MANIFESTATION & CELEBRATION OF ‘SAAVAN’ IN INDIAN LIFE

 

(Painting of Kalidas writing Meghdootam)

“ The season of rain approaches , my love , like a king,

his royal cavalcade in full ceremonial procession,

dark clouds- his war elephants in their rutting season,

glowing flashes of lightning -his tapering victory flag,

and roaring thunder- the sound of beating war drums

welcomed by the crowd of lovers with maddening cheers.”

                              ( Ritusamhara-Canto 2/1, - Kalidas, translation-Abhay K)

 

The season of ‘Saavan’ ( monsoon) is not only critical for the economic sustenance of the country but for emotional sustenance too. In India, it is awaited and celebrated across the length and breadth of the country . It purifies and rejuvenates us both physically and emotionally. It is an embodiment of new life . The barren and dry surroundings which were  eager and anxious for new lease of life are blessed with running streams uncontrollable and overloaded rivers , rushing and gushing falls . Man suffers too but never does he cease to celebrate . He consoles himself by attributing the cause of his loss to the natural law of the above and almighty .

This celebration is more pronounced in rural India which is steeped in tradition and culture , but the urban India too does not lag behind and with the advent of digital revolution ceremonies and celebrations are uniform , far and  wide. In addition   to the various rituals which are observed during the season the urban young, converge to Lonavala and Khandala like destinations to witness the dramatic change of dull and grey surroundings into lush and green . In many towns and cities the  young arrange and attend the ‘Monsoon Ball’ , ‘Raindance’ etc. The sight of the sea on the  west coast beaches  is riotous. The ever rising waves, the roaring sound , the muddy colour exhibits the ‘Roudra Roop’ .And yet; there is beauty in this display  as it is a facet of its character, unseen in other seasons . It is a ‘cultural festival’ in which the Man and Nature participate . It is a celebration of life. These manifestations and celebrations are in abundance in Indian Literature , dance,  music , festivals and rituals. Music conferences  and ‘Malhar festivals’ are organised in colleges. The ‘Malhar festival’ of St Xavier’s college Mumbai is very old and famous.

                                                          (Painting of Tansen singing Malhar)

 Though technically the month of ‘Saavan’ is from ‘mid -July to mid -August’ , but in common parlance the ‘Varsha Ritu’  (Rainy season) which falls between ‘mid - July to mid-August’ is referred to as ‘Saavan’ and in some cases such as  ‘16 Saavan Somvaar vrats’ it extends further. The word ‘Saavan’ emanates from the Sanskrit word – ‘Shravan’ meaning to listen. During earlier times the sages would retreat from their forest abode and reside with prosperous patrons  during the rainy  season. They would sermonise, relate stories and  teach scriptures to their devotees . Therefore the act of listening closely and attentively is ‘Shravan’. This tradition in some degrees is being maintained as ‘Ramayan Katha’, ‘Ramcharitmanas’ are organised by rich devotees and invitations to neighbours are extended. Well reputed sages would elaborate upon the richness of   the epics over  extended periods.  Individual and collective ‘paaths’ (  loud rendition ) of ‘Sundar Kaand’ ( a Section of ‘Ramcharitmanas’ ) is also very popular.

 Some festivals have all India celebrations and some are at local and regional level. Lord Shiva is the principal deity of ‘Saavan’ . ‘Saavan Somvaar vrat’  is observed mostly by women  in many parts of India.  Young women observe 16 ‘Saavan Somvaar vrats’ to be blessed with a good husband.  In addition to observation of fast on Mondays of ‘Shrvan/Saavan’ period; many devotees organise ‘Rudra- Abhishek’  with ‘Rudri Paath’ which is considered very auspicious and fruitful during this time.  Ardent Devotees known as ‘Kaanwarias’ would travel on foot to distance Ganga river in Haridwar and bring ‘Ganga Jal’ to offer to ‘Shivji’ in local and individual shrines.  The famous ‘Amarnath Yatra’ , a Shiv shrine in Kashmir is also conducted during this season . Since this is the season of mating and progression among animals fishermen do not venture into sea and only commence their profession after ‘Narali Poornima ’ in August.

