September 15, 2016: Session 4

Maithili Folklore 16_09_15_4

Documented by Coralynn V. Davis and Carlos Gomez
Transcription by Nidhi Anand and Translation by Neeraj Kumar

Teller: Sagar Devi
Location: Narayan Patti
Date: 9/15/16

View the transcription in Maithili.

एकटा राजा रहैथ त हुनका दू टा बेटा बेटी रहैन l बेटा के नाम धीरज रहैन आ बेटी के नाम आन्झुर रहैनl

Once upon a time there was a king. He had two childrens, a son and a daughter. The son’s name was Dheeraj (patience), and daughter’s name was Aanjhur (savory).

त बेटा हुनकर टायल पुली खेलाइयन l एक दिन कि भेलैन त हुनकर टायल पुली ईनार में खइस परलन l सब के कहथिन त नइ कोई निकाइल देलकन l

His son would often play the stick game of tayal-puli.  One day, his tayal-puli fell into a well. He many people for assistance, but no one helped him retrieve it.

तहन एकटा डोम जे चलि जाइत रहे त इ डोम के कहलखिन, “हमरा इ टायल पुली निकाइल लेब त हम अपन आन्झुर बहिन तोरा द देबउ l”

A person of the dom (scavenger caste) was passing by, so he requested his help, “If you can please retrieve my tayal-puli from the well, I will reward you with my sister  Aanjhur.”

ओ टायल पुली निकाइल देलकन l ओ आन्झुर के द देलखिन त कहलखिन जे आब हम इ देब केना l त कहलकय जे तू जा, हम पोखरी भीड़ पर टायल पुली खेलाइ लै आइब, आ तू कमल के फूल ल क तू बैठल रहिये पोखर में l

The dom pulled the taya-puli out. The king’s son decided to give him his sister, Aanjhur. “But how to do it?”, he said to himself. Then he told the dom, “Leave. I will come to the pond‘s edge to play tayal-puli. And wait for me, sitting below the pond water surface with a lotus flower raised to the surface in your hand.”

त सै केलक डोमवा, अपन फूल ल क पोखर में बैठल रहै, आ धीरज जे रहै से अपन टायल पुली खेलाइ लै चलि गेल पोखरी दिस पर, महार पर l आ मै के कहि देलखिन जे आन्झुर दिया हमरा खेनाइ पठा दीहैं l

The dom did exactly the that, sitting submerged in the water with the flower in his hand. And Dheeraj went to play tayaal-puli at the pond’s edge, at its bank. As he left, he told his mother,, “Send my lunch with Aanjhur.”

त उ खेनाइ ल क गेलखिन बहिन l त डोमवा रहैन कमल के फूल ल क पोखर में बैठल l आन्झुर के नजर पड़ि गेलन उ कमल के फूल पर, त भै के कहलखिन जे हमरा उ कमल के फूल तोड़ क आनि दिय l

His sister then went to give him his lunch. The dom was already in waiting, under the water, with the lotus flower in his hand. As Aanjhur saw the lotus flower, she requested her brother, “Please bring me that lotus.”

त भै जे तोड़ा जाथिन, त फूल चलि जाए दोस, खिसिया के कहलखिन, जा अपन तोड़ ले जा क l 

Well, each time her brother approached the flower to pick it, the flower would move away. He told his sister angrily, “Go, pick it yourself.”

त बहिन जे तोड़ा गेलखिन, आन्झुर, त आन्झुर कहथिन कि, “भरी घुटी पानी में गेलियय यउ भैया, तैयो ने पौलिये कमल के फूलl”

Then, as his sister, Aanjhur, went to pick it, she sang this to her brother: “I am knee-deep in the water, brother. Yet can’t catch hold of the lotus flower.”

बहिन और दूर जाऊ, त भरि जांघ पानी में गेलयl भरि जांघ पानी में गेलय त कहथिन, “भरी जांघ पानी में गेलियय यउ भैया तैयो ने पौलिये कमल के फूल l” 

Her brother told her, “Go deeper.” So she went waist-deep in the water. As she went waist-deep into the water, she sang, “Am waist-deep in the water, brother. Yet I can’t catch hold of the lotus flower.”

बहिन और दूर जाऊ त भरि छाती पानि में गलैथ, “भरी छाती पानी में गेलियय यउ भैया तैयो ने पौलिये कमल के फूलl” 

Her brother told her, “Go deeper.” So she went chest-deep into the water. And she sang, “Am chest-deep in the water, brother. Yet I can’t catch hold of the lotus flower.”

