Kotra Baina : A folk
hero of Kalahandi folk epics of Western Orissa
Folk epic is known as
one of the most important genres of folk oral tradition.
This genre is found mostly in the non-literate societies.
“Folk epic songs”, writes Felix J Oinas (1), “are narrative
poems in formulaic and ornamental style dealing with the
adventures of extraordinary people. They are traditional,
that is, handed down by words of the lips as distinguished
from literary epics, attributed to definite authors”. (Oinas
: 1972 : 107).
Folk epic is transmitted
orally from generation to generation. The folk epic bears
the heritage of a land and people of great importance. The
hero of a particular culture is commonly adopted by all
the castes as their own ethnic hero. In the folk epic the
hero is not only the embodiment of super-human forces, but
also endowed with supernatural and divine powers. Thus,
there is little distinction between man and spirit in folk
epics. Sometimes, in some epics God incarnates as the epic-hero.
The epic is found both
in folk and elite traditions of India. The Ramayana and
the Mahabharata are the classical epics of the Sastriya,
which reflect the culture of this land from time immemorial.
Besides these, written epics have a parallel and independent
existence of the Laukika epics which are current at the
folk-level. The reciprocity of both the Sastriya and Laukika
epics interacted with each other. Unlike the spoken language
enriching the written language and vice-versa, the classical
element has also influenced folk-culture. Also the powerful
folk element of the time might have influenced the classical
epics as well. The distribution of Indian mythology in both
the urban and rural areas integrates the land with a bond
of cultural uniformity. Not only this, if one would start
studying a particular aspect of local or regional culture,
one would at last find the greater Indian culture interwoven
in it. “The Indian Sub-continent”, writes Srinivas, (2)
“is in broad sense one culture area and over the centuries,
ideas, institutions and artefacts have frequently moved
from one part of the country to another, undergoing modification
at every step. The study of a village or a small town or
a caste provides a strategic point of entry for the study
of Indian society and culture as a whole.” (Srinivas : 1985
: 158).
Many races of this land,
in order to keep their cultural identity alive, have associated
themselves with the great epics of solar and lunar mythology
i.e. the Ramayana and the Mahabharata respectively. Beginning
from the classical epics to the regional folk epics, if
studied, each and every race of this country has tried to
identify itself with the Indian mythology and ancient dynasties.
This is the desire to identify oneself to be one of the
most important dynasties of history and culture of the country.
Even the castes and tribes of the most indigenous and autochthonous
character of different regions and sub-regions have identified
themselves to be contemporaries of Rama and Krishna—the
god incarnate. However, these might be fallacious. But the
urge to be linked with the great Indian culture ties them
with a cultural bond through the process of sanskritization.
In the royal dynasties
of India, the tradition of keeping genealogies and glorious
heritage of one’s own connected with the Hindu mythology
is found in written form. Even in some places this tradition
has been preserved through the caste-bard systems especially
known as Babaduka (Bhat) or court poet. They were patronized
by the kings as their royal clan bard. This tradition has
been practised by the tribal rulers of different regions
through the same process of sanskritisation and from upper
to lower societies and it has diffused to each and every
caste. From this trend the ethnic bards evolved to keep
their caste genealogies in the form of oral tradition retaining
from generation to generation. The bard-castes identify
themselves to be the offshoot of their own patronizing caste.
Like the bardic tradition of royal dynasties all the castes
and communities have their own caste-bards. The troubadours
in western Europe and the skomoroxi in Russian tradition
are very similar to the Bhat of India. Like the Russian
Byliny, English Bewulf and Finnish kalevala, the Bansgeet
of western Orissa deserves to be identified as a folk epic.
It may be compared with the regional folk epics of Indian
region such as Syanwori of Manipur, Katha or Kathe of Kannada
and Telugu, Paddana and Gana in Tulu and Gujarati. (3) Claus
: 1980 : 6-7).
