Zanzibar Memories of the Hindu Navratri festival; garbas and treats. By Bhadra Vadgama

Zanzibar before 1964

As you will all remember, in Zanzibar during the Navratri festival, young girls used to come to Hindu homes in a group to sing these 'garbas' after school, and we used to give them 'ek ke be paisa' in return. The practice is so similar to Carol singing during Xmas and 'Treat or Trick' during Halloween in the West but the treats we gave these girls, in comparison, were so modest in our days.

 When these girls sang at our homes we used to give them 5 or 10 cents each. So one song to rhyme with the first letter of the currency says, for example:
 Tel [oil] purave [gives] tene [to her] teliyo [oily] dikro [son] aave re [will be born]