बहिन और दूर जाऊ l नाक बराबर पानि में गेल, आब त डोमवा अपन डूबा लेलकैन फूल ल क l आ धीरज अपन चलि एला गाम पर l आ डोमवा अपन आन्झुर के ल क जाइठ लग बैठ रहला हाथ के तरुआइर ल क l

Her brother now told her, “Go deeper.” As she went nose-deep into the water. the dom pulled her in, tricking her with the lotus flower. And then Dheeraj went back home. The dom sat with Aanjhur, sword in hand, near the huge wooden post installed at the center of the pond.

ताबत इ गाम पर जे धीरज गेला, त पूछैन जे आन्झुर कता गेलए l त आन्झुर त बरी खन आयल l हम त तखने हुनका पठा देलियन, त कहाँ आयल है आन्झुर l 

By then Dheeraj reached home, where he was asked, “Where did Aanjhur go?” He replied, “She should have arrived home long ago. I sent her back after after [she brought me lunch].” He was asked again told, “Where is she, in that case?” 

त हुनका ताकि हेर में सब अपन लागि गेल, कतउ नइ भेटलैन l तहन आब करत कि, तहन ओकर ओरियान पात हुआ लागल जे आब आन्झुर छैहे नइ, त ओकर काज क्रिया हेतय l 

Then people started searching for her, but she was nowhere to be found. Now what to do? Arrangements began for her last rites,as she was believed to be dead

त चेरिया जे रहैय से चुरा कुटइत रहै, आ आन्झुर के पोसल परवा रहै l चुरा जे कुटइत रहै त परवा गेलय खाइ लै l 

The lady helper of the household was pounding some paddy to make flattened rice. And the Aanjhur’s pet pigeon was also sitting there. The pigeon started to eat some of the flattened rice.

परवा के एक ठोकरा चेरिया मारि देलकय l ओ परवा के आइन लागि गेलय, चलि गेलय ओहि महार पर, जहि पोखर में आन्झुर रहैय, ताहि महार पर चलि गेलय, वृक्ष पर बैठ रहल l

But the lady helper hit the pigeon with her leg stroke. The pigeon took offence to this act of the lady helper, and he went to the pond side where Aanjhur was held up and sat on a tree. 

आ परवा अपन कोरना करा लागल, जे, “कहाँ गेलैं किया भेलैं आन्झुर गै दिदिया, चुरावा कुटाइते चेरिया मारल करे दइवा l” इ परवा कहे l 

And then the pigeon started coo-cooing, “Where did you go, why did you go, hey, my sister. Oh, I got beaten by the lady helper while she pounded paddy to make the flattened rice.”

आ आन्झुर पोखर से कहे, “देबल छी कि देबल छी कि सोना के रे माटुकिया, जुआवा खेलाइते धीरज हारलक रे दइवा l” 

And Aanjhur sang from under the water, “I am bowed down, I am bowed down, beneath a gold pot. Oh, Dheeraj lost me in a gamble.” 

त बाट बटोही जे चलैत रहै कि ने, त ओ सवाल सुनलकय, त ओ ठार भ क सुनै लगलय l त बस्ती पर आयल, त बस्ती पर कहलकय कि एकटा एहन पंछी छै जे गाछ पर स ओ कोरना करै छै, आ एहन एकटा जनावर छै जे पोखर में से उ जवाब द रहल इऐ l

Some passers-by heard this conversation, and they stood there to hear the entire thing. As they came back to their town, they told the people, “There sits a bird atop a tree that coo-coos, and some animal in the pond there replies to it.”

गौआं घरुआ अपन गेल देखइ लै l वै सवाल पढ़ा लागल फेरो l त राजा के एलय कहि लै, ठीके राजा इ बात सही छै, तब राजा अपने गेला l 

The villagers went there to check it out. The pigeon started singing just as before. The villagers went to the king and told him, “This is a fact, my lord.” So the king went to check it out for himself.

अपने जे गेला त फेर ओ कहलखिन, “कहाँ गेलैं किया भेलैं आन्झुर गै दिदिया, चुरावा कुटाइते चेरिया मारल करे दइवा l” 

When the king himself went there, again the pigeon sang, “Where did you go, why did you go, hey, my sister. Oh, I got beaten by the lady helper while she pounded paddy to make the flattened rice.”

फेर आन्झुर पानि में से कहय छै, “देबल छी कि देबल छी कि सोना के रे माटुकिया, जुआवा खेलाइते धीरज हारलक रे दइवा l”

Again, Aanjhur replied from under the water, “I am bowed down, I am bowed down, beneath a gold pot. Oh, Dheeraj lost me in a gamble.”

