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APRIL, 1911.)
SONGS OF THE MUTINY
123
SONGS OF THE MUTINY.
BY WILLIAM CROOKE (LATA L.C.S.) Tussx songs were collected some time ago chiefly by Ramgharib Ohaube, who remarked that the Mutiny had very deeply itapressed the overwhelming power of the English on the whole population of the districts affected by it. The higher classes bid this impression, but the lower orders had no compunction in composing verses in honour of the British victories, and such songs are to be found all over Northern India, still upon the lips of the people. Ramagharib Chaube remarked also that for this reason it is worth while recording these Mutiny Songs as an indication of the real feeling of the people on the subject fifty years after the occurrence. Native editors and publishers are now collecting and printing them.
The particular collection now given has all the usual characteristics of popular Indian songs, meant to commemorate historical occurrences. The songs only vaguely allude to history and put into homoly language matter of purely local interest, chiefly in set forms of words which would do duty for almost any point connected with the subject. -Ep.]
No. I.
Meerut, 1867. Sung by the Gdjar women of Sahdranpur.
Text. Logon na lase shal dosbale: mere pyare ne låge rumal.
Mirath ka sadar bazar hai; mere adniya late na jane. Logon ne lûte thalt katore; mere pyare de lûte gilas,
Mirath kd sadar bdrar, etc. Logon no late gole chhuhâre; mere pyare ne lote badêm,
Mirath kd sadar baz@r, etc. Logo no luţe muhar asbarfi; mere pyare ne lato chhadam. Mirath ka sadar bázdr, etc.
Translation. People got shawls, large and small; my love got a kerchief.
There is a great bizdr at Meerut; my love did not know to plunder. People got dishes and cups ; my love got a glass.
There is a great bdzar at Meerut, etc. Peoplo got cocoanuts and dates ; my love got an almond.
There is a great bdzdr at Meerut, etc. People got coins of gold; my love got a hall-penny. There is a great bdsdr at Meerut, etc.
No. II.
Fyzabad, 1857. Sung and recorded by Banda 'Ali Sayyid of Unahi, District Faizabad.
Text. Rana Bab&dar sipAbt Avadh me dhum machái, more Râm re. Likh likh chithiye, Lât ne bheja ; "an milo, Râns Bhat re. Jangi khila't Landan se manga dan, Avadh men Sabah banás, re." Jawab sawal likha Rânâ ne: "bam se na karo chaturat re.
