verbal art of the charua community of...

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Chapter-IV

Verbal Art of the Charua Community of Assam

The Charua people or community of Assam who inhabit the riverine

islands and swamps in and around the Brahmaputra valley comprises mostly the

migrants/immigrants of East Bengal and Bangladesh origin. As they speak a

language of their own (please see Chapter- III), they also possess a rich folklore

of which oral literature constitutes the major part. The forms of oral literature

prevalent among these people conform to the universal pattern and comprise

folksongs, proverbs, riddles, myths and tales.

Folksongs:

Songs dominate the scene of an orature belonging to the Charua people

of Assam. Composed and transmitted orally by swabhav kabis (born-poets) and

wandering minstrels having deeper understanding of the society.1 These songs

paint the simple but struggling life of a community engaged mainly in farming

and fishing. Based on occasion and various themes the songs are grouped under

different heads like Dhua gaan, Murshidi gaan, Palli gaan, Barashe or

Baramasi gaan, Bhatiali gaan, Pala gaan, Biya gaan, Magan gaan, Bengbiyar

gaan, Dharmiya gaan, Rakhal gaan, Naokhelar gaan etc.

Dhua gaan :

Also called Dhua geet and sung by agricultural workers in unison while

engaged in different farm activities like ploughing, de-weeding, these songs give

1 Ahmed, Sohrab. “Char-Chaporir Adhibasi Sakalar Lok-Sanskriti” in Char-Chaporir Jibon Charyya, (ed.) Ismail

Hussain (Sr.) et. al., Natun Sahitya Parishad, Guwahati-2009, p-109

96

them relief from the burden of labour in the sun or rain. Composed at informal

meets of swabhav kabi (natural or born poets) these songs move to the fields of

farmers to alleviate their pain and hardship.2 Such songs are known as bhab

gaan or sabda gaan in different parts of Bangladesh.3 Sometimes the lead singer

sports special colourful clothes, wears red scarf around the neck and nupur, and

dances to the rhythm of his song. Others follow and participate in the

performance in the true style of a folk performance. The lead singer is called

bayati, meaning ‘narrator’. According to Sheikh Dhua means vast open field,

and hence such songs could mean the field songs of the char-chapori cultivators,

especially in dhan (paddy) and pata (jute) fields. Some examples are –

pubae bhanu udoy hoy

pachimae jaiya asta hoy

ihar madhyae koi mile achae

allah boila deow amaye

deha amar jamin bhai

allahar gun gan kori nai

khali hatae amra kemnae tarai

foshol falai khabar lai

nirani koira foshol pai

sei fosholae amra baro mash khai

2 Ahmed, Sohrab. “Char-Chaporir Adhibasi Sakalar Lok-Sanskriti” in Char-Chaporir Jibon Charyya, (ed.) Ismail

Hussain (Sr.) et. al., Natun Sahitya Parishad, Guwahati-2009, p- 110 3 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok-Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-37

97

pala loisi ekta bhai

nirani sesh koira amara cholo bari fira jai.4

This song displays loyalty to the Almighty Allah, and a sense of

responsibility towards one’s own occupation, and an attitude of co-operation

towards community life. It carries a beautiful balance between the religious and

the secular, the divine and human. More noteworthy is the use of both Islamic

and Hindu beliefs or elements as the following songs show –

ekdin jiad more fanki diye nise

nabir rouja saire karbalate are

karbalate jaiya dekhire a’sab kafer ghiraisere

ferat nadir kule baisa ase

pani khowa bandha karsere

a’ hay hasan-hussainre.5

are janakpure ki ghatna ghatlore

lakshner bhai ram se asilore

ayi janakpure dhanuki bhangiyare

rame biya karilo sita debikre

are tai deikhya ravan rajare

joliya mare lankapurite.6

The aim or thrust of these songs is not religious, Islamic or Hindu, but

highlighting the harsh working conditions, and making people forgetful of them

4 Sheikh, M .S. Miah Muslim of Assam. Riasat and Makin. Kalgachia- 2003. p-38. 5 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok-Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-38 6 Ibid. p-38

98

through group singing. Though religious names and terms are used, human

reality triumphs over religious affiliation.

