Valaru

Valaru is a soft and sentimental folk song in Konkani which has all attributes of a messenger poem. It portrays the depth of love and bond between a brother and sister.

‘वळारु’ or ‘वोळारु’ means bangle seller. There used to be a time when bangle sellers went from door to door to sell bangles in villages. It is hard to trace the origin of the song because it is heard sung in Kerala regions as well as In Goa during the fugdi dance.

What makes this song more interesting is the fact that it possesses so many words which are akin to Marathi words बोलावें, ठेवीन, पाडीन, देखिला, कुंभेरी , हिणकिन्ती, पाटु, तांबिया, पाटवा etc are not seen used presently in Konkani spoken in central and southern Konkan regions in Kerala. The influence of Marathi on Konkani can be clearly spotted from these old Konkani words widely used in this folksong. 

 The central character ‘Rukmini’ sends a message to her maternal home, with a bangle seller passing by the way. When the messenger reaches her parents’ home, they are all busy with their routine work and chores. So they tell him that they will respond after they finish their engagements. But when the messenger goes up to her brother, he doesn’t waste a second. He delegates all his work to others  and immediately rushes to see his dear sister and address her grievance. Rukmini is overwhelmed to see her brother coming. She warmheartedly welcomes him but he could immediately spot the sadness in her eyes. When asked, she tells her brother that she has been given all the things in dowry except a butter churner and  because of that she is ridiculed by those at her matrimonial home. Her  mother-in-law  jibes at her, the co-sisters and sister-in-laws tease her. Hearing this, the neighbour ladies too join in and nod in assent.

Rukmini’s brother immediately calls a goldsmith at the doorsteps and commands him to craft a golden churner then and there. A golden churner  with a silver churning rope, what more could she ask for? She is thrilled and she keeps on churning the curd till the butter separates. In the butter milk so obtained, the reflection of the vermillion dot on her forehead is seen.

रुक्मिणी:

 वाटेन वत्तल्या वाटेचे वळारा

रुक्मिणी कुळारा बोलावें सांगला ।।

Oh Bangle seller, going by the way

Please send a message to Rukmini’s maternal home.

वळारु: 

हांव नेण वाट, हांव नेण थेट

 हांव नेण रुक्मिणी कुल गोत्र ।।

I don’t know the way, I don’t know for real

I don’t know Rukmini’s family and tribe.

रुक्मिणी: 

एक दारीं चंपा एक धारीं अंबा 

तें घर रुक़्मिणी माय-बाप ।।

Mango tree on one side, champaca on the other side. That’s Rukmini’s parents’ house. 

The bangle seller reaches Rukmini’s maternal home. 

वळारु:

खटळ मांचार पळ्ळेल्या रुक्मिणीचे बापसू

रुक्मिणी धूवेन बोलावें सांगलां ।।

Oh Rukmini’s father lying on the mattress, your daughter Rukmini has sent a message. 

बापा: 

खांडि भरी हाडीन कुंभेरी धाडीन

त्यावेळी त्या रुक्मिणी धूवे बोलावीन

Let me stock up the bundles of grains in enormous quantities for the house. After that I will respond to her call 

वळारु: 

धोलेरि बेसल्ले रुक्मिणीचे आवसु

 रूक्मिणी धूवेन बोलावें सांगलां ।।

Oh Rukmini’s mother sitting on the swing, your daughter Rukmini has sent a message for you.

आवसु: 

खांडि भरी हाडीन कुंभेरी धाडीन

 त्यावेळि रुक्मिणी धूवेक बोलावीन

Let me stock up the grains in enormous quantities. After that I will respond to her message. 

वळारु: 

गुल बावल्यानि खेळतल्ले रुक्मिणीचे भयणी

 रुक्मिणी आकान बोलावे सांगलां।।

Oh Rukmini’s sister playing with crowshells and dolls, your sister Rukmini has sent a message for you.