Here, the objective
is to identify the folk epic of western Orissa in general
and a caste-epic named ‘Bansgeet’ (4) sung by the Gaur-bard
“Ghogia” of the same region in particular. Besides the existence
of bardic tradition in higher societies, in the folk level
this tradition is also in vogue. Almost all castes keeping
caste genealogies and history through bardic customs are
found in this region. Western Orissa is populated by the
major tribes such as : Bonds, Kandhas, Binjhals, Banjaras,
Mundas, Sabar and castes like Gour, Teli, Mali, Kumbhar,
Bramhins, Paiks, Kulta, Kalar, Sundhi etc. The royal dynasties
from Rajput lineage are Chauhans and Naga kings of Patna
and Kalahandi respectively. The Gonds, Binjhals, Kandhas
and Bhunjias were the tribal rulers exercising their
administrative power as the rulers of this region.
In western Orissa
the Gonds have a rich cultural heritage from the period
of later medieval history of India. They have been divided
into eight clans (Saga), each clan has its own clan-bard.
They are known as parghania in this region otherwise known
as Pradhan in Madhya Pradhesh and Patri in Andhra Pradhesh.
The parghania of respective clan recites the origin myth
of the Gonds along with the clan Gods and Goddesses. He
also sings the glorious history of their clan heroes. Though
the Gonds have been divided into eight sage-clans, they
believe in their common ancestry sharing the common mythology
of their origin. The paraghanias are identified to have
originated from the Gonds, but practically their caste status
is not superior to that of the Gonds. The Baiga tribes
of Central India have their bard known as Bhima and Pradhan.
The Banjara tribes of Western Orissa have migrated from
Central India for the promotion of their trade and commerce.
They have a legendary eventful history of migration, which
they sing. The song is known as Landan Lada or Khadu geet
which bears the cultural heritage of their life from past
to present. The picture of their social customs and traditions
are depicted in these songs. The Gova-utara songs recited
in the buffalo sacrifice rituals by the Kands known as Janam
Khena Purana are the mythic songs which have influenced
their caste epic. The epic songs of Rikhmun, Tulsivir, Kholagadia
Raja, Khalnia bir of Bhunjias, the songs of Gandhu Paradhia,
Kokobhaini, Marandi Potura, Udulia geet, Siraram rout, Dodok
geet, of the paharias, are some of the specimen of long
epic songs. Likewise, the other castes like Kalars, Telis,
Kumbhars, Malis and Gaurs have their caste bards to keep
their ethnic lore in oral tradition through their respective
caste-bards. Besides all these, a caste named Devagunia
is found in Western Orissa; professionally a singer of Hindu
puranas especially Bramhanda purana or Lamxi purana associate
the myth with some local traditions. All these epic songs
characteristically are the history of caste songs, called
geet. In Chhatishgarh the folk epics are locally known as
geet such as : Lorik geet, Chandeni geet, Pandavani geet,
Bansgeet, etc.
Each geet is sung by
the caste bard for more than five to six hours. The geets
are constituent of five, seven and twelve cycles. It takes
nights together to complete the epic cycles. The bards move
from one master to another throughout the year. They are
financially patronized by their clan masters. The bard may
move to his master’s house with his family and stay there
for seven to eight days till recital of the epic cycle is
completed.
When a bard arrives at
his master’s a house he is welcomed by the latter with a
jug of water. The bana and chhatra, the symbols of their
clan Gods and Goddesses, are worshipped by the clan headman
and he receives the bard and provides proper of food and
shelter. The expenses for the bard are borne by the whole
community headed by the headman. In the evenings, after
supper all the members of the clan irrespective of age and
sex assemble in a common place to hear the glorious heritage
of their culture heroes from the mouth of the bard. Everyone
in the community believes that the geet sung by the bard
is a real one. It had happened in the past and they are
the present successors of their glorious culture heroes.
Thus they all do believe in the supernatural powers of their
ancestors and worship them as their mythic and culture heroes.
By this, they maintain their group identity. These epic
songs are also sung during the marriage ceremony so as to
inspire the community by reciting the heroic deeds of their
respective castes. These songs are regarded as auspicious
and used during rites and riturals.
