Koli Geet (also known as Boat Songs or Nakhva Geet) are a significant genre of
folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...
associated with the
Koli
Koli may refer to:
People
* Koli people, Indian caste group
* Koli Christians, a Christian subgroup
* Muslim Kolis, Muslim community
* Koli (surname), Indian surname
* Koli Sewabu (born 1975), Fijian rugby union footballer
Places
* Koli, Fin ...
community, particularly the
Son koli sub caste, in
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
, India. These songs are deeply rooted in the community's lifestyle, religious practices, and emotional experiences, often reflecting the daily struggles and celebrations of the Kolis, who are traditionally
fishermen
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish.
Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishers and fish farmers. Fishermen may be professional or recr ...
and
agriculturist
An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.) is a professional in the Agricultural science, science, practice, and management of Farming, agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, ...
s. Koli songs are characterized by their rich variety of themes, including religious devotion, social rituals, emotional life at sea, and festivity.
Origin and history
The
Koli
Koli may refer to:
People
* Koli people, Indian caste group
* Koli Christians, a Christian subgroup
* Muslim Kolis, Muslim community
* Koli (surname), Indian surname
* Koli Sewabu (born 1975), Fijian rugby union footballer
Places
* Koli, Fin ...
community is one of the oldest and most prominent indigenous groups in Maharashtra, with a history connected to both agriculture and fishing. The
Son koli sub community, primarily located in coastal areas, has traditionally depended on fishing for its livelihood. Koli songs, which originated from daily life and rituals, often explore themes of religion, nature, and the seafaring profession, evolving into a significant oral tradition over time.
The first commercial Koli song, "Phatki Not Mana Ghyavachi Nay, Dhandyat Khot Mana Khavachi Nay," was recorded in 1962 by
Vitthal Umap, with lyrics by Kundan Kambale. Vitthal Umap is considered the father of Koli Geet.
In 1964, for the film ''Vaishakh Vanva'', Pandit Abhisheki performed the Konkani Nakhwa song "Gomu Maherla Jate Ho Nakhwa" on the recommendation of the film's writer,
Mahadevshastri Joshi. The music for this song was composed by
Datta Davjekar
Dattatreya Shankar Davjekar (Born on 15 November 1917. died ), better known as Datta Davjekar or Datta Daujeker (), was a veteran music composer mainly associated with Marathi and Hindi movies. He is credited for giving a break to many singers who ...
.
Themes and types of Koli songs
Koli songs cover a wide range of subjects, reflecting different aspects of the Koli people's lives. These songs are generally categorized into several themes, such as religious, ritual, festival, emotional, and boatman's songs.
Religious songs
Koli songs have a strong religious component, with devotion to local deities like
Khandoba
Khandoba (IAST: Khaṇḍobā), also known as Martanda Bhairava and Malhari, is a Hindu deity worshiped generally as a manifestation of Shiva mainly in the Deccan Plateau of India, especially in the state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka. He ...
,
Ekvira
Ekvira (also spelled as Ekveera) is a Hindu goddess, regarded to be a form of the goddess Renuka. She is the kuladevi of the Koli people and also of the people belonging to the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu community. Every year Kolis pay respe ...
, Ranai, Kalsubai, and Matubai. These songs are sung during religious ceremonies, rituals, and festivals, expressing gratitude, prayer, or devotion.
Ritual and marriage songs
Koli songs are linked to life-cycle rituals, especially marriages. Pre-marriage rituals like
Haldi are accompanied by songs that describe the bride's beauty, using nature-based metaphors such as comparing her legs to sugarcanes or her eyes to flowers.
Boatman's songs (Nakhva Geet)
Nakhva Geet, or Boatman's Songs, are iconic in Koli culture. They express the emotional lives of fishermen, often sung while at sea or by fisherwomen at home, conveying feelings of love, longing, separation, and hope. The boat symbolizes the community's relationship with the sea.
Festival songs
During festivals like
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi (ISO: ), also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi () or Vinayaka Chavithi () or Vinayagar Chaturthi (), is a Hindu festival celebrating the birthday of Hindu deity Ganesh. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's ''m ...
,
Holi
Holi () is a major Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love and Spring.The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...".Yudit Greenberg, Encyclopedia of Love in World ...
, and
Narali Poornima, Koli songs celebrate cultural and religious significance. These songs incorporate traditional customs, folklore, and rituals.
