ArleneBelmore12 at 23:52, 7 January 2026

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{{Short description|Indian folk singer (1943–2016)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Diwaliben Bhil
| honorific_suffix =
| image =
| image_upright =
| image_size =
| landscape = 
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| native_name = દિવાળીબેન ભીલ
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name = Diwaliben Punjabhai Ladhia
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1943|06|02}}<ref name=":2"/>
| birth_place = Dalkhania village (now in Dhari Taluka, [[Amreli district]], [[Bombay presidency]], [[British India]]
| origin =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2016|05|19|1943|06|02}}
| death_place = [[Junagadh]], Gujarat, India<ref>{{cite web |title=Gujarat's renowned folk singer Diwaliben Bhil passed away in hometown Junagadh |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/gujarats-renowned-folk-singer-diwaliben-bhil-passed-away-in-hometown-junagadh/articleshow/52353093.cms?utm_source |website=The Times of India |date=20 May 2016}}</ref>
| genre = [[Folk music]]
| occupation = Folk singer, playback singer
| instrument =
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| label =
| associated_acts =
| website = 
}}

'''Diwaliben Punjabhai Bhil''' (2 June 1943 – 19 May 2016), also known as '''Diwaliben Punjabhai Ladhia''', was an Indian folk singer and playback singer from [[Gujarat]]. Her talent was discovered late; she then sang on radio and in [[Gujarati cinema|Gujarati films]] and was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] in 1990.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-05-19 |title=Popular Gujarati folk singer Diwaliben Bhil passes away |url=https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/popular-gujarati-folk-singer-diwaliben-bhil-passes-away-17251184 |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=Mid-day |language=en}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Diwaliben Bhil was born on 2 June 1943<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195650983.001.0001/acref-9780195650983-e-1460|title=The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India|last=Ghosh|first=Nikhil|publisher=Oxford University Press|others=Saṅgīt Mahābhāratī.|year=2011|isbn=9780199797721|edition=1st|volume=1|location=New Delhi|oclc=729238089|via=Oxford Reference}}</ref> in Dalkhania village (now in Dhari Taluka, [[Amreli district]], Gujarat) to Punjabhai and Monghiben in a tribal family.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/gujarat-popular-folk-singer-passes-away-at-75-2809694/|title=Gujarat: Popular folk singer passes away at 75|last=Kateshiya|first=Gopal|date=20 May 2016|work=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=5 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="db2">{{cite web|url=http://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/news-ht/SAU-JUN-OMC-padma-shree-award-winner-diwaliben-bhil-is-no-more-5328040-NOR.html?seq=2|title=પદ્મ શ્રી લોકગાયિકા દિવાળીબેન ભીલનું નિધન|last=Ram|first=Sarman|date=20 May 2016|website=Divya Bhaskar|language=gu|trans-title=Padma Shree Award Winner Diwaliben Bhil Is No More|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160524051532/http://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/news-ht/SAU-JUN-OMC-padma-shree-award-winner-diwaliben-bhil-is-no-more-5328040-NOR.html?seq=5|archive-date=24 May 2016|url-status=live|access-date=17 May 2018}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite encyclopedia|title=[[Gujarati Vishwakosh]]|last=Mule|first=Balkrishna Madhavrao|publisher=Gujarati Vishwakosh Trust|year=2002|edition=1st|volume=XVI|location=Ahmedabad|pages=862–863|language=gu|trans-title=Gujarati Encyclopedia|chapter=ભીલ, દિવાળીબહેન}}</ref> Her original surname was Ladhiya.<ref name=":1" /> Inspired by her mother, she started singing traditional [[Garba (dance)|garba]] songs at an early age. She was a primary-school dropout, but had taught herself folk singing.<ref name=":0" /> She moved to [[Junagadh]] at the age of nine, when her father found a job on the [[Junagadh State Railway]]. She was married in [[Rajkot]] at the age of nine, but her marriage was declared [[Void (law)|null and void]] after only two days due to disagreements; she never married again. Around the age of twenty, she got a job in a hospital and worked there for ten years. Later, she worked as a domestic helper in the nurses' quarters of the Junagadh Public Hospital.<ref name=":1" /> She moved to Junagadh and lived with her brother in the Ghanghiram area.<ref name="db2" />

