A Cyber Magazine To Develop Terai & Nepal As Well

(A Study of Bhojpuri Oral Poetry)

Sobhanayaka Banjara : At a Glance

- Gopal Thakur
Coordinator
Bhojpuri Program, Sangam
Radio Nepal

1. Origin of the Bhojpuri language and culture:

Bhojpuri is one of the primitive Indo-Aryan languages widely spoken in Nepal, India, Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and now spread worldwide. This is the third major native-spoken language in Nepal now. The Public Census of Nepal 2001 confirms that 7.53% of the population, that comprises to 1,712,536 people, speak Bhojpuri in Nepal. Central Madesh districts; Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi and Kapilvastu; are the Bhojpuri speaking areas in Nepal whereas people in the village of Duhabi in Saptari District speak this language as their mother tongue. Besides, Rautahat in the east has influence of Maithili as well as Nawalparasi and westward has influence of Awadhi. Thus, Bhojpuri spoken in Bara and Parsa districts in Nepal is thought to be standard.

As evident from its nomenclature, Bhojpuri language derives its name from Bhojpur, which was earlier a famous town but is now a small village near the city of Baksar in Bihar state, India. The language has also been referred to as Bhojpuri. Another local and less used name is Purbi Boli 'eastern speech'. It is also called Banarsi after the city of Banaras of Bangarboli, i.e., 'the speech of Bangar'.

According to the classification by Nigam in 1974, Bhojpuri is a distinct Indo-Aryan language on its own. It falls in Bihari sub-group of the Eastern Group of the Indo-Aryan languages. It is the Western branch of Bihari whereas central and Eastern Branches are Magahi and Maithili respectively.

It has secured a very rich culture of fraternity. We can see age wise, season wise, specific time wise festivities full of cultural activities among Bhojpuri speaking communities, each of them having a specific distinct feature on its own. Except these, there is a long tradition of folklore specially told or sung while Bhojpuriyas are at physical work.

2. Oral traditions:

Bhojpuri has a long oral tradition and really the very tradition has kept this language alive on its speakers' tongue. It's a bitter truth that, due to the isolation it bears from the modern states, its modern literature has not gone so far. Even the ancient folklore is also endangered to extinct if the attention is not made in time. Besides, its oral traditions have manipulated even other languages. Due to its animate oral traditions, it successfully impresses all those who come in contact. For example, either Bollywood in India or Kollywood in Nepal, cannot get success without mixing Bhojpuri flavour in movies, though they never mention its name. This is the outcome of its strong oral traditions.

3. Bhojpuri oral poetry and folklore:

Though Bhojpuri has a good tradition in written literature recently, it has a numerous epics and ballads orally spoken and sung generation by generation. When we give a look to Bhojpuri oral poetry, we come to know that Bhojpuri has a warrior culture. Aalha, Lorikain, Kuwar Bijayee, Babu Kunwar Singh are the best examples of Bhojpuri warrior folklore. Even in Sorathi Vrijabhar and Raja Bhartrihari, we get sorts of fights and battles there. Still it is full of the epics about love and sympathy, too. Sobhanayaka Banjara and Kana Saranga-Sadabriksh are the well known among them. Besides them we can get numberless songs and poems from primitive time in Bhojlpuri to be sung on different occasions. Sobhanayaka Banjara is the topic of discussion here.

4. Sobhanayaka Banjara : A popular Bhojpuri love-story oral epic:

Bhojpuri has countless oral epics of all disciplines among which Sobhanayaka Banjara is an epic of its own kind based on real lifestyle of the Bhojpuri community. It is a ballad of love. As Indo-Aryan culture came under effect of caste system, how could Bhojpuri culture be an exception? Of course, Bhojpuri society is also full of castes and creeds. During the medieval period of the rise and fall of numerous city-states, the trend of the folklore we get to be constructed in praise and pride of royal personalities. Bhojpuri has also numerous folklores of those kinds. But Sobhanayaka Banjara is an exception. It’s the epic where the characters are from labour class. The hero of this epic, Sobhanayaka Banjara, is a rootless trader of lower caste, probably the oilman, who makes his business by carrying goods on Bardhis (oxen). Sometimes he seems to be a member of well to do family, but not a king or a prince. The other characters, too, involved in the story are also common people. An astonishing fact we get here that there is no mentioning of any kind of warfare throughout the epic.

