Jagar (ritual)

Jagar (Devanagari: जागर) is a form of ancestor spirit worship practiced in the hills of Uttarakhand, both in Kumaon as well as Garhwal [1] The word Jagar comes from the Sanskrit root, Jaga (meaning to wake), Jagar is a medium or way in which Gods and local deities are called or waked from their dormant stage and asked for favors or remedies for certain problems plaguing the person.

It is attached to the idea of divine justice and is organised to seek penance for a crime or seek justice from the gods for some injustice.

Music is the medium through which the gods are invoked. The singer or Jagariya sings a ballad of the gods with allusions to the great epics like Mahabharat and Ramayana and which describes the adventures and exploits of the God being invoked.

These traditions are the part of a kind of Folk Hinduism prevalent, in fact, all across the Himalayas, which have been there along with the mainstream Hinduism for ages.

The hard life of the Himalayas and constant exposure to the vagaries of nature inspired a strong belief in paranormal phenomena and also in numerous Folk Gods who were given great reverence and respect. Every village had its own God protecting its boundaries called Bhumyal or Kshetrapal, each family has its Kul Devta or Kul Devi and numerous other benevolent demi-gods/goddesses and malicious spirits which could reward or torment people and had to be appeased.

The isolation of the Kumaon and Garhwal Himalayas promoted the emergence of local religious traditions which are still strong in these regions along with mainstream Hinduism

Jagar ceremonies are of two types one is the Dev Jagar, the invocation of a god, usually local gods in the body of the medium and the other is the Bhut Jagar the invocation of a deceased person spirit or soul in the medium’s body, although other forms like Masan Puja also exist.[2]

Today, Jagars are seen more as cultural and musical heritage in the need of preservation than the religious ceremony itself. But it is still highly revered especially in the rural areas.[3]

For years of evolution Jagar singing has transformed into an art which is greatly cherished and the exponents of which are often heralded as living heritages.

Participants

Jagariya

The Jagariya (जगरिया) is the singer of the ballads of the Gods who leads the rituals and invokes the Gods by calling upon them he is assisted by two or more men who sing along with him in chorus.

Dagariya

The Dagariya (डगरिया) is the medium, whose body is used by the Gods when they incarnate. Dagariya comes from the Kumaoni word Dagar (meaning way), he is the one who shows the way.

Syonkar

The Syonkar (स्योंकर) is the person who has organized the Jagar to seek divine intervention to his problems. The Jagar is held at his home.

Duration

The Jagar can be organised for

Preparations

The room in which the Jagar is to be performed is purfied by purification processes closely administered by the Jagar singer or ‘’Jagariya’’.

The Dhuni (धुनी) or sacred fire is lit for the Homa.

Instruments

The musical instruments used are the ‘’Hurka’’ (हुड़का), ‘’Dhol’’ (ढोल), ‘’Damau’’ (दमाऊ), ‘’Thali’’ (थाली) all of which are percussion instruments native to Uttarakhand played by professional musicians.

Rituals

Sanjhvali Geet

In Sanjhvali Geet (साँझवली गीत) all gods are remembered their names repeated and asked for assistance for a successful completion of the Jagar.

An excerpt from the Sanjhvali Geet of God Gangnath, (in Kumaoni language)

जै गुरु-जै गुरु
माता पिता गुरु देवत
तब तुमरो नाम छू इजाऽऽऽऽऽऽ
यो रुमनी-झूमनी संध्या का बखत में॥

तै बखत का बीच में,
संध्या जो झुलि रै।
बरम का बरम लोक में, बिष्णु का बिष्णु लोक में,
राम की अजुध्या में, कृष्ण की द्वारिका में,
यो संध्या जो झुलि रै,
शम्भु का कैलाश में,
ऊँचा हिमाल, गैला पताल में,

Birtvai

During the Birtvai (बिर्त्वाई) the divine spirit being called upon is praised and ballads related to his or her adventures, and his or her life are sung out loud. An excerpt from the Birtvai of Deity Bala Golia, (in Kumaoni language)

गोरियाऽऽऽऽऽऽ दूदाधारी छै, कृष्ण अबतारी छै।
मामू को अगवानी छै, पंचनाम द्याप्तोंक भाँणिज छै,
तै बखत का बीच में गढ़ी चम्पावती में हालराई राज जो छन,
अहाऽऽऽऽ! रजा हालराई घर में संतान न्हेंतिन,
के धान करन कूनी राजा हालराई.......!

तै बखत में राजा हालराई सात ब्या करनी.....संताना नाम पर ढुँग लै पैद नि भै,
तै बखत में रजा हालराई अठुँ ब्या जो करनु कुनी,
राजैल गंगा नाम पर गध्यार नै हाली, द्याप्ता नाम पर ढुँग जो पुजिहाली,......
अहा क्वे राणि बटिक लै पुत्र पैद नि भै.......
राज कै पुत्रक शोकै रैगो

Ausan

During the Ausan (औसाण) beats of the ‘’Hurka’’ and the other instruments are slowly increased. Here the ‘’Dagariya’’ starts going into a state of a trance with frenzied movement.

An excerpt from the Ausan of God Gangnath, (in Kumaoni language)

एऽऽऽऽऽ राजौ- क रौताण छिये......!
एऽऽऽऽऽ डोटी गढ़ो क राज कुँवर जो छिये,
अहाऽऽऽऽऽ घटै की क्वेलारी, घटै की क्वेलारी।
आबा लागी गौछौ गांगू, डोटी की हुलारी॥

डोटी की हुलारी, म्यारा नाथा रे......माँगता फकीर।
रमता रंगीला जोगी, माँगता फकीर,
ओहोऽऽऽऽ माँगता फकीर......

Guru Aarti

All Gods, Demi-Gods in the local pantheon of Kumaon are believed top be disciples of Guru Gorakhnath and therefore he too is remembered and asked for protection.

This ritual is known as the Guru Aarti (गुरु आरती).

An excerpt of Guru Aarti of God Gangnath, (in Kumaoni language)

ए.......तै बखत का बीच में, हरिद्वार में बार बर्षक कुम्भ जो लागि रौ।
ए...... गांगू.....! हरिद्वार जै बेर गुरु की सेवा टहल जो करि दिनु कूँछे......!
अहा.... तै बखत का बीच में, कनखल में गुरु गोरखीनाथ जो भै रईं......!
ए...... गुरु कें सिराँ ढोक जो दिना, पयाँ लोट जो लिना.....!
ए...... तै बखत में गुरु की आरती जो करण फैगो, म्यरा ठाकुर बाबा.....!

अहा.... गुरु धें कुना, गुरु......, म्यारा कान फाड़ि दियो, मून-मूनि दियो,
भगैलि चादर दि दियौ, मैं कें बिद्या भार दी दियो,
मैं कें गुरुमुखी ज बणा दियो।
ओ... दो तारी को तार-ओ दो तारी को तार,
गुरु मैंकें दियो कूँछो, बिद्या को भार,
बिद्या को भार जोगी, माँगता फकीर,
रमता रंगीला जोगी, माँगता फकीर।

Khakh Raman

The ash known as Bibhuti (बिभूति) from ‘’Homa’’ the fire sacrifice made to the Gods is applied on the foreheads of those present. This is known as Khakh Raman (खाख रामाण)

Danik Vichar

Danik Vichar (दाणीक विचार) means thinking about the provider, the people present contemplate about God and the way he provides for us.

Ashirvad

The people present are ritually blessed by the priests who pray for their prosperity, this is known as Ashirvad (आशीर्वाद).

Prasthan

The Gods are said to return or Prasthan (प्रस्थान), to their heavenly abode at this stage of the Jagar.

Exponents

The exponents of the professional Jagar singing are highly respected. They have preserved these ballads of local Gods through oral traditions which today are being recorded.

Some famous Jagar singers

Significance

Behind the performance of Jagar is the deep-seated belief of the people of Uttarakhand in divine justice and the law of ‘’Karma’’. That bad deeds shall be visited upon the doer and that justice will finally be delivered by the Gods.

Apart from the religious point of view Jagar songs and singing styles are and integral part of the cultural heritage of Uttarakhand.

The ballads of the various Gods sung during the Jagar are the part of the vast folk literature of the Kumaoni language and Garhwali language which is now being collected for preservation.

References

External links

  1. ↑ ,
  2. ↑
  3. ↑

See also