Songs of Bhils
Big Part of Malwa and Nimad is populated by the Adivasis. The songs of the
Bhils, which accompany their dances and the songs of their festivals and nuptial ceremonies give a glimpse of the life-pattern they hold.
These songs are sung at an even tempo with regular rise and fall. In most of the songs, meaningless chants are introduced to fill up the distance between the lines. The
Bhils always sing in groups. Dancing is inseparable from their music. The only exception is the
Dhak song which is sung with a faith to cure the physical and mental ailments of a sick person.
They treat this song as very holy since the music of the Dhak is believed to have a magical effect on them. In
Bundelkhand, such songs are sung before Karas Dev, the village deity, whose associated songs are called
Goten. The Banjara songs like the Shri Maharajri
Bel and the Rasturavan; the long narrative, Heeda of the Gujars and Ahirs; and the Ekadasi, the Chain Singh and other ballads popular in
Malwa have sustaining music.
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