Discovering Damao In Daman

DISCOVERING DAMAO IN DAMAN


Vasco Da Gama discovered the sea trade route to India in 1498, but the Portuguese discovered Daman only in 1523 and that too by default. India’s Viceroy D.Nuno da Cunha had ordered ships to set sail towards Hormuz; when the one carrying Diogo de Melo got caught in a huge storm resulting an off coast embankment on the Daman Ganga river.

Enchanted by the grandeur of the city’s port, Diogo brought it to the Viceroy’s notice. However, the Portuguese could conquer Daman only on 2nd February 1559, when Constanino de Braganza, the Governor of Goa, attacked the local Abyssinian defense of 3000 soldiers with a fleet of more than 100 vessels.

The Governor ordered a new, stronger fort –St.Jerome to be erected, strategically located at the harbour, just a stone’s throw from the town market and appointed Diogo de Noronha as Captain – Major of Daman, with a team of 1200 men .For 400 years since, the twin fort city remained under Portuguese rule, until Operation Vijay launched on 17th December, 1961 by the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force linked the territory to become an integral part of India.

Four centuries of Portugal’s influence gave birth to new customs and cultures and the locals went with its flow. Historians confirm the territory of Daman, known as the Northern Province, extended from Bulsar to Bassein ( Valsad to Vasai). The Portuguese masterminded export of Indian goods to foreign shores from Daman’s market. ‘Trade and finance in Portuguese India ‘, by Celsa Pinto points out how Daman and Diu derived their strength from Gujarat’s plains, noted for their fertile soil and agricultural productivity like cotton, centers of textile like Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot supplied woven fabric while lowlands surrounded by hills and jungles benefited for opium production and teak. Daman’s percentage of coastal traders was higher than the other two Portugal settlements of the Estado.

A paper written on Damao, by author Athos Fernandes for an international symposium,now published as a book on Goa-Portugal Their Cultural Links, informs readers about Portuguese domination in Daman - The first coin mint was established in 1617, when D.Lourenco de Tavora gave the license to mint copper coins known as bazarucos. The second and third mints came up on 1617 and 1769.Till date, locals often use the term ‘Num te bazaruco’- “I don’t have money.”

In 1773, the prime minister of Portugal announced that the shipyard at Daman-Caliana had done more than the entire maritime unit of Goa had achieved in a century. Christened Royal Shipyard thereafter, it made famous vessels like frigate ‘D .Fernando e Gloria,’ (19th century) which sailed for 33 years, transporting military personal from India to Angola, to Mozambique and back.

By the 19th century, Daman had its own newspaper -’O Portugues em Damao’, a weekly which began on 18th July 1835 and was so much in demand that it got distributed at night itself .Its editor was Prof.Solinas ,from Goa. Unlike the British who concentrated only on trade, the Portuguese were on a mission to spread religion and conversion. Churches, convents, colleges and seminaries sprouted up, beckoning neighbouring denizens. ’Our lady of Remedios’ at the Church in Moti Daman is believed to be a Hindu, one of the seven sisters of Goddess Laxmi, worshipped by seamen. .

Flavours of culinary cuisine such as espetada de leitao, pao-de-lo, alh –piment de bombilins,xacuti,dal bafad,dampaca, bacalhau and borao ,savoured with imported wines along with locally prepared bolo de sura-fermented sap of the palm tree found favour at local tables on festive days. Caravel dance and Portugal’s fado music retained immense popularity with the Damanense. Fishermen’s folk songs merged with local lore are still sung out at the sea.

Four hundred and fifty years since Daman was first influenced by the Portuguese, the impressions of its culture remain stamped all over the town. Last week, the Damanense celebrated World Daman Day on 2nd February, in nostalgia, sighing ,’Saudade Damao’and singing as Portuguese poet has penned in his collection ‘Mensagem’-

“O Mar Salgado, quanto do teu Sal Sao Lagrimas de Portugal !”

(Oh salty sea, how much of your salt are tears of Portugal!)

Corkage Charge In Tipple Town

Corkage Charge In Tipple Town


Surat’s most popular senior citizens-Mr.Magan Batla and aunty Batli held a, ‘Dampened Spirits Drive’ last evening.

It was in lieu of a protest against the arrest of the honourable city Mayor’s cousin brother and others, on charges of consuming alcohol in a public place (a Ghoddod Road discotheque, barely half a kilometer from Umra Police Station and just a hop, skip and jump behind the Mayor’s home, a backyard premises he has rented out).

