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AnnouncementTHE MUSIC OF SOUTH INDIAThe course “The Music of South India” takes place from March 17 to June 20, 2003. An online preview, a descriptionof the course and information on how to register are found on the following e-learning website:http://www.carnaticstudent.org. It goes without saying that it comprises practical exercises with transcriptions inorder to enable all participants to experience the melodic and rhythmic beauties inherent in Carnatic music. Moreover,several renowned musicians and scholars have come forward to provide guidance on the most intricate aspects ofthis music whenever required.The list of previous participants includes performers, music lovers, students and educationists, some of whom havealready been involved in Indian music and dance. They have expressed their impressions as participants of thecourse, including the practical exercises incorporated in it, in terms of “stimulating”, “meaningful” and “very enjoyable”.On www.carnaticstudent.org you will find more spontaneous feedback recently received from participants who hailfrom different cultural and educational backgrounds (including India). Their reactions confirm that my principalendeavour, namely to address and accommodate individual learning needs and interests is being highly valued byall participants. I should add here that their questions and comments have brought this course alive and will help todevelop it further in accordance with newly emerging needs and interests. Even “unconventional” ideas are beingdiscussed in the course along with those concepts that every course on Indian music should address in an approachablemanner.I trust that my personalised approach sets this course apart. In other words, this course complements other educationalventure on Indian music currently found on the Internet as well as those local and distance education programmesthat are currently being offered by various (open) universities. As nothing is taken for granted here, participants arewelcome to join on virtually any level of exposure and experience, including complete novices interested in this fieldof study and music practice. Concert organisers and critics are likewise bound to benefit from participating in acongenial atmosphere provided by a common cause, namely the appreciation, propagation and investigation ofSouth Indian music in a modern and international context.Please note that teachers in any academic or artistic discipline are particularly welcome to participate along with theirstudents and pupils. This will enable us all to explore this enjoyable music in novel and ever more effective ways,namely in a spirit of cooperation across all cultural boundaries. E-learning frees us from the many constraintsimposed by other ways of delivering and sharing educational contents. Any reputed institutional course programme— anywhere in the world — can in principle associate itself with this course for mutual benefit.Special terms for groups of students (e.g., music, dance, Indology, cultural studies) are being offered by the DistanceEducation Centre of the University of Lueneburg in Germany which organises, hosts and supports this course andnumerous others. Given the highly affordable course fees even for individuals, money (or the lack of it) will hardlystand in the way of participation for anybody interested in it.Please feel free to enquire about any aspect of the course about which you would like to get additional clarificationson perusing the additional information found on www.carnaticstudent.org.Ludwig PeschPostbus 33501001 AD, AmsterdamThe NetherlandsE-mail: ludwig@euronet.nl14 INDIAN FOLKLIFE VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 JANUARY - MARCH 2003
Kansari: The Goddess of FoodgrainAruna Joshi is Head of Publication Wing, Bhasha ResearchPublication Centre at Vadodara and Chief Editor of Dhol,a magazine circulated in different tribal languages ofWestern India. Email: brpc_baroda@sify.comThe southern districts of Gujarat as well as thenorthern and north-western districts of Maharashtraare largely populated by several tribal communities.The Bhil, Konkna, Gamit, Warli, Dhodiya, Dubla, andChaudhri are among some of them. The Konkna orKunkna is one of the prominent tribal communities ofthis region. Konknas are mainly agriculturistsproducing foodgrain of all kinds. Some say that theymigrated to these parts from the coastal area ofMaharashtra known as Konkan, while others argue thatthey have always been native to this land, and thatthis land itself was included under the term ‘Konkan’.In any case, the Konknas have lived in this mountainousregion for several centuries, have been very closelyassociated with land and farming, of both the shiftingand steady variety, and have come to be recognised inthe area by the term ‘The Farmer’ or Kunbi.The Konknas take great pride in the name ‘Kunbi’ whichmeans producer of grain. When the crop is harvestedand brought to the granaries, the Bhagat is invited toperform a ritual and to sing the narrative of Kansariwith the accompaniment of instruments like thali orghanghli. The narrative varies from place to place andfrom singer to singer in its plot, characters, and style.However, the focus of the narrative remains on theimportance of foodgrain and the power of Kansari -the goddess of foodgrain - against those who wouldmerely consume and misuse it. These long narratives,often sung through the night, are not songs ofpropitiation to the goddess Kansari. Rather, theypresent Kansari as a human figure, as a protagonist.Apart from these long narratives sung by the Bhagat,there are also several shorter versions of the story ofKansari, some of them versions for young children.But in none of these versions is the story seen as mereentertainment; it is always seen as a narrative havingBhagat narrating the story of Kansarireligious sanctity and imbibing the centralcultural values of the community.Religion, here, is viewed not as a sect ofworship, but as the central principle orvalue upon which a community buildsitself.The faith in Kansari can be seen amongthe cultivator tribes throughout thetribal belt from North and Northwest Maharashtra,from the Dhule, Khandesh and Nasik areas up to centralGujarat, including Baroda district and further. Theconcept of Kansari in the psyche of the communitiesis somewhat complex – the pod of foodgrain is Kansari,the grain itself is Kansari, the plant, the deity - symbolfor foodgrain, the divine as well as human characterfound in the stories - all bear the name Kansari. Andwhen one asks what does Kansari stand for, the Bhagatreplies - “This is foodgrain, this is prosperity, this isour God.” … “This is everything, this is the onlything”… “For us, there is no greater god, the harvestedfoodgrain itself is the highest God.” Thus, one cancertainly say that Kansari is a matter of faith for thefood-cultivating tribal peasants of the region. However,as one starts looking at the several versions of the story,one wonders if it speaks merely of faith or suggestssomething more.It will be interesting to look at some of the motifs thatemerge from a number of versions of the story ofKansari. But before we do that, let us have a briefaccount of the longest version so far published. Thisone is a ritual narrative sung by the Bhagat, ShriManubhai Bachalbhai Vadhu of Toranvera village ofsouth Gujarat, documented and presented by ShriDahyabhai Vadhu, a Konkna himself. (Vadhu,Dahyabhi, ed., 2000. Kunkna Kathao, Sahitya Akademi).The story begins with the genesis; the end of the worldand a new beginning. Gods, who are judges of humanbeings’ behaviour, bring about the catastrophe, and outof the seeds of all living beings, including humans, storedcarefully by the gods, the new life begins. Humans onceagain grow in number, and in this society of humans, ‘aking is made’. The daughter of this king marriesKartukidev, a god, and gives birth to Kansari. The toddlerKansari is able to produce foodgrain from pebbles andturn water into milk. But ‘the black-headed human beingis not supposed to have such potential in her’, therefore,the envious gods kidnap the child. She is found andbrought back only when she comes of age. The youngdamsel Kansari falls in love with a shepherd (cowherd)boy, singing beautiful music on his flute called theTambemahovar. In the Swayamvara she declines all the godsand kings congregated there and offers the Varmala tothis Goval. The angry gods conspire and one day killKansari’s consort - the shepherd. To avenge this and toseek justice, Kansari appeals to all the natural phenomena– the clouds, the thunder, the winds - and withholds allfood and water on earth. The whole world is now inmisery and people start despising the vicious gods whoTHE GODDESS OF FOODGRAIN15
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