त राजा कहलखिन कि बाप रे बाप, इ त आन्झुर हमर छी, धीरज हारि गेल छथ हमर आन्झुर के l त ढोलहो पीटा देलखिन जे पोखर के सूखा दइ लै l

Upon hearing this, the king said, “Oh my god! This is our Aanjhur. Dheeraj has lost her in gamble!” He arranged for it to be announced that the pond would be completely drained.

त चारु भाग दमकल लागि गेल, पोखर के सुखाउलक, त आन्झुर के देखइयै डोमवा लेने पालथा पर, तरुआइर हाथ क नेने, ओ जाइठ लग  बैठल अइ l 

Water pumps were installed on all sides of the pond. As the pond was drained, people saw the dom, with Aanjhur resting on his folded legs, sitting near the giant wooden post at the center of the pond and holding a sword in his hand.

राजा उठला ओकरा हाथ स तरुआइर छीन क डोमवा के काटि देलखिन, आन्झुर के ल क चलि एला l

The king stood up and, went on to behead the dom, snatching his sword. Then he left with Aanjhur for home.

आ उ डोमवा जे रहै से बारह बरखक उमर भ क चलि गेल ओ अपना गाम पर l 

The dom, rejuvenated after twelve years, left for his home, as well.

आब आन्झुर के लेलैथ गाम पर त आब एकरा त आश्रम घर में नइ राखब, इ त डोम भ गेली है l त हिनका पूजा पाठ करा के गंगा स्नान करा क तखन इनका लैब अपना आश्रम में l उनका सात केवारी के अंदर में बंद क देलकन, खेनाइ पिनाइ खुआ क l

Now as Aanjhur was brought back, her family said, “How can we keep her at home! She has become a dom [low caste person]. We have to perform rituals on her and give her a bath in the Ganges and then can bring her back home.” She after all this was shut away behind seven doors in her house, after being given food.

जब राति में फेर ओ राता राती डोमवा पहुँच गेलय l मै बाप सुतल रहथिन, आ जे भै हारि गेल रहैन से उनकर देहरीए पर सुतल रहैन, जे घर में बंद रहथिनl 

Night fell, and during the night the dom made his way to her home. Her parents were asleep, and her brother who had lost her in a gamble was also sleeping at the doorstep of the room where she was being kept.

त फेर आन्झुर कहे छै, “कहाँ गेलऊँ किया भेलऊँ बाबूजी यउ बरैतबे, सातो पाला केवारा डोमरा कटे छै करे दइवा l” बाप के नींद नइ टूटलैन l

Then Aanjhur again sang, “Where did you go, why did you go, o Papa? The dom is breaking through all seven doors, oh god!” But her father didn’t wake up. 

मै के जगेलखिन l मै यो में यै वचन कहलखिन l 

She sang the same to her mother. But she didn’t wake.

आ उ देहर पर जे धीरज रहथिन सुतल त हुनको उठेलखन, “कहाँ गेला, किया भेला धीरज हो चांडल गे, सातो पाला केवारा डोमरा कटे छै करे दइवा l”

She sang to Dheeraj as well, who was sleeping at the doorstep, “Where did you go, why did you go, hey Dheeraj, you flesh-eater; the dom is breaking through all seven doors, oh god.”

धीरज त जगले रहैथ l ओ अपन अनठा देलखिन, नइ उठला l 

Dheeraj was, in fact, awake. But he ignored her and didn’t get up.

ओ केवारी सातो कह काटि क डोमवा अपन ल क चलि गेल आन्झुर के l 

The dom, breaking through all seven doors, took Aanjhur away with him.

फेर भिनसर में जे लोग उठल त देखइयै त फेर आन्झुर के ल क चलि गेल l आ उ डोमवा अपना ओइ ठाम पहुँच गेल l 

And so, when the next morning people woke up, they realized that the dom had left with Aanjhur again. And the dom had reached his home.

त मै कहलखिन इ केकर एहन बेटी तू उठा क ल अनालहि है से ल क द अबही गे l डोमवा नइ सुनवाइ लेलकै l ओ राखा लगलै l ओकरा जे खेनाइ पिनाइ ओकर मै दय बना क त ओ आन्झुर नइ खाय l जहिना जे चीज द अबै से ओ धरती माता के सौंप देथिन, कहथिन जहिया हम वापस मांगब तहिया हमरा अहाँ द देब l

His mother asked him, “Whose such a daughter you have kidnapped? Go and take her back to where she belongs.” The dom didn’t pay heed. He kept her with him. Aanjhur wouldn’t eat the food that his mother would give her. She would hand over all the food as it was to Mother Earth and say, “When I ask for it back, please provide it tome then.”