It wasn’t an Alcoholics Anonymous meet, mind you, which surprisingly exists at large through the dry state, with Surat scoring the maximum number of members there too.

This was one where so called thinkers of Tapi town came together to discuss on a sober and serious note, the price and punishment that denizens are paying for prohibition.

On the promise that they remain incognito, anguished Surtis stated their quotes and views of the public in general.

“Prohibition has become the new weapon for vendetta in our town! Anyone can pick up the phone and complaint .There is no end as to how many ‘mehfils’ police raids will yield from homes, every single night.”

“Imagine what kind of names will tumble out if we apply via RTI to know who all have been arrested for alcohol consumption in Gujarat, so far?”

“Vat 69 ney vaat laga di!”

“My uncle is penning a new prohibition Kolaveri version called,” Why this hypocrisy, hypocrisy policy di, ho Modi!”

“Where is the booze coming in from? I read that bootleggers supplying to Gujarat have an annual turnover of 1500 crores!”

“Those are last year’s figures, now that the noose is tighter, rates might have doubled.”

“I always assumed that having an alcohol permit meant ‘License to drink’ but, my friends were sitting ducks and met their nemesis in an apartment when they were raided for drinking at home!”

“Dint this happen the same night as the one in which Parmeshwar Godrej’s party for Oprah was raided thrice by the Mumbai Pandus?”

“No, and stupid, Mumbai does not have prohibition issues, they were raided for causing commotion next to an MLA’s residence.”

“I am a teetotaler, yet, I pay more taxes because prohibition costs a loss of Rs.3000 crores of revenue to the government and I heard that they have to make up for it by hiking our basic taxes.”

“Aaprey toh kaee didhu, aapunney kaai pher parto nathi, lai javo ander,juo ! Bus,aapra bapa hudhi vaat nahi pahunchvi joyey ,whu ?”

‘I have decided to pen a book on it and name it “Night at Police Station; Nightmare at Civil Hospital”

“Surat’s police are trying really hard to brush off last year’s accusation of procuring the maximum bribes in the matter of prohibition. A leading weekly national magazine had summed it up to around 70 lakhs.”

“Can you imagine that wedding cocktail parties are now the main reason for Surtis to organize destination weddings? How do you expect us hoteliers to lose millions of rupees in this manner and still take it in the right spirit?

“The closest getaway is Daman, with the amount of spurious liquor flowing from there these days; you could have a river of elixir running through it!

“I hear after acing at duplicate Black Label, they now excel at aping single malts too, packaging and all!”

“Daru, daru, daru, daru, daru, daru, daru hic!”

“Can we please get back to the issue now? Do you know how distilleries are minting millions by shoving excise free booze into the state?”

“Also, hooch king pins are crorepatis here.”

“This is just a vote bank policy, in the name of Gandhiji.”

“Did you know that Gandhiji’s grandson had once stated on national television that, “There are many other things which Bapu stood for which we should be practicing, but which no one does. Prohibition in Gujarat is an industry which finances politics, politicians and police."

“How come having no prohibition in SEZ does not offend Bapu, but consuming alcohol in other areas of Gujarat does?”

“I think it’s the women in the state, who vote in favour of prohibition, whom politicians do not want to displease.”

“ Eni maaney !!!!!! ……….pun mari ni maaney !”

British Punch: A Surti Concoction

BRITISH PUNCH: A SURTI CONCOCTION

You know from Eastern India came
The skill of making punch as did the name.
And as the name consists of letters five,
By five ingredients it is kept alive

It is a curious fact, not generally known, that Britain’s favourite alcoholic beverage – Punch, was stirred up in the English factory at Surat. The word itself is derived from the Hindustani word Palepunsche or Panch; meaning ‘five’ which were the number of ingredients that added up to prepare the spirit.

In an account of the English factors at Surat,in his book on ‘Early Records of the British Settlements in India’,J.Talsboy .Wheeler narrates how on Fridays ,after prayers, the President and a few friends met for the purpose of drinking to the health of their wives ,whom they had left in England.” Some made to their advantage of this meeting to get more than they could well carry away, though every man was at liberty to drink what he pleased, and to mix the arrack as he thought fit or to drink Palepuntz which is a drink consisting of aqua vitae,rose-water,juice of citrons, sugar and cinnamon.”

This recipe I give to thee,
Dear brother in the heat.
Take two of sour (lime let it be)
To one and a half of sweet,
Of old arrack pour three strong,
And add four parts of weak.
Then mix and drink. I do no wrong —
I know whereof I speak.