  The festival of 'Teej'( the third day) is special to women and is observed in many parts. However,   it is celebrated with much participation in UP and Rajasthan.  Devi ‘Parvati’ is worshipped as ‘Teej Mata’ and in Rajasthan a procession of ‘Teej Mata’ is taken out. It is known by various names-‘Teej’, Hariyali Teej’, ‘Hartalika Teej’, and ‘Kajri Teej’.  Women  wear colourful attire , adorn  ornaments and  Chudis ( glass bangles), apply ‘mehndi’( Henna) , sing, dance and play on the swing with their friends and relatives. ‘Kajri’ ‘Jhoola’ and ‘Saavan’ songs are  sung and swings are fixed to the trees , general festivities prevail and good food is served . In some places childless women observe ‘Nirjal’ ( without water) fast.

                                                         (women celebrating 'Teej' festival)

  The festival of 'Rakshabandhan' is celebrated on ‘Shravan Poornima’ and is considered as one of the most auspicious days in Hindu calendar . On this day during present times the sisters tie 'rakhi' ( Raksha bandhan) of colourful silk or cotton material  to the wrist of their brothers to seek their protection and receive gifts and blessings, “ ab ke baras bhej bhayya ko Babul Saavan mein lejo  bulaye re.” (Shailendra- Film Bandini .) filmed on a female convict in jail is depiction of the solemnity of the day  and longing to be Home . Once restricted to North and West India gradually it has assumed wider acceptance on account of it’s simplicity and emotional appeal. However during earlier times ‘Rakshabandhan’  was primarily a ‘Brahmin’ festival during which Brahmin priests and other Brahmins as well would be privileged to tie the ‘Raksha Bandhan’   to the wrist of their ‘Yajmaan’ ( client ) and people of other caste and community and receive a token amount as gift. It is recorded that Akbar and Jahangir would permit their ‘Raj Purohit’ to tie  the sacred thread to their wrist , perhaps as symbol of respect for the custom! The original name of the festival was ‘Solono’ meaning the ‘new year’ in Persian . It was end of old and beginning of new  ‘Fasli season’ ( harvest season).

 

Some states have their own festivals in accordance with their tradition . The festival of ‘Harela’ in Uttarakhand is celebrated to praise and rejoice with nature . People plant saplings , women dress up in green saris and sing traditional  ‘Harela songs’  sow seeds and worship ‘Shiv Parvati’ .

  Kerala’s famous ‘Onam’ festival also  falls during the rainy season and people from all communities celebrate by decorating their Homes with flowers and ‘Rangoli’ , dress well in traditional attire , wear ornaments , make special ‘Onam Saadya’ ( food) and meet and greet each other. It is believed that King ‘Bali’ visits his subjects on this day and therefore people across religion , caste and community participate on this occasion.

The festival of ‘All India’ character , ‘Janmashtami’  ( birthday of Lord Krishna) is  also observed during ‘Varsha Ritu’ in various manners. In Mumbai it is called ‘Gokul Ashtami’ or ‘Dahi Handi’ . During the day various groups of young enthusiasts would attempt  by making human pyramid to break ‘Dahi Handis’ fixed high across the road  all over  the city containing curd and money . They would be in colourful attire and practice for the event . However; The eternal image of the festival is ‘ new born Krishna’ being carried by his father Vasudev in a basket on his head  under heavy rains and river  Yamuna in full spate on account of monsoons.

 Classical Music accords  exclusive treatment to  ‘Saavan’. There are numerous ‘Raags’ attributed to this season- ‘Malhar’, ‘ Megh Malhar’ , ‘Miyaan’ ( Tansen) ki  Malhar’  , ‘Raag Megh’ . Semi classical offerings such as ‘Kajri’( sung during monsoon in eastern UP ), Jhula ( sung during the festival of Teej which falls during Saavan ). Popular ‘Saavan’ songs have been sung by Jagjit Singh and Shubha Mudgal such as the electrifying music video’ Ab ke Saavan…ruth saavan ki’ and ‘Soun da mahena aaya’. The treasure house though is with the legendary classical singers such as Girija Devi ( savan jhar  laagi dhire dhire..) , Rasoolan Bai (tarsat jiyra hamaar nahiyar..bit gayi re barkha bahar), Shobha Gurtu ( sawan ki rut aayi re sajaniya),Pandit Channu Lal Mishra and many more who have given an ocean of ‘Saavan ‘ music to survive us for long. Ustaaad Bismillah Khan has played ‘Kajri’ and other ‘Saavan’ songs , being from Varanasi he was immersed in classical as well as folk tradition.