5. Compositional Techniques and ways of singing:

Generally this epic is sung in its own style, each line starting with 'E-Rama' or 'Rama' and ending with 'Re-Na' in a company of two singers in general. A group of women are also seen and heard singing, especially on the occasion of plantation of rice. Besides, whenever and whoever are the singers, the starting and ending of each line take place in the same manner, same music and same rhythm. The music is itself known as its very name 'Sobhanayaka Banjara' and the rhythm timing known as Deepchandi consisting of 14 beats in each bar accordingly as 7/8 beat known internationally. There are 4 bars of the rhythm timing to be played for each line starting from 4th beat.
Rama jahan lagal rahale lawangiya re na
Rama sutal rahali bari Jasumatiya re na
Rama devi jake mare chatakanawa re na
Rama jekar kanta jaihen paradesawa re na
Rama kaise uho sutal nirabhekhawa re na
Rama bari aba utheli chehaiye nu re na

6. The story in brief:

Jasumatiya, the daughter of a well to do medieval family in Tirahut, was sleeping at night on her bed. Goddess Durga, a goddess of power and welfare in Hindu mythology, slapped her in dream. The goddess told her to ask her parents for her Gahanna, a farewell ceremony for a bride after some time she has got married as the bride was not sent with her husband during the marriage ceremony in the contemporary Bhojpuri society, as her husband was about to go on a long business tour at the moment.

She awoke her sister-in-law and requested her to proceed for the proposal before her parents. Her sister-in-law shunned for a while. She went to her mother-in-law and explained what Jasmatiya had told her. Jasumatiya's mother nearly lost her temper saying she was blaming her daughter. She was still thinking her daughter was not more than a child. When her daughter-in-law swore that she was not lying, she again went to her husband, Jadu Sah, with the proposal. Jadu Sah, too, scolded her a lot claiming that Jasumatiya was still not prepared for her gawana. Now Jasumatiya fell in deep despair and started to write a letter to her husband.
On the other side, Shambhu Banjara, a tradesman in the town of Bansdiha, thought his son, Sobhanayaka, had now been a youth to have his gawana. According to the custom, he sent a barbar man to Tirahut. Jasumatiya's father sent the barbarman back denying the proposal with an explanation that his daughter was still a child. It happened thrice.

Love was growing in the heart of Sobhanayaka, too. He thought himself, 'How ignorant is my wife? Is she really a child till now or has she grown up into a beautiful young lady?' He wanted to clarify by himself. He went to his clerk, Madhawapagahiya. With his clerk, he went to Benaras, bought cosmetic goods there and set off for Tirahut disguised as a cosmetic salesman. He was blocked by different young witch ladies on the way. They all wanted to get married with him. He was even turned into pigeon and other animals by them. But Madhawapagahiya assisted him to set free on all occasions.

Sobhanayaka reached his in law town, decorated his goods in the form of a good shop and stood by to sell cosmetics. A friend of Jasumatiya went to buy something in the town. She went to Sobha's shop to buy tikulee (something bright to be stuck on forehead), sindur (to make redmark on forehead as a sign of a married woman in Hindu culture) and bangles. But he got fainted, so hypnotized by handsome complexion and body structure of Sobha. After a while she reported all the incidents to Jasumatiya. Jasumatiya herself came to see such cosmetic-seller with her 360 maids. One of her maids asked price for a blouse. Sobhaa told her that only the leader of the team could ask him for price of goods in his shop. Jasumatiya came in front now. Sobha observed that she was in her full youth. He said to her, 'you are a full young lady and still you are marketing yourself. Why? I am a friend of Sobha. I will report it to him.' She immediately recognized Sobha and fled in shame hiding her face stretching her sari on her head.

At her home, she also thought a plan to fool Sobha then and there. Having approval from her father, she set off for a pilgrimage. On the outskirt of the town, she ordered her servants to stretch her tent and to make constables high on alert so that Sobha could not leave town against her will. Sobha, too, returned along the same way with all his belongings. The policeman charged him to pay tax of immigration. Sobha said, 'I have never had to pay any tax here before. But why you are compelling me today?' The policeman tied him in rope and lay him down in the tent. Jasumatiya sent a message to him, 'If you have chicken here in your food, you will be set free.' Sobha wanted to get freedom at any cost. He accepted the condition. But Jasumatiya didn't want to defame her husband. She sent mutton instead of chicken. Sobha ate it thinking chicken only. He returned back to his hometown, Bansdiha and Jaumatiya back her home.

