Narali Poornima – Raksha Bandhan

वल्हव रे नाखवा हो वल्हव रे रामा
मी डोलकर डोलकर, डोलकर दर्याचा राजा
घर पान्यावरी बंदराला करतो ये जा!…
आयबापाची लाराची लेक मी लारी
चोली पीवली गो नेसलंय अंजीरी सारी
माज्या केसान गो मालीला फुलैला चाफा
वास परमालता वार्यानं घेतंय झेपा
नथ नाकान साजीरवानी
गला भरुन सोन्याचे मनी
कोलिवार्याची मी गो रानी
रात पुनवेला नाचून करतंय् मौजा…
या गो दर्याचा दर्याचा दर्याचा दरारा मोठा
कवा पान्यावरी उठतान डोंगरलाटा
कवा उदानवारा शिराला येतंय् फारू
कवा पान्यासुनी आबाला भिरतंय तारू
वाट बगून झुरते पिरती मंग दर्याला येतंय् भरती
जाते पान्यानं भिजून धरती
येतंय भेटाया तसाच भरतार माजा…
भल्या सकालला आबाल झुकतं हे खाली
सोनं चमचमतं दर्याला चढते लाली
आमी पान्यामंदी, रापण टाकतो जाली
धन दर्याचं लुटून भरतो डाली
रात पुनवेचं चांदनं प्याली
कशि चांदीची मासली झाली
माज्या जाल्यात होऊन आली
नेतो बाजारा भरून म्हावरां ताजा…

(Valhav re nakhava ho valhav re rama

Me dolkar-dolkar-dolkar daryacha raja Ghar panyamandi bandarala kariti yeja…..

Aaibapachi larachi lek me lari
Choli pivali go nesaliy anjiri sari Mazya kesan go malila fulaila chafa Vas paramalata varyan ghetay zepa Nath nakan sajirvani, Gala bharun sonyache mani

Kolivadyachi me go rani
Rat poonveli – nachun karatey mauja..

Yago daryacha- daryacha darara motha Kava panyavari uthatan dongarlata-lata
Kava udan vara shirala yetay faru
Kava panyasuni aabhala firatay taru Vat bagun zurate pirati tava daryala yete bharati Jate panyan bhijun dharati Yeto bhetaya tasach bhartar maja..

Bhalya sakalala aabhal zukate he Khali Sone chamchamat – daryala chadhate lali – lali..
Aamhi panyamandi rapan takato jali
dhan daryache lutun bharato doli
Rat punavechi chandane pyali
Kashi chandichi masali zali
Majya jalyat houn aala Neto bajara ikaya mhavara taja…)

The song of the fisherman folk…

One of my favourite songs which I have been listening to from my childhood. Have performed on it too in my school days. At that moment little did I realise that a few of my best friends would be from this most adventourous communities of India.

Living on the coastlines of India, they have been a community who fight the waves of the ocean to live a life of self respect and self esteem. We call them the “Koli’s” and the “Aagri’s” here in Mumbai. They are the original Mumbai locals. The aboriginal community of Mumbai trying to survive and live upto their name. The 7 villages, of Original Mumbai, were where they lived. These 7 villages when they came to the English Monarch as dowry were slowly developed as a port and slowly it turned into what we see and call as Mumbai today. Even as Mumbai developed, the Kolis and the Aagris have maintained their identity in the various Koliwadas ( Villages of Koli) and Aagripadas (Villages of Aagri).

They are a very hardworking community. The women folk is equally strong as their men. They work shoulder to shoulder with their men and not only look after their household, but earn for it too. The men venture into the seas early morning at 2/2.30 to catch fish. Some go into shallow waters, catch fish and cone back to the shore early morning. The women are waiting for them at the Jetty. They separate the different types of fishes from the catch and take them to the local markets to sell them. And return back home in the afternoon.

Some fisherman go deep water fishing and get the different bigger types of fishes, which many a people savour during the lunch and dinner at their homes. They stay in the deep seas for 2/3 days and return after the stipulated time. It a life full of hardships where one has to carry their food and fuel for 2/3 days and survive on that. Bear Grylls, of the Man V/s Wild should do an episode on one of these trawlers one day.

The days of hardships for these folk are the monsoons when they cannot venture into the sea. There is no fishing and no fishes to sell. Nature too recycles itself during these 40/50 days. The time to lay eggs and let them incubate so after the end of this period, new fishes are ready to be caught. During this time, the fishermen folk spent the most difficult time of staying back at home, but this is also a time to sit back and recuperate. It’s a tough time but they manage on their savings and live a very Happy and joyful life.

The last 5 days, that the day before Shravani Poornima (the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan), they get the waters of the ocean to their homes. Put them in a “Kalash”, put a “Shreefal” (coconut) over it. And worship and pray before it. These are the days of preparing for the new fishing season. The fish nets and the boats are repaired and prepared and painted anew. The days of preparations pass on very fast accompanied by worship and prayers.

On the day of the full moon, the whole village wears a festive look. The whole day is celebrated with a lot of fanfare. The main programme is in the late afternoon. The time when every family carries the Kalash from their respective homes to the ocean accompanied with music and dance. They all gather at the ocean side. All the Kalash are gathered and arranged on the sands, where they are worshiped for one last time. Later the coconuts are offered to the Ocean Gods as an offering. The boats are pushed inside the oceans the new fishing season begins.

This festival is, like the other festivals, of expressing gratefulness to the Ocean who helps them earn a living and survive. Now a days, the younger folk of this community have taken to education and hard workers as they are, are excelling in the fields which they choose. Many are taking up Navy and Merchant Navy as an option. Yet the fervour to celebrate Narali Poornima has remained as it is, even in these younger generations.

The day coincides with two other festivals. One is where the intelligentsia change their sacred thread which they wear the whole year around and the other is of Raksha Bandhan. The day to get the blessings of the sister and strengthen the sibling bonds.

Had written about Rakshabandhan last year, the link to which I share at the end of my blog. Will write about the thread changing ceremony next year.

Till then, wishing you all a very Happy Narali Pooornima and Rakshabandhan.

My link to the blof written on Rakshabandhan last year

https://ameetkothari.wordpress.com/2018/08/26/monsoon-months-chaturmaas-rakshabandhan/