Murshidi gaan :

Dedicated to the murshid meaning teacher or guru, these songs are also

called murshidi geet. Other names given to these songs are bichar geet, lana geet

or marfati geet. The last name is linked to the fact that the songs deal with

marufat or the miracles of Allah.7 In Mymensing district of Bangladesh, as in

parts of West Bengal of India, such songs are known as baul songs. These baul

songs have a sweet mingling of Sufism and Vaishnavism, and also show

Buddhism's stress on transience or impermanence. Celebrations of examplary

spirit of unity between Hindus and Muslims are found in the invocations of

Murshidi songs -

allahar name karlam suru

nabijir charane nata kari meru

ram krishna bhagaban ohe dayamay

anusthan suru kari tomar kripay. 8

According to Hossain in Murshidi gaan and Kabi gaan there is a coming

together of Sufivad and Bhaktivad found in Kabir, Lalan Fakir, Azan Fakir, and

Dadu.9

In these songs, we also come across the hopes and despairs of a Charua

farmer dependent on the whims of nature - 7 Sheikh, M .S. Miah Muslim of Assam. Riasat and Makin. Kalgachia- 2003. p-38. 8 Hossain, Ismail. “Asomar Char-Chaporibasir Loka-Sahitya”, Viswakos vol. v, Asom Sahitya Sabha, Jorhat, 2003,

p-14 (kha) 9 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok- Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-38

99

chatak rail megher ashe

megh bhaisya jay anya deshe.10

Palli gaan :

The life of the people of char-chaporis is centred round agriculture and

palli or village located on rivers and streams. So Palli gaan or geet (village

songs) depict the day-to-day activities of the village folk, natural beauty

surrounding the villages, emotional and natural hazards like break-up of

relations, separation from the loved ones and the chronic problem of erosion. In

the following few lines of such songs we hear the melancholic strain of some

love-lorn youth, addressed to the boatman sailing away-

naiyare .... nayer badam tuila

kon dure jao chaila

bhati gange bhaital sure

banshi ke bajaiya jaore bandhu

ekbar chao fire11

In some Palli geet the despair of the landless farmers exploited, oppressed

and deprived by the landlords and overlords called jamindar, dewan or

matabbar, also finds expression-

parer jaga parer jami

ghar banaiya ami rai

amito sei gharer malik nai12

10 Hossain, Ismail. “Asomar Char-Chaporibasir Loka-Sahitya”, Viswakos vol. v, Asom Sahitya Sabha, Jorhat, 2003,

p-15 (kha) 11 Ahmed, Sohrab. “Char-Chaporir Adhibasi Sakalar Lok-Sanskriti” in Char-Chaporir Jibon Charyya, (ed.) Ismail

Hussain (Sr.) et. al., Natun Sahitya Parishad, Guwahati-2009, p-111

100

Barashe or Baramasi gaan :

The songs are sung with love as the dominant theme during the rainy

season comprising Ahar, Shaon, Bhad and Ahin (June, July, August and

September). The name is derived from barsa or barisa meaning rain or rainy

season, and baramas or baramah meaning the cycle of twelve months. During

the rainy season the farmers don’t have much to do in the fields and they enjoy

themselves singing these songs of love. At the same time we find reference to all

the twelve months by way of cryptic descriptions in these songs, and hence the

name Baramasi gaan or geet of which the following is a good example-

jasthi mase mistare fal

asar mase natun jal

a’re shaon mase kataila nari nawere

kata rasta chaiba saigo

bhadra masa hail

amar bandhu ase bidashe

aswin mase sharat ahe

kati mase akalre

aghon mase natun chailer natun bhat

pus masete ahe shit

pran-bandhu nai gharere

magh masete dukhinir paran pore

fagun mase raider jwala

12 Ibid, p-112

101

pith puira hay je kala

tar majete ahe deul

pran-bandhu mor naire

a’re baishagete asi chaiya

pran-bandhur lagiya

antar amar jwaila puira jayare.13

Bhatiali gaan :

