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August, 1926 )
MARRIAGE SONGS IN NORTHERN INDIA,
153
MARRIAGE SONGS IN NORTHERN INDIA. FROM THE COLLECTION MADE BY THE LATE DR. W. CROOKE, C.I.E., D.C.L., F.B.A.
(Continued from page 133.)
Songs at various ceremonies. With Explanations by Ramgharib Chaube.
1. A Kangan Song. Recorded by Kanhayya Lal, a School teacher of Kaskoli, District Agra.
Explanation by Ramgharib Chaube. The ceremony of untying the bride's kangan is a survival of a custom of marriage by abduction, when there was a struggle between the bride and her husband, afterwards ceremonially represented by a mimic struggle.
Te.ct. Kangan ki ghuri gai ganthi : kholo mêrê Ramjiwana. Raj lagat uri gaf Ahalya ; tum Marich subhavhana. Toryo dhanuk Janak ke dware : kahai gayo so zor ghena ? Kangan ki ghuri gai gâñthî : kholo mere Ramjiwana. Boli leu Kekai Sumitra, tumhare åp mata. Kai bolo Kaushalyaji kûn : janai dhari garab jana. Kangan ki dhuri gai gauthi kholo mere Ramjiwand Hari jau kai Janak sutà son, jaten tiharo pran thana. Karo nihoro kai bhanjini ko, den kaho kachhu ap dhana. Kangan ki dhuri gal gånthi kholo mere Ramjiwana. PAti Ram; Ram sakuchane chit man lagyo dharani tana. Khulati na gååthi bhai ghun gashi Janak Kunwari ko prem sana. Kangan ki dhuri gai ganthi kholo mere Ramjfwana.
Translation. The Bride's party sings :
The kangan knot is tied perfectly : open it, Ram of my life. Like a flock of dust Ahalyå flew away, and you conquered Marich.66 You broke the bow at the door of Janak : whither has gone that power now? The kangan knot is tied perfectly : open it, Râm of my life. Call Kekai and Sumitra, your own mothers.66 Or call Kaushalya : she'll be so proud to have borne you. The kangan knot is tied perfectly : open it, Ram of my life. Or be defeated by the daughter of Janak, with whom you are now contending, Or fawn upon thy sisters-in-law and give them some money.7 . The kangan knot is tied perfectly; open it, Råm of my life: says Pati Râm 68: Rama felt ashamed and cast his glance upon the earth. The knot was not opened as it was well fastened, till the daughter of Janak was
awakened to love?
The kangan knot is tied perfectly; open it, Ram of my life. 66 All the personages mentioned in the song are those in the story of Rama and Sita.
66 All the olderly women of a family are 'mothers' to the younger people. The inforence is that if the bride-groom can't untio the kangan, his "mothers," the old women, might be able to do it.
67 Ram's sistors-in-law would be Sita's sisters. 68 The name of the composer of the song.
69 Ho thought that Sita was the daughter of Mother Earth and hence he felt that he could not win the victory and hung his head for shamo.
70 The daughter of Janak is Sita, the wife of Rama.