That the Brits found the heat and dust in India unbearable is no state secret. Besides, the locally available arrack was as traveler Bernier put it,” a drink very hot and penetrate, like the brandy made of corn in Poland.” Little wonder then, that diluting the arrack in the punch provided the high without heat to the English.” It (punch) acts as a drug, for, it cleanse the stomach, and dissipates the superfluous humours by a temperate heat particular to it.” wrote the traveler who highly approved of the decoction.

And if I get drunk, well, me money's me own
And them don't like me they can leave me alone
I'll chune me fiddle and I'll rosin me bow
And I'll be welcome wherever I go.


Another factor that made punch extremely popular was that it was affordable. As Philip Anderson states in,’The English in Western India’,”The soul of a feast which is good wine was to be found nowhere but in the Dutch and English factories. Usually imported from Shiraz or the Canaries it was available at six crowns a bottle.” On festive days, two common tables were laid out, one where the Governor and higher servants dined while the other was appointed to the English factors and writers, differing only in this, ’one had a great deal of punch and little wine and the other what wine you please, and a little punch” The finest arrack flowed in from Goa and Bengal and was best savored by diluting its strength in punch. During winter months, local toddy replaced arrack. Often, factors like Fryer carried brandy in a flask and diluted it with sherbets when invited to teetotaler dinners by the Surti moors.
What more diversion can a man desire?

Than to sit him down by an alehouse fire
Upon his knee a pretty wench
And upon the table a jug of punch


Tapi town was once tipple town and its taverns were popularly visited by English sailors. Anderson further writes,” Cases of poisoning were said to be frequent in these taverns. The rude manners of British seamen led them to use a freedom with the dark ladies. A rough kiss or an offensive piece of raillery would often result in the sailor paying penalty by his death. The black wench whose employment was to make that beloved mixture of arrack and punch would contrive in a subtle skillful manner to make the punch bowl fatal for the man who abused her, while his companions drank without the slightest injury to themselves.”

Punch was as popular with the Dutch as it was with the English. At Surat’s Dutch cemetery, there once existed a tomb with a huge punch bowl in stone on top. Made in the memory of a merry maker who wanted his friends to come drink and celebrate each time they visited his grave.

And when I'm dead and in my grave
No costly tombstone will I crave
Just lay me down in my native peat
With a jug of punch at my head and feet.

ORIGINAL SURTI OOMPH LA LA!

Original Surti Oomph La La!

Hollywood’s ultimate sweetheart Marilyn Monroe once observed,” The trouble with censors is that they worry if a girl has cleavage. They ought to worry if she hasn't any.”

Bollywood’s cleavage kumaris on the other hand, have a heavier load to carry; they work hard to bust myths that women who expose skin and a little more other intimate stuff, need not know how to act as well.

As women go ‘eeeyuw!’ in disgust and men drool oh la la in lust over Vidya Balan’s dirty pictures that have been in our faces since a month now, Surti Lalas are lamenting for a different reason altogether.

Ever since Lalas became aware that Balaji Film’s blasphemous yet famous upcoming flick has been ‘inspired’ by the late southern siren Silk Smitha, speculation has been rife in our man made textile markets as to how our Art silk nee Nylon Namithaa, would have been the best choice for the role, compared to Viscose Vidya.

Earlier this year, I had interviewed Vidya and she had opened her heart sharing girlie secrets saying,” Deep down I am actually just a simple Tam –Brahm girl who loves collecting jhumkis, removes her ayurvedic kaajal with desi ghee and lounges about in comfy Juicy Couture track pants when not shooting cinema, there is nothing over ambitious about me. ”

Consider this, an actor who had worked with Silk in the past pointed out to TOI that,"Vidya lacks oomph and looks nothing like Silk. Her physical attributes don't add up. Silk was dusky, she was slightly over 5 feet 7 inches tall; her eyes were big and when she did those sexy movements of licking her thick luscious lips and rolling her eyes up in a dreamy way, she gave men something to think about.”

Surat’s Namithaa on the other hand, fits the description of Silk‘s bill to a T. Other than being equally voluptuous, like Smitha, Namita hails from a small town yet has achieved superstar status on her own gutsy chutzpah and charm. Like Silk, she has successfully played the sultry seductress and flirty Savithri among other roles, wearing knotty blouses in Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam and Kannada films. In 2009, with her first Malyalam flick Black Stallion, she became ‘the most Googled Indian Actress’

From a plain Jane girl next door in Adajan, Namita Vankawala to Namithaa Kapoor the southern superstar for whom, fans have built an exclusive temple, was a journey accomplished by flaunting vital stats along with acting assets for a long run in the industry.