Bhatiali comprises two terms - bhati and ali or yali. While bhati means

low-lying land, ali or yali refers to low mound or dam to prevent water from

flowing down. So the compound term stands for low-lying riverine areas, and

gives its name to the songs sung by the boatmen, farmers, cowherds of such

areas. Originating in the Surma and Meghna valleys of undivided India, these

songs have spread to other parts of Bengal, and reached the char-chaporis of the

Brahmaputra valley.14

Most of these songs are burdened with lamentations on leaving the

familiar land and people behind and sailing off towards the unknown and

unfamiliar -

bhanglo ashari bandh harailam thikana

balur chare bendhisi age janina15

ekul okul bhaira nadir uthal pathal dheure

baitha hate ami eka sathe nai mor keore16

13 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok-Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-42 14 Ibid, p-26-27 15 Ahmed, Sohrab. “Char-Chaporir Adhibasi Sakalar Lok-Sanskriti” in Char-Chaporir Jibon Charyya, Natun

Sahitya Parishad, (ed.) Ismail Hussain (Sr.) et. al., Guwahati-2009, p-115

102

Mostly sung by men, the songs have exceptions in which we hear the

lovelorn voice of women mourning the separation from the lover -

pranbandhu ar kandaia’na

katar aghat saite pari bhule aghat sayana

kandaile kandite pari nije kandite janina17

Some of these songs present the harsh reality of migration through the

river Brahmaputra-

padma haite ailam ami asameri char

barmputrai bhanglo amar seina sonar ghar

sei ghar chaira jabo kothay upaya bolna

sara jiban dukhe gela’ arto sahena18

Some writers like Hossain view Bhatiali geet as a kind of Palli geet.

Pala gaan:

When some stories are narrated in the form of Dhua gaan, it is called

Pala gaan or geet. Like the Ramayani, Krishna Leela, Ram Leela Pala gaan of

Bengal, in the char-chaporis of Assam we have Karbalar Pala gaan, Rahim-

Rupwan Pala gaan. In the following few lines of a Pala gaan we see the

transcendence of religious orthodoxy and schism-

pubate bandana karlam puber bhanushwar

ekdike udayare bhanu choudike pashar

sabha kairya bois bhaire hindu-musalman

16 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok- Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-28 17 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok- Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002. p-28 18 Ibid, p-28

103

sabar charane ami janailam selam

Hindu ar musalman ekkai pinder dadi

keha bale allah rasul keha bale hari

bismilla aru sribistu ekkai geyan

dofak kari diya prabhu ram-rahaman19

Biya gaan :

Women on the social institution of marriage sing these songs. Full of light

jest and innocence, playful teasing, these songs touch different points of the

marriage ceremony like bathing of bride and groom, applying of turmeric paste

on them, bidding them adieu, or welcoming them. Women of the bride’s party

tease the groom when he arrives at her house in the following lines -

aiso aiso re daman

rail ghora dabraiyare

eki andari rait

baiso baisore daman

amer gaser talere

eki andari rait

bhoko lagile daman

amo pariya khayore

eki andari rait20

19 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok- Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-41 20 Islam, Akhtarul. “Char-Chaporir Lok-Sanskritir Ebhumuki” in Kaisha, (ed.)Rezaul Karim, Kalgachia, 2002, p-105

104

Similarly, women of the groom’s side respond to them and tease the bride

in the following lines –

lai dhum dhum kalari kasti

jangle bhangiya pare lo dhumri

tor bapera gapeya geise

amar beti sundar lo dhumri

chaiyer kapor ghuchaiyana dehi

gariya dhanere bisan lo dhumri21

But such lighter moments are overwhelmed with sorrow at the time of the

bride leaving behind her home, parents and siblings -

maye kande akshepere

bape kande mayatere

are sonar bhaiya kande

mukhe gamcha diyare22

Magan gaan :

These songs are very dear to the young boys including the cowherds of

the chars-chaporis. They move from house to house in the evening during the

harvest season of Aghon-Pus (November, December & January) singing these

songs in accompaniment of music with bamboo stick and small cymbals,

collecting gifts in the form of rice, vegetables and coins. These gifts they use to

enjoy community feasts. A few lines form such a song are-

21 Islam, Akhtarul. “Char-Chaporir Lok-Sanskritir Ebhumuki” in Kaisha, (ed) Rezaul Karim, Kalgachia, 2002. p-105 22 Ahmed, Sohrab. “Char-Chaporir Adhibasi Sakalar Lok-Sanskriti” in Char-Chaporir Jibon Charyya, Natun

Sahitya Parishad, (ed.) Ismail Hussain (Sr.) et. al., Guwahati-2009, p-113

105

ailamre bhai hariya

hastir kandhe chadiya

hastir kandh nalbal kare

lafa bagun gase dhare23

The boys also warn the households of misfortune in case they are not

liberal enough with gifts-

je dibe chhala chhala

tar habe meyer pala

je dibe kular age

tare khaibo baner baghe

je dibo katha katha

tar haba pathat beta

je dibo muth muth

tar haibo bis phut24

Such songs have local variations of names like Magantola geet or

Kulamaganar geet.

