Friday, March 29, 2024
Himachal Pradesh

Arts


Music

Music

The Himachal folk music is the greatest solace to the poor people living in the remote areas. The Junju Sukrat Bhunkh and Roopshu songs of the Chamba valley, the Mohna of Bilaspur, the Jhoori or Sirmaur, the Laman of Kulu are all rooted in the daily life and rich folk tradition of the area and each has notable features of its own.

Most of the songs require no instrumental accompaniment. The themes are usually common ones like human love and separation of lovers. Some songs are about rituals. Chhinj, Laman, Jhoori, Gangi, Mohana and Tappe are love songs. Dholru is a seasonal song. Bare-Haren are ballads about warriors, Soohadiyan are songs sung at Childbirth. Losi and Pakkahad and Suhaag songs are all family songs, Karak are songs of praise in honour of the deities and Alhaini is a song of mourning. All these songs follow a specific style of singing and the geographical facts have a deep effect on these.

The songs are sung in unison and the singer decides how and which way the notes and syllables are to be pronounced. They make changes in lines and substitute or replace words.