 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
| Dhola Maru | |
|---|---|
 Painting depicting Dhola and Maru on a camel | |
| Folk tale | |
| Name | Dhola Maru |
| Country | India |
| Region | Rajasthan Punjab |
The Dhola Maru is the romantic tale of Dhola and Maru in Rajasthan. The Rajasthani version is entirely different from a version found in Chhattisgarh. The folktale can also be found in Punjab. [1] [2]
The Dhola Maru story is deeply rooted in folklore and oral traditions. [3] The story related work is available in prose and poetry as well as in mixed form also. 'Dhola Maru ri chaupai' a book composed by Jain monk Kushallabh in 1617, in which he writes that the story is old one. Some manuscripts of 1473 also describe the story. 'Dhola Maru ra doha' is the edited text by Kashi nagari Pracharini sabha. The tale depicts one of the most mesmerizing chapters of Rajput and rajasthani history.
This is a love story of Kachhwaha prince Dhola of Narwar and Poogal princess Maru. King Pingal lived in a small kingdom, Poogal. One day he decided to have his infant daughter Maru married off to Dhola, the son of Nal, the king of Narwar and his good friend. So Dhola and Maru got married at childhood (now illegal) but before they attained adulthood Nal died, and Dhola forgot the marriage vows he had exchanged with Maru at birth. So Dhola got married again to Malwani, while Maru pined away for him as her father king Pingal sent umpteen messages to Dhola which he never received as his wife Malwani had all the messengers either arrested or bumped off. [4]
But Maru got through to Dhola finally through a group of folk singers, and Dhola on learning about his first wife started off for Poogal immediately. However the cunning Malwani was not going to let both lovers meet if she could help it. As Dhola set off she sent word through a messenger that she had died and Dhola ought to hurry back. Dhola ,not oblivious of the ways of Malwani , saw the lie for what it was and carried on. His journey to Poogal was uneventful apart from an inopportune encounter with Umar Sumar, the leader of a band of robbers who tried to persuade him that his wife Maru had been married off to somebody else. Umar Sumar was himself very keen on Maru, but Dhola was having none of it. He arrived at Poogal to a tumultuous welcome and Dhola Maru were united at last. Troubles were not over yet. [4]
On the way back to Narwar, Maru was stung by a desert snake and died. Overwhelmed with grief Dhola decide to become the first ‘male sati’ in Rajput history by ascending the funeral pyre of his wife. But was saved in the nick of time by a yogi and yogini who claimed that they could bring Maru back to life. They played their musical instruments and brought back Maru to life. Umar Sumar once again enters the scene. He hadn’t rid himself of his infatuation for Maru and invited the gullible couple to spend an evening with them. However they were again warned of the dacoit’s evil intentions, this time by some folk singers. Whereupon the couple jumped atop their camel and made off for Malwa in double quick time and the couple along with Malwani lived happily ever after. [4]
In the Chhattisgarh version, Dhola is the son of king Nal and mother Damyanti. In his past life Dhola was a handsome young man who was catching fish in the village pond through angle called 'gari' in Chhattisgarhi. Rewa, an exceptionally beautiful woman, who was daughter-in-law of some family in the village in her past life, came to fetch water seven times, expecting Dhola at least to say a word to her. However, when getting no response from Dhola, she broke her silence by reciting following verse which rhymes: [5] [6]
gari khele, gari khelwa kahaaye, au lambe mele taar, saato lahut paani aaye ga Dhola, tai eko naiee bole baat
[You are catching fish through angle like fisherman, and have put a long bait; I came to fetch water seven times, and you did not even bother to speak a single word!]
gari khelen, gari khelwa kahaayen, au lambe mele taar, tor le sughar ghar kaamin hai gori, ta tola eko naiee bole baat
[I am catching fish through angle like a fisherman, and have put a long bait; And because my wife at home is more beautiful than you, O Madam, that I did not speak a word to you!]
