The Assamese Ballad Phulkonwar aru Monikonwarar geet: An analysis

Dr. Dipali Gogoi

Assistant Professor, Dept of Assamese,
Golaghat Commerce College
0.0 Introduction :

Ballad is a part of oral literature. The term Ballad originated from the Latin word
Ballare, which mean dance. The word ballad has been explained in different ways by the
folklorist and historians of literature. Folklorist Francis Barton Gummere define it ‘The Popular
Ballad is a poem meant for Singing, quite impersonal in manner, narrative in material, probably
connected in its origins with the communal dance, but submitted to a process of oral traditions
among people who are free from literary influences and fairly homogeneous in character, one
cannot be sure of general assent.1 Another folklorist George Lyman Kittredge said that ‘A Ballad
is a song that tells a story, or to take the other point of view - a story told in song. More
formally, it may be defined as a short narrative poem, adapted for singing, simple in plot and
metrical structure, divided into stanzas, and characterized by complete impersonality as far as
the author or singer is concerned ... A ballad has no author’ in the preface of the book The
English and Scottish Popular Ballad.2 Thus, above definitions makes it obvious that Ballad is
a popular narrative poem which tells a story. It has no specific author and impersonal in manner.
Above all, it passes from one generation to the next as oral tradition .

0.1 Assamese Ballad :

The Ballads cover a large part of Assamese Folksong. But the term Ballad has no
prototype in Assamese. Ballads known as Malita or kahinigeet or bordoi geet or Akshyanmulak
geet in Assamese literature . Sometimes the Assamese ballads signifying by the word Geet , like
Borphukana Geet, Pagala-Parbatir Geet etc. Thus, some ballad known as Juna, which also
covers verses sung at the springtime Bihu festival by the Huchari singers, like Nangalar Juna,
Paruar Juna etc. On the other hand, some ballads which is in vogue in the Lower Assam are
called Puran, for example Bamun Puran, Belga Puran, Doli Puran etc.

The Assamese folklore is rich in Ballad, but some of them are only in fragmentary.
Generally the assamese Balladist or minstrel is known as bairagi or baragi . In the olden time the
bairagi recited or chanted the ballads accompanied with Tokari.3 Karatal, Khutital and Dhol were
also used as instrument in ballad. There are many different performing arts in which the ballads
are performed. Dance is not a indispensable part of Assamese Ballad, but some ballads
performed with dance or in the dancing based performing arts, like Huchari, Baitho puja,
Ujapali, Dhuliya gua etc. No fixed melody seems to stick to a ballad; generally the recitation
takes on the colour of the tune which generally characterizes most popular songs of the area in
which the balladist resides.4
 All the Assamese Ballad and ballad fragments can be classified into seven types on the
basis of their themes. These are –

a) Mythical Ballad
b) Magical and Legendary Ballad
c) Historical Ballad
d) Ballads of Contemporary Events
e) Imaginary Ballad
f) Satirical Ballad
g) Etiological Ballad
All these types of ballads are attractive in story and they can reflect the Assamese folk life. Use
of ancient and universal folklore theme is a characteristic of Assamese ballads.

In Magical and Legendary ballads marvelous predominates and appearing some

supernatural themes. Some Magical and Legendary ballads in Assamese languages are –
Manikonwar aru Phulkonwarar geet, Jana Gabharur geet, Kamala Kuwarir geet, Tejimolar
geet, Radhika santir geet, Tula aru Tejar geet etc.

In this research paper we discuss about the well-known Assamese Ballad Phulkonwar
aru Monikonwarar geet. Here we try to analys the story, magical elements and other importance
of this song.

1.00 Phulkonwar aru Monikonwar geet :

Among the Assamese popular ballad the aru Phulkonwar aru Monikonwarar geet is most
well known. This ballad has divided into two parts. The first is the story of Manikonwar and the
another is the story of his son Phulkonwar. In 1903 Bhadrasen Bora from Dibrugarh published
this ballad for the first time. Later Jogesh Chandra Tamuli and Prafulla Dutta Goswami collected
and published this song more extensively. Jogesh Chandra Tamuly Collect this song from an old
Muslim women of Sivasagar, in 1909.5 This collection completed with 748 lines.

1.01 The story :

King Sankaldev or Sankaldeu6 established his kingdom in Barkola Nagar of Sivasagar.

His principal queen was Maynavati konwari7. They had no children. So as the advice of the
ganak-bailung (astrologer) they prayed Jaldevata (god of water) and blessed with a son,
Monikonwar. The astrologer prophesied it that the prince’s life span was only 16 years. After 16
years the water goddess would carry him off. Manikonwar grew up and one day he happened to
cast his glance at Kanchan Kunwari, the daughter of the minister. He was struck by her beauty.
He came home and shut himself up in the rohghar or house of dissatisfaction. The queen
Maynavati dashed into the rohghar and spoke to Manikonwar thus –

The star of heavens, the naag-naagini from the underground,

Tell me, son, what you want;
 I promise, promise you thrice,
That shall I bring you. 8
Manikonwar told his mother that, he would take his meal if Kanchan Kunwari was married to
him. Then Maynavati konwari send Sopabar Tamuli to the place of the minister, who agreed to
the proposal and the marriage came off with gayan-bayan and kekuri dola.

