Music of every place has importance of its own. Folk music of every place is influenced by the culture, tradition and heritage. It’s a human nature to get attracted to beauty. There are soft and sweet rhythms which reflect the touch of nature dipped in a jaggery of love which can make every listener to sing and swing, such is the music of Garhwal. Popular folk music of Garhwal consists of following-

Basanti
This is music which is played individually or by troupe. It is to welcome the new spring season when flowers bloom and life again refreshes.

Mangal
These songs are basic puja songs which are sung at the time of marriage. They are sung with the priests who keep on enchanting mantra or shaloks basically in Sanskrit. There are sing to show delight on the event of happy occasions.

Puja
Puja songs are like hymns. There are sung to seek the blessing of deities. There are praises of gods and offerings. There are songs which are recited to keep the evil spirits away by tantra and mantra

Jaggar
It falls in the category of song sung for ghosts and spirits in the form of their worship. They are sometimes combined with dance also. Sometimes they are also sung for certain deities.

Jhumeila
This are sung right from the start of “basant panchamii”. These continue till “Baishaki” This dance is restricted to woman folk only. But sometime it is performed by men also.

Chounphula
It is performed by all sections of the community, at night, in groups, by men and women. 'Chounphula' folk songs are composed for the appreciation of nature on various occasions. Chounpala, Jhmeila and Daryola folk songs all derive their names from the folk dances of the same nomenclature.

Churra
It is generally sung in Shepard community. It is a sort of advice given to young people by old people teaching them different ways of grazing and looking after cattle.

Bhajuband
It is a sort of romantic song representing a dialect between lovers making lines endowed by love. It is common among sheperds. It is based on sacrifice.

Laman
It is a song which is sung expressing the feelings of a man’s sacrifice for his beloved.

Pawada
It is an another song depicting sorrow especially when husband has gone to battlefield.

Khuded
It is a song sung by a woman whose heart is filled with sorrow depicting her feelings when she has been parted with her husband, who has gone in search of a job

Garhwali folk music might be blessed with some powers as every time we listen to a garhwali lok geet we fall into the nostalgia of the time we spent in Garhwal. The pristine beauteousness of the nature of Garhwal region moves in front of our eyes no matter where we are and a sense of natural melody comes enters our heart. Garhwali songs are generally related with festivals, folk stories, gods and simple pastoral life of people in Uttarakhand. Garhwali music is integrated in every part of Uttarakhand and you will start feeling the aerial music of Garhwal as soon as you enter this holy land of gods.

Shri Narendra Singh Negi is considered as the voice of Uttarakhand. Narendra Singh Negi has been versatile since beginning of his career and he has delivered most number of successful albums in Uttarakhand state. Narendra Singh Negi is the most popular singer of Uttarakhand.

The folk music of Garhwal region of Uttarakhand has become more versatile during last decade. In recent years Uttarakhand folk music has welcomed many new talented Garhwali singers like Gajendra Rana, Manglesh Dangwal, Pritam Bhardwaj and Meena Rana. These youngsters have also become popular in the Garhwal region because of their talent and dedication towards Garhwali Lok Geet.

The variety of Garhwali songs or Garhwali music stretches to a larger scope with the areas like ceremonial mandals, martial panwaras and melancholy khuded, thadya and jhoda.

Suggested Website for Garhwali Songs : http://www.uttaranchalmusic.com


http://www.gogarhwal.com/garhwali-songs.html

A Garhwali Folk sung by Pritam Bhartvan

A Pahawa song from Garhwal. The song depicts the pain that a lady goes through while her husband is away on army call.

Another traditional Garhwali song. But its the video which needs to be watched to get to know about the traditional dance of the state.

A Garhwali Bhajan.

Wonderful post, Bhaskar ji. And very informative