PukhtunWomen

(this article first appeared in The News)

The inhabitants of Sirikot, a village nestling in the hills of Hazara in the NWFP, have always had an extensive repertoire of folk music readily available for practically any occasion, or for the sake of plain entertainment. But, with the changes in the society, music has gradually been losing its role in many spheres of life.

There was an old tradition in Sirikot when on the birth of a male child, the children of the neighbourhood would rush to the home where the birth had taken place and ask for a chicken as a token of thanksgiving, singing the following verse until the demand was met.

Wareekay koka loay kay,

Zamoonga charag raakai.

(may the baby grow up, may he be ableto kill chickens, Give us our chicken,

May he be able to climb trees, Give us our chicken)

The first thing the father of the newborn wold do was to call a professional musician to formally announce the good news by playing a ‘naghara', a kettle-shaped membraphonic instrument played with a pair of sticks.it was believed that the child would live longer if more people were to hear the sound. Thus, the player would make sure that the strident beat reached as far as possible.

The formal announcement was usually followed by celebration and festivity in the ‘zenana' (women' s section). Women used to play ‘mangay', a round earthen jar with a short neck, as an accompaniment to their songs. ‘They sang ‘taskey' (works). For example:

Sanga dey kha okral khudaya,

Pa dey kor kay dey ‘gharual' bya oghagolo.

(‘O God, how grateful we are to you. Our abode is once again echoing with sound of ‘gharyal' (an idiophonic instrument).

As a child grew up, he got accustomed to the melodious ‘allaho', And as adolescents, while the girls were expected to do the household chores, the boys usuallyworked in the fields or were given the task of ‘ajar' (herding sheep).

Playing a flute is a very old pastime of shepherds. One reason is that the quality of it sound is not affected in open spaces. Another reason is that music playing was not considered proper for any one outside the family of professional musicians. So, practice far away from the village was more convenient.

All entertainment activity of the boys revolved around the ‘hujra' (community centre). Besides a number of games, quite often a ‘majlas' (a musical programme) would be organized there, with folk tales and ballads always being the main theme. The villagers still remember one Sanober's ability to catch the attention of his audience by his virtuosity in playing ‘rabab; a shortnecked lute with a membrane-covered body made of mulberry wood.

During their performances, the audience would encourage the musicians by chanting slogans like “loy shay” (may you have a long life). The musicians would cry our “teeng shah” (get set!) to the opponent. Even today ‘majlas' is often arranged by men, which starts in the evening and goes on till dawn. The audience is welcome to participate in the singing, but one has to wait for the right moment, and is expected to stick to the basic form and melody of the song.

The kind of Pushtu folk songs rendered during the ‘majlas' are mostly ‘chaarbaita', ‘tappa', and ‘badala'. The world ‘chaarbaita' literally means four verses. Consisting of four verses each, the theme of it revolves around stories of bravery, patriotism, an some famous folk tales. ‘Badala' literally means to return, a very old form of Pushtu folk singing, is usually woven around historical events, epics and fables. ‘Tappa', which literally means ‘to jump', is such a popular form of Pushtu folk music, any villager having interest in music would be knowing a few. A Pushtu tappa usually starts with ‘ya qurban' (o' beloved). For example;

Ya Qurban!

Na ba jwanday yum

Na ba kor may da zra odaas wi

Na ba jwanday yam

Na ba wisaal da khpal yaar owinum

(O' beloved!

Once I am dead, At least my heart will not be depressed any more. When I am dead

I will not feel the pangs of separation)

The professional musicians perform on a larger scale, mostly out doors, for a larger audience. They use louder instruments that are more suited for outdoor festivities.

The menfolk of Sirikot would keep themselves entertained with music while working in the fields too. ‘Lao' (harvesting of the crop), is one of the most important events of the year.

At the time of harvesting, a professional musician is called to play a refreshing tune on his ‘dhol' (drum), which starts off on a slow tempo and is gradually increased to a very fast beat. Music helps in keeping the harvesters invigorated. When a very small amount of crop is left, the beat of the ‘dhol' becomes faster an one by one the workers start dancing to the music, amid chants of ‘loy shay' and ‘shaaba' (good work). Once the crop is harvested and set aside in separate stacks, the spectators also join in in the dancing.