Bengbiyar gaan :

At the onset of summer months, Chat and Bahag (March-April) the

people of the char-chapori areas become apprehensive when cracks appear on

the parched fields. In the absence of rain they fail to till their land and start a new

season’s farming. Then they sing songs celebrating the symbolic marriage of

23 Ahmed, Sohrab. “Char-Chaporir Adhibasi Sakalar Lok-Sanskriti” in Char-Chaporir Jibon Charyya, Natun

Sahitya Parishad, (ed.) Ismail Hussain (Sr.) et. al., Guwahati-2009, p-114 24

Ibid. p-114

106

bengs (frogs). Such songs are called Bengbiyar gaan or geet. Young boys, girls

and women move from courtyard to courtyard in villages, pour water on

themselves, sing these songs while dancing in the freshly created mud. Some

perform a marriage between two frogs tied to each other on the bank of a pond,

and sing these songs dedicated to the varun devata or the god of water or clouds.

Addressed to allah, meghraja, meghrani, hudumdeu some of these songs are-

alla megh de pani de chhaya dere tui

alla megh de pani de

asman hoilo tuda tuda jamin hoilo fada

meghraja ghumaiya raise megh dibo tor keda

kala kaitar dimu tomar pay

kala aiya megh saija aiya

hari chander gopalre

dhire dhire megh saija aiya

Dharmiya gaan :

The month of Muharam is a sorrowful one for the followers of Islam. The

inhabitants of chars and chaporis mourn in memory of the tragic incidents of

Karbala and those who were martyred. Their sorrow finds outpouring in songs

popularly called Dharmiya gaan or geet. The following are some lines of

Dharmiya gaan -

kandsere hussain ali bhaiyer lagiya

kandsere fatema tinar mahal dekhe khali

jayanabere dilre ezid khudwa padhib

107

khudwa jadi nahire padh marib gardene25

Rakhal gaan or Garakhiya gaan :

The boys who tend the herds of cattle are called rakhals or rahals in

chars and chaporis. To enjoy themselves and ease the monotony of their job at

hand, these rakhals sing zestful, sometimes erotic songs like -

barir aina dakshin pashego

a’ daima kiser badya bajego

amar daima, daimago26

In some rakhal songs we come across expressions of emotion flowing

from the lovelorn heart-

bandhur bari amar bari madhye kshir nadi

uirya jaowar sadh chhil, pankha diya nai bidhi

bidhi jadi dita pankha uiryae jaiya kartam dekha

uirya partam sonabandhur gayare27

Naokhelar gaan :

Nao (boat) is the main vehicle of conveyance in riverine char-chapori

areas. It doubles as a home during the time of flood, erosion. This lifeline is also

used as an instrument of play and pleasure through the organisation of friendly

boat races or naokhel. During such races the participants sing in chorus,

following the lead of the chief oarsman or pradhan baisa-

baisa tan diyare


Sahitya Parishad, (ed.) Ismail Hussain (Sr.) et. al., Guwahati-2009, p-114 26 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok- Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-64 27 Ibid, p-65

108

jabai karbo khasi

mandiyar hate jaiya

kinbo danter meshi28

allar nam bal nam bal

nam balre bhai

ore alla bine ei jagate

ar to gati nai29

In many of the songs we find invocations of Rasul, Saraswati, Prabhu

Niranjan, Narayan and reference to Hajarat Muhammad, Radha-Krishna,

Sankardeva, Ajan Fakir, as significant specimen of religious harmony in practice

as opposed to religious rigour and polemics.30

Such a pattern is also noticed in other forms of folksongs belonging to

this community like Dariya pirar gaan, Gazi pirar gaan, Satya pirar gaan,

Banbibi or Banadurga gaan, Neel gaan or Chasi gaan, Sakhipata gaan, Bhasan

or Rayani gaan, Bichhed gaan, Lathibari or Sardarbari gaan.