One Saturday when he was sixteenth years old, he wanted to take a bath into the river
Dikhau. His wife Kanchan Kunwari would not let him, but he slipped through a secret
underground tunnel. He took off his ornaments and put them in the hand off Sopabar Tamuli.
Then he went to the deep of the river and the Jalkuwari (water goddess) took him away. Then the
officer Sopabar Tamuli returned to the palace and broke the news. The widowed Kanchan
Kunwari’s sorrow has no bound. She said –

I throw down my beautiful spinning wheel

Strike and breaking my weavings shuttle
If my konwar lost in water
How can I live?
The Luit has left its bank
The Dikhou has left its bank,
My parents gave me dharam-biya
Still on me is the colour of turmeric. 9
The Prince is searched by Akashi Devi in the sky, in the purgatory by Naag and in the forest by
tiger. But the prince did not found. Then a fisherman, Likai , went down under the water of the
river Dikhow and find Manikonwar in the palace of Jalkonwar. Manikonwar sent some present
to his parents and wife but he would not comeback.

The sorrowing widow Kanchan Kunwari went to her father’s place and there a son was
born to her. He was named Phulkonwar. The king and the queen brought Phulkonwar to the
palace. Phulkonwar grew up and he wanted to know of his father, he asked his mother about it.

One day on orders from the old king and the royal officer’s, the carpenter built a winged
horse of wood. As the appeal of the king Phulkonwar advanced to ride the horse. The king, his
grandfather advised him not to look back, for that would create evil and prevent him to returning
home. Phulkonwar rode the wooden winged horse. The horse moved like lightening and roamed
in the sky. After he passed the distances of six months he looked behind to see what distance he
had covered, although his grandfather forbidden him to do so. As a result, one of the wings of the
horse fallen off, the flying horse came down and Phulkonwar settled in the garden of Dijai
Malini. The garden had been dry for twelve years. But when Phulkonwar stepped in the garden
the trees began to germinate, branch out and blossoming the flowers like Tagar, Seuti, Malati and
Gutimali. When the wreath-maker of the garden, Dijai Malini noticed the miracle of her garden,
she came rushing and discover the prince Phulkonwar. She considering him as a superior and
appeal her gratitude. The prince explain to her that he is a human being –
 I am not a god neither an evil
Not the star of the heaven
I am a human being, my name is Phulkonwar
Come from one country. 10
Phulkonwar addressing her as his grandmother and said that he had been abstain from food for
three days. Then Dijai Malini treated him with kindness and fed him with care.

Dijai Malini started to make some wreaths for the princess Dhan Pachtula. Phulkonwar
want to make a wreath to the princess. But Dijai Malini said that if the king comes to know about
that he will give punishment. He however had woven a wreath without using a thread, for the
bun of Dhan Pachtula’s hair. When the princess seen the wreath of fresh and fragrant flower
woven without using a thread, she was surprised. As she was putting it she discovered some
significant letters engraved on the flowers –

The barking deer weep, O lahari

The deer weep in forest,
I can’t live without you
I can die with you. 11
The princess asked Dijai Malini who woven the wreath. Dijai Malini replied that it was her
khahuwa-mahuwa small grandson. But the princess Dhan Pachtuli did not believe it and asked
again –
You are bareen, your daughter is bareen
Where you gain this young grandson? 12
Then Dijai Malini submissive to told Dhon Pachtula about Phulkonwar. The princess directed her
to send up Phulkonwar as soon as possible. Dijai Malini tried to counter it by reminding her that
it is difficult to enter in the town, because it was under the Hazari barua and even birds cannot
get into it. But the princess stubborn on her order and appealed to Dijai Malini thus –

I tell you, sister Dijai Malini

Why did you bring this flower?
You came as frog, bit as a snake
Now I am helpless. 13
Having no alternative, Dijai Malini promised to the princess to send Phulkonwar. Phulkonwar
turning himself into a humblebee and entered the town of Dhan Pachtula. She had many enemy
and so she hidden Phulkonwar into a chanduk (a box).