However; since the arrival of cinema , it is the ‘Hindi film music’ which has been inspired by the season of ‘Saavan’ most and there are large number of songs and situations and ‘titles’ of films celebrating ‘Saavan’. Numerous songs and scenes have been filmed  expressing the feelings of the people during the ' Saavan ' season. The core theme is of love and longing ! Three overlapping emotions are observed to be generated through the various songs  through the ages in 'Hindi Cinema' . First; there is longing for one's love , second; there is kindling of passion; 'Agni' and desire to meet one's lover, third;  hope  that the long lost /long forgotten lover would  return home. Interestingly this voice is mostly expressed by women and in some cases by seemingly introvert and conservative girls/women. As the earth gets drenched with the advent of rain and expresses by way of  greenery and harvest, the human desire and response is similar. Commencing from the film 'Devdas' starring  K L Sehgal  in the title role in 1935 "Balam  Aye   Baso   mere   man mein , Saavan   Aye   Tum  na  Aye” to the landmark 1949 film ‘Barsaat’ by Raj Kapoor and the title song  “ Barsaat mein  hun se mile tum sajan tumse mele hum” to 2001 ‘Lagaan’- “ Ghanan Ghanan Ghira aye badra”. The songs covey – hope, joy and wish fulfilment. In the intervening years there is a large body of work on the subject.

 In Bimal Roy’s ‘Do Bigha Zameen’ of 1953 the farmers celebrate the arrival of ‘Saavan’ by this song written by Shailendra : 

                                             (Farmers are happy as rain arrives: film  Do beegha zameen)

 

 

“ Haryala  Saavan dhol bajata aaya

Dhin tak tak man ke more nachata aaya

Mitti mein jaan jagata aaya

Dharti pehni hai hari chunariya

Banke Dulhaniya

Ek agan bujhi , ek agan lagi

Man magan hua

Ek lagan lagi

Are ya ye ye yaa”

( The  green Saavan has arrived beating the drums( sound of clouds) , my mind is dancing like peacock. The ‘ Man ka More’ imagery used above emerges in many ‘Saavan’ songs and s convey kindling of desire. It has activated life on soil. The earth is wearing a green attire like a bride. One hunger is quenched ( arrival of rain) and another activated ( passion). My mind is busy in love.)

Perhaps the most popular ‘Saavan’ song among couples is from the 1979 film  ‘Manzil’ starring Amitabh Bachhan and Moushmi Chatterjee , composed by Yogesh and sung by  both Kishore  and Lata :

“ Rim zhim  gire Saavan , sulag sulag jaye man

Bhige aaj is Mausam mein lagi kaise ye agan “

 

(  The Saavan rains have aroused passions, in this wet season what sort of desires have been kindled?)

Another song representative of rural India and our composite culture is from the film ‘Junoon’ sung by  Asha Bhonsle.  It consists of numerous Saavan symbols and images- dark clouds, Bela and Chameli flowers, mehndi, Jhula( swing), Glass bangles, green chunariya, lightening. The song was composed by  the scholar and Awadh culture expert Yogesh Praveen :

 

“ Ghir aayi  kari ghata matwari, Saavan ki aayi bahar

Bela Chameli ki kaliyan chatakgayin ,Mehkat ban ki bayar

 

Khil gaye hatheli pe mehndi ke bute , Lachkat Jhulan se daar re

Dhani chunar more sar par ne thehere, Chudiyan kare jhankaar

 

Angna mein bhiji atariya pe bhiji, Bhiji sajanwa ki sej re

Bheej gayi mori hai kori chunariya, Rimzhim ras ki phuhar”

 

(  the wayward dark clouds have set in , the pleasant days of Saavan have arrived . The buds of Chameli and Bela flowers have bent , there is fragrance in the wind  from the jungle .

The flower designs of mehndi  have emerged on hands , the branch hanging ‘Swing’ is bent . The green ‘Stole’ ( chunariya) is moving away from my head; the glass bangles are making sound.

I got wet in courtyard and rooftop, my lover’s bed also got wet

My spotless ‘stole’ ( thin cloth material )also got wet in the falling rain.)