Rhymes:

The community is also rich in loka pad (folk rhymes). Most of these pad

or rhymes are lullabies and rhymes related to different plays and activities.

Ghumdeowa gaan:

These rhymes are quite musical and sung to make infants sleep or stop

crying. Usually women or mothers perform it with the infants on their laps,


Sahitya Parishad, (ed.) Ismail Hussain (Sr.) et. al., Guwahati-2009, p-113 29 Ibid,p-113 30 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok- Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-66

109

sitting on a mat inside the house or in the courtyard. Some examples of lullabies

are-

aya chand uriya

bhat dim bariya

uinya aile ghora dim

baisya aile nao dim

amago sonare ghum diya ja

amar mayana hase

sonar nupur paye diya

jhumur jhumur nache31

Plays with rhyming couplets are lathibari or sardarbari khel, bou-si khel,

tankibari khel, dolan khel, pani or dhou khel, gola-chhot khel. Examples of such

rhymes are-

a’re asilam baluchare

uthlam naye

bajailam khat khati

ja kare shyam rayere

(lathibari khel)

chhi tare karsi ki

ghantar age douraichhi

ghantar age baner bagh

31 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok- Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-70-71

110

phencha marum jak jak

(bou-si khel)

ekdari duidari tindari tarabari champa

pailam lanka

eri duri theri chaul champa

dhek lanka

(tankibari khel)

julungkati piyara

buiner jamai kaldara

buiner niga ansa ki

aya shala kan muchhri

(dolan khel)

chhot ganger dheu bar ganger dheu

maijlya ganger dheu uthise

chhot chhot chengrigular bhatar asiche

chhot nadir dheu

bar nadir dheu

itu itu chherirya

jyamadarer bou

(pani khel)

golladari swai

khaite bhal goalparar

111

gamchay bandha dai

(golla-chhot khel)32

Folk Sayings:

Oral lore of the chars and chaporis has a good stock of lokokti (folk

sayings) comprising proverbs, maxims and riddles. The following are some of

the examples of proverbs, sayings or maxims Charua people use in their day-to-

day life -

chhera marda chheri mai

dehi murgi bahan gai

ei kayjaner bishwas nai

(Young boys and girls, egg laying hens and heifers are not to be relied upon.)

preme chinena jat-bejat

ghume chinena shmashanghat

khidaya chinena panta bhat

(Prem or love does not know caste, sleep does not know cremation ground and

hunger does not know fermented rice.)

ghas chhara garu

tale chara charu

shipa chara gachh

pani chara machh

(Cattle without grass, pot without bottom, tree without root, fish without water-

all the same.)

durer pathe beti


112

barir bogle mati

(Bride of a far off place and land near the home should be preferred.)

nijar lagun parak diya

bamun mare hutasiya

(The Brahmin gifts away his sacred thread to others and suffers from despair

himself.) nakhayo arje dhan

tak khabar nede narayan

(One who only hoards rice, is not given anything to eat by narayan (god).)

bar at kakraler ter at bichi

(Twelve arms length of bitter gourd has thirteen arms length of seed- the

solution is worse than the problem.)

nai mamatke kana mamai bal

(A blind maternal uncle is better than no uncle- something is better than

nothing.)

moise moise narai

moidde nal khagarer maran

(In the narai or fight between two buffalos die nal and khagar (reed and grass).)

das beda adar nati

maran kale budhi napay mati

(The old woman gets not a piece of land at her death as she has ten sons and

eighteen grand sons.)

samayer kata asamaye kay

gale muhe char khay

113

(One who opens his mouth at the wrong moment, gets only slaps on the cheek

and face.)

Such proverbs and sayings have an acute and fine sense of observation of

the social life world the Charua people inhabit. The use of appropriate

associations, analogies and metaphors available in the immediate natural and

social surroundings, and cultural heritage across rigid religious, regional spaces

is striking.

Riddles constitute an important clement in the folklore of any community.

