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~In the Preservation of the Art of Chowtaal Singing~ Originated in Uttar Pradesh or North India's Bhojpuri region(Western Bihar, parts of Jharkhand and Eastern Uttar Pradesh belt of India)Chowtaal, apart from being a rhythmic cycle(taal)in Hindustani classical Music, is a type of folk song/lokgeet that is evident during the Spring season and at the time of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors. It was brought to Guyana, Trinidad, Suriname and the Caribbean around the 1800s by indentured laborers from India. These laborers worked laboriously and preserved their cultural heritage by passing it on to generation after generation. Today, Chowtaal Singing is recognizable in the USA,Canada, England, the Fiji Islands, Mauritius, and wherever people of East Indian origin exist.

It is a very interesting and wonderful art form sung by amateurs and enthusiasts for their own merriment rather than an audience. With two rows of singers sitting down facing each other or in a circle(gol) and a drummer or two either at one end or in the center of the rows of singers, the singers engage in singing lines of Hindi or its dialects (Bhojpuri/Braj Bhasha) depicting the pastimes/glories of the Gods, mostly, Radha and Krishna, Shri Rama and Sita, Lord Shiva, Hanuman, etc. The compositions are sometimes traditional or locally composed by knowledgeable individuals/Chowtaal lovers in the community. The singers sing in groups reverberating the atmosphere with feelings of joy and merriment.

There are various types of Chowtaal such as those relative to Krishn Charitra/leela(tales/pastimes of Krishna), Ram Charitra/leela, Shiv Charitra/leela, Devi Charitra/leela, Ritu Charitra(seasonal descriptions) and those under the banner of Aadesh/Sandesh Charitra (or those expressing the messages of moral values and sentiments.)Then there are those of shringar ras expressing beauty, love, etc. Despite the relative simplicity of the melodies, the compositions progress through varying forms of modulations of swar, taal and laya (vocals, beats and rhythms)'', at times progressing at a fast pace with a high pitch and then slowing down with a lower pitch, alternating between subdued passages and exciting climaxes filling the atmosphere with a feeling of peace, love, joy and happiness.It's a wonderful feeling.

Chowtal/Chowtaal/Chautal/Chautaal/Choutal/Choutaal, as some may say, basically encompasses various sub-genres, such as Ulara, Kabira, Jogira, Dhamaar, Jhumar, Bailwara, Baiswara, Bhartaal, Lej, Manipuri/Mainpuri, Rasiya, Rekhta and so on.These different styles or forms used to be very popular in India and the Caribbean. However, with the passing on of many scholars in this field and due to the limited knowledge of some of these forms today, very few of them are being sung and heard. There are still, however, some pundits(scholars) who are still keeping almost all of them alive.

Chowtaal singing today is not as popular as it should be. If those who know fail to take the time to teach others and pass on their knowledge to the youths, Chowtaal singing will soon become forgotten.

Reference: Chowtaal Bahaar (The Spring of Chowtaal Singing) by Shri. Latchman Emogaje (Hindi/sangeetacharya)-March, 2014.