Another similar event is called ‘hashar' (to cut) which mostly takes place towards the end of the monsoon season. On this occasion a professional musician provides accompaniment with his ‘dhol' to a group of people who cut grass from the mountain slopes, which is later stored and fed to their cattle.

Not long ago, announcing of any social or political event was always the job of the professional musicians. Whether it was sighting of the moon, waking up villagers for the ‘sehri' in the month of Ramazan, or announcing the start of a battle, the professional musicians with their ‘dhol' or ‘naghara' were there to do the job. During the ‘Battle of Mashwanis' (a tribe inhabiting Sirikot), against Sikhs in 1826, besides the swords, the stimulating beat of ‘dhol' played its role.

Villagers it was the beat of a large-sized ‘dhol' that drew the men to assemble at a point and prepare for the battle. The victory in a battle was celebrated with great fervour, music and dancing watched by the women from the rooftops.

As H.D. Watson also confirms in the Hazara Gazetteer (1907), “In their (people of Sirikot) black garments, with their ancient matchlocks, swords and targes, their tribal banner and their wild music, they are a picturesque sight as they crown the heights of Sirikot…”.

From the battlefield to the sports ground, in the past, a game called ‘boogdar' (literally, a heavy rock), was one of the favourite sports in this region. The ‘boogdar' used to be placed in a circle, drawn on the ground, whereas the audience squatting around the circle used to encourage the contestants by chanting slogans. When the contestant used to proceed towards the ‘boogdar', the effectual beat of ‘dhol' used to follow. The friends of the winner would lift him on their shoulders and dance in jubilation.

“Tamnar' (to aim at an object), was played not only in the ‘hujras', but was an important feature at weddings too. The bridegroom's family members were not allowed to lift up the ‘doli' (palanquin) until the groom or any other person from his side hit ‘tamanr' (which was usually a small object hung from a tree) from a certain distance. At times, it was after several days that the ‘tamanr' was finally hit and the permission secured to take the bride away. Victory of the bridegroom and his supporters was celebrated by music.

‘Chakar' (to complete a circle), is a game which still takes place on a year – the most lucrative event for the professional musicians. The ‘kolba' (a pari of bullocks), which complete the circle in the shortest time without stepping out of the circle, stand as victor. To participate in the game, ‘kolba' owners enter with their decked up pair of bullocks, followed by a procession of supporters dancing to the folk tunes. As the game begins and the bullocks run faster and faster, so does the beat of the ‘dhol'. Come the moment of victory, and the ‘dhol' is accompanied by the ‘sorna' and ‘baghal been' and of course, the dancing.

At the time of an engagements, once again, music plays a central role in celebrations. ‘Khkaara' (formal) and ‘patta' (informal) are the two types of engagements being practised in Sirikot. The formal engagement ceremony takes place after he afternoon prayers, in which the girl is given a ring or a gift by the boy's family. This is followed by an arousing music played by the professional musicians to which the male friends and relatives of the boy dance in a spirited manner. In the ‘zenana' women belonging in the boy's family sing Pushtu folk songs, accompanied by a ‘dholki'. In an informal engagement, the musicians are not invited because the ceremony is celebrated on a smaller scale.

At wedding ceremonies, a day before ‘junj' (the main wedding day), ‘roa' takes place. ‘Roa' is a procession of women that goes to the bride's house in order to observe certain customs, such as applying henna to the bride's hands. Women, who are normally expected to stay in their homes, on such occasions enjoy the liberty to walk all the way from the bridegroom's house to the bride's singing and dancing.

They also sing in ‘Hindko', the second language of the area. ‘Mahia', is a poetic love-song in which verbal expression is usually spontaneous and natural. Women on such occasions as weddings often sing a ‘mahia' accompanied by a popular folk dance called ‘kumbur'. One of the most popular ‘mahia' sung by the women of Sirikot goes like this.

Chittay chanay di chaanri,

Sargi day a taaraya, lo cha day

Chittay chanay di channri,

Way Hazaray dayo loko, taar kado,

Meray dillay day jaania, baar kado

(Bright light of the moon,

early morning star, give me light,

I have lost my ring, find it for me.

