INTRODUCTION:

Folklore is a spontaneous creation that captures the living culture, customs, happiness, sorrow, hopes, dreams and problems of any nation. The human mind and life are revealed in such a natural setting that rarely occurs in decent literature. In that sense, it is the heart of the people, the mirror of public life. In it, the urmi of the individual gradually becomes the urmi of the group, there is no gap between the urmi of the person speaking and the urmi of the group. How the mind-heart of a people works is found in the folk literature, the human mind cannot live without expressing its joys-sorrows, joys-problems etc. This expression takes place in various ways in the events that happen in his daily life, in thought-speech, behavior, developing or breaking relationships, in conflicts, in work, but folk literature, like all those different arts, is also a creation of such instincts of human beings. Folklore flourished in both prose and verse, but the medium adjective naturally suited the expression of sanghormi. Hence, most of the folklore is found to be expressed in verses. In short, folktales, folk songs, sayings, fables, action stories or songs called during various social religious festivals or special ceremonies continue to manifest in various forms such as mantras, slogans, words or tricks. Among them, folk songs are more comprehensive and have omni-topical qualities, as they cover a wide range of occasions and genres, from songs and children's songs to wedding songs, dance songs, festival songs, devotional songs, and marsias. Each caste has its own favorable folklore. And it reflects its unique culture. The folk literature of a people with a rich culture, a rich tradition, a particularly strong and virtuous people is also so rich. So on the contrary, various elements are found mixed in the folk literature of people who migrated, changed with time and circumstances.

Tribal Society: According to the 2011 census, the total population of India is 121 crore, the Scheduled Tribe population is 10.43 crore, the Scheduled Tribe population is 8.6 out of the total population of India, Gujarat has more than 6 crore population, and more than 86 lakh population belongs to the Scheduled Tribes. Scheduled Tribes constitute 14.8 percent of Gujarat's population. Out of 700 tribal tribes in India, 29 tribes live in Gujarat. From Danta to Dang eastern belt of Gujarat tribals in interior regions. In the article presented here, an attempt has been made to understand the folk life reflected in the folk songs of three tribals, Chaudhary, Gamit, Vasava etc., from the various tribes living in the southern region of Gujarat.

Chaudhary: The history of the Chaudhary caste takes us to two legends. According to one belief, the original homeland of the Chaudhary caste was Pavagadh. During the time of Mohammad Begda, the Chaudharys were one of the people who fled to protect their religion during the Muslim invasion and landed in South Gujarat. According to another belief, Chaudhary is said to be a mixed race born of a Rajput man and a tribal woman. Of course, the songs that have been found do not have any convincing details of blood, customs or details of their descent from other regions, not only from the language, content of the songs found, it is understood that their contact with town life has been increasing. The result is that elements of fluidity are found in particular proportions rather than a kind of cultural rigidity.

Looking at the form of Chaudhary songs and the address in them, one point immediately comes to mind that these people do not live in groups only on occasions like weddings or festivals, they like to do everything in groups whether it is dancing or dancing. This mass is so strong that it does not break easily. Mentions like 'Vevari Jodi', 'Nihali Joli', 'Hatari Joli', Nachari Joli, are enough for it. When the brother and sister get estranged when they get married, the couple breaks up. Talking about this broken relationship, the sisters allege breaking up the couple:

‘અંબુ મારે હેજો નાગે હાટારી જોળી ટોળાવીયે’

‘જશુ મારે બનેવી નાગે નાચારી જોળી ટોળાવીયે’

Due to their gregarious nature, these people may prefer to live in joint families. This is clear from the mentions of betrothed relatives in the song, which indicates a large family like Aya-Ato, Babo Faya, Bai, Motibai Fabihi, Favidio etc. in which parents, brothers and sisters also live in the household.

At home, elder sister helps in work. The elder sister got engaged, so now she is going to the father-in-law. The essay on the younger sister is poignant about how this loss will be - how everyone in the family will miss her:

‘મોટી બાઇ તોરે આતો એખનો

ખેતામાં કિડ જાઈ...

મોટીબાઈ તોરે આયા એખની

રાંધવાણ કીડ રાંધે...

મોટીબાઈ તોરે બાઈ એખની

પાણી કીડ ફરે...

મોટીબાઈ તોરે બાબો એખનો

બલજે કીડ ચારે....

મોટીબાઈ તોરે ફાબીહી એખની

દલ્લા કીડ દલ્લે.....’

Gist of the song: Elder daughter also goes to the farm with father, mother helps in cooking, younger brother goes to graze the ox with younger sister, goes to fetch water with younger sister and also helps in grinding flour with sister-in-law. There is also a good view of how the work is done.

Gamit: The population of Gamit tribals in Gujarat is about five lakh. Their population is mainly found in Surat and Tapi districts. They are believed to be a sub-tribe of the Bhil tribe. Those who left the hills and settled down in the plains came to be known as Gamits. At home, a song is performed to invite relatives for marriage after daughter's betrothal:

“પીવળા ચોખા મારુ કાય બાયા

વેરલા કા નાય વેરી દેરા બાયા ....

ચોખા વેરાતા મારું કાય બાયા

હાગાતીયે યેંતે વેરી દેરા બાયા......

ચોખા વેર્યા નાય મારુ કાય બાયા

હાગતિયે યેને નાય વેરી દેરા બાયા...

કાદા વરાડીયો મારું કાય બાયા

ગીયેલ કા નાય આખી દેરા બાયા ...

વરાડિયો જાતે મારુ કાય બાયા

વરાડીયેં યેતે વેરી દેરા બાયા.....

