Rustic Artistry

Rustic artistry

P K Routray

Born and brought in a rustic environment

in a remote village of Indian subcontinent

this author collects some pebbles from his fond memories

on parting songs, cowboy flutes and grandmas’ lyrical stories.

After a marriage ceremony was over when the bride was to depart

the songs of separation echoed on the spot breaking each and every heart.

They were sung by village ladies from mother to her companion

from aunties and from the bride holding everybody, dear and known

Moved by aura of pathos questioned this child’s inquisitive mind

“ How such lyrical songs and melody the illiterate belles could find?

As they could not count beyond twenty and in the schools they were never taught

puzzled still this author is as to how could they compose, rhyme and sing on the spot.

The cow herd boys sang their songs with melody from their handmade flutes

they said, “ It kills their boredom and they control cows using its tunes as tools”

In the lands while tilling and cropping the farmers used to sing

perhaps best out of them the lyrics composed live could bring.

Road side lyrical dramas I still vividly remember and cherish

Males used to sing in female tones, act in female roles and still the dramas did flourish.

Under paid, unpaid and rustic were artists but their arts were joy to watch and to listen.

Always live, mostly unrehearsed they were but to the crowd the joy they used to bring in.

Many such arts, crafts and poetic creation spurt and died in the village

No videography to archive them was available  to keep them alive for future to salvage.