A tribal folk song and ‘Haria’, the rice beer

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Haria, rice beer
Haria. Pic source Wikipedia

NK SINGH


O my beloved you have gone far away
You have gone far away indeed
Where shall we meet
Where shall we see each other
When the Hasa Jatra (fair) will be held
We will meet each other
We will see each other again.
If I meet you in Bamani fair, I will give you a garland
I will give you a ring and then we will talk.
I will put the garland on your neck

 (Translated by anynmous)

Rice beer or ‘Haria’ is of great importance to the tribes of Chotanagpur, specially for the Mundas. ‘Haria’ is a kind of beer or wine prepared from rice. It is both beverage and food, but generally it is a drink.

The Oraons, the Mundas, the Hos and the Santhals drink it as frequently as drinking water. Important on all occasions, it plays a dominant role in the tribal culture of Chotanagpur.

 For more details, please see my earlier article.

Excerpts from Frontier 16 August 1969

Frontier 16 August 1969 P1

Frontier 16 August 1969 P2



Former Resident Editor, Hindustan Times, Indian Express; Editor, Dainik Bhaskar, Peoples Samachar; Associate Editor, India Today; Sub-editor, Nai Dunia, The Hitavada, Pratipaksha, Secular Democracy

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