Getting approval from Sambhu Sah, Sohbanayaka went to Tirahut with full preparation and returned back home with Jasumatiya having gawana with her. During the night of Kohabar (honeymoon) Sobha stunned her about the incident at the market. Jasumatiya, too, responded with the incident of chicken in meal. Sobha felt ashamed. Later, he took breath of satisfaction when Jasumatiya explained the truth.

In the meantime Shambhu Sah made his son aware of his business that it was worsening, so, Sobha had to set off for Morang region with a caravan of bardhis for bringing it back on track. Sobha made preparations immediately. Groceries were loaded on the back of 1600 bardhis and he left for Morang with his caravan without any delay.

He made a halt during night a bit away from his town. While he was about to sleep, he heard a swan couple communicating each other. They talked to each other, 'the one, who is enjoying honeymoon tonight, will get a brilliant son. Diamond will fall when he weeps and pearl when he laughs.' Sobha realized his mistakes and asked the swan to carry him on his back to his house that night. The swan took pity on Sobha and flew carrying him on his back to Bansdiha. Sobha reached his home to Jasumatiya's quarter.

He knocked at Jasumatiya's door. She got surprised at first but let him enter a later. Sobha enjoyed honeymoon night. He gave Jasumatiya his handkerchief as a sign of his urgent arrival. He also explained all about the situation to his younger brother, Chaturgun, and again went back sitting on the back of the swan to look after his business.

Consequently, Jasumatiya became pregnant and her nanad (sister-in-law) became furious to know it. She blamed Jasumatiya of having some illicit relation with someone else. Though Jasumatiya explained each and every thing to her and showed the hanky given by her husband, her nanad didn't believe and boycotted her from society.

Chturgun followed her to help. He started to earn livelihood by selling his physical labor in the contemporary society. Jasumatiya gave birth to a son. Nanad was still following her to deceive. She had the infant child thrown into a clay-pot chimney and Jasumatiya was thrown in the hands of professional murderers.

The murderers took her in jungle. She persuaded them to sell her instead of slaying. They also took pity on her. Jasumatiya was sold to Deepchand, Sobhanayaka's bahanoi (the husband of his elder sister) for nine hundred thousand gold coins. The criminals displayed liver and heart of a dog to Jasumatiya's nanad. Fortunately, the infant child was, too, recovered live from the chimney and was being grown up at the potter's house.

Goddess Durga now felt pity on Jasumatiya. She set off for Morang liberated Sobhanayaka from the grip of witch beauties. Sobhanayaka arrived at his bahanoi's house to pay the debt he had drawn from him earlier for the business. She saw Jasumatiya there in the kitchen working as a cook. They both met each other. Sobhanayaka came to know about all mishaps in the past. He returned back to Bansdiha with Jasumatiya. Keka Potter was called on to return the child. But he denied saying her wife had given birth to the child. It was examined. Jasumatiya's breasts started dripping milk. It proved the child was hers. Sobha killed his sister by pushing her in a pit. Chaturgun was made master of the family. The couple with their child lived happily again.

7. Character Sketches: Sobhanayaka, Jasumatiya, Chaturgun and others

Sobhanayaka is a typical Bhojpuri hero of the story. He bears a good moral character. When we go through the story, we learn that he has been trapped twice with witch beauties, once when he sets for his in law's house in Tirahut and next in Morang. In both cases we learn that the witches have turned him into sheep due to his handsome complexion. It proves that he was not interested in women except Jasumatiya, his wife. He also proves himself as an obedient son as he sets off for his business of groceries immediately after his father orders him. He doesn't care even for his honeymoon. At the same time, he soon becomes responsible to his reproductive duty got inspired by the swan couple.

Besides, he looks feeble, as he doesn't inform his parents about passing his honeymoon night with Jasumatiya. Because this is only the root cause of misfortune in Jasumatiya's life. But it represents the contemporary social set up in which the son and daughter-in-law are shy enough to explain about the sexual intercourse between them.

Jasumatiya stands in this story as a typical representative of Bhojpuri women. She bears a strict Hindu woman character. She bears all sorts of mishaps with her but doesn't flee from her responsibility. In the humorous episode, she fools her husband but doesn't defame him. She compels him to have chicken, which was inedible in the contemporary society but sends him mutton in reality. It proves she is solely dedicated to her husband. During her departure from father's house she provokes her husband to demand for the calf that represents the fortune there. It also proves her loyalty towards her husband. When she is sold to Deepchand, she hides reality but escapes his lust of marriage with her saying she will do it only after 13 years of meditation. It shows she is strict and tactful too. She may be compared with Sita and Damyanti who protected the women's ideal at every cost.
Chaturgun has also played a good role to help Jasumatiya in crisis. But he looks feeble enough to be aware of the intrigue by his sister. The plot makes it clear if he was cautious and bold Jasumatiya would not have been fallen to the grave crisis.

