villagers started praising the unknown sage who blessed water for Jhatri. Jhatri villagers built a Nauli/Nao at the new water source. Still today, Jhatri villagers remember the unknown sage for offering them water by his blessing.

 
Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 7/6//15, Mumbai, India
References

1-Bhishma Kukreti, 1984, Garhwal Ki Lok Kathayen, Binsar Prakashan, Lodhi Colony, Delhi 110003, 
2- Bhishma Kukreti 2003, Salan Biten Garhwali Lok Kathayen, Rant Raibar, Dehradun
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Ramisera (Rami Paddy Fields): A Garhwali Folk Story about Strong Willed Woman

                     (Folk Tales /Community from Garhwal Series-114)
                           Collected by Bhishma Kukreti
(Narrated by Shri Jagdish Prasad Shukla of Ramjiwale Ganv, Udaipur, Pauri Garhwal)
      (This story was told by a person belongs Udaipur Patti near Haridwar and the story events happened in Mathyali village, Badalpur, near Ramganga far away from Ramjiwale Ganv. Therefore, there would be differences in the story version of Ramisera.)
             There was a beautiful widow living in Mathiyali village of Badalpur (Pauri Garhwal) region. Her name was Rami and she lost her husband before delivering her girlchild. Rami had a girl child of three months old. The Padhan or village chief was attracted to her beauty and wanted to make his mistress. He offered his desire to her many times and every time Rami refused his sinful idea.
 Now, village chief started harassing Rami through his Padhan position. She was a strong character woman and did not bend before harassment of Padhan. Padhan was always angry on her that she was not coming to his terms as his mistress.
 One day, a British Officer Lat Sahib came to tour Mathiyali. The custom was that villagers used to take the state officers' luggage from one village to other village and villagers where Lat Saheb stayed the villagers have to arrange food and other facilities for Lat sahib and other government officers (Kuli Begar). Padhan was responsible for arranging transportation of luggage etc and arranging food etc for British government officials.
  The Pradhan took this as a chance to bend Rami. Rami did not have and milk-producing cow or buffalo. Padhan ordered to Rami for providing Milk for Lat Sahib. She told the Padhan about her position about no milk-producing animal with her. Padhan did not listen to her request and ordered to provide milk.
 Rami started oozing he own milk and collected her milk into a vessel. Rami handed over the milk to the store Keeper of Lat Sahib. When Lat Sahib started taking milk he was astounded by the taste. He came to know that its human milk. Lat Sahib called the milk provider. Rami was called before Lat Sahib.
Lat Sahib saluted Rami and called her as his mother because he took her milk. Lat Sahib asked for the reason for her offering human milk to him. Rami told the real story that due to the harassing tactics of Padhan she did not have any alternative except to offer her own milk for Lat Sahib. Lat Sahib ordered Padhan for leaving his village chief position immediately. Lat Sahib requested to ask Rami for something in lieu of the motherly milk he took. Rami told that she did not have any paddy field and she requires irrigated Paddy field. Lat Sahib granted immediate big plat (Area) of irrigated Paddy filed without any tax on those fields.
From that day, Rami became the owner of those Paddy fields (Sera) . Those fields were called Ramisera.


Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 14/6//15, Mumbai, India
bckukreti@gmail.com
References

1-Bhishma Kukreti, 1984, Garhwal Ki Lok Kathayen, Binsar Prakashan, Lodhi Colony, Delhi 110003, 
2- Bhishma Kukreti 2003, Salan Biten Garhwali Lok Kathayen, Rant Raibar, Dehradun
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        Why Do Kukreti not buy Land from Bahuguna in Jaspur?

                     (Folk Tales /Community from Garhwal Series-116)
                (A Famous Community Folk Story of Kukreti from Jaspur, Gweel, Dhangu)
                           Collected by Bhishma Kukreti

                    More than 600 years old Jaspur, Malla Dhangu, Pauri Garhwal is the original village of the Kukreti community. Gweel village was part of Jaspur till the recent past. Apart from the Kukreti community, there are Bahuguna, Jakhmola Negi, and Shilpkar communities in Jaspur village.
 No Kukreti buy land of Bahuguna community owned land. The saying is very famous about Kukreti should not buy the land of Bahuguna.
 There was one of great grandparents of Kukreti of Jaspur who did not have any issue. His wife was from Baguan, Dhangu. The said grandfather is related to blood line of late Bhairav Datt Kukreti of Gweel. When that great grandfather died the other brothers did not inform about death to his wife and took the deceased body to Mahadev Chatti (Ganga Bank) for funeral. Grandmother was harvesting paddy in Saud (nearby village) and when she came to know about death she took seven Kernels of seven crops and ran following Madwai (those taking dead bodies for a funeral). She wanted to become Sati with her husband. She was granted becoming Sati (burning live with dead husband in a pyre). She burnt herself with her husband. While stepping on the pyre she cursed Kukreti not buying her land.
Jaspur people built a Math in memory of Sati grandmother.
 When Kukreti brought Chait Ram Bahuguna from Tikoli and established in Jaspur for priest deeds he was offered the land of Sati grandmother. No Kukreti think to buy land from Bahuguna owned by them.
This is the truth and the story behind Kukreti not buying land from Bahuguna.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 16/6//15, Mumbai, India
bckukreti@gmail.com
References

1-Bhishma Kukreti, 1984, Garhwal Ki Lok Kathayen, Binsar Prakashan, Lodhi Colony, Delhi 110003, 
2- Bhishma Kukreti 2003, Salan Biten Garhwali Lok Kathayen, Rant Raibar, Dehradun
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