LITERATURE REVIEW

Garhwali lok geet or folk music is blessed with such a divine virtue that after listening it, we automatically feel the nature of Garhwal and sense of natural melody comes in our heart. Garhwali songs or music is basically related to the various festivals, folk stories and simple life of people in . Garhwali music and Garhwali lok geet is integrated in every part of Uttarakhand. Anybody can feel the music of Garhwal once they enter in the divine land.

Number of people has done research on Garhwali folk literature but not in Translating Garhwali Folk Songs in a form of English Poetry. Even though without reference of Dr. Nautiyal ji book Garhwal Ka Lok Sangeet aur Vadya 1 as well as ‘Khuded’ geet. My research work may be half done. Dr. Nautiyal expressed the means of music which are generally used in folk songs. He published his researches with logical analysis. He portrayed the various aspect of life of through his folk songs.

On the other hand Dr. Ramesh Chandra Pokhriyal gave vivid pictures of Nanda Devi Raj Jaat 2 published in 2008. The book contained Garhwali religious Jhumeila and Chaunphula which are part of folk songs. This book is also known Himalay Ka Mahakumbh. It gives the commentary of the longest journey of the pilgrims in the world in sake of Lord Shiva and Parwati. The beauty of the nature and the peoples’ faith towards the god and goddess is enriched.

Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna published his book Dhunyal 3 in 1954 which is the first work of analyzing and classifying the Garhwali folk songs such as Jaagar, khuded geet, buraans, chauphula etc. His work is laudable and most helpful to young researchers. His contribution towards folk songs, cultural, art, music of Garhwal and Kumaun is appreciated by folk literature pundits.

Bajuband Geet 4 is written by Ramola in 1989. The folklores as ‘Bajuband geet’ in Garhwal are earlier than the alphabets would have started. Ramola provides example of saying by Sinjwik that “bajuband” folk songs are earliest of Garhwali folk songs. These folklores are older than literature and older than alphabet. His written work is inspiration to the young readers and researchers.

Lok Sahitya Sidhant aur Prayog 5 is written by Dr. Mohan Babulkar and it was published in 1980. He is one of the pillars of doing extensive surveys for Garhwali folk literature. Dr. Babulkar credited not only for his serious researches and exposures of Garhwali folk song but also he is exalted for providing extensively the characteristics of folk literature in any society or area. Dr. Babulkar provided 21 characteristics of folk songs.

Dr Anjali Capila published a book Images of Women in the Folk Songs of Garhwal 6 in 2002. She described the life of villagers living in Kumaun and Garhwal . She also picked up various pictures for the justification of Garhwali folk songs. She portrayed women behaviour mixing with nature and environment. Their living standard, languages and heritage classified systematically.

Uma Bhatt published an article Dwee Akhar 7 in 2010. This is a practical study on Garhwali education pattern. Uma bhatt suggested that everybody has to get knowledge about their culture and heritage. With the help of two words she wanted to pass the message to the Garhwalis to awake .

Along with other writers Netra Singh Aswal provided new temperament, new disposition to Garhwali poetry world. Netra Singh Aswal is the poet of that era when we saw the new wave in Garhwali poetry. Poets tried to connect poetry with the life of common man or the life of contemporary time. Netra Singh published a poem Express 8 in 1988. Netra Singh wrote very less but whatever he wrote that became witnessing to give new direction to Garhwali poems. He shown his experience in providing new form to i.e. ghazal form which was new to Garhwali poetry.

Adityaram Dudhpudi was one of the great freedom fighter, writer and translator of Garhwali poems. He translated the work of Pandurang Shashtri and Tawgyan from Gujrati to as ‘tatwadeep’. Translation of Garhwali Literature 9 published in 1985. In Garhwali literature his contribution is very innovative and memorable. He translated Geeta in Garhwali language as ‘Ghargeeta’. His translation of 24 upnishad is one of the mile stone in Garhwali literature. His work is innovative that when people were inclining towards materialism, he inspires people not to forget spirituality.

The beautiful symbolic short story Khud 10 is written by Lokesh Navani in 1999 under Das Saley Khabarsar collection of articles. In this imagery, personified , short story , famous social activist Lokesh Navani narrates the story of a Garhwali migrating from garhwal and later on returning to his mother land. Some time the writer transforms the story in a folk song which gives more effective to the readers.