In 1964, Gujarati folk singer [[Hemu Gadhavi]] spotted her talent and arranged her first recording for the [[All India Radio]]-Rajkot for a payment of five [[Indian rupee|Rupee]]s. Social worker Ratubhai Adani took her to [[Delhi]], where she won the first prize in the Folk Music Festival. Musician [[Kalyanji]] heard her during her stage performance in Mumbai, and invited her to sing as a [[playback singer]] in Gujarati films. ''[[Jesal Toral]]'' (1971) was her first film and her song "Paap Taru Parkash Jadeja.." from the film become very popular. She travelled across India and abroad for performances.<ref name=":1" /> She conducted several stage performances with Pranlal Vyas.<ref name="db2" /> She worked in a primary school of Gomta village near [[Gondal, India|Gondal]].<ref name=":1" />

She died on 19 May 2016 of natural causes, after a long period of illness.<ref name="db2" />

== Works ==
Diwaliben was a self-taught singer, and did not receive any formal education in music.<ref name=":3" />

Diwaliben sang large numbers of folk songs, ''[[Garba (dance)|garba]]''s, ''[[bhajan]]''s and Gujarati film songs, and recorded and released [[Compact Cassette|cassette]]s of them.<ref name=":1" /> She received recognition for her folk song "Aiwa Aiwa" from the album ''Mann ke Manjeere'' (2001). The folk song was from the [[Kharwa caste|Kharwa]] community of [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]]. Some of her notable songs are "Marey Todle Betho Mor", "Sona Vatkdi Re Kesar Gholya", "Vage Che Re", "Ram Na Ban Vagya", "Hari Na Ban Vagya Re", "Halo Ne Kathiyavadi Re", "Kokilkanthi", "Hoon To Kagalaiyan Lakhi Lakhi Thaki", "Varse Varse Ashadhi Kere Megh" and "Chelaiya Khama Khamare" from the Gujarati film, ''Halo Gamde Jaiye''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Gujarats-renowned-folk-singer-Diwaliben-Bhil-passed-away-in-hometown-Junagadh/articleshow/52353093.cms|title=Gujarat's renowned folk singer Diwaliben Bhil passed away in hometown Junagadh|date=20 May 2016|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=5 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="md" />
She had worked with several musicians and singers such as Hemu Gadhvi, Lakhabhai Gadhvi, Ismail Valera, Veljibhai Gajjar, Karsan Sagathiya, [[Praful Dave]], Bhikhudan Gadhvi, [[Usha Mangeshkar]], Damyanti Bardai, Murli Meghani and Anandkumar.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

== Recognition ==
Bhil was felicitated by the Gujarati Society in [[London]] during her visit.<ref name=":1" /> She was awarded the [[Padma Shri]], the fourth-highest civilian award from the [[Government of India]], in 1990.<ref name=":2" /><ref name="md">{{cite web|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/popular-gujarati-folk-singer-diwaliben-bhil-passes-away-at-83/17251184|title=Popular Gujarati folk singer Diwaliben Bhil passes away at 83|date=19 May 2016|website=Mid-Day|access-date=20 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="db2" /><ref name=":1" /> The [[Government of Gujarat]] awarded her the Gujarat Gaurav Puraskar.<ref name=":1" /> She was the recipient of 2011 [[Kavi Kag Award]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Books by Vijaydan Detha - Prabhat Prakashan |url=https://www.prabhatbooks.com/author/vijaydan-detha.htm |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=www.prabhatbooks.com}}</ref>

==Selected filmography==

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

* ''[[Jesal Toral]]'' (1971)
* ''Hothal Padamani'' (1974)
* ''Bhadar Tara Vaheta Pani'' (1976)
* ''Ganga Sati'' (1979)
* ''Maniyaro'' (1980)
* ''Ra Navghan'' 1976
* ''Sati Savitri''
* ''Lankani Ladi Ghogha No Var'' (1978)
* ''Mandavda Ropavo Manaraj''
* ''Machu Tara Vaheta Pani''
* ''Goral Garasani'' (1982)
* ''Sonba Ane Roopba''
* ''Ashadhi Bij''
* ''Sampurn Ramayan''
* ''Veer Abhal Valo''
* ''Bhagat Pipaji''
* ''Pithi No Rang''
* ''[[Maiyar Ma Mandu Nathi Lagtu]]''
* ''Shamalshano Vivah''
* ''Vat Vachan Ane Ver''
* ''Mali Methan''
* ''Virangna Nathibai''
* ''Diyar Vatu''
* ''Sonbai Ni Chundadi''
* ''Sant Tulsidas''
* ''Lako Loyan''

}}



== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{YouTube|m7mIQ7ru8ks|''Diwaliben Bhil''}} Interview
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhil, Diwaliben}}
[[Category:Indian folk singers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian women playback singers]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language playback singers]]
[[Category:People from Amreli district]]
[[Category:People from Junagadh]]
[[Category:Singers from Gujarat]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women singers]]

Diwaliben Bhil - Revision history

ArleneBelmore12 at 23:52, 7 January 2026