Tapi town’s veteran theatre personality, Kapil Dev Shukla , who trained Namita, an MTB College of Art’s student in dramatics reminisces how sincere she was, “She was under my tutelage from 1999 to 2004 and was a keen and quick learner with great potential. After winning Miss Surat, she acted in four plays for my company. She was extremely hard working and always came prepared with her dialogues, her diction was extremely clear. The first role she enacted was in my play ‘Priya Pappa’ and you may be surprised to know she played the character of a mother in it. ”

It took a lot of convincing to get Namita’s parents to allow her to participate for the 2001 Miss India title. In her own words, she came from “a very orthodox family where girls get married at the age of 19.” Her businessman father and homemaker mother were not too happy about their daughter joining the glamour industry. That year, Celina Jaitley won the title, Namita was the fourth runner up but, secured first position in the ‘viewer’s choice ‘category. Since 2002, she shed her inhibitions and catapulted to Tolly/ Kollywood queen status. Back home, if Namithaa were to walk Surti streets, few would recognize her, leave alone worship her, but this buxom babe has always maintained that it is Surat alone that strums the strings of her heart.

Surat dished out Bollywood’s very first sizzlers- Fatma Begum, Sultana, Shahzadi and Zubeida who set box-office cash counters jingling, sent censors in a tizzy and drove viewers crazy. Like them, Namitha has made it big on her own in alien territory on the mere basis of her original Surti oomph la la.

Ghazal's Unforgettable Maestro

Ghazal’s Unforgettable Maestro

It’s been a month since his unfortunate death, yet, this columnist, along with millions of other fans world over, can’t quit mourning the silence of ghazal’s soothing yet tragic voice because we relate our lives to his songs.

My earliest memories of listening to ghazals albeit without then understanding their beher (meter), are of those at parties my parents threw for their Gujarati theatre artist friends in our Bombay home. As the evening grew on, the LP would play out some soul stirring fare by Jagjit and his partner in rhyme - Chitra. Occasionally, the late and very handsome Pravin Joshi would hum along gently as one hand held a cigarette and the other hand gestured in the air while his eyes welled up. His wife, the original drama queen -Sarita Joshi ( now a television star) would go a step further and give a shot at a few light hearted graceful dance moments. The Ghazals lent their intensity to the ambiance with lilting lyrics like Nida Fazli’s,“Duniya jisse kehtey hai jaadoo ka khilona hai” and Firaq’s, “Bahut pehle se unn qadmon ki aahat jaan letey hai,tujhey ae Zindagi hum duur se pehchaan letey hai”

Later, we shifted base from Mumbai to Surat and the parents loved entertaining the locals at terrace dos (they still do, since old habits die hard).It is with much nostalgia and a very heavy heart that we reminiscence all afore heard songs now.

The magic of the maestro’s renditions lay in the fact that his compositions unpretentiously put convoluted Urdu poetry into simple harmonious tunes; which found way to the lips of the common man . So, you would have a Surti businessman swooning to the poetry of Faiz or that of the mellifluous Mirza Ghalib, totally oblivious of the ‘takhallous’, yet in perfect sync with Ghazal’s rules of 'Matla', 'Maqta', 'Beher', 'Kaafiyaa' and 'Radif' .Who could have imagined a Surti lala lisping, “unnke dekhe se jo aajaati hain muh per raunaq, woh samajhtey hai ke bimaar ka haal achha hai”, had it not been for Jagjit Singh.

It was his ear for well penned verse that made him stick to his guns when he insisted on recording as his first LP, the skillfully scripted “Baat niklegi toh duur talaq jayega,log bewajah udaasi ka sabab puchengey”, a nazm that he had chanced upon in the Urdu magazine ‘Shama’ ;even though previous efforts to record it had run out of luck, the LP version went on to become one of his greatest masterpieces. Who can forget the effervescent charm of “Teri khushbu mein basey khat mein jalaata kaise?” or the jugalbandhi of two ghazals sung as one,with genius tact – Sudarshan Faakir’s“ Ishq mein ghairratey jazbaat ney roney na diya” along with Khwaja Hyder Ali’s “ Yaar ko mainey mujhey yaarne soney na diya “

Lyrics for Singh’s first Gujarati ghazal album “Jeevan Maran Ek Chey “were verses of Gujarat’s Ghalib aka Mareez of Surat. Jagjit made sure his audience understood him well, he never missed an opportunity to take time out in between live concerts, to explain the lafz that he was going to sing, and this bonded him to his listeners’ big time. Be it Surtis at Indoor Stadium or The Royal Albert Hall, with its prim and propah crowd, none would hesitate to sing along in chorus, ’ahista,ahista’ to ,’shabe furkat kaa jaagaa huun farishton ab to sone do/ kabhii fursat mein kar lenaa hisaab ahista ahista’.