This reply pierced Rewa's heart like an arrow and filled it with ocean of remorse. Struck by heart-pinching reply, and rejection, she returned to her home and committed suicide by jumping into the well in her family garden called kola in Chhattisgarhi. When her soul reaches heaven, she is confronted by God there as to how come she returned to heaven before completing her actual duration of life-span. She narrates her story of being rejected by Dhola. So God asked her what she wanted. Rewa replied that she wanted Dhola to be her husband. In reply to her request, God said that Dhola is already destined to be husband of Maaru, and thus Rewa cannot have Dhola as her husband for the life-time but only for 12 years. And the story turns to after-birth of Dhola, Maaru and Rewa, where Dhola and Maaru are married in the childhood. [5] [6]
Mother Damyanti keeps warning her son Dhola that he can go to roam around every para (caste-based locality) of the village except Malhin para (Malhin is the caste which sell flower and their main profession is gardening). However, Dhola does not listen to her and goes to roam around Malhin para and is there confronted by a parrot who challenges him by saying: [5] [6]
Tor dadaa ke naak chunavti, huchurrraaaa!
[May the nose of your father be marginally cut, Come On!]
Dhola could not stop his anger, and using his catapult, hit the parrot. The parrot dies immediately and to his surprise appeared an exceptionally beautiful lady who owned this parrot. This lady was Rewa and the parrot was creation of her magic. She insisted that her parrot be made alive again otherwise Dhola has to live with her at her home. Rewa's father, Hiriya Malhin, and others in the village tried to convince her to let go the matter, but it was of no accord. Dhola is lovingly imprisoned at Rewa's house and started living as her Mister.
Meanwhile, Maaru reaches her age of youth and started missing Dhola. She sends various messages to Dhola through parrot and later through Dharhee (probably a human messenger). But both of these messengers were intercepted by Rewa through her Chhachhand (Eagle) and by other means. Finally, Maaru sends the Karhaa (a camel given to her by her parents as wedding gift). Karhaa managed to reach the village of Rewa, but was struck to sickness through magic of Rewa and lives in swamp area for twelve years and thirteen Poornimas (fortnights). [5] [6]
Maaru's geeyan [formal female friend] is married to one businessman (Baniya) in the town of Narour (most likely present day Nandour-Kalan, Chhattisgarh) where Dhola lives with Rewa. She had recently visited her maayka (maternal home) at Pingla (most likely one of suburb of Malhar, Chhattisgarh [7] ) and met her friend Maaru who had given her a love-letter to be delivered to Dhola. Maaru had requested that this letter should not be read by anyone other than Dhola as this has some very personal details which she wanted to share only with Dhola. On the eve of Vijay Dashmi (i.e. Navami before Dussehra), this friend of Maaru was combing her long hairs and watching out through the window. The Baniya was making some accounting report sitting nearby. The lady hears a weeping-sound in the midst of the drum-sound of Navami Dussehra celebrations. She asks her husband as to who are those people who might be weeping amidst celebration. Her husband replies that those people are king Nal and his wife Damyanti, who in their old age are wondering as to who will roam through city streets on chariot and receive the johar (greetings) on the behalf king from the citizens of Narour city as their only son Dhola is under house arrest at Rewa's palace. She immediately remembers of the letter that Maaru had given and requests her husband to deliver it to Dhola. But Dhola Kuwar is never allowed to go out. However, as the 12 years with Rewa are about to end; Dhola too feels a sense of uneasiness within and resolves to go out to receive the Johar. After multiple requests, Rewa gives in and agrees for Dhola's visit outside her home but puts a condition that she will also accompany him in khadkhadiya chariot (small chariot tied behind to a bigger chariot). Dhola convinces her that by seeing Rewa behind his chariot, everyone in the village will laugh at him and make jibes about his manhood and kingly authority. So finally Rewa agrees to stay at home and Dhola Kuwar is allowed to go out to receive johar on the occasion of Dussehra. Baniya was just looking for this opportunity to meet Dhola Kuwar somehow. [5] [6]
In Rajasthani folk theatre popularity of Dhola-Maru tradition is very high. [8] The folk theatre of Rajasthan 'Khyal' belongs to one of the least researched areas of the arts in this region. [9]
The folktale has been adapted into the Indian films: Dhola Maru (1956) by N. R. Acharya, Dhola Maru (1983) by Mehul Kumar. [10]
Meera, better known as Mirabai, and venerated as Sant Meerabai, was a 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna. She is a celebrated Bhakti saint, particularly in the North Indian Hindu tradition. She is mentioned in Bhaktamal, confirming that she was widely known and a cherished figure in the Bhakti movement by about 1600.