बस ओ सहत, सहत, सहत, सहत एकदम गल गेलीl कहियो त दाना खेबे ने केली ना पानि पीली l फेर मै ओकरा कहलकय डोमवा के, “रे बउवा रे केकर बेटी ल अनने छी जे लट क एकदम अथी पलाश भ गेलय, जे बोसली में राखै जोगर भ गेलय, से तू द अभी अइ लड़की केl” 

With continued fasting, she became frail. She never ate food nor drank a drop of water. Then again his mother beseeched him, “Hey son, whose daughter have you have brought home?  She has become frail like a palash [parrot tree] flower, thin enoughto be kept inside a flute, so please go and take her back.”

तहन ओ डोमवा कि केलक बोसली एकटा बनेलक, ओइ बोसली में पइसा क आन्झुर के ल क चलि गेल बेचय लै बोसली के l

Then the dom made a flute. Hhe made Aanjhur sit inside that flute and went off to sell the flute.

जहि नगर आन्झुर के बियाह रहे ओहि नगर में से बोसली ल क गेल बेचै लै l त आन्झुर के बर रहे त कहलकय कि, “कते द कहय छ बोसली के हो?”

त बोसली के दाम छै लछ रुपया l त लछ रुपया? त हाँ l त एकर गुण कि छै? त भरि दिन बजाबु आ राति क जइ ठाम सुतइ छी तइ ठाम क टांगि क राखि दियउ l 

He ended up in the town from which Aanjhur had been married off. Aanjhur’s husband somehow reached there and was checking out that flute, “How much is it for this flute, eh?” The dom replied, “A lakh rupees for this flute.” “A lakh rupees?!”  Her husband didn’t believe it. “What’s so special about this flute?” he asked. The dom replied, “You can play it the entire day and keep it safe near your bed.”

बर सैहै करै l भरि दिन बजा लियै आ राति क जइ ठाम सुतै तइ ठाम ऊपर में खोइन्स क राखि लियै टांगि क l

Her husband did just that. He would play the flute the entire day and keep it safe near his bed in the night.

हुनका जे मै भानस भात क क बेटा के अपराज क क अपन खेनाइ पहुँचा दैन, त आन्झुर कि करैत, ओइ में स, ओ अपन सुतल रहय छल मलिन दिया पठा दइ छलखिन, ओ बोसली में स निकइल क आधा खेनाइ खा लइ छलैथ आधा झांपि दइ छलखिन l आधा पानि पी लइ छलैथ आधा अपन छोड़ दइ छलखिन, आ फेर ओ बोसलि में पसि जाइ छलैथ l

Aanjhur would eat half of her husband’s food which his mother would cook following a standard set of rules and cleanliness and would have it delivered to his room by the household help, given that he slept late. Aanjhur would come out of the flute and, after eating half of her husband’s food, would leave the other half for him, covered and safe. She would even drink  half of his water and then would sneak back into the flute.

अहिना होइत होइत पांच छ दिन जहन भ गेलय त एक दिन ओ मै के कहलखिन जे, “एं गे मै तू हमरा सब दिन से अइंठे खेनाइ पठबै छैन, से सब दिन त हमरा अइंठे खेनाइ रहय यै l” कहलखिन, “हउ बउआ हम अइंठ खेनाइ किया तोरा देबउ, तोरा त हम सचार लगा क पठा दइ छिया, तोरा हम केना अइंठ खेनाइ पठेबअ l”

After five-six days passed like this, he exclaimed to his mother, “Hey mom, everyday you send me food that has already been eaten by somebody else!” His mother replied, “What’s that, my son? Why would I do that? Everyday I send you food that has many items beautifully arranged on the plate. Why would you think that I would send you already-eaten food, my son!”

त ओइ दिन ओ सोचलैथ कि आइ सुतब नइ, आइ देखय छियय, के इ खेनाइ खाइ यै l पतरकी चदर ओढ़ लेलैथ आ अपन जगले सुतल रहलैथ, जा खेनाइ गेलन ता l भानस भात हुनकर मै केलकैन, खेनाइ पहुँचा देलकन नौरिन दिया l ओ अपन चदर ओढ़ क अपन सुतल छैत जगले आ तकय छत l आ फेर ओ बोसली में स निकइल क उतरली आ खेनाइ जे रहैन उ खा लेली, पानि पी लेली, फेर ओ बोसली में पइसे लै विदा भेली l

That day he thought, “Won’t sleep tonight. Let me see who it is who has been eating my food.” He pulled on a light blanket and remained half awake until his food arrived. His mother cooked the meal and had it delivered to him by the household helper. He remained lying in bed, with the blanket on, and awake. Once again she came out of the flute, ate food, drank water, and was about to sneak back into the flute.