Bright light of the moon,

‘O' people of Hazara, send a telegram to my beloved

make the love of my life come out of the house)

Upon reaching the bride's house, these women either sit down and start singing wedding songs, or make a large circle around the ‘dhol' player and perform ‘kumbur'. As the dance progresses, the beat of the ‘dhol' also increases in tempo, outpacing most of the women. ‘kumbur' now transforms into a fast moving dance in which the participants break up into smaller groups forming different patterns. This fast dance is called ‘bulbulai', in which women click their fingers, clap their hands, moving by half turns swirling around.

Besides other forms of folk songs, ‘landai', ‘loba' and ‘nimakai', are also performed during the ‘roa'. The work ‘land' menas short. The theme of a ‘landai' centres around love, social and historical aspects of life of the Pathans. ‘Loba', another popular form of Pushtu music, has the most simple poetry and enchanting composition. A complete ‘loba' ranges from three to six ‘bunds' (one bund consists of two verses or lines). The first two lines form the foundation of a ‘loba' and are repeated again and again in between, and at the end. In Sirikot, the term ‘loba' is also applied to any musical get together arranged by women.

‘Nimaki' is a more elaborate version of ‘landai'. The main difference between the two forms is that ‘landai' is mostly sung by a group of girls on a weding. In a ‘nimakai' there are about three verses in each stanza. The first line is called ‘sar' which is usually in the form of question. This question is answered by the chorus in a melodious manner. Here is a famous ‘nimakai'.

(solo) Zama zra kawi dardoona,

(chorus) Khair khor wi?

(solo) Da aashna ghum rabaanday ziyat day,

mia ba shama,

(solo) Khair khor wi?

My hear is aching

(chorus) sister are you feeling alright?

(solo) I am depressed because the sadness

that love has brought, is killing me,

(chorus) Sister are you feeling alright?)

After the afternoon prayers on the wedding day, the men from the groom's family, musicians playing ‘sorna' (a double reed, conical bored aerophonic instrument), ‘zair baghali' (bagpipe) and ‘dhol', accompany the men performing ‘kumbur'. The men begin the dance in a very large circle, with three or four of them choreographing dance steps which are repeated by the rest. In between they chant a loud ‘ho!' harmonized with the beat of the ‘dhol'.

While dancing, the men hold ‘takrai' (a pair of wooden pieces similar to the Spanish castanets) the clicking of which synchronises with the best of ‘dhol'. On the back side of each ‘takrai' is a leather handle. One of the ‘takrai' is attached to the middle and forefinger of the same hand. As the groom's family and friends start heading towards the bride's house, musicians play the tune called ‘junj'.

There is another form of folk music prevalent in Sirikot, called ‘zikar' (literally, to mention or recall someone). In Sirikot, the term is used as a means to praise the grandeur of God, through music. Taken from a religious point o view, gratitude can be conveyed with the help of a musical instrument or vocally.

Hazrat Shah retired from the army in 1963 and has since been the ‘muezzin' in a local mosque. As he puts it, “At night, when the people are asleep, I go out in the dark and play a ‘zikar' tune on the flute. While I play it, I get so deeply engrossed, that I become totally oblivious of everything around me.”

Like any other milestone in an individual's life, death is also ritualized with music in Sirikot. Often first to be informed about the a death, professional musician goes to the top of a bill and plays a ‘maree naghara' (the beat of death), which is easily distinguishable from beats played on a happy occasion. The beat played as an announcement for death is more somber and heavy sounding. He plays the ‘naghara' four times during the day at long intervals. First, ‘Awalnai naghara' announces that a death has taken place in the village. ‘Dowaima' (second) is played when the deceased is being given a bath by family members. ‘Draima' (third) is played when the dead body is being taken for the funeral ceremony,and finally the, ‘Salorama' (last and fourth) is played when the body is being lowered into the grave. The professional musicians, whose income solely depends on music, never accept money on death ceremonies.

Time has changed the nature of these rituals. Increasingly, one hears announcements of death or ‘sehri' in Ramadan on loudspeakers. The ‘dhol' would never be able to compete with the noise of the thrashers at harvest time and people find it more entertaining to watch television rather than participating in a ‘majlas'.