भयणी: 

गुल्लो जो पाडिन बावल्यो जो ठेवीन

त्यावेळि रुक्मिणी भयणीक बोलावीन।।

When the crowshells have fallen on the game board and I am done playing with my doll I will respond to sister Rukmini’s call. 

वळारु: 

बणशीरवारो करतल्ले रुक्मिणीचे भावजे

 रुक्मिणी नणन्देन बोलावे सांगलां ।

Oh Rukmini’s sister in law standing with the kitchen rag in hand, your sister in law Rukmini has sent a message. 

भावज: 

एक मडकी चडयतां एक मडकी देवयतां

त्यावेळि  रुक्मिणी नणन्देक बोलावीन ।।

Let me keep one vessel on the stove and take the other down, then I will respond to Rukmini’s call.

वळारु: 

आंगडि वत्तल्या रुक्मिणीचे भावा

 रुक्मिणी भयणिन बोलावें सांगलां ।

Oh Rukmini’s brother going to the shop, your sister has sent a message.

भावु:

 हाड्यारे गंगाळं न्हाणियां भरया पाणी 

आपण वत्तां घरीं रुक्मिणीं

Bring the big vessels, store water for the bathroom, I am going to see my dear Rukmini.

From a distance Rukmini sees her brother coming.

दूर जें थकूनु बंधु जो देखिला 

पाटु जो सोडीला सुवर्णाचा 

When she sees her relative coming from a  distance, she lays an ornamented cloth for him to walk on. 

एक हातीं तांबिया एक हातीं पाटवा

पाय धुयता बंधुवां रुक्मिणी 

A copper vessel in one hand and a towel in the other, Rukmini washes her brother’s feet.  

पाय धुयतां पाय धुयतां दोळ्यां आयलें दुखां

As she keeps on washing his feet, her eyes well up with tears. 

Seeing the sadness in her eyes the brother asks: 

भावु: 

आज इत्तें जालें रूक्मिणी भयणी?

What happened now, oh Sister Rukmini? 

रूक्मिणी: 

अंदण बिन्दण दिल्लें मू रे भावा

 खवल्या खातीर मांयों हिणकिन्ती।।

Many things were given in dowry, dear brother, but a churner. Mother in law  belittles me by saying just that.

जावों रे हिणकिन्ती, नणन्दो शब्दुदिन्तीं

 शेजार घरकडच्यो बायलो व्हय व्हय म्हणन्तीं।।

Co sisters ridicule me, sister in laws jibe and the neighbouring women assent to this. 

Rukmini’s brother summons a village goldsmith.

गावां गावचें शेठी देरला उठाउठीं

खवलो घडवन्तीं सुवर्णाच्या

The village goldsmith was summoned at the doorstoes and a golden churner was crafted then and there.

सुवर्णाचो खवलो रूपयाची दोरी 

ताक घाण्टिता गोरी रुक्मिणी ।।

Golden churning rod and silver string, the fair skinned Rukmini happily churns the butter. 

ताक चाळतां ताक चाळतां  खवल्या लागलो गोळा

 तांतु देखिला तीळा कस्तूरीच्या।।

She keeps on churning the butter and when a ball of butter hits the churner, the vermillion dot on her forehead reflects in the buttermilk. 

Valaru is a marvellous emotional rollercoaster. It resonates the true feelings of a married woman who doesn’t have a full sense of belonging either at her matrimonial home or her maternal home. She feels downhearted and helpless. The last line of the song ‘तांतु देखिला तीळा कस्तूरीच्या, describes the sudden shift of emotions when she finally feels that there is someone who will always check up on her and take care of her needs.

This article is written by Anjali Kini, Konkani Writer and Poet.

Special thanks to Smt. Sandhya V. Prabhu, Sri, Sakharam Shenvi Borkar, Sri R.S.Bhaskar and Smt. Jayanti Naik for their valuable inputs while decoding this song.