Ritual songs and folksongs of the Hindus of Surinam

[p. 136]

Titillā III
78 Ropanī and Nirā̈ī [Paramaribo, 1965]
Consequences of an incestuous suggestion¹

sātau bhäiyā ke runavali bahiniyā ho rām
söi runavali bhäilī panihārini ho rām
are bhari bhari ghäilā runavali dhara līna jagatiyā ho
köī more ghäilā uthāvahi ho rām
are ghoravā caṛhala āve jäisala biranā ho
ohi more ghäilā uthāväi ho rām
are ghäilā uṭhāvata more chuṭi gäi ącaravā ho
biranā ke pari gäī najariyā ho rām
are ghoravā to bą̄dhe bhäiyā ghore ghora rasäiyā re

1 The story in the song needs to be summarised. Brother Jaisal's glance falls on the body of his sister as he helps her to lift up her pitcher of water. His mother and bhaujā̈ī, always a devar's confidante, fail to dissuade him from his resolve to marry his own sister; he just lies there on a bed and refuses to get up till his demand is acceded to. Finally, Runvali, the sister, agrees to marry him. He makes arrangements for her bridal apparel etc. and finally carries her away in a bridal palanquin. As she passes her father's garden and the pond, she asks the palanquin-carriers to stop so that she may visit her father's garden and the pool for the last time. However, she goes to the pond and drowns herself. The last lines of the song seem to convey an indirect meaning: even her dead body cannot be caught in Jaisal's net; only her father, happy at the way the family's honour has been saved, finally manages to fish her out. The brother is left with repentance. Cp. Grierson (J.R.A.S. 1886: 249-250) where the brother's name is Hansarāj. Other authors record a song very similar to this one but without an incestuous suggestion [also recorded by us in Nieuw Nickerie and Guyana] in which one Mirzā tries to kidnap the girl and her brother tries to save her. Brother's name as Horil Singh: Grierson (J.R.A.S. 1884: 239); Jay Singh: R. Tripāṭhī ('29: 334-339; 368-380 several versions from various districts); the girl's name Kusumā and the brother's name Gangārām: B. Upādhyāya ('54: 50-51). Another version on Mirzā (H.S.B.I. Avadhī: 195).
Line X motif in many of our recordings; cp. also R. Tripāṭhī ('29: 17).
Lines XXXI-XXXIV motif in many of our recordings; also Grierson (J.R.A.S. 1884: 240).
Lines XXXV-XXXVIII, re. ban, vide song No. 75 and many of our recordings; Cp. S. Anila ('57: 248).
Lines XLVI-IL, besides the Mirzā songs, Cp. D. Siṁha ('58: 109, 110).

[p. 137]

X.

sutale cadariyā mųhavā ḍhą̄ki ho rām

XI.

are pānī datüini läi ke mäiyā jagāväi ho

XII.

uṭho beṭa karo datüiniyā ho rām

XIII.

käise maį karaų vohi datüiniyā ho

XIV.

runavali se raco more biyahavā ho rām

XV.

kā tuhų jäisara tuharī akiliyā ho

XVI.

dhiyavā se höihaį more patohiyā ho rām

XVII.

are pānī datüini läi ke bhäujī jagāväį

XVIII.

uṭho bābū karo datüiniyā ho rām

XIX.

käise maį karaų bhäujī yahi datüiniyā ho

XX.

runavali se raco mora biyahavā ho rām

XXI.

are kā tuhų jäisara tuhari akiliyā ho

XXII.

are nanadi se höihaį devaraniyā ho rām

XXIII.

pānī datüini läi ke runavali jagāväi

XXIV.

uṭho bhäiyā karo datüiniyā ho rām

XXV.

käise maį karaų runavala yahi re datüiniyā ho

XXVI.

tuma hī se raco more biyahavā ho rām

XXVII.

jau tuhų biranā re hama se lobhäilo

XXVIII.

goṛe mūṛe gahanā gaṛhāväu ho rām

XXIX.

jau tuhų biranā re hama se lobhäilyo ho

XXX.

hālī bege kapaṛā besāhäu ho rām

XXXI.

hąsi hąsi jäisara gahanā gaṛhāväi

XXXII.

röi röi pahirai runavala bahinī ho rām

XXXIII.

hąsi hąsi jäisara ḍoliyā phanāväi

XXXIV.

röi röi bäiṭhai runavala bahinī ho rām

XXXV.

eka bana gäilī dusara bana gäilī re

XXXVI.

tisare mę bābā ke bagiyavā ho rām

XXXVII.

eka bana gäile dusara bana gäilī ho

XXXVIII.