The char-chapori people do not lag behind others in this respect. In the Charua

or charia language riddles are called man. These man are framed briefly in a few

rhyming lines that give them some kind of rhythmic balance. Such cryptic

questions have unexpected answers in a word or two. Riddles are more

intellectual and quizzical than proverbs or maxims but rather limited in effects.

These are live word games savoured by the Charua people in times of leisure

and festivity like marriage, gossiping get-together of women and girls, long walk

and boat journeys, domestic gossiping at moonlight nights.

The following are some of the riddles or man prevalent in this community

across the state of Assam -

ghar ase duar nai

manus ase katha nai

Ans: kabar (grave or tomb)

gasar upurot guti

gutir upurot gas

114

Ans: anaras (pineapple)

pet ase aturi nai

hat ase matha nai

Ans: genji (banyan)

rajather koli gai

ak piyanat mori jai

Ans : kalgachh ( banana plant)

rajar barir atti

niti khai natti

Ans: dheki (wooden de-husking beater)

jak kate si nakande

jai kate si kande

Ans : piyaj (onion)

tin akhare nam jar

panite bas kare

madhyer akhar bad dile

uirya jaite pare

Ans : chital (a kind of fish)

khaile mare bairyale sare

eman jinis ki hoite pare

Ans : nangal (plough)

janma dhala karma kala

komre gur guri har

laf diya ahar kare

115

urdhe anga tar

Ans : jahi jal (throwing net)

mukher kasei pai

chhot bar sabai pai

tumio khawa amio khai

tabu pet je khali pai

Ans : chuma khoa (kissing)

tumi thak khale

ami thaki dale

tomar amar habe dekha

mouter kale

Ans : mas ar jala ( fish and chilli)

Thus, the riddles called shastar or man in Charua language inhere

different facets of the community life while the participants get instant

intellectual enjoyment akin to what accrues form cracking a mathematical

problem or a conceit of the class of metaphysical poetry.

Myths and Tales :

The community possesses a wealth of myths and tales which are not as

varied and numerous as the songs and rhymes. This could be due to the fact that

it is an emerging community and suffers from some kind of instability resulting

from natural and political factors. Constantly on the move, on migration, its

daily experience and existence of struggle with elements of nature creates and

sustains songs which are appropriate to the lyric mode.

116

The myths of char-chapori people of Assam have both Islamic and Hindu

elements and flavour. Heavily tinged with fancy and imagination, these stories

have little to do with reality. Even then, the people use to carry and live them

along as part of their collective memory on the one hand and as a way of

understanding certain intractable mysteries surrounding them on the other.

Though the mysteries have cracked under the impact of science and technology,

myths continue to throw light on such progress on the rebound and provide some

spice in the form of metaphorical antidote to the monotonous ways of scientific

reductionism. Some of the myths still alive among these people are Bhumikampa

ar Sandgaru (Earthquake and Bull), Murga ar Behesta (Cock and Heaven),

Surjya ar Karbalar Tez (The Sun and Blood of Karbala), Budhi ar Akash (Old

Woman and Sky).33

In the myth of Bhumikampa ar Sandgaru the earth is believed to be

resting on the back of a huge bull on the opposite side. At intervals, the bull gets

tired and suffers from backache, and tilts on its legs to get some relief. This

shifting of position and weight by the bull disturbs the equilibrium and sends a

shiver through the earth. This is earthquake. Though it appears farfetched in the

light of modern geology and seismology, one is impressed by the flight of

imagination and metaphorical validity associated with it. Another notable feature

of this myth is the complete absence of any Islamic trace. Throughout the

cultural, linguistic continuum the myth is similar with replacement of the bull by

a hathi (elephant), a kacha (tortoise) or a nag (cobra).

33 Hossain, Ismail. Asomor Char-Chaporir Lok- Sahitya, Banalata, Guwahati, 2002, p-19

117

On the other hand the paradigmatic event of Karbala still holds sway over

the psyche of the community. Using hyperbolic exaggeration and epic simile,

they keep alive the memory of that martyrdom and tragedy in the myth of

Karbala ar Tez (Karbala and Blood). In this archetypal story, the sun sets in the

west making the sky awash with reddish colour like that of ripe tomato. Such

colour is believed to have come from the blood of the heroes of Karbala,

Hassan-Hussain. In this myth there is no trace of Hinduism, but significant direct

and indirect traces of Hindustan in the use of tomato analogy and perspective of

the western sky are perceived.