In this context a folk
epic named Bansgeet of the Gaurs caste of Western Orissa
has been taken here for particular study. The Gaur people
are agriculturists, besides tending domestic animals for
their profession. They are milk-men. They identify themselves
as Magadha Gaur (those who migrated from Magadha). Koslia
Gaur (originated in South Kosala) and Laria Gaur (speaking
eastern Hindi dialect—Laria). The Magadha Gaur are known
as Oriya Gaur. The matrimonial relationship among these
three kinds of Gaurs is strictly prohibited as each of them
feel superior to others. From among these, a majority of
Magadha Gaurs are found in Western Orissa. They speak regional
Oriya. This caste has a subcaste called Ghogia, the caste
bard of Magadha Gaur. They sing a long heroic song named
Bansgeet. A flute—like musical instrument, three feet long,
with five holes in it, made of hollow bamboo, played by
the Ghogia is called bans. The song followed by the bans
is called Bansgeet.
Bansgeet comprises of
twelve species or cycles. Locally it is known as Barakhena
Bansgeet (literally twelve species of Bansgeet). Each species
signifies the heroic deeds of Gour heroes. Thus in twelve
species the superhuman and miraculous deeds of Gour heroes
are described. These twelve species of Bansgeet depict the
heroic deeds of the twelve brothers of Gour king Nagesvara
and queen Urmila of Gaudesvara Kingdom. The twelve heroes,
the sons of the said king are :
1. Bhujbal
2. Caibal
3. Durbal
4. Chaibal
5. Kharatmal
6. Sankharat
7. Badkharat
8. Mandbhadua
9. Rupadhar
10. Kotrabaina
11. Birbal
12. Sunadhar.
These twelve brothers
are twelve princes; each one is the embodiment of some heroic
and supernatural forces. Until now, the author has collected
five cycles/species out of twelve. Each cycle has been arranged
according to the heroes and heroines such as Rupadhar—Hirandri,
Kotrabania—Ramela, Sundhar Nilandri etc. Each cycle when
sung takes not fewer than five to six hours. The collected
material in its original form is not presented here for
its length and elaborate version. So the story form of the
content is given below. Like the Mangalacharana in Kavya
Purana the worship of universal Gods and Goddesses, clan
deities, Panchadeva and Saraswati are invoked by the singer.
He prays to Goddess Saraswati to bless and enable him to
sing the song with free tune. He also worships Ganesh, the
Vighnaraja to start and finish the song without any obstacles.
Next the village deities and clan deities are invoked. The
village Goddesses are also worshipped.
The name of the present
folk epic is Kotrabaina—Ramela, the hero and heroine.
The story of this epic
is as follows :
There was a milkman
named Kotrabaina. He had a beautiful wife named Ramela.
They had a six month old son. The capital of their region
was Bendul. The king of that region was a womanizer. habituated
to bring all thge beautiful Ladies of his kingdom to his
palace to enjoy them. There was nobody to fight against
this injustice. Kotrabaina did not allow his wife to go
to Bendul city to sell milk and curd under the apprehension
that the king might take away his wife, if seen. One day,
he had gone to his brother-in-law’s house. Ramela, taking
his absence as an opportunity went to the river, took her
bath and returned home with a jug of water.
In her home she washed
up her churning pot, poured the butter milk in it, and putting
the churning stick in the pot tied a rope on a pillar and
started churning. But neither the stick nor the rope did
move.
Ramela, being perplexed
entreated her clan Gods and Goddesses promising to offer
them sheep, cock and hen after returning from her business.
In spite of all her prayers, they did not release the churning
stick and rope. She then ordered her husband’s sister Balmati
to call for an astrologer (Khadikar). The latter came. He
was welcomed with a jug of water and some tobacco. Ramela
brought a plateful of rice, put it before the astrologer
and asked him as to why the churning stick and rope did
not move. The astrologer started his calculation of planets
on the ground for Ramela and said that the deities did not
want her to go to Bendul city to sell curd and milk. So
they have obstructed her from churning. But Ramela stubbornly
wanted to go to Bendul. She thought of selling curd and
purchasing gold and silver. After the departure of the astrologer
Ramela took two pots of curd and a spoon. Giving her six
month old child to Balmati, her husband’s sister, she went
to Bendul promising to return home before evening. She also
requested her not to disclose it to her brother. In spite
of Balmati’s protest she went to Bendul city to sell curd.
While going to the city,
her clan Gods and Goddesses obstructed her on the way God
Maha Lacchama became a tiger and sat on her way to Bendul.
