Author – Raghu Dharmasena
Transliration – Mithun
In Tulunadu there is a distinct folk-lore type called “Karangolu”. Though seemingly amusing or a farming folk-lore, it extends from the mundane to the supernatural, displaying the heroic feats, achievements and aboriginal rituals representative, thereby presenting the heroic aspirations of the present day as a text or design of sociocultural and religious values that publicly recognizes the cultural unrest of the oppressed community, thereby legitimizing its cultural resistance to the system.
The Adivasi Dravidian community of Tulunadu is basically celebrating the ritual of harvesting during the full moon. This type of cannabis would cure infectious diseases such as smallpox, cholera, and plague that were affecting people during their time with their knowledge of folk medicine or herbs, or cure them. This signaled that the people were protecting the town by driving the “Mari” that struck the town. In addition, the celebration of the harvest, the full moon of the harvest, and other farming-related enjoyments and most importantly, the cultivation of paddy cultivated “Atikaare”, a specialty of paddy cultivation.
While playing the “Karangolu” dance, the two dancers round their heads to the kaong (black head-dress), drawing the circles in hands using mud clay, holding bunches of leaves of “Nekki” plant, they sing – “Poli poli poliye poliyara po” sneaks into action as per the rhythm of Maṇi gaṇṭè and announces that we have brought prosperity to the house. Nearby another dance-player plays a bell rhythmically and sings the Karangolu paDdana. In the house in which the dance is taking place, the householder must bring a lamp into the yard before the dance begins. At the end of dance, the singer of dance shall announce that they had filled the house with prosperity, abundance and wealth. Next, the two dance players wave at the little children and elders of the house and the elderly girl with a nude grip on her hand. Next, the two dancers rub at the little children and elders of the house with bunches of Nekki leafs on their hands. Then there is the tradition of the householders dedicating mainly paddy, rice, coconuts and fruit items to the dancers. After this the team will move to the next house.
Song of karangol dance:
poliyē…poli poli poli eccilā… (illa jāl jappunaga )
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
māyidā puṇṇāmelluya māyōḍē poṃḍuyē
suggīdā puṇṇāmēg tōḍādērullāye
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
karaṃgōlu puṭṭīnā ōlu jēvu kāṃtakkā
paḍḍāyi rājyōḍullaya mūḍāyi dikk ḍ
mūḍāyi dikk ḍullaya sudoṃjāne barīṭ
sudeṃjāne barīṭullaya kaṃḍoṃjāne kaḍīṭ
kaṃḍoṃjāne kaḍīṭullaya nekkīnā diḍḍ ḍ
nekkīna diḍḍ ḍullaya mugurā poyyēḍ
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
ā karoṃgōlu koṃḍāvāra ērōṃjiṃd pinuvērē
kānada kaṭṭadē akulē pinuvērē
karaṃgōlu koṃḍāvāra kusēloṃji pinuvēra
nekkinā tappuḍ puḍyādē koṃḍaroḍē
iṭṭēvuda tappuḍ poddidē koṃḍaroḍe
sēvunā daṃḍ ḍ bett dē koṃḍarōḍe
bārēda balluḍ bāmīde koṃḍaroḍe
suriyinā mulluḍ surīdē koṃḍaroḍe
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
kānādāna kattiḍ kaḍt dē koṃḍarōḍe
bākuḍāna kattiḍ bījādē koṃḍaroḍe
marayinā nīr ḍ gobbadē koṃḍaroḍe
tippīnā nīr ḍ muraṃgādē koṃḍaroḍe
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