Erotic songs (Ambvanya)
Ambvanya songs are playful, flirtatious songs sung by men, often to amuse and tease one another, especially during camaraderie among fishermen at sea.
Performance and dance
Koli songs are accompanied by traditional dances, which are integral to expressing the song's themes. Men and women dance together, responding to the rhythm and mood of the song. Dances often mimic natural or everyday movements, such as the undulating motion of a boat.
Boat Dance (Nakhva Dance)
The Nakhva Dance is associated with Boatman's Songs. Performers use small wooden oars to mimic rowing motions, synchronized to create the appearance of a boat on the sea.
Musical instruments
Koli songs are accompanied by folk instruments like the
Dholak
The ''dholak'' is a two-headed hand drum, a folk percussion instrument. The dholak is most commonly recognised in countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, but can also be found amongst the Indo-Diaspora in countries s ...
(a two-headed drum),
cymbal
A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sou ...
s,
Shehnai
The ''shehnai'' is a type of oboe from the Indian subcontinent. It is made of wood, with a double reed at one end and a metal or wooden flared bell at the other end. It was one of the nine instruments found in the royal court. The shehnai is sim ...
(a wind instrument), and wooden oars used in the Boatman's Songs. These instruments provide rhythm and melody for the performances.
In films
Hindi
In
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
films, Koli songs have made notable appearances, often incorporating the distinctive rhythms of this traditional folk music. For example, in the iconic song "
Ek Do Teen" from ''
Tezaab'', starring
Madhuri Dixit
Madhuri Dixit Nene (Maiden and married names, née Dixit, ; born 15 May 1967) is an Indian actress and television personality. She has appeared in Madhuri Dixit filmography, over 70 Hindi films. Praised by critics for her performances and danc ...
, the Koli Geet rhythm played a significant role. The song, sung by
Alka Yagnik
Alka Yagnik (born 20 March 1966) is an Indian playback singer who works predominantly in Hindi cinema. One of the most prominent singers of 1990s era Bollywood, she has received several accolades, including two National Film Awards, two Ben ...
and
Amit Kumar
Amit Kumar (born 3 July 1952) is an Indian playback singer, actor, music composer. Kumar launched his own music production company, named Kumar Brothers Music. He predominantly worked in Bollywood and regional film songs since the 1970s, ...
, was inspired by a catchy Koli folk tune that composer
N. Chandra
Chandrashekhar Narvekar (born 4 April 1952) is an Indian producer, writer and director, known for gritty realism, in his early dark and loud films. His most successful commercial films are ''Ankush (1986 film), Ankush'', ''Pratighaat'', ''Tezaab' ...
had in mind, with a rhythmic pattern that went, "Ding dong ding, ding dong ding dong..." A remix of this track was released in 2018, featuring
Jacqueline Fernandez
Jacqueline Genevieve Fernandez (born 11 August 1985) is a Sri Lankan actress based in India. She has worked in Indian films, predominantly in Hindi, besides appearing in reality shows and music videos. Fernandez was born and raised in Bahrain. ...
and
Tiger Shroff
Jai Hemant Shroff (born 2 March 1990), known professionally as Tiger Shroff, is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. Born to actors Jackie Shroff and Ayesha Dutt, he made his acting debut with the action romance '' Heropanti'' (2014), for ...
, with
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
lending her voice.
Another well-known Koli song, "Galyan Sakli Sonyachi... Hi Pori Konachi?", appears at the start of the film ''
Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin
''Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin'' () is a 1991 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film produced by Gulshan Kumar and directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The film starred Bhatt's daughter Pooja Bhatt in her first major lead female role, with Aamir Khan sta ...
'', set in the fishing village of
Madh Island
Madh Island (Marathi pronunciation: əɖʱ is a group of several quaint fishing villages and farmlands in northern Mumbai.
Geography
The area is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, and Malad Creek on the east. There are s few beaches, suc ...
. This song is picturized on
Pooja Bhatt
Pooja Bhatt (born 24 February 1972) is an Indian actress, director, and filmmaker who works in Hindi films. She established herself as one of the leading actresses of the 1990s and is the recipient of several accolades, including two National ...
and
Deepak Tijori
Deepak Tijori (born 28 August 1961) is an Indian film director and actor who works in Bollywood and Gujarati cinema, Gujarati films and is well known for his supporting roles in ''Aashiqui'' (1990), ''Khiladi (1992 film), Khiladi'' (1992), ''J ...
.
References
Cited works
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Folk music genres
Music genres