Ramela fearlessly moved her spoon and the tiger disappeared.
Goddess Khamesvari in the form of a bear and goddess Candi
Samlai in the form of wild buffalo obstructed her way respectively.
But she drove them all with her spoon and reached Bendul.
She sold curd in exchange for rice and paddy. Meanwhile,
two soldiers were passing through that way. They saw the
beautiful lady busy selling curd. They came to the king
and reported about her. Hearing this the king sent his soldiers
to bring her. But the soldiers were defeated by the wonderful
magic-spoon of Ramela. Hundreds of soldiers died in this
battle and a river of blood flowed down across the city.
Finally the king sent two soldiers, who by dint of their
magical power tied her in ‘nagaphasa’ (serpent noose) and
imprisoned her in the king’s palace.
Kotrabaina, while asleep
in his brother-in-law’s house at night, dreamt of a bad
woman. Soon he got up and by morning he reached his home.
He heard from his sister Balmati that Ramela had not returned
from Bendul city. Kotrabaina was sure that Ramel must have
been caught by the devil king of Bendul.
Next, he collected his
bulls, cows, buffaloes and sheep numbering twelve lakhs.
Among these a bull named Kurmel-sandh, a buffalo called
patnia pod and a sheep named Ultia Gadra are remarkable.
They led by twelve cowboys (Bara gothiali gaur) set out
to Bendul city to fight with the devil king. The animals
drank all the water of the city. The cowboys of Kotrabaina
caught all the fishes from the ponds. A large stage was
prepared on a tree for Kotrabaina. He fell into such a sound
sleep that his followers woke him up branding twelve ghanas
(shafts) of red hot iron on his ears. After getting up he
brushed his teeth with a huge trunk of tamarind tree and
ate all the fishes fried by his followers, and left the
fish bones like a mountain. Looking at his heroic and superhuman
deeds the seven queens of the king of Bendul came near to
him and said that Ramela was imprisoned in the stone house.
Kotrabaina ordered the bulls and buffaloes to break the
stone house. Kurmel Sandh broke the four walls of the stone
house butting by its head. A big battle was fought where
all the soldiers of the king were killed by the butting
of bulls, buffaloes and sheep. The animals broke the stone
house and rescued Ramela. Kotrabaina defeated the king of
Bendul and sacrificed him for his clan Gods and Goddesses.
He also ordered his twelve cowboys to choose twelve
beautiful girls from the king’s palace. Thus by destroying
Bendul city and killing their enemies they all returned
to their village with Ramela.
In the village, the
Gaur society scandalized her stay in the king’s palace,
and wanted that without testing her chastity, she should
not be accepted by her husband. So a fire circle was arranged
for Ramela. In the presence of the members of her clan she
prayed to Dharmdeota (Sun God) and Dharnimata (mother Goddes
of earth) along with her clan Gods and Goddess saying that
if she had been unchaste in her body and soul during her
imprisonment, she would be turned into ashes in the fire
ordeal, lest she would come out harmless. In the test she
came out of the fire unharmed and the society accepted her
gladly. But Ramela gave another test spontaneously. She
said that, if she is chaste, her six month old child would
come to her crawling from its bed and suck milk from her
breast. In this test also Ramela came out successful. The
society praised Ramela as a woman of grandeur and Kotrbaina
was allowed to accept her without hesitation”.
This is the story of
the folk epic Kotrabaina—Ramela. The ethnic culture of the
Gaur caste has been reflected in it. From this story we
know that Gaurs are cowherds. The tending of animals and
cultivation are the primal occupation of the peasant society.
In food gathering and food producing, tending animals is
inevitable. It is a community based profession. The peasant
societies with their occupation of tending domestic animals
with agricultural products were always in need of intense
security of their property, life, women and community, as
the society was mainly based on force-theory. They were
always threatened by royal forces. In this background, where
the theory of ‘might is right’ was in vogue, the powerful
men were exploiting the weaker communities subduing them
by force. The exploitations and the enjoyment of the rural
products by the urban people is the basic economic inequality
in Indian society. Thus a class struggle has been continuing
and still it is in existence in our society. Even in Bansgeet
the kidnapping of milk-cow by the royal forces from the
Gour community is depicted. Likewise, kidnapping property
and women was in vogue in the primitive societies where
the defeated was to withdraw or to submit himself to the
winner. Thus the repressed feelings and the complexes of
the Gaur community explode against the unrighteous monarchy
and they finally save themselves from their identity crisis.
