>Serols at 12:08, 27 May 2021

2021-05-27T12:08:53Z

New page

{{Short description|Folk deity}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
"'''Chauharmal'''" or "'''Chuharmal'''" or "'''Veer Chauharmal'''" was a folk hero who was later [[apotheosize]]d by the members of [[Paswan|Dusadh]] caste. The story of Chauharmal within Dusadh folklore is an empowering message which gives the [[Dalit]] community a sense of victory over upper caste [[Bhumihar]]s.<ref name=" Narayan 322">{{citation |chapter=Documenting Dissent|first=Badri|last=Narayan |title=Life as a Dalit: Views from the Bottom on Caste in India |editor1-first=Subhadra Mitra |editor1-last=Channa |editor2-first=Joan P. |editor2-last=Mencher |publisher=SAGE Publications India|page=317,319,326,328,329,330 |year=2013 |isbn=978-8-13211-777-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tTAnAgAAQBAJ}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kmMFAAAAMAAJ|title=Folklore of Bihar|first=Pranab Chandra|last=Roy Choudhury|publisher=National Book Trust(Original from the University of Michigan)|location=India|year=1976|pages=108,109|accessdate=2020-09-19}}</ref>

{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| image =File:Chauharmal.jpg
| caption =
| name = Chauharmal
| script_name = Devnagari.
| script = "चौहरमल"
| Sanskrit_transliteration =
| Kannada_script =
| affiliation = Non-Brahmanical deity.
| god_of =
| abode =
| mantra =
| weapon = Sword
| consort = Reshma
| mount = Horse & Lion
}}

==In popular culture==
Chauharmal was born in Anjani village, which is located in [[Patna]] district. He is described as a devotee of Goddess [[Durga]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9zLaAAAAMAAJ|title=Folk India: A Comprehenseive Study of Indian Folk Music and Culture, Volume 7|first=Manorma|last=Sharma|isbn= 8175741422|publisher=Sundeep Prakashan (Original from Indiana University)|pages=44, 45|year=2004|accessdate=2020-09-19}}</ref>

In the folklores of Bihar, various stories of Chauharmal exist. Some of these stories consider him a folk hero of Dusadh community, while other degrade him as an anti-hero. According to the most popular variant, Baba Chauharmal was a chivalrous man of Dusadh caste who used to study along with his [[Bhumihar]] friend, Ajab Singh. The father of Ajab Singh was a powerful [[landlord]] named Ranjit Singh and his sister was Reshma, who had fallen in one sided love with the Chauharmal who considered her as his sister. Annoyed by the attitude of Chauharmal, Reshma sends an army of his father to defeat Chauharmal and demoralise him. But, Dusadhs performed [[Rahu]] Puja and Chauharmal escaped due to the grace of "''Isht devi''"(folk goddess) of the Dusadh caste while Reshma was burnt into ashes.<ref name=" Narayan 322"/><ref name="Reshma">{{cite book|title=Communication, Culture and Confrontation|first=Bernard Bel, Jan Brouwer, Biswajit Das|last=Vibodh Parthasarathi, Guy Poitevin
|publisher=SAGE Publications|location= India|year= 2010|isbn=978-8132104865|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PdRjDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT111|accessdate=16 June 2020}}</ref>

According to another version of the story Chauharmal and Reshma were lovers but their relationship was not supported by her father, who was a powerful landlord of the Bhumihar caste. In order to defeat and assassinate the person who was responsible for letting him down, the father of Reshma sent an army.Chauharmal, who was known for his valour defeated all of them single-handedly and later assumed "Samadhi"(meditation) to give up his life himself.Thus, he became popular as a symbol of Dusadh's victory over the landlord [[Bhumihar]]s.<ref name=" Narayan 322"/><ref name="Reshma"/>

The Dusadhs of [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]] region however recognise Sahles as their hero, who is said to be uncle of Chauharmal. Sahles was able to take a job as a palace guard ("Mahapour") in the fort of "King of Morang".Chauharmal himself wanted that job and felt cheated.He decided to take revenge but was killed by Sahles. Thus, according to this tradition Sahles is the primary hero while Chauharmal is given secondary status.<ref name=" Narayan 322"/><ref name="Reshma"/>

The Dalit community also praises Chauharmal and Sahles through various folk songs usually sung in the [[Bhojpuri]] language . One of the notable folk song sung in the praise of Chauharmal after Reshma's introduction in his life goes as follows : <ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sRdBDwAAQBAJ&q=chuharmal&pg=PT399|title=Life as a Dalit: Views from the Bottom on Caste in India|author1=Subhadra Mitra Channa|author2=Joan P. Mencher|publisher=SAGE Publishing India|year=2013|isbn=978-8132118022|page=399|accessdate=2020-10-03}}</ref>
{|
!Original
!Translation
|-
|
<blockquote>
''Rama Ho Ram Man'' 
'' Hi Man Soche Chuharmal Ho Ram'' 
'' Kahan Se Alei Vipatiya Ho Ram Rama ho Ram!'' 
''Aho Rama Devi Ke Sumirai Surama Chuharmal Ho Ram ''
</blockquote>
|
<blockquote>
" From where has this calamity (the girl) has come 
so is now thinking Chauharmal 
Disturbed as he is 
Now prays to goddess". 
</blockquote>
|}

==Commemoration==
The Dusadh celebrate numerous festivals associated with the Chauharmal; the biggest among these being famous "Chauharmal Mela", celebrated near [[Patna]]. According to Vijay Nambisan, the Dausadh of the region participate with pomp and show in the famous mela to commemorate the popular saint (Chauharmal) who not only fled with an "upper caste" girl but also vanquished all her kins.The centre of attraction in this festival remains the participation of [[Lalu Prasad Yadav]]. Earlier, such an incident received violent reaction from the Bhumihars but Yadav's participation makes it a rallying point for [[Dalit]]s.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NYNICgAAQBAJ&pg=PT23|title=Bihar: is in the Eye of the Beholder|first=Vijay|last= Nambisan|publisher=Penguin UK|year=2001|isbn=9352141334|accessdate=26 July 2020}}</ref>

The celebrations had witnessed violent clashes between the upper and the lower castes in past, the most infamous being the "Ekauni incident".The Dalits however organise theatrical performances like "Rani Reshma ka khela" to commemorate the whole life of Chauharmal in which various stages of his life are performed by the trained artists.The ritual head of Dusadhs, the ''Bhagat'' performs rituals during such occasions.<ref name=" Narayan 322"/>

==See also==
*[[Bijli Pasi]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Indian folk culture]]
[[Category:Caste system in India]]
[[Category:Indian folklore]]

Chauharmal - Revision history

>Serols at 12:08, 27 May 2021