ताबत हुनका लड़का जे रहन, बर, पकरि लेलकैन l ओ कि केलैन सवा हाथ घोघ तानि क बैठ रहलैन l 

Her son, the husband, caught her that very moment. What she did was that she pulled her saree over her head for a hand’s length and a quarter and sat down.

ओ पूछलखिन, बाजियो आब अहाँ के छी? दैत्य छी, कि भूत छी, कि प्रेत छी, के छी से बाजु l आ त ना हम दैत्य छी, ना भूत छी, ना प्रेत छी l हम अहाँ के कनिया छी l 

He commanded her, “Speak now, who are you? Are you a demon, or a ghost, or a soul? Who are you? Speak!” She replied, “No. I am neither a demon, nor a ghost, nor a soul. I am your wife.”  

आ त इ केना? तहन ओ कहानी कहलखिन सबटा भै वाला, एना एना बात भेल l

He asked, “How is this possible?” Then she told him the entire story, things her brother did, and that such and such happened. 

त कहलखिन तब त अहाँ डोम भ गेलऊं l कहलकय हम डोम नइ बनल छी l हमरा जाँच क लिया l तहन ओ जाँच केलखिन, कहलखिन, “हे धरती माता, जे अहाँ के हम सौंपने छलउ से हमर वापस द दिया l आइ हम मांगि रहल छीl”

He told her, “In that case, you have become a dom.” She said, “I haven’t become one. You can check me.” Then he ran a check on her. Aanjhur said, “O Mother Earth, what I had deposited with you, please give it all back. I am asking this today.”

तहन उ सबटा धरती फाटि क गल गला क जते  दिन रहथ खेनाइ आ उ पानि सबटा ओइ ठाम उनका राखल रहन, देखा देलकन l

Then the earth tore open, and she showed him all the food and water that had been stored there during all the times when she had become frail.

तहन ओ गप शप करैत अपन टाइम बीत गेलन l भोर भ गेलय, ओ सब नींद परि गेली l नींद जे परली त हुनका भिनसर में सुबह में नींद नइ टूटलैन l

Time that night flew by in conversation. When dawn arrived, they were fast asleep. Since they fell asleep late, they couldn’t wake up in the morning. 

नींद जे नइ टूटलैन त हुनकर मै कहलखिन कि, “गै नौरिन देखुन त आइ बउआ किया सुतले छथिन अखन तक, उठा दहुन l”

Since he didn’t wake up, his mother said,”Hey, can you go and see why my son is still sleeping. Wake him up.”

नौरिन जे गेलखिन त कहि छथिन, “यइ मलकाइन आइ त दू मूरी चारि टांग l” आ त धुर मारि बारहैन से दिन हमरा कहिया हैत l 

The household helper, having gone to check, came back and told her, “Madam, today it’s two heads, four legs!” His mother said, “Don’t lie! Were only such a thing possible, but don’t know when such a (beautiful) day will be a reality in my life!”

त हाँ यइ मलकाइन दू मूरी चारि टांग से आइब क देख लियउ l हुनकर माँ गेलखिन देखइ लै त बेटा के उठाउलैन, बउआ इ कि? बेटा के उठा के कहलखिन, पुछलखिन इ कि ?

The household helper said, “Yes, madam. You can go and see for yourself that it’s two heads and four legs.” When his mother went to check, she woke him up asking, “Hey son, what’s this?” She asked her son, “How can this be?”

त मां, इ अहाँ के पुतऔह छिक l आ त इ केना भेल? तहन जतेक सोखर इनका कहने छलन है से सबटा फेर ओ सुना देलखिन मै के, जते ओ गप केने रहैत, जते उनका कहने रहैन से टोटल गप सुना देलखिन मै के l 

Her son replied, “Mom, she is your daughter-in-law.” Then he explained it all to his mother, what had been told to him. The entire conversation he had, the entire thing he had been told, he told this to his mother.

तहन फेर उनका विध व्यवहार केलन l आन्झुर के नइहर समाद गेलय, फेर ओतो स भार दोर एलय, तहन अइ ठाम विध व्यवहार भेल, अरीछन परीछन भेल, वै घर भेलय, वै बर भेलय, यै सासुर, यै नइहर l

Then the formal rituals and rites of a wedding were performed for her. A message was sent to Aanjhur’s home, and gifts of sweets and snacks came from there. Then rituals were conducted. Practices unique to marriage like arichhan-parichhan took place. She got the same new home, same husband, same in-law’s place, same ‘s natal home.

भ गेल खिस्सा l

It’s finished, the story.