In reality it may not be possible to vanquish the royal
force, but in imagination to fulfil the cultural loss and
to keep their group identity and unity, the Gaur community
has fought the king and defeated him.
This local epic tradition
has been influenced by the greater Indian tradition and
the regional culture. Redfield and Singer have rightly observed
the cultures of both urban and rural India and have said
the “common stock of mythological and legendary themes have
been shared by both villagers and citymen” (Singer
: 1972 : 71-75). This may be examined on the basis
of the present Bansgeet— Kotrabaina—Ramela.
Now, if we decode the
whole content into some functions and generalise them, it
would seem that this story is nothing but the local version
of Ramayana—parochialized. The episodes of the abduction
of Sita and her fire ordeal have been followed in this epic.
Here the parochialization of universal characters of the
Ramayana in the setting of a caste culture has been made
according to its adaptability. Furthermore it may be said
that the functions of the content are constant with variable
characters, in both the epics of Ramayana and Kotrabaina—Ramela.
A comparative study will show how the Ramayanic tradition
has been deeply structured in the local folk epics :
Ramayana
Key
Kotrabaina- Ramela
1. Rama had warned
Interdiction of
1. Kotrabaina had refused
Sita not to ask
for strange
hero to heroine
permission for Ramela
things in the jungle.
to proceed to Bendul city.
2. Sita wanted the skin
Desire of heroine
2. Ramela wanted to buy
skom of golden
deer.
(gold)
gold and silver by selling curd.
3. Rama, running
Absence of hero
3. Hero remained absent
after golden deer
as he went to
remained absent
brother-in-law’s house.
from his hut.
4. Lakshmana watched
Watching of heroine
4. Balmati the hero’s sister
over Sita.
watched over Ramela.
5. Lakshmana obstructed
Obstruction
5. The astrologer, Balmati
Sita drawing three
lines
and the clan gods
and asking her
not to
obstructed Ramela’s way
cross it.
to Bendul.
6. Sita crossed three
lines
Violation of obstruction 6. Ramela
went to Bendul
to sell curd.
7. Sita was abducted
Abduction of heroine
7. Ramela was abducted by
by Ravana and was
by villain. the king of Bendul and
put in captivity.
was imprisoned.
8. Rama found Sita
Hero finds heroine
8. Hero found Ramela
absent in the hut
absent
absent in the house.
9. Rama knew about Hero
informed about 9. Hero knew about
Sita through heroine
Ramela from clan
Jatayu.
Gods and his sister
10. Rama planned to Strategy
to regain 10. Hero planned to
attack Lanka. the
heroine Bendul.
11. Rama took the Help
of 11. Hero took the help
help of wild animals
of domestic animals,
monkeys and bears.
bull, cow and sheeps.
12. Rama attacked Lanka.
Battle 12. Hero attacked Bendul.
13. The monkeys and Destruction
13. The bulls and buffaloes
bears destroyed
Lanka. destroyed Bendul.
14. Rama killed Ravana
Destruction of enemy 14. Hero killed the king and
and rescued Sita.
rescued Ramela.
15. Sita was suspected
by Suspicion 15. Gour society
the people of Ayodhya.
suspected Ramela.
16. Sita was subjected
Test 16. Ramela was subjected
fire ordeal.
to fire ordeal.
17. Sita went to Patala.
Non-common 17. Ramela gave a test of
her
local tradition.
From the above comparison
it is evident that the Ramayana tradition of Indian culture
has deeply been structured in the folk epic. Not only this;
the regional cultural tradition distinct from great Indian
tradition has also influenced the local tradition as well.
Binding of Rama and Lakshmana
by serpent-noose has been imitated in the binding of Ramela
by nagaphasa. Kotrabaina has been characterized after Kumbhakarna.