From Punjabi renditions teamed with humorous anecdotes to the tear jerker “Kagaz ki kashti ,woh baarish ka paani”, there was something for everyone .Other than his commercial cinema hits, his ghazals were for all of love’s seasons .Be it Sahir Hoshiyarpuri’s flirty,” Kaun kehta hai mohobbat ki zubaan hoti hai, yeh haqeeqat toh nigahon se bayaan hoti hai -the intoxication of new found love, to a lover’s yearning, from a jilted lover’s lament to love lost for ever.

I distinctly remember a comment by one of Surat’s popular surgeons, Dr Piyush Khanna, all starry eyed at the riverside lawns of a local five star hotel where Singh performed to an awestruck audience.” He is the real doctor alright, a doctor of broken hearts which he miraculously cures instantaneously.” Said the surgeon.

One of my favourite Jagjit – Chitra number is “Sunntey hai ke mil jaati hai hurr cheez dua se, ek roz tumhey maangke dekheyngey Khuda se.”

Alas! If only we could just ask him back from the Almighty.

Hope Less For Heritage

Tombstone to kitchen slabs:

The SMC (Surat Municipal Corporation) is all set to sell Surat’s heritage-Hope Bridge as scrap. Should we be surprised? In a sheer case of neglect by the local governing body, Surat’s heritage sites seem to have slight hope of surviving. Here is another such story:
GRAVE DANGER

In 2000 years of its existence in India, the now minuscule Jewish community has never faced anti-Semitism

Holding on to their own identity; the Jews in India have Christian neighbours, Hindu colleagues and Muslim caretakers.

They celebrate with equal zest Durga Puja, Diwali, Rosh Hashanah and Christmas. Their synagogues here often resound with incantations in Hebrew echoing recitation from Talmud and Torah.

Our superstars and celebrities sport Star of David tattoos, our gourmands relish delicatessen from kosher cuisine, prime areas in metros such as Mumbai and Kolkuta are till date known after icons such as Sassoon and Ezra.

It was in Surat that the Baghdadi Jews first step foot on when they arrived in India .A prosperous merchant community from Aleppo, descendants of which migrated to Calcutta. They were cosmopolitan businessmen who extended their trading and financial network around the globe, dealing in Arabian horses, precious gemstones and rosewater.

The Encyclopedia of Jewish Diaspora‘s earliest record states,’ In 1730, Joseph Semah arrived from Baghdad to Surat and set up the Surat Synagogue here.’ When it comes to Jewish cemeteries however, Surat stands not much better off than Pakistan. As land sharks, vandals and garbage encroach upon and shatter the sanctity of their final place of rest, the last surviving tombs of Baghdadi Jews in Surat, struggle to protect their proof of life.

While the city’s English and Dutch cemeteries are now protected by the ASI and are the pride of the city’s ancient past, an 18th century Baghdadi Jewish graveyard is surprisingly, part of a private industrial estate ! Its present owners, the Asarawallas, chase off any visitors who try to enter the premises which faces the main road on Katargam.

Miscreants often climb over the 10 foot wall to use this unique burial ground as a urinal, garbage dump or sit around the graves to enjoy locally made alcohol, bottles of which they dump around this graveyard.

“In general, the cemetery is in a terrible state of neglect, this is clearly a legacy looted.” says Dr. Shalva Weil, Senior Researcher-Research Institute for Innovation in Education, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

One of the graves within is that of Moseh Tobi, buried here in 1769, he was considered an elder leader. In his book ‘A History of the Jews in Baghdad’, David Solomon Sassoon has mentioned “In the year 1769 Moses Tobi, who is styled ha-Nasi ha- Zaken [The Elder Prince] died in Surat”

In the urban mess of the city, while this heritage site is on the verge of extinction, another Jewish cemetery has already disappeared. In February 2003, Dr.Sara Manasseh from London, visited and reported the dire straits of two Jewish cemeteries in Surat, to the then Municipal Commissioner, Mr.Aloria.

Ms Manasseh’s report stated how these burial sites of historical, communal, national and archaeological importance were infested with wild pigs and garbage, urging the local governing body to take action and save them.

No action was taken, as a result of which, the Bene Israeli Kabrastan, which was in the vicinity of the SMC offices at Mugalisara, now longer exists. ”There are no more Jews left in Surat, in the absence of caretakers, their graves have disappeared too. The entire area was encroached upon by slum dwellers who converted marble tombstones into kitchen platforms.” Says Jolly Wellington, who resides in the vicinity.

“Jewish graves have beautiful cupolas and marble gravestones. But often, Jewish graveyards are not preserved by the civic authorities as part of the city’s heritage and history. In this context, the Vadodara Israeli Kabrastan is a very good example, as to how, a citizen’s initiative could preserve it”says writer Esther David.

In 2004, the Israeli Kabrastan at Nizampura in the Banyan city was saved by an awareness drive run by TOI and prominent denizens who lent support.

Can we hope to save our heritage? Or is that too much to ask from us Surtis; a business minded community whose prosperous present exists due to its glorious past.

9 Divine Prachin Garbas

9 Divine Prachin Garbas

With the return of popular Prachin (traditional) Garbas this year, raas revelers within Surat’s sheris have been swinging to pious ancient prayers.

Penned centuries ago, the essence of these folklores in song format is about the miracles of Mataji in all her Nav Durga incarnations

All garba evenings commence with the Jay Aadhya Shakti Aarti , post which garbas are sung out in praise of individual goddesses

1.Padvey thee pehlu Ma nu nortu jee rey- Officially sung out as the first garba of Navratri, this song comprises of the importance of the nine nortas in accordance to the nine goddesses, describing the strength of each avatar - Śhailaputrī, Brahmachārini, Chandrakaṇṭā, Kuṣhmāṇḍā, Skandamātā, Kātyāyanī, Kālarātrī, Mahāgaurī and Siddhidātrī

2.Aadhya shakti tujne namu re bahuchara – Penned by Vallabh Dholabhai Bhatt,this is known as ‘Vallabh no garbo’. Mythology mentions that Bhatt was born deaf and dumb but was gifted the boon of Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge and miraculously cured, after which he spent his life penning devotional songs like ‘darshan gyani aanand no garbo’. Legend also has it that Vallabh’s faith in the unseen Goddess led him to be imprisoned by the then Mughal ruler and his prayers to Aadhya Shakti Ma resulted in her promise of showing her presence to humans. The goddess appeared at Nathdwara, within the idol of Shrinathji, which is why, since then, Shrinathji, who is a male God has been adorned with a ‘nathni’ (nose ring.)

3.Maa no garbo re ramey raj ne darbar –Known as ‘Virat no garbo’ this one goes all out to describe the sheer splendour and magnitude of the Goddess’s might.

4.Maa Pava te gadh thi utarya Mahakali re ( Goddess Mahakali descended from the Pavagadh hills)

5.Tu Kali re ne kalyaani Maa ( Thou ,goddess Kali are the miracle maker )

6.Patayee raja garbadiyo koravo

7.Tu Pava ma ‘pragtani’ re Maa

These four songs sung in praise of Ma Kali Pavagadh wali are arguably the most popular and also the most controversial. While the first two speak of her divine prowess, the latter two are about the story of king Patayee of Pavagadh, notorious for having misbehaved with Kali Ma by trying to hold the helm of her sari pallu and inviting her to spend a night at his palace, which is why ,many singers belt out the lyrics as ‘Tu Pavani Patrani re Ma “ ( you are the queen of Pavagadh) which is incorrect. Rajkot’s music composer Utpal Jivrajani argues this theory and points that,”Historical granths have clearly stated that king Patayee was in fact Maa Kali’s great devotee.”

8.Vishwambhari stuti akhil vishwa-This devotional song with authentic chhand matra ek taal is phonetically pronounced in Sanskrit. The charm of this classic composition lies in the fact that it is sung out in perfection, at every home, crossroad and garba venue, even by people who do not know Sanskrit and are neither trained in music.

9.Amba aavo to ramiye Maa maney ramta nahi aavde- A friendly teaser to Amba Maa ,inviting her to teach and play garba with mere mortals, its lyrics are endearing and childlike.

It is through songs such as these that the bond between goddesses and devotees has strengthened since ages. As the baton of tradition is passed on down generations, the ‘Garbhdeep’- lamp within earthen pot stays illuminated forever even as believers soulfully belt out ,’Pawan sapata thay,toye Maa no garbo ghoomto jaay’