      (Devanand & Waheeda Rehman in Kala Bazaar-'Rimzhim ke tarane leke aayi barsaat’)

  Literature of India contains poetry and prose   work in praise and celebration of ‘Saavan’ . Urdu poetry too has many poets write on the theme of ‘Saavan’ / ‘ Baarish’ etc . Apart from recording the dramatic changes  in nature the movement and colour and expression of the clouds , the flowers and the green fields filled with paddy , the joy of animals – Cuckoo, Peacock, Papiha, frog and others . It captures the happiness of the people – Jhula ( swing) , Mehndi , glass bangles etc. The most profound literary work and statement on the rainy season is witnessed in the literary work of ‘Kalidas’ – great Sanskrit writer of 4^th century A D . His ‘Meghdoot’ and ‘Ritusamhara’   are  full of detailed imagery of the ‘Rainy Season’ and  how the earth ,men-women , animals , flowers respond to the rain and clouds.

However the classical composition of Kalidas is ‘Meghdoot’ . As the name suggests it means ‘cloud messenger’. It relates in vivid and sparkling manner the story of ‘Yaksha’ who is exiled for a year by ’Kuber’  for negligence in duty . He misses his wife terribly and asks the ‘Monsoon Cloud’  to visit ‘Alkapuri’ in Kailash . This poetic work was written in 4^th Century A D about 20 centuries back  shows the richness and beauty of the India’s Golden age and the depth    of the ‘Sanskrit’ language. It sows the seeds of ‘Saavan’ /’Varsha Ritu’ representation and celebrations in Indian literature and society. The presence of a large number of its translations confirms its appeal and beauty. In ancient times  ‘Darshan’( sighting)  of an Elephant was considered very auspicious.  Kalidas therefore writes that when Yaksha sights a ‘cloud’ on a distant hill top on the  first  day of ‘Ashadha’ month  it was  like  of an elephant in a playful mood :   

“ ..on the first day of the month of Ashadha ,

he saw a cloud embracing

the mountaintop, like an elephant bent down low,

playfully butting his brow” ( stanza 2, ‘Meghadutam by Kalidas, translation, Shrinivas Reddy)

 

Mira Bai celebrates ‘Saavan’ in her Bhajans:

“ Ghir aayi ri badariya Saavan ki

Saavan ki man bhavan ki

Saavan mein umangya mero manva

Bhinak sunat Hari aavan ki”

 

Here the great saint poet and ‘Krishna Bhakt’ Mira Bai is writing in 16^th century . She says that  the  ‘Saavan’ clouds have  set and are very pleasing. That she was very excited and could sense the arrival of   Shri Krishna .

 

Suryakant Tripathi ‘Nirala’ has written many poems titled ‘Badal Raag’ in celebration of the rainy season ,:

         “   …baar baar Garjan , varshan hai moosladhar

               Hridaya thaam leta sansaar , sun sun ghor vajra hunkaar

        ….rog shok mein bhi hansta hai , sheshav ka sukumaar sharir

           …jeern bahu hai , sheern sharir, tuzhe bulata krishak adhir..”

 (the sound of clouds, the pounding  rain , the fearful sound . But,  children (sheshav)  in ill health    too are  happy. The frail farmer is also calling the rains)

 

      (Chatak bird which drinks only rain water)

Mir Taqi Mir , the famous 18^th century Urdu poet has written on ‘Barsaat’:

  “ rut hai barssat ki bahut pyari, mouzazan jhilene nadiyan saari

Khet dhaanon lehlahe shadaab , kar rahen hein nazar ki dildari

…saundi saundi zameen ki mitti , bhini bhini chaman ki boo pyari..

… Kokila bagula koyelen taoos , apni taanen sunate hain pyari” 

 

( the season of rain is so pleasing , the overflowing lakes and rivers .

The paddy fields full and green, are so attractive to eyes

There is the smell of earth from first rain and the fragrance from the garden.

The cuckoo, crane and peacock are singing full throated so sweet)

 

Kalidas  grants benediction and sums up the essence of the season in the stanza below:

 

“ May this season of rains, full of delights,

stealing hearts of amorous women, a formless

friend of trees, creepers and shrubs, and the life spirit

of all living beings grant your deepest desires!”

                 ( Ritusamhara-Canto 2/28, translation - Abhay K )