The folklore paves the way for the improvement in human behavior and awareness among people.
By Noor Ahmed Janjhi
Folk literature contains the centuries old experience and observance of life and nature. People share their experiences through folk poetry, tales, legends and myths. Thus, the documentation of the experience of masses is being done since times immemorial. Folk couplets called doha present a variety of the experiences throughout masses life. It is the observation and the history of common people shared through these simple words. The traditional history expresses the account of the elite by mentioning names and places. The folk poetry advances peoples declaration of life and it does not contain the name of its writer or composer. Most of the creations of the folk literature don’t mention the names of the poets or writers. Leaving the name apart, the creations of folk communicate a clear crystal message about life and nature or human behavior. A doho, with the tag of three, reads as follows:
ڪنٺ بنا گائيي ، مت بنا چور
تريئا تريوڙ بنا ، تيني رپٽا روڙ
(Singing without a good voice, a thief without cleverness and a housewife without proper planning are just rubbish)
In the couplet, the poet starts with the singing because the focus is on art, creation and aesthetics. Then moves to the cleverness and by mentioning cleverness, the example of thief has been given. It points out towards a cursed activity. Although the theft is a condemned activity yet it needs cleverness and brilliance. The example shows the lower stage of human behavior and activity. If theft needs cleverness, then how much will be needed by the acts of goodness and bravery? One can imagine about it and the serious mentioning of brilliance. After it, the example of a housewife has been given. A household business needs very much smart planning and it is a miniature of the planning for a country. A housewife, without the planning may not manage household affairs properly. That is why all of the moves may turn into rubbish.
The words of kanth (throat), mat (intellect), trevarr (planning or strategy) and rapta rorr (rubbish) reflect much more about human behavior and human society. Kanth is necessary for good voice because the good voice is an imperative for singing. Mat is necessary for any tricky and venturous activity because such entrepreneurship has a great deal of risk and the risk taking leads to the great success. However, it needs quick decision making in the light of changing situation scenario. Change is the very ingredient of nature. People should think plan and prepare accordingly. Trevarr is strategic planning necessary for any unit of governance. Right from a household to the governance of a country, all of the structures need strategic planning. A housewife is a real leader of the house in Thar. She leads most of the domestic affairs. All the household activities need a smart planning so as a house may be run smoothly within the limits of income.
Another, doho, reads as follows:
ڪاچ ڪٽورو، گهي گهڙو، موتي آن من
ڀڳا سجا نه ٿين ، تڪي رو پهلي ڪرجي جتن
(Glass bowl, a pitcher full of ghee, pearl and a heart of human being must be cared properly. If all of these are broken away, these will not be repaired properly. Therefore, prior care is needed)
The couplets indicate about the vulnerability of things. The things that cannot be repaired must be cared properly. The poet gives examples of the vulnerable things as a glass bowl, a pitcher of ghee, pearl and a heart of human being. All glassware needed proper care and handling. A pitcher full of ghee requires proper handing with care because of its vulnerability and preciousness. Ghee has been a precious product not only as a food supplement but also a good item of export business in Thar. Pearl, if broken, may lose its value. A human heart, if it is broken, will not be repaired again. It is not any item of cloth or skin so as it may be mended easily. The human heart (its feeling, sensation and realization in toto) is very much vulnerable. The examples from daily life and of common things reflect the acumen of the poet because the message has to be transformed widely. The examples present a variety of things. A glass bowl is a thing manufactured by humans. A pitcher of ghee is an export item. Pearl is a natural, beautiful and precious thing. A human heart is a thing of sensitivity and realization. All of the examples have a commonality and that is ‘brittleness’. Therefore, all of such vulnerable things need prior care in handling.
Both of the couplets discussed above, reveal the folk wisdom and awareness regarding human behavior. The audience of these pearls of folk wisdom are masses….literate as well as illiterate. The poets of folklore, generally, do not mention their names. There seem two reasons for it. Firstly, the folk poets express frankly and describe the dark sides of human societies, so there is possibility of anger of the different classes of society. Secondly, they regard art as a common heritage and don’t like trade marking of the art. The trade marking and branding are very characteristics of market. The real art is away from that approach. It follows the natural considerations. By valuing nature and natural manifestations, the folklore paves the way towards the improvement in human behavior and awareness among people.
[author title=”Noor Ahmed Janjhi” image=”https://sindhcourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Noor-Ahmed-Janjhi-Sindh-Courier.jpg”]Noor Ahmed Janjhi is a senior educationist based in Desert District Tharparkar Sindh. He is author of several books in Sindhi and English on folk literature including two poetry books.[/author]