ullāyē ullērijjere jēvu mādimmalē
leppāna bulippānullayā kūṭōge poteriyē
kūṭōrdē bauderullaye būḍūḍēlātēre
būḍuḍēlāyina ullaye dānemālittēre
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
aṃḍe patt boryāra erme mālittēre
giṃḍe patt boryāra petta mālittēre
illāg melāviṃci ponnu mālittēre
kaṭanig mēlāviṃci tārē mālittēre
ballīg mēlāviṃci bārē mālittēre
koṃkān bāṃkān kaṃḍa mālīttēre
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
nālēru mādāvāra dinamānilāvoḍē
aṃgārē bāroḍullaya siṃgānidā rāsīḍ
siṃganīda rāsīḍullaya kōridā kileppugu
kōridā kileppugullayā jāmīnida portugu
nālēru mādāvāra dinamānilātṃḍ yē
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
nālēru mādāvāra nāyeroṃjilāvoḍē
kāyer mara kaḍpāyēr nāyeroṃji gūradere
rannēn patt d panōroṃji boṭṭyēre
pāvōrīn patt d guṃḍaloṃji boṭyērē
ponne mara kaḍpāyēr nugaloṃji gūradere
kukkūn kaḍpāyer palāyoṃji bāradere
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
nālēru mādāvāra janamānilāvōḍe
kānādan kaṭṭādān āl mālittēre
kārīlān kabulān jōḍi mālittēre
laṃḍ nu la muṃḍunu la ine mālittēre
saṃkamāle patyēre puṇakkeda ball pāḍyērē
kērīn patyēre kōṃṭada ball pāḍyēre
bulekkarīn patyērē kaṭṭada ball pāḍyērē
ollēn patyēre ūrabaḍu maltēre
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
orlāne dappādēr kinnimāni dekkulu
irlānē dappādēr kinnimāni dekkulu
mūvalaḍ kāṃt kabe kaḍpādēr ullāye
ēlaiṭ ēlorme dakkāderullāye
ainaiṭ ayyala bār bittādērullāye
mūjaiṭ bide nīr kaṭṭadērullāye
ēlaiṭ bide nīr oḍḍādērullāye
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
avvoṃji koḍippāṃḍullaya dūji māvu koḍippāṃḍe
avvōṃji keyyāṃḍe ōṃṭe nāli daṃḍāṃḍe
keyyōṃji pāyaṃḍullaya kaṃgina piṃgaruḍeyilekka
bāroṃji parṃdṃḍullaya kēdage rōna būruṃḍē
uṃtudu bulevāra gil̤iyannēne buḍujē
jett d bulevāra paṃjannēne buḍujē
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
gil̤iyannanē patt d gūḍuḍē pāḍoḍē
paṃjannān patt d koṭyārōḍe pāḍoḍe
paṃjannāne arippāra kusēloṃji pinuverē
paṃjannāne arippāra ūrōṃji kūḍōḍe
baidere beḍiṭṭ īḍ dakk dē kerōḍe
kaipuḍāna biruṭṭu kuttudē keroḍe
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
beḍikk beḍikara bēterīpuṃḍullāya
ūrugu ūra mallōḍi bēterīpuṃḍullāya
nāyig nāyikoṭṭa bēterīpuṃḍullāya
kaipuḍag poṭṭepulaṃpu bēterīpuṃḍullāya
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
keyyōṃji koyyarullaya gejje kattilāvoḍe
keyyoṃji kaṭiṭarullaya sōṇeda būrulāvoḍe
keyyoṃji tuṃbarullaya bollida muṭṭalāvoḍē
keyyoṃji pāḍarullaya sūturūla āvoḍē
bayyoṃji pāḍarullāya pidammāyiyoṃjilāvoḍe
keyyoṃji darippārullaya jāṃda jiḍḍelāvoḍe
uppēn tuppārullaya katterimānelāvoḍē
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
ullāya menipulaje jēvu mādimmāle
bālen menipulaje bāle mādimmalē
ullāya menipiṃci kusēlēn pinayē
giṃḍēḍ nīr patt ullāya menipulaje
piṃganiḍ pēr patt bāle mēnipulaje
bākīl n jeppuleyē jēvu mādimmāle
bākīl jeppiṃci kusēlēn pināye
karboda kaḍḍipāḍ d jāraṃgāḍi jāralade
bākīl jatt d dīpōnu pottaleyē
poliyē polyara pō pūve pōṃḍullāyā…
mūḍāyi padoliḍ muttumāni tuḍār
paḍḍāyi padoliḍ kaṃcimāni tuḍār
nalipiṃci jērleg kāraṃcāvuṃḍullāya
panpiṃci mānileg bāyaṃcāvuṃḍullāya
tūpiṃci ullāyāg kaṇṇāṃcāvuṃḍullāya
aṃcāṃca panpuṃḍullaya pulyana muṭṭa uṃḍuyē…
poliyē…poli poli poli eccilā…
PS: While playing this dance, the dancers dance at opposite direction for three times by chanting “Koo”.
A video clip of Karangol