રંગલેં કાગળે મારુ કાય બાયા

વેરલે કા નયા વેરી દેરા બાયા ...

કાગળે વેરતો મારુ કાય બાયા

હાગાત્યા યેંતે વેરી દેરા બાયા......

કાગળે વેર્યા નાય મારુ કાયા બાયા

હાગાતિયેં યેને નાય વેરી દેરા બાયા......”

Gist of the Song: is a song sung for the bridegroom. At the time of marriage, it is meant for friend-friends as it is said or known to relatives from Varaksha. It is a custom in the village that yellow rice means turmeric-infused rice is placed at the door of the house for the purpose. In this song, only if this yellow rice is put in the wedding, if you have been to someone's wedding, then the wedding can happen at our house and the Rangal paper means whether or not Kankotri is given to the brother and if Kankotri is not given, then friends and friends have not come. In this wedding song, Kankotri is given. Inviting friends to a wedding and if we go to someone else's wedding, we will have people come to the wedding.

Vasava: The Vasava caste is mainly a sub-caste of the Bhil caste. They built independent villages and started to populate in large numbers, hence they were called Vasavas. They used to protect the villages during the war. This caste is also known as Vasava, Vahva, Vahavi or Vasavadane. Who mainly live in Sagabara of Narmada district, Mandvi in Surat district, Umarpada in Bharuch district, Vangiya, Dediyapada, Netrang and Tapi district in Bharuch district. In the Vasava caste, it is sung when the bride is given a pithi.

પીઠી ગીત :

“બેના પીવલી હેલદ લાગવી લે

પીપલા પાનમેં નવ વારિયાં...

બાયા ચચરી હેલદ લાગવી લે

પાલાહ પાનમે દસ વારિયાં....”

Gist: Pithi/turmeric is applied to the bride, it is placed in a leaf of a cask and then applied nine times after performing the ritual. When a satirical song is being sung for the Sama Paksha, chachari (baltara) is made by putting bitter turmeric in the leaves of Palash (kesuda) and applying it ten times. Then this song is sung.

It is a penance song sung by tribal people when they are displaced like when a dam is built or people have to leave their house, land etc. to set up a big industrial establishment. Affection for one's land, when the land is taken over by the government, people have to leave their homes, the trouble they have to face, where there is a city or where they can get their daily bread or they have to take their children out of the village. A song is sung for such suffering. It is then presented about.

“ખોટા પૈસા આમને દેદા ખેરી જમીન તુમ્હાય લેદી

ઓ કાય તારાસ આપું લોકાહાન

મુનકે બિડારી બાંધી લેદી ગાતી પાયરે થવી લેદો

ઓ કાય તારસ આપું લોકાહાન

જાગે સીટી આવી ગીઇ ખેતીવાડી ઉજડી ગીઇ

ઓ કાય તારસ આપું લોક હાન

આમી સુરત જા પડી આપું ગાવ છોડા પડી

ઓ કાય તારસ આપું લોકાહાન

ખેતીવાડી વેચાઈ ગીઈ મુનકે બિડારી બાંધાં પડી

ઓ કાય તારાસ આપું લોકાહાન

કામ કીને થાકી ગીયા જેમતેમ જીવા પડી આપું લોકાહાન

ખોટા પૈસા આમને દેદા ખેરી જમીન તુમહાય લેદી

ઓ કાય તારાસ આપું લોકાહાન.....”

Bharuch is a traditional specialty of Vasava community living in Narmada district. The last songs are an integral part of the life journey or unique way of life of the tribals here. Of course it can be said that the last is the life of his life. Let's look at the last song sung on various occasions in the Vasava community.

સ્ત્રી :પયરા તું બી અજાણા મય બી અજાણી

પયરા તુત માં નાજ્રોય અસય રે લોલ ....

પુરુષ : પયરી તું બી અજાણી મય બી અજાણા

પયરી તુત માં નાજ્રોય અસય રે લોલ ....

પુરુષ :પયરી આંખ્યા આંજીન્યા સોબળ્યા રંગીન્યા

પયરી તુત માં નાજરોય અસય રે લોલ ....

સ્ત્રી :પયરા તું બી રંગલા મય બી રંગાલી

પયરી તુત માં નાજ્રોય અસય રે લોલ .

In the Vrind dance which takes place on the occasion of this song, the young man and the young woman have chosen each other secretly, although both are completely unaware of each other's choice. So you are in my eyes with both the words pointing in front of you. Meaning you say you like me, thus this is the last song to express love.

Thus, the people of every tribal caste living in South Gujarat are seen reveling in different festivals, public fairs etc.

CONCLUSION:

The folk life of the tribal society is today climbing the ladder of rapid development and wasting away in the storm of the mechanized age. The migration from villages to cities has incorporated elements of the urban lifestyle and remains connected to its own culture even today. Hinduisation, culturalisation, re-culturalisation is seen among the tribals. Still sustains its own culture. Continuity and stability characterize change.

REFERENCE:

1. Dr. Daksha Vyas and Naveen Modi: 'Adivasi Samaj' (2001) Adarsh Prakashan Ahmedabad

2. Dr. JK Dave and AG Shah: Tribal Sociology (2004) Anda Prakashan Ahmedabad

3. Pvt. Issue of Ravi Vasava Adilok Magazine: May-June 2013

4. Dr. Arvind Bhatt (1985) Chaudhris of Gujarat, Gujarat Vidyapith

Received on 11.07.2023 Modified on 13.08.2023

Int. J. Rev. and Res. Social Sci. 2023; 11(3):155-158.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2687.2023.00024