Jauhar, sometimes spelled Jowhar or Juhar, was a Hindu Rajput practice of mass self-immolation by females, both adults and children, in the Indian subcontinent to avoid capture, enslavement, and rape by Islamic invaders when facing certain defeat during a war. Some reports of jauhar mention women committing self-immolation along with their children. This practice was historically observed in the northwest regions of India, with most famous jauhars in recorded history occurring during wars between Hindu Rajput kingdoms in Rajasthan and the opposing Muslim armies. Jauhar was only performed during war, usually when there was no chance of victory. The term jauhar often connotes jauhar-immolation. Jauhar involved Hindu Rajput women committing suicide with their children and valuables in a massive fire, in order to avoid capture and abuse in the face of inescapable military defeat. At the same time or shortly thereafter, the men would ritualistically march to the battlefield expecting certain death, which in the regional tradition is called saka. This practice was intended to show that those committing it valued their honor more highly than their lives.
Nala is a character in the Vana Parva book of the Mahabharata. He was the king of Nishadha Kingdom and the son of Veerasena. Nala was known for his skill with horses and for his culinary expertise. He married princess Damayanti, of the Vidarbha Kingdom. He was blessed by goddess Kali. He was also a great cook and wrote the first-ever book on cookery, Pakadarpanam. He is said to have been able to cook a full meal without lighting fire.
Shrinathji is a form of Krishna, manifested as a seven-year-old child. The principal shrine of Shrinathji is the Shrinathji Temple in the temple city of Nathdwara, 48 kilometres north-east of Udaipur city in Rajasthan, India. Shrinathji is the central presiding deity of the Vaishnava sect known as Pushtimarg or the Vallabha Sampradaya, established by Vallabhacharya. Shrinathji is worshipped mainly by the followers of Bhakti Yoga and the Vaishnavas in Gujarat and Rajasthan, and Bhatias amongst others.
Karmabai was a Teli known as Bhakt Shiromani Karmabai. She was born on 03 March 1017 in the family of Ramji Sahu in the village Jhansi situated in Jhansi district. She was a devotee of Krishna.
Dor is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor and features Ayesha Takia, Gul Panag and Shreyas Talpade as the lead actors. The film is an official adaptation of the Malayalam film, Perumazhakkalam (2004) and was well received by the critics after its release on 22 September 2006.
Rajasthani literature is an tradition in Indian literature dating to the 2nd millennium, which includes literature written in the Rajasthani language. An early form of Rajasthani started developing in the 11th century from Saurseni Prakrit as Maru-Gurjar or Gurjar Apabhramsa. Early Rajasthani literature was usually written by Charans. Earlier Rajasthani was known as Charani or Dingal, which was close to Gujarati. Medieval Rajasthani literature was mostly heroic poetry mentioning the great kings and fighters of Rajasthan. Rabindra Nath Tagore, a Bengali polymath, once said, "The heroic sentiment which is the essence of every song and couplet of a Rajasthani is peculiar emotion of its own of which, however, the whole country may be proud". It is generally agreed that modern Rajasthani literature began with the works of Suryamal Misran, including the Vansa Bhaskara and the Vir Satsai. The Vansa Bhaskara contains accounts of the Rajput princes who ruled in what was then Rajputana, during the lifetime of the poet (1872–1952). The Vir Satsai is a collection of hundreds of couplets.
Lekin... (transl. But...) is a 1991 Hindi drama mystery film, loosely based on the 1895 short story Kshudhit Pashaan by Rabindranath Tagore and directed by Gulzar. It stars Vinod Khanna, Dimple Kapadia, Amjad Khan, Alok Nath, and Beena Banerjee, and features a special appearance by Hema Malini. The film tells the story of Reva, a restless ghost who seeks liberation and haunts the ancient palace of Raja Param Singh in Rajasthan when she is discovered by Sameer, a museum curator sent by the government to salvage valuables in the region. As she recreates a visual representation of the history of the palace which reveals her tragic story, Sameer becomes determined to help set her free.
Charan is a caste in South Asia natively residing in the Rajasthan and Gujarat states of India, as well as the Sindh and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan. Historically, Charans have been engaged in diverse occupations like bards, poets, historians, pastoralists, agriculturalists and also administrators, jagirdars and warriors and some even as traders.