Their hero’s sound sleep and branding of twelve shaft (ghana)
of hot iron on his two ears to wake him up have been influenced
by the Kumbhakarna episode of Ramayana. Influence of Oriya
Mahabharata by Sarala Das is also found in this folk epic.
Flowing of blood river in the war of Kurukshetra and Duryodhana’s
swimming on it has been locally adapted in folk imagination.
The local addition of swimming of small fishes on the blood
river is noticeable. Similarly another mythology of sage
Agastya’s swallowing all the sea water taking it in his
two palms to quench his thirst has influenced this epic.
Drying of water of Bendul city by the animal forces is the
influence of the above episode. Like the Bakasura of Sarala
Mahabharata, Kotrabaina has brushed his teeth with a huge
stump of tamarind tree. He has also swallowed all the fishes
and left a mountain of fish-bone. All these descriptions
reveal the influence of regional Mahabharata and the universal
Hindu mythology by which the folks have associated their
native imagination with their culture heroes according to
their similar traits of assimilation.
Besides, the ‘great indian
tradition’ and ‘regional tradition’ the picturization of
‘local tradition’ in the folk epic may be analysed as follows
:
First of all, the Gaur
community was a sect of cowherds, and next they have transformed
into a peasant community. Now they are tending domestic
animals and selling milk and curd.
One of the important
religious beliefs of the Gaur community is their ancestor
worship. A strong belief current among them is that, if
they fall in some unforeseen danger, their ancestor spirts
along with their clan Gods and Goddesses predict the danger
through some omen, dream, etc. This is a universal belief.
Even if someone tries to commit some misdeed knowingly or
unknowingly, the clan Gods and Goddesses prevent them. They
always remain unseen. But sometimes they appear in the form
of man or animal to save them from dangers.
Bansgeet is sung to honour
the glorious life and works of ancestors along with the
worship of their clan Gods and Goddessess. The people of
Gaur community believe that they would be put to some difficulties
if they do not worship them properly. In most of the epic
cycles of Bansgeet the characters and the events are mostly
their clan Gods and Goddesses. In one epic, the clan God,
being annoyed with the hero turns him insane for twelve
years. The hero is put to many intricate difficulties by
the Gods to test his devotion towards them. Only the heroine
and other characters of the folk epic have been guided by
some supernatural powers. Sometimes they have been shown
as superhuman beings with their miraculous deeds (5).
(Claus : 1978-28 : 29) In the present folk epic Kotrabaina—Ramela,
both the hero and the heroine have been picturized as superhuman
beings. When Ramela started to make the curd on the churning
pot the churning stick and rope did not move. The clan gods
and goddess obstructed the churning which symboized
inauspiciousness. They had known her intention of churning
the curd. So they knew that taking the opportunity of her
husband’s absence, she was going to Bendul to sell milk
and curd. They knew that she would be caught by the devil
king in the city of Bendul. So on her way to Bendul they
obstructed her three times taking the forms of tiger, wild
buffalo and bear.
When Ramela was caught
by the king’s soldiers, the clan God informed the hero in
a dream. The hero after fighting a battle defeated the devil
king and sacrificed him in front of his clan God. The propitiation
of Gods and Goddesses with offering of human blood is the
influence of the tribal Kandh ritual Meriah—human sacrifice.
While studying the content,
it is necessary to understand the local imagination and
its appropriateness. “One reason for collecting context
is that” writes Dundes (6), “only if such date is provided
can any serious attempt be made to explaining why a particular
text is used in a particular situation.” The contextual
study of content discovers the particular application of
the subject. The local rites and rituals of the particular
deities have influenced the folk epic and have been associated
with its local myths and legends. A legend runs with a Goddess
named Belarani (spoon-queen) who was born from the river
Udanti. This Goddess is worshipped in the villages situated
on the two sides of the river Udanti. Here runs a legend
that, once the Satbaheni Jal Kamini (seven sisters of water
fairy) dried the overflowing water of river Udanti throwing
a magic spoon into it. In the place where the spoon dropped
down, there emerged a water fountain which is known as Jharia
(water fountain). The local people discovered this spoon
and considering it the implement of water fairies, they
worshipped it as Goddess Belarani. Thus the Goddess is symbolically
represented in a spoon and is known as Belarani. Worship
of Goddess represented on stones, weapons, and in some metal
implements is the common phenomenon of the tribal religious
system. Belarani is worshipped, animated in the spoon in
the villages of Kapsi, Chatiaguda, Jogenpadar and nearby
villages of the river Udanti. This spoon has wonderful magical
power. The association of Gods and Goddesses in some occupational
implements to increase prosperity of the community is a
strong belief. In this folk epic Ramela used a spoon to
defeat the soldiers. Through this she succeeded in overcoming
the obstacles put on her way by the clan Gods and Goddesses.