Some days passed, and one day the Phukan who takes the Dhan Pachtuli’s weight every
day , found that she had begun to grow in bulk. He gave the news to the king. The king down his
head for shame and ordered to find out the thief. One night Phulkonwar was caught by the
princess’s friend. The king ordered to kill him. But then Dhan Pachtuli declared it –

If you kill my konwar

 I would be co-wife to my father. 14
Phulkonwar and the pregnant princess Dhan Pachtuli flee from the town. They entered
into a forest and there she gave birth two children Aruna and Jagara. One day when Phulkonwar
went to draw water, he has taken away by a white elephant to another country and he became
king of there. Dhan Pachtula was also taken away by a merchant. Aruna and Jagara grew up in
the forest with care of tiger, bear and buffaloes. The sky protected them from rain and sunshine.
Later they began to singing malita (ballad) about their own sorrowful life’s with a Tokaris. One
day Phulkonwar hearing the malita and then he recognized them as his son. He killed the
merchant and brought Dhan Pachtula with Aruna and Jagara to his own kingdom.

2.02 Magical elements :

The Phulkonwar aru Monikonwarar geet is a magical ballad of Assam (Assamese

Folklore). From the beginning to the end the story of this ballad had numerous magical elements.
At the very first, king Sankaldev and Mainavati konwari were praying Jaldevata (god of water)
and blessed with a son. Jaldevata himself came as son of the childless king and queen. The
astrologers prophecy about the prince’s life’s also another magical incident of this ballad. Thus,
after 16th years old, Manikonwar took away by Jalkuwari (water goddess), he searched by Akashi
Devi in the sky, in the purgatory by Naag, Likai find Manikonwar in the palace of Jalkonwar and
Manikonwar sent some present to his parents and wife are also some interesting magical incident
of this ballad.

The description of Phulkonwar’s riding the wooden winged horse is the most magical
element of this ballad. The horse moved like lightening and the prince Phulkonwar reached in a
trice the distance of six months’ away. But when he looks behind for what distance he had
covered, one of the wing of the flying horse snapped off. He came down and dropped into the
garden of Dijai Malini which had been dry and barren for twelve years.

The changes of the Dijai Malinis garden when Phulkonwar stepped into the garden (the
trees began to germinate, branch out and blossoming of the flowers) and Phulkonwar turning
himself into a humblebee to enter the town of Dhan Pachtula also the remarkable magical
elements of the said ballads.

2.03 Historical Importance :

The Phulkonwar aru Monikonwarar geet is a legendry and magical ballad, but this ballad
is covering with an atmosphere of Ahom period. In this ballad, it is recognized that Sankaldeva
was the king of Barkala Nagar. The Ahom king Gadadhar Sinha (1681-96 A.C.) established his
capital in Barkala of Sivasagar district. In the same manner, the Bailung and Ganaka calculating
future events with chicken legs and the hawk-fight enjoying by Manikonwar also remembering
the times of Ahom period. Some words mention in this ballad, like hengdang, maihung, puthao,
barbarua, hezaribarua, tamuly, kekura dola etc. also supporting the same.

The name Sankaldeva also relating this ballad with history. The Persian epic poet
Ferdowsi in his book Shahnameh which is written in 10th century and the historian Firishta in his
history mentioned about the Konch king Sankal, who defeated the North-Indian king Kedar
Brahmin, but later got defeated by Persian king Afrasiab ( Dimbeswar Neog, Natun Poharat
Asomiya Sahityar buranji, p: 26-27) . But there is no any faithful proof of any linkages with this
ballad.

2.04 Social Significance :

The Phulkonwar aru Monikonwarar geet represent the Assamese social custom and
beliefs in a fine way. In this ballad we gets the administrative as well as social stratification
during Ahom period prominenty such as, Phukan, Rajkhowa, Tamuli, Tamuli Phukan, Jalbhari
Barua, Hazari Borua etc. Besides many social caste or class like Bailung, Ganaka, Bejini (female
physician), Ligiri (waiting maid), Malini (gardener), Barhoi (carpenter), kamar (blacksmith) etc.
are also mentioned in the song Phulkonwar aru Monikonwarar geet.

Some village Gods also appears in the song. Among them Jalbhar Konwar or Jal konwar
or Jaldevata blesses Sankaldeu and Maynavati konwari with a son. After his sixteen years
Monikonwar was took away by Jalkuwari. The Digpal Devata (the God of ten directions)
granted sixteen years as life span to prince Monikonwar. Thus the Barhoi made offerings of
Pithaguri (rice powder) to God Burha Bichakaram or Bihkaram before he started to made the
flying wooden horse. The Sun and the Moon also appear hear as God to bear witness to
momentous acts undertaken.

During the Ahom period the Ganakas or Daivanjnas and Bailungs played an
important role in society. They prophesied the good and evil of the time when people wanted.
Also they were consulted whenever there was any crisis of life. In this song Ganaka or
Daivanjnas and Bailung advised Sankaldeu and Maynavati konwari to pray Jaldevata to be
blessed by a son and after the birth of Monikonwar they prophesied that the prince’s life span
was only of 16 years.

