Dahuka boli
Songs recited during the Ratha Yatra in Puri, Odisha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dahuka boli (Odia: ଡାହୁକ ବୋଲି, also "Dahuka gita" (ଡାହୁକ ଗୀତ)) are poetic recitations which Dahukas (or Ratha bhanda), the charioteers, recite during the Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha. Ratha Yatra being a symbolic expression of fertility and Life cycle, these "boli" sung by the Dahuka contain bawdy songs. It is believed that unless the Dahuka boli is sung 'Ratha' doesn't move.[1] These songs are sung publicly without any kind of hold on the lyrics.[2] Dahuka controls the movement of Ratha during the festival.[3][4] The Dahukas are believed to be the descends of the famous 84 Mahasiddhas.[5]
Lyrics samples
| Odia | English (transliteration) |
|---|---|
| ମାରି ଶାଶୁ ନଣନ୍ଦ ଘରେ ଶାଳୀ | māri sāsu naṇanda gharē sāḷi |
| ମାଅ ମାରିଆ କାହ୍ନୁ ଭଇଲ କବାଳୀ | māa māriā kāhnu bhaila kabāḷi |
| Odia | English (transliteration) |
|---|---|
| ହୋ ଭଗତେ! ହୋ.. | hō bhagatē hō |
| କାଳୀ ଗୋରୀ ଦିହେଁ ଗାଧୋଇ ଗଲେ, | kāḷī gōrī dihē gādhōi galē |
| ଗଛରୁ ଖସିଲା ଡାଳ, | gacharu khasilā ḍāḷa |
| କାଳୀ କହୁଛି ଗୋରିଲୋ | kāḷī kahuchi gōrilō |
| ତୋ ବିଆରେ ନାହିଁ ବାଳ ॥ | tō biārē nāhi bāḷa |
| Odia | English (transliteration) |
|---|---|
| ହୋ ଭଗତେ! ହୋ.. | hō bhagatē hō |
| ହାଡ଼ୁପା କହିଲେ ବାଇ ଏଠାର, | hāḍupā kahilē bāi ēthara |
| ଯୋନି ଦରଶନ ସୁଖ ଅପାର । | jōni daraśana sukha apāra |
| ଭଗରେ ବାଜିଲେ ଲିଙ୍ଗର ମୁଣ୍ଡି, | bhagarē bājilē liṅgara muṇḍi |
| ତିନିଧାର ନାଳ ନିଅଇ ତେଣ୍ଡି । | tinidhāra nāḷa niai tēṇḍi |
| ଛ ଗଣ୍ଠି ଭେଦଇ ସେ ନାଳ ଯେବେ, | cha gaṇṭhi bhēdāi sē nāḷa jēbē |
| ରମଣ କରିବୁ ଭଗତେ ତେବେ ॥ | ramaṇa karibu bhakata tēbē |
History
"Dahuka boli" have many derivatives from Charyapada. One of the earliest Dahuka boli by Kanhapa is as follows:
ମାରି ଶାଶୁ ନଣନ୍ଦ ଘରେ ଶାଳୀ
ମାଅ ମାରିଆ କାହ୍ନୁ ଭଇଲ କବାଳୀ
Roman transliteration:
māri sāsu naṇanda gharē sāḷi
māa māriā kāhnu bhaila kabāḷi
In the "Swatwalipi (Odia: ସ୍ୱତ୍ୱଲିପି) or Adhikara abhilekha (Odia: ଅଧିକାର ଅଭିଲେଖ) service no 104 there is the description of Dahuka and their service on "Ratha"[7] There is no description of such service in "Purusottama mahatmya" in Skandha purana. But there are descriptions of "Dahuka" in Purusottama Karmangi.[6][8]
Text from Purusottama Karmangi
ଏ ଭୂଇଁ ଭୋଗୀ। ଏମାନେ ରଥବେଳେ ରଥ ଚଳାଇବେ। ମୋଡ଼ ବୋଲିବେ। ଅକଥା କହି, ପରମେଶ୍ୱର ରଥ ରୋକି, ରଥଗତି ଉଣ୍ଡି, ବେତ ଚଳାଇ ମୋଡ କଥା କହିବେ। ସେ ସମସ୍ତ ଚାଳିବେ। କଳା ବେଠିଆ ରଥ ସେହିମତେ ଚଳାଇବେ।”
— Purusottama Karmangi[8]
The boli/dahuka boli were also called as "Tucha pada" (ତୁଚ୍ଛ ପଦ), "Bhanda gita" (ଭଣ୍ଡ ଗୀତ) or "Bakra gita" (ବକ୍ରଗୀତ). During the earlier 20th century Jagadeba Mishra, a poet from Puri has written about the "Dahuka boli" his book "Sahari jalam":
| Odia | English (transliteration) |
|---|---|
| ରଥେ ଭଣ୍ଡ ଡାକ ଛାଡନ୍ତେ ଡାହୁକ | rathē bhaṇḍa ḍāka chāḍantē ḍāhuka |
| ବକ ସିଆଣିଆ ଲୋକ | baka siāṇiā lōka |
| ଅରକ୍ଷିତ ଯାକ ଶୁଣିବାକୁ ରଙ୍କ | arakhita yāka suṇibāku raṅka |
| ନମାନିଲେ ଶୋଷ ଭୋକ | namānilē sōsa bhōka |
Ban on Dahuka boli
During 1995 The Jagannatha temple trustee officials banned the recitation of Dahuka boli. Apart from few exceptions since 1997, Dahukas never sung Dahuka gita.[6]