Shri Kanaiya Lal Dandriyal wrote a short story in a form of poetry named Naagraja 11 in 1993. It gives us faith towards the god. The god is supreme commander of the earth so must pray as we get time. Naagraja helps us most of the time, so why not we bend our head in feet of god. He has a supreme belief in mankind. This short ballad is very themetic.

The article Gagar Maan Sagar Vala Chhan Garhwali Bhasha Ka Shabd 12 published under the collection of Das Saley. The collector and surveyor of more than 7000 provers in Garhwali language, Pushkar Singh Kandari provided intellectual and logical proofs that Garhwali is the only language in the world, which has more than 7000 proverbs. In this article, he recasts that Garhwali has words for each meaning in this world. Another article published in Das Saley under the title ‘Garhwali Kavita ki Jeewan Yatra 13 . In this article, Dr. Nand Kishor Dhoundiyal briefs about the start and slow development of Garhwali poetry. He stresses that Garhwali is the daughter of language of Vedas. Garhwali originates from prose version of Vedas. He provides proofs of dag utarano mantra, rakhwali and analogical similarity with and gathas etc.

‘Garhwali bhasha ki shabd sampada 14 ’ published in 2010 by Ramakant Benjwal. He appreciated Garhwali language which the highest number of dialect that we can use. Garhwali is sweet language. So any kind of folk song, play and story could be understand easily. There is need to keep it alive. And this could be only possible by enhancing Garhwali literature.

There are many other writers who wrote on Garhwali folk songs but did not get recognition such as Rup Mohan Saklani’ “Lodi Rikhola” Baldlev Prasad’s “Dwitiya Pathy Pustakam , Govind Prasad Ghildyal the first Garhwali writer etc.

Das Saley khabar Sar is a collection of 40 articles published in 1999. It is very rich collection of Garhwali language articles. It is an historical and appreciable work of Vimal Negi. So far a lot of work has been done on Garhwali folk songs and lokgeet.

Garhwali lok geetun ko alikhit sahitya bhandar 15 is a wonderful article which is totally based on Garhwali folk songs. In this article, famous poet of Singh Nad describes various aspects of life through his folk songs. Singh reviews the initiating poems and poets of Garhwali, importance of collection and publishing of Garhwali folk songs.

Bhagwati Prasad Nautiyal is encyclopedia of Garhwali literature. He provides the examples of those who did not forget their language in migration too, as Gabar Sing Bisht in Panjab, Shridhar Prasad , and Vimal Pokhriyal. In the article ‘ apdi bhasha aur Sanskrit tain jeevit rakhan holu 16 ’, he suggested that everyone should have proud of their language .He passes the message to every Garhwali, if anybody want to know culture and heritage, learn Garhwali language.

Baldev Prasad Nautiyal is famous for his article writing, about aspects of philology of Garhwali and creating poetry in Garhwali. He did a commendable research that is framing Garhwali dictionary 17 which was published in 1942. It is very helpful to the Garhwali readers to find out the new vocabulary so they can understand the value of language.

Dr. . R. Purohit an outstanding writer engaged in various activities , specially in cultural activities. His work ‘classification of folk drama 18’ published in 2005. Though his most of the work is done in drama field yet the shadow of folk songs – lokgeet emerged in his drama. Pandav leela, and Bagdwali.

Most of the Garhwali folk songs are either based on women or sung by women. In the article ‘ pahadi mahilaon ka jeewan man kab alo badlau19. The writer portrayed the life of women. The women are the power of Garhwal. Santosh Rawat makes aware that the ratio is 40 and 60 among educated women and men but there are only 3 percent of female employed in Garhwal , while there are 15 percent of women employed at all level . He provides the data that there are only 1638 females registered out of 14364 total registered unemployed persons in . He shows his worries that still the women condition in Garhwal is same as before independence. Therefore most of the songs are based on women.

Das Saley khabar Sar 20 is a magazine publishes from Pauri Garhwal in 1999 under the guidance of Vimal Negi, the editor and the writer. In the preface of his article he confessed that there is nobody to serve Garhwali language. Now Uttarakhand Khabar Sar became a strong and motivation platform for confronting discussion.

Narender Singh Negi is a famous singer or called Singer Samrat in Garhwali language. He has written more than 300 songs and sung number of songs. Most of the songs are written between 2000 to 2012 in two volumes - Garhwali Geetmala and Buraans 21 . His songs are based on variety of theme – such as love, war, melancholy, tranquility, farmers, nature, festivals , religion etc. He is doing commendable job in enriching Garhwali literature specially folk songs and lokgeet.