tisare me bābā kai sagaravā ho rām

XXXIX.

hina eka ḍoriyā thamāo bhäiyā kaharā ho

XL.

dekhi lëi bābā ke sagaravā ho rām

XLI.

cali calo runavali cali calo dhaniyā ho

XLII.

calalai maį bagiyā lagā̈iba ho rām

XLIII.

calate maį sagarā khanā̈iba ho rām

XLIV.

tuharā sagaravā bhäiyā niti uṭhi dekhabai ho

XLV.

bābā ke sagaravā dūlabha höihäi ho rām

XLVI.

röi röi jäisara jaliyā ḍarāväi

XLVII.

nikarai ghǫghiyā sevaravā ho rām

XLVIII.

are hąsi hąsi bappāī re jaliyā ḍarāväį

[p. 138]

IL.

nikarale runavali bahiniyā ho rām

L.

jau maį jānatyaų runavala äisa chala kariho re

LI.

nāhį maį karatyaų biyahavā ho rām

Of seven brothers (there is one) sister (named) Runavali.
This very Runavali became a water-fetcher (i.e., went to fetch water).
Runavali filled the pitchers and placed them one by one on the platform.
- May someone (help to) lift my pitchers (onto my head).
Brother Jaisal is coming mounted on a horse,
(It is he (who)) would (help to) lift my pitchers.
While lifting up the pitchers, my āncala slipped off,
(and) the brother's glance fell (on me).
The brother tied the horse up with a rope which ties the horse -
(and) lay down having covered his face with a sheet.
The mother (tries to) wake (him), with water and toothbrush¹ held (in her hand):
- Get up, son, and wash your mouth.²
- How shall I wash my mouth (so)?
Arrange (first) my marriage with Runavali.
- Is your intelligence just like you,³ Jaisar?
Is (she) from daughter going to be my daughter-in-law?
The bhäujī (tries to) wake (him) with water and toothbrush¹ held (in her hand):
- Get up, bābū,⁴ and wash your mouth²
- How shall I wash my mouth (so)?
Arrange (first) my marriage with Runavali.
- Is your intelligence just like you, Jaisar?
Is (she) from nanad going to be my devarānī?⁵
Runavali (tries to) wake (him) with water and toothbrush held (in her hand):

1 See n. 1, p. 52.

2 Vide note 1, p. 52.

3 There seems to be an attempt at punning here: Jaisar is the name and tuhų jaisī would mean ‘like you’.

4 A vocative of respectful endearment.

5 Wife of devar, the husband's younger brother.

[p. 139]

XXIV.

- Get up, brother, and wash your mouth.

XXV.

- How shall I wash my mouth (so)?

XXVI.

Arrange (first) my marriage with yourself.

XXVII.

- If, brother, you are tempted with me -

XXVIII.

(Arrange to) have jewellery made (for me) from head to foot.

XXIX.

If, brother, you are tempted with me -

XXX.

Soon, quickly, (arrange to) buy (suitable) clothing (for my wedding).

XXXI.

With repeated laughter (of happiness) does Jaisar (arrange to) have the jewellery made;

XXXII.

Sister Runavali wears (it) constantly crying.

XXXIII.

With repeated laughter (of happiness) Jaisar (helps her to) mount the palanquin;

XXXIV.

Sister Runavali (climbs in and) sits constantly crying.

XXXV.

(She) passed through one wilderness, (and) passed through the second wilderness;

XXXVI.

In the third one (there is) father's garden.

XXXVII.

(She) passed through one wilderness, (and) passed through the second wilderness;

XXXVIII.

In the third one (there is) father's lake.¹

XXXIX.

- Brother kahārs,² stop the palanquin just for a moment;

XL.

Let (me) see father's lake (before departure).

XLI.

- Come on along, Runavali; come on along, precious one;

XLII.

I will have a garden planted (immediately) upon arrival.³

XLIII.

I will have a lake dug (immediately) upon arrival.³

XLIV.

- Your lake, brother, I will see regularly upon getting up (every morning);

XLV.

Father's lake will be difficult to get (to see).

XLVI.

With repeated cries Jaisar has the net thrown in (to the lake);

XLVII.

(There) emerge (only) snails and moss.

XLVIII.

With repeated laughter father has the net thrown in to the lake);

IL.

(And) sister Runavali ('s dead body) came out.

1 Sāgara, a pond or a lake. S. sāgara: ocean.

2 The palanquin-bearers, in this case; by caste, the water-fetchers.

3 Calalai, Bhojpurī; calate or calatai, Avadhī.

[p. 140]

L.

Had I known, Runavali, that you would deceive (me) so;

LI.

I would not have undertaken (this) marriage.