The description of the marriage ceremony of Monikonwar and Kachankonwari reflected

the picture of a marriage of Assamese society. Queen Maynavati konwari went to Barbarua’s
palace and informally asked for the girl to marriage. After Barbarua agreed with her proposal she
send Sopabar Tamuli to the palace of the minister with Tamol-Pan (betel-leaf and areca-nut) for
formally asking for the girl (Kachan), which is a popular custom of Assamese society. The
marriage of Monikonwar and Kachankonwari was accomplished with gayan-bayan and kekuri
dola.

2.05 Poetic Beauty :

 The diction of Phulkonwar aru Monikonwarar geet is very fluent and straight. There is
not any fabulousness in the language of this ballad. It was mainly prevalent in upper Assam.

Various poetical sentiments are prominent in this ballad. The description about
Manikonwar’s lost in water and Kachan konwari’s crying and searching him in the water,
Phulkonwar and Dhan Pachtula’s escaping in the forest, Aruna and Jagara becoming orphan are
full with pathetic sentiment. The description about the love affairs of Phulkonwar and Dhan
Pachtuli creating the sentiment relating to sexual union. Artistic use of imageries, rhetorical
expressions and rhymes in this ballad enhances its poetic beauty.

Conclusion:

The ballad Phulkonwar aru Monikonwarar geet was composed towards the last part of
the Ahom rule in Assam. So the recent word of those time jila ( Sivasagar jila) is applied in this
song to mean the old Ahom capital and place. No doubt that it is mainly a legendry and magical
ballad; but this ballad is also important as it reflects the atmosphere of Ahom period, the
Assamese culture and society, customs and beliefs.

Extracts of Phulkonwar aru Monikonwarar geet is still performed as Bihu Song in the
Upper Assam at the time of Bihu festival. Whereas among the Sonowal-Kachari tribe still there
is a belief in vogue that during the drought time if the ballad is sung they are blessed with rain.
Worthy to be mention here that the many members of the Formaal clan of Sonowal-Kacharis of
Dangori of Tinsukia district uses the Phulkonwar title, identifying themselves as descendants of
Phulkonwar family 15.

Footnote:

1. The Popular Ballad, p-2

2. Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Introducation, P. XI, E-Book

3. A gourd or wood instrument with one to three strings which are plucked with the finger.

4. Ballads and tales of Assam, p-17

5. Sangrasakar kotha, Asomiya Lokageeti Sangrah, ed. Atulchandra Hazarika

6. In some text Sankardeu

7. In some text Barasa konwari

8. Saragar tara patalar naag-naagini

Kuwa bupa lage kik,
Satye satye kori tini sait khaisu
Take ani dim thik. (Asomiya Lokageeti Sangrah)
9. Thekechi bhangi jau rupahi jatare
Bhuku mari bhangu maku,
Mur jadi konwar panit pori heral
Kiyanu jiyai thaku.
Luite erile parare birina
Dihinge erile kul,
Aaiye-bupaiye dharma biya dile
Nugusil haladhir bul. (Asomiya Lokageeti Sangrah)

10. Devou nohou moi pishasu nohou moi

Nuhu moi saragar tara
Manuhar petare name Phulkonwar
Ahilu ek deshar pora. (Asomiya Lokageeti Sangrah)

11 Siringat sugari kandile lahari

Sarina kandile banat,
Tumare santapat thakibo nuaru
Mori jau tumare lagat. (Asomiya Lokageeti Sangrah)

12. Toi burhi baji jiyer kath baji

Kot pali kumaliya nati? (Asomiya Lokageeti Sangrah)

13. Tuke buli jau Dijai bai malini

Kiyo anisili phul,
Sap hoi khutili beng hoi jarili
Etiya nepau kul. (Asomiya Lokageeti Sangrah)

14. Mur jadi konwarak badhibo lagile

Aaire satini khatim. (Asomiya Lokageeti Sangrah)

15. Gagan Chandra Sonowal, Sonowasakalar paramparagata geet-mat, lokakatha ityadi, Sonowal
Sourabh, Mohan Sonowal (ed.), p.111

Bibliography:

Caliha, Bhabaprasad(ed.) : Asomiay Akshyan Geet Sangrah

Publications Board of Assam, Guwahati, 1st edition 2005

Das, Jogesh : Folklore of Assam

National Book Trust, India, 5th reprint, 2005

Goswami, Prafulladutta : Folk-Literature of Assam

Department of Historical and Antiquarian
Studies, Gauhati University, 2nd edition, 1965.

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Dept. of Publication, Gauhati University, 1st edition, 1960.

: Baro Mahar Tero Geet

Sahita Academ, New Delhi, 2nd edition 1993
 : Monikonwar aru Phulkonwar
Folklore Research Centre, Gouhati Universit,
1st edition 1971

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