Samipya 1991 Vol 08 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 66

chasod by what the song, describes as a tentu. The Blitis used this contorptuous term for the Rajputs and the Garasias whom they considered as a lamb. This tenta asks : "To which place you Bhils belong ? Harji and Gaaji reply: "Sir, wo are the respectable people of our village". They advised him to go back lest he should be killed in an affront. But the tentu, in a moment, flashed his gun and fired it. The lead came out straight from Harji's leg. Gangji did not miss his moment and he killed tentu. The song ends thus : "Harjibhai's leg is broken. Children, come and prepare a doli to carry Harjibhai with us”.
The famines of the second half of the nineteenth century had caused disastrous effects on Rajastban and Gujarat. The contemporary Bhils composed folk songs on the famines and sang them in a group. These songs reflect their helpless condicion. "No water in rivers, no food, no blade of grass. People die". The sobgs do not attempt to estblish any relationship between the hunger-striken Bhils and the outside world. They do not blame rain-god. Nor do they blame the British or the native chiefs. It is only the immediate problem of food which makes them raise arms. And they loot whatever and whoever comes on their way. This is the profession which they know best and they feel no guilty about it. Thus they loot the queen of Udaipur who is on her way to a pilgrimage. Famine: is all around. There is no water and food. A band of robbers under Laluda's leadership is waiting for the queen's Palanquin to pass. The moment they have seen the palanquin, they pounce upon it with thundering noise. The song ends with these words : "The robbers sacked the queen. She had the golden plates and the silver cups. The robbers, after looting. disappeared".
During the famine of 1899-1901 the Bhils of the Gujarat Rajasthan border created a havoc; they plundered many towns and villages and also plundered merchants on the highway. The official accounts describe them as "criminals”. The Bhils, had however, a different self image. They were prepared to suffor for the consequences of their act, but they did not consider themselves as criminals. Their folk-songs show beyond doubt that they had a store of information about the neighbouring regions, the names of the rulers and their officials. For instance they mention the name of Joravarsingh as the prince of Sunth when they attacked that town during the famine of 1899-1901. Their folk-song describes Kirpashankar as the diwan of Sunth. But this is not all; Kirpashankar is also the batlidar or an informant--spy of the State. The song adds how during the minority of Jorawar Singh, the State had destroyed the villages. Now, an official account published in 1922 states that Jorawar Singh succeeded Pratap Singh in 1896 and that he studied in the famous Rajkumar College at Rajkot (in Saurashtra) from 1898 to 1902. It adds that Kirparam Bhagwanji Vyas was the administrator. The State was being administered by the British during this trouble some period. The work
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Swapya. April, 91-March 1992