The imagination of magical spoon is influence of the local
deities worshipped in the area from where this folk epic
is collected. Ramela, being possessed with the spoon overcame
all the difficulties, the clan Gods Goddesses are no superior
to the tutelary deities of the locality. It is evident from
the epic in which the tiger, bear and wild buffalo were
subdued with the magical spoon.
The local customs of
receiving a guest in a house is portrayed in this narrative.
The guest is welcomed with a jug of water and then Kendu
leaf with tobacco. It is the sign of cordiality. Another
custom is that—in this locality people take a vow before
the god that if the ambition is fulfilled they would sacrifice
cocks, hens, sheep, etc. for him. These have been narrated
in the epic.
Imitating the fire ordeal
of Sita in Ramayana the Gour community has taken a test
of Ramela where she came out successful. The second test
is that of a tradition. Ramela said that if she was chaste
during her imprisonment in Bendul city then her six month
old child would crawl down from its cot and suck milk from
her breasts. In this test too she came out successful. The
people were pleased with the chaste character of Ramela.
The second test is a native imagination supported by the
folk belief. In this locality it is found that, when the
milkmaids of Gour community return from selling milk and
curd and arrive at their house, they wash their foot and
hands. Next they press their two breasts with their hands
and discharge some milk on the earth. Then only they feed
their children with their breast milk. By doing this they
believe that the effects of evil eyes on their way would
be warded off. This is only due to the fact that they do
not use blouse on their body while going to sell milk. They
never care to cover their breasts with clothes. To get rid
of the effects of evil eyes of the king, Ramela gave this
test. The child is sinless, holy like God. If Ramela would
not have been chaste then the child must not have received
milk from her breast. So to demonstrate her chastity Ramela
underwent the second test. Crawling of the child from the
cot is a poetic exaggeration.
Number twelve is a master
motif in Central India. Wills (7) has rightly observed this
number in the formation of social structure, administrative
setup and also in the ideology and has remarked that this
is an ideal model in the culture of Central India. Sinha
(8) has also observed this ideal model in the territorial
administrative system of Central India (Sinha : 1962). Haimendor
(9) studying the Gonds of Andhra Pradesh, has found the
same motif in their origin myth. In the division of clans
and deities, number twelve has played a significant role.
The imagination of Barabhai Bhima (twelve brothers of Bhima
: rain Gods), twelve brothers of Binjhals and Kumhar, etc.
are seen in this region. In Bansgeet the influence of number
twelve has been found in some places. The twelve droves
of cows, twelve beautiful girls, twelve cowboys, twelve
ghanas of hot iron, etc., show the influence of the cultural
trait of Central India.
The basic characteristics
of the epic are the supernatural and miraculous events interwoven
with the normal characters. The exaggerations and uncommon
wit of the epic (10) transform an ordinary man into a glorious
hero. So Kinsley says, “One could like epic songs manipulated
by bards to make heroes out of ordinary man” (Kinsley :
1987-97-98). In reality the bard assimilates the colour
of imaginations and makes the epic heartrending. The present
folk epic is nothing but the real life history of Gour community.
The sense of group identity
and ethnic-superior attitude in the Gour community have
created a hero and a heroine of super human power. Inreality
it may not be possible for the gaur community of a village
to defeat the royal forces. But the ideal victory in righteousness
and defeat in sin has been put into the images of this epic
characters and events. Finally it may be said that the suppressed
desire of Gaur community has been compensated in this folk
epic, where the ordinary village milkman has been able to
take revenge against his enemy, the king of Bendul. By this
they have kept their ethnic culture tied with the greater
Indian culture, feeling one among all, keeping their group
identity and cultural integrity intact.
