As in most of India, the cultural heritage of Gurugram and Haryana has a rich corpus of traditional oral literature. This valuable intangible heritage is passed on from one generation to another by word of mouth. This rich folklore is expressed in the forms of songs, ballads, tales, legends, myths, sayings, proverbs, idioms, etc. Although intangible cultural heritage is well sustained by continuing communities, sometimes it faces risk due to increasing modernisation, loss of cultural values, and generational gaps. UNESCO, therefore, encourages countries to safeguard and list their intangible cultural heritage.
In the case of Gurugram, safeguarding such intangible heritage of folklore becomes even more significant because of the dearth of tangible and built heritage. As per renowned researcher Sudhir Sharma, who was previously the INTACH Rohtak convener, the intangible heritage of jogi singers in Haryana is found mostly in Gurugram and Rohtak districts. It is preserved mainly through the songs, stories, and music of various communities, such as jogis, bhats, mirasis, etc. Ragni composers and singers have also enriched the oral literature of this region. There is also an amazing variety of women’s folk songs for almost every occasion, season, rite, and ritual.
However, it has recently been observed that the jogi singers of Haryana are becoming an endangered community. The jogis sing lengthy narrative compositions, such as ballads, story-poems, devotional songs, etc. with their sarangis, highlighting the qualities of valour, courage, adventures, exploits, and devotion of popular folk heroes. The lengthy songs they sing include stories of Heer–Ranjha, Alha-Udal, Gora-Badal, Jaimal-Fatta, Satyavan-Savitri, Harphool Singh Jat, etc.
The jogis also perform several socio-cultural roles, such as those of village historians, motivators, and preachers. Some jogis have even composed and sung songs of the First War of Indian Independence of 1857. In the month of Sawan (July-August), the Jogis are specially invited to villages to sing the legend of Ranjha for seven to fifteen days. It is believed that their singing has a medicinal effect as it is supposed to ward off and cure foot-and-mouth and other animal diseases.
{{/usCountry}}The jogis also perform several socio-cultural roles, such as those of village historians, motivators, and preachers. Some jogis have even composed and sung songs of the First War of Indian Independence of 1857. In the month of Sawan (July-August), the Jogis are specially invited to villages to sing the legend of Ranjha for seven to fifteen days. It is believed that their singing has a medicinal effect as it is supposed to ward off and cure foot-and-mouth and other animal diseases.
{{/usCountry}}As per the data collected by Sudhir Sharma, who has video-documented jogi singers for Intach’s Intangible Heritage Division, the official estimates show as many as 600 performing jogis and bhats in the two districts of Rohtak and Gurugram alone. However, their numbers are fast dwindling. If not resuscitated by proper documentation and promoted through cultural performances and training programmes, this rich aspect of Haryanvi folk-lore and its artistic expression would be lost forever.
Other forms of important Haryanvi folklore in the region are ragni and shabad.
Ragnis are dialogue-songs sung in the saangs. They are an indispensable part of the folk theatre of Haryana. While the saang performances are on the decline, ragnis are still popular, entertaining thousands of people in what are called ragni kumpitishuns.
When sung in a saangs, they are sung to the accompaniment of a full folk orchestra comprising the sarangi, dholak, nakkara, harmonium, clarinet, etc. However, when sung in isolation, they are accompanied with the gharwa (earthen pitcher) and banjo. Except for a few ragnis composed by singer-poets like Mehar Singh, most of these songs have been composed by masters of the stage, such as Pandit Lakhmi Chand, Mange Ram, Dhanpat Singh, Jamua Meer, Ram Kishan Vyas, Baaje, Chander Baadi and many others.
Sufism had a strong influence on the devotional songs of the folk poets of Haryana. These songs, called shabads in the local dialect, are sung by devotees on the iktara. The compositions or vaanis of eminent saint-poets of Haryana like Garib Das and Nitanand are also sung with devotion. The devotional songs have also been enriched by the by bhajans of the Arya Samaji singers.
In such a scenario, where we are fast losing our intangible heritage, it is encouraging to see establishment of museums, such as the Urusvati Museum of Folklore in Gurugram (near Tauru on National Highway-8), that encourage and promote local folk music, arts and crafts.
(Shikha Jain is state convenor, INTACH Haryana Chapter and member of Heritage Committees under ministries of culture and HRD. She is co-editor of book ‘Haryana: Cultural Heritage Guide’; director, DRONAH (Development and Research Organisation)