Viewed together, the above two stories form a magical link in the poetics

of this community’s identity.

Unlike myths char-chaporis are quite rich in folktales. Some of the tales

the people of these areas enjoy telling and retelling are Rahim-Rupwanar Kahini,

Changdourar Kahini, Naukar Kahini, Bayada Pariyalar Kahini, Chaidhya

Ujirar Kahini, Phulmatir Kahini, Madhumatir Kahini, Beula-Lakhindarar

Kahini, Aichachor- Paichachorar Kahini, Nal-Parir Kahini, Banecha Parir

Kahini, Kalu-Gazir Kahini, Chhayphul Mulakar Kahini, Badiujamanar Kahini.34

The community also uses other terms like kista/kissa or galpa to name such tales

or stories.

Of all these tales Rahim ar Rupwan occupies the place of pride because of

the level of the its prevalence, moving combination of elements such as


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superstition, fate or destiny, love and sacrifice, and publication by Asam Sahitya

Sabha. The story runs like this-

“In olden days there lived a king called Ekabbar in the kingdom of

Mymensing. As the king was without any children, people thought it

inauspicious to see his face in the morning. This made the king sad and he

consulted his astrologers to know if he could at all become a father. They

predicted a son for him but with a rider: the son would be under the impact of an

evil star and his life would be full of suffering. They had a remedy for it: on the

twelfth day of his birth the son should be married to a twelve year old girl and

both should be sent away to forest to live there. Otherwise the son would die at

the expiry of twelve days after his birth. So saying, the astrologers gave a tabiz

(charmed amulet) to the queen and advised her to wear it on her left arm.

The queen gave birth to a son in time and he was named Rahim. After

much futile search, the king found that his chief uzir or minister had a twelve

year old daughter and asked her hand for his infant son. As the uzir refused such

an absurd proposal, the king put him behind the bars and inflicted tortures upon

him. Rupwan could not bear this and agreed to the marriage to free her father.

After marriage, Rupwan left the palace carrying her infant husband and

entered the forest, weeping all the way. As a tiger appeared from nowhere and

wanted to devour Rahim, Rupwan begged for mercy in the following lines of

moving verse-

khaiana khaiana baghre

a’ baghre khaiana mor patire

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baner bagh baghre

bardiner patir sanere

a’ baghre kon kanyar hay biyare

baner bagh baghre

But the tiger was insistent. At this moment the banaraja (forest king)

intervened and rescued Rahim and Rupwan from the tiger, gave them safe

shelter and passage out of the forest. Traversing some distance, they came to a

big river. Rupwan gave away her diamond necklace to the boatman who ferried

them across.

On the other side of the river they entered the kingdom of King Sayed

(Sayed Badsah). Rupwan managed to stay with a malini (female gardener) and

Rahim grew up to be a young boy. Acting as the son of the malini, Rahim got

admission into the royal school with princess Tazel as his classmate. A time

came when Rahim and Tazel fell in love with each other. Rupwan continued to

look after Rahim even knowing this development. Tazel pleaded with her father

for marriage with Rahim. But King Sayed became furious and made Rahim

captive. Rupwan came forward to rescue him. She approached the king and

revealed everything, including the fact that Rahim was the son of king Ekabbar.

This was much appreciated by King Sayed who promptly solemnised the

marriage of Tazel with Rahim who also accepted Rupwan as his wife. After this,

the king sent them off to the kingdom of King Ekabbar with hoards of wealth,

accompanied by an army of soldiers. On their arrival King Ekabbar’s joy knew

no bounds and he put Rahim in the throne.”

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This story has all the elements and motifs of a type of folktale like evil

star, soothsayer, magical remedy, separation, discovery and reunion or

reconciliation of a quest story, a lost and found story. Except the names of the

characters there is nothing particularly Islamic about this story, which has close

affinity of content and form with fairy tales of other lands or community.

Taken together, the songs, rhymes, proverbs, riddles, myths and tales

paint the picture of a society whose members thrive on agriculture and fishing,

living a simple but struggling life in the midst of nature, in sun and rain,

highlighting a fair degree of social and cultural homogeneity or universality in

the form of practices and beliefs.

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verbal art of the charua community of...

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