Rajasthani people or Rajasthanis are a group of Indo-Aryan peoples native to Rajasthan, a state in Northern India. Their language, Rajasthani, is a part of the western group of Indo-Aryan languages.
Bharatthari, also known as "Jogi Sant" Bharthari, in many parts of India, is the hero of many folk stories in North India. He was the ruler of Ujjain, before renouncing the world and abdicating in the favor of his younger brother Vikramaditya.
The Shrinathji Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shrinathji located in Nathdwara. It is considered an important pilgrimage centre by Vaishnavas.
Shanno Khurana is a noted Indian classical vocalist and composer, from the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana of Hindustani classical music. A disciple of the doyen of the gharana, Ustad Mushtaq Hussain Khan, she is known for performing rare bandish and raag, though her singing style includes genres like khayal, tarana, thumri, dadra, tappa, to chaiti and bhajan. Born and brought up in Jodhpur, she started singing on All India Radio in 1945 in Lahore, later shifted to Delhi, where she continued her singing on All India Radio, Delhi and in concerts and music festivals. She also pursued music education, finally earning her M.Phil. and PhD in music from the Kairagarh University, and has undertakes extensive research on folk music of Rajasthan.
Rani Sati, also identified as Narayani Devi and referred to as Dadiji (grandmother), is said to be a Rajasthani woman who lived sometime between the 13th and the 17th century and committed sati (self-immolation) on her husband's death. Various temples in Rajasthan and elsewhere are devoted to her worship and to commemorate her act.
The Nari Shakti Puraskar is an annual award given by the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India to individual women or to institutions that work towards the cause of women empowerment. It is the highest civilian honour for women in India, and is presented by the president of India on International Women's Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The award was instituted in 1999 under the title of Stree Shakti Puraskar, renamed and reorganised in 2015. It is awarded in six institutional and two individual categories, which carry a cash prize of 200,000 and 100,000 rupees, respectively.
Rani Sati Temple is a temple located in Jhunjhunu, Jhunjhunu district, in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is the largest temple in India devoted to Rani Sati, a Rajasthani lady who lived sometime between the 13th and the 17th century and committed sati (self-immolation) on her husband's death. Various temples in Rajasthan and elsewhere are devoted to her worship and to commemorate her act. Rani Sati is also called Narayani Devi and referred to as Dadiji (grandmother).
Dhadak (transl. Heartbeat) is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language romance film written and directed by Shashank Khaitan and jointly produced by Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar and Apoorva Mehta under the Dharma Productions banner with Zee Studios as a sponsor producer. A remake of the 2016 Marathi language film Sairat by Nagraj Manjule, also produced by Zee Studios, the film stars Ishaan Khatter and debutant Janhvi Kapoor, with Ashutosh Rana, Ankit Bisht, Shridhar Watsar, Kshitij Kumar and Aishwarya Narkar in supporting roles.
Lust Stories is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language anthology film, consisting of four short film segments directed by Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Karan Johar and based on the concept of the 2013 anthology film Bombay Talkies. Co-produced by Ronnie Screwvala of RSVP and Ashi Dua of Flying Unicorn Entertainment, the film has an ensemble cast including Radhika Apte, Bhumi Pednekar, Manisha Koirala and Kiara Advani with Akash Thosar, Vicky Kaushal, Neha Dhupia and others.
Tujhse Hai Raabta is an Indian Hindi-language television series that airs on Zee TV and is digitally available on ZEE5. It replaced Piyaa Albela. It premiered on 3 September 2018 and focuses on the unspoken connections and bonds between people. It stars Reem Shaikh, Sehban Azim, Poorva Gokhale, Arzaan Shaikh and Rajat Dahiya.
Ghost Stories is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language anthology horror film, consisting of four short film segments directed by Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap. It is co-produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Ashi Dua under their production banner RSVP Movies and Flying Unicorn Entertainment respectively. The film features an ensemble cast, including Mrunal Thakur, Avinash Tiwary, Janhvi Kapoor, Raghuvir Yadav, Sobhita Dhulipala, Vijay Varma, and Pavail Gulati. It was released on Netflix on January 1, 2020.