Deepchand and others are foible characters in the story.

8. Places and their importance in the epic:

The story is basically a representation of Bhojpuri speaking area. Therefore, the places mentioned in the epic are real, to be found in the adjacent territories.

Morang: In this folklore the business tour of Sobhanayaka to Morang is at center. Morang is still a Terrain district in Eastern Nepal, famous for agriculture. When we go through the history, we learn that tradesmen from southwestern part of the Gange's plain used to go to Morang with the caravan of their oxen with groceries and returned from there with agricultural products.

Tirahut: The central-east part of the Gange's plain is known as Tirahut or Mithila, once ruled by Karnat dynasty kings from their capital in Simraun Garh. This is the eastern region adjacent to Bhojpuri speaking region in both, Nepal and India.

Bansdiha: Bansdiha is still situated as a market place and a railway station in Baliya district in Bihar. It is not so far from Bhojpur, which is thought to be the origin of Bhojpuri language and culture.

9. Social aspect of Sobhanayaka:

The epic is the representation of a closed Hindu society. Because of different sorts of invasions in the region that also destroyed and defamed the social set up, the tradition of child marriage started in the society. Because of this, the bride and bridegroom were married in childhood but the bride was not sent to her in law's house. Consequently, the bridegroom family used to force for gawana and the bride family tried to escape it for some time.

The dowry system is also displayed in this epic. Jasumatiya indicates her husband to demand the calf, which is thought to be the symbol to wealth there. It expresses the loyalty of a daughter is always towards her in law's welfare, not for her parents'.

Sobhanayaka Banjara extends typical examples of social set up of the then Bhojpuri society.

10. Cultural aspect of Sobhanayaka:

Sobhanayaka disguises as a cosmetic-seller while he goes to find out whether his bride is still a child. It is so because the contemporary Bhojpuri culture doesn't allow a bridegroom to be in his in law's house before gawana. The context of Sobhanayaka's capture for tax and a compulsion for him to have chicken in meal and the secret change in it are all for defense of Bhojpuri Hindu culture where chicken was not allowed to eat. That's why Jasumatiya sent mutton instead for her husband even in captivity.

11. Religious Aspect of Sobhanayaka:

This epic is a reflection of traditional Hindu religious assumptions. Goddess Durga is thought to be the goddess of power. In the epic, Durga has herself made aware Jasumatiya of her husband's departure to Morang. The goddess has also freed Sobhanayaka from the witch beauties.

Besides, the dedication of Jasumatiya towards her husband remains sacred throughout the story; even she bears all sorts of crisis in her life. She is boycotted from society, banished from the town, nearly killed, sold later, her child is dispersed; but she neither loses her courage nor violates the religious norms of devotion to husband though she might be considered feeble in the current context of feminism.

12. Financial Aspect of Sobhanayaka:

This epic reflects a rich and long tradition and importance of trade in the adjacent territories. The epic represents the prosperous grain farming in the Himalayan Terrain as well as a strong tradition of trade, especially of groceries in the region southward. This is the best example of harmony between trade and agriculture among the whole society in the region. The region is displayed peaceful as there is no incident of robbery or looting mentioned with the caravan trade. It represents a stable economy in the region contemporarily.

13. Humors, Satires and Pathos in Sobhanayaka:

Going through the incidents of disguising Sobhayayaka as a cosmetic-seller and his abduction by Jasumatiya just fool him as revenge, we get good examples of humors. It becomes clear enough when Sobhanayaka and Jasumatiya talk to supercede one another during their honeymoon. It can also be taken as satire to the contemporary society, especially for rigidity in the parenthood.

The incidents of the boycott, sale, and attempted murder of Jasumatiya are all satires to the society on its conservative thinking and feebility of a husband to hide reality of sexual intercourse even with his wife.

These incidents are examples of pathos also, that have made the story realistic and interesting.

14. Conclusion:

Since long ago, from the pre-historic period, people used to guide the society by creating different kinds of folklore and so did Bhojpuri forefathers. This epic is still significant in the current society about how to make a balance between day-to-day business and the issues of humanitarian concern that is essential for a peaceful and pleasing life. Now it's up to us, how to protect, enrich, foster and utilize such treasures of humanity.