Video | South Gujarat tribal music documentation (2): Ghangali played for Kansari katha (story telling)

The ghangali is being played by Jeevalbhai Pandubhai Chaudhari who lives in Boriyad village in Vansda taluka of Navsari district in south Gujarat.

This instrument is usually play during the rendering of the Kansari katha (story). Kansari is the goddess of food worshipped by the Kunkna community in Dang district in Gujarat.

There are several versions to this tale narrated during harvest times. The instrument is generally played by bhagats in the community. A sprout is called kasa in Sanskrit. Kansari is derived from the word kasa. The tale of Kansari deals with the themes of creation, doom, re-creation, the history of human ancestors and the heroes of humankind. One version of the tale narrates the story about the origin of the earth.

Each of the Kunkna homes has an idol of Kansari. In the regions of Valsad, Chikhali and Dharampur, the ghanghali is played as accompaniment, while in Dang, a thali is played.

Source: Sonal Baxi © 2013 Bhasha Research and Publication Centre Tejgadh

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