Ritual songs and folksongs of the Hindus of Surinam

72 ii. Kaharavā (of the water-carriers) [The Hague in the Netherlands, 1966]

jala bhara ke jānakī lāvata hai
kethuvana ke terī gagarī ghäilavā, kethuvana ke deharī bajāvata hai - jala bhara ke...
sonana ke more gagarī ghäilavā, raghuvara ke dehrī bajāvata hai - jala bhara ke...

Sītā fills and fetches water.
- Of what are your pitcher and vessel² (made) (and) at whose doorstep do they keep sound³?
- Of gold are my pitcher and the vessel; they keep sound at the doorstep of the best of Raghus (i.e. Rāma).

2 Gagarī is a metal pitcher, ghaṛā is made of clay.

3 Bajānā idiomatically also means to have one's presence registered in the course of a duty. ‘At whose doorstep do you carry out the duty of fetching water?’