38 Bhą̄var4 [Nieuw Nickerie, 1967]
I.
bābā hī bābā pukāräile bābā na boläį ho
II.
bābā pahalī bhąvariyā ke ghumale abahį maį bābā ke ho
III.
dādā hī dādā pukāräile dādā na boläį ho
IV.
dādā dusarī bhąvariyā ke ghumale abahį maį dādā ke ho
V.
nānā hī nānā pukāräile nānā na boläį ho
VI.
nānā tisarī bhąvariyā ke ghumale abahį maį nānā ke ho
VII.
bhaiyā hī bhaiyā pukāräile bhaiyā na boläį ho
VIII.
bhaiyā cäuthī bhąvariyā ke ghumale abahį maį bhaiyā ke ho
[p. 89]
IX.
mausā hī mausā pukāräile mausā na boläį ho
X.
mausā pącavį̄ bhąvariyā ke ghumale abahį maį mausā ke ho
XI.
kākā hī kākā pukāräile kākā na boläį ho
XII.
kākā chaṭhavį bhąvariyā ke ghumale abahį maį kākā ke ho
XIII.
māmā hī māmā pukāräile māmā na boläį ho
XIV.
satahį bhąvariyā ke ghumale to bhäilī parā̈ī ho
I.
I call only ‘father’ ‘father’, but father does not answer.
II.
Father, having made the first circumambulation I am still father's own.
III-XII
XIII.
I call only ‘māmā’ ‘māmā’, but māmā does not answer.
XIV.
Having made the seventh circumambulation I have now become another's.
4Since ‘walking round the fire, the bhą̄var, is the Hindu wedding par excellence, the importance of this song cannot be overemphasized. H.S.B.I. alone gives versions in seven North Indian languages and dialects: Avadhī (p. 219); Baghelī (p. 255), Bundelī (p. 341), Braj (p. 378), Gaṛhvālī (p. 612), a shorter version in Cambiālī (p. 721), and a Rājasthānī version (p. 445) with only four circumambulations because in Rājasthān that is the customary number instead of the seven which are usual elsewhere.
1The second to the sixth circumambulations, referring to paternal grandfather, maternal grandfather, brother, mausā (husband of mother's sister), kākā (father's younger brother), māmā (mother's brother). It is not necessary that the same order should be followed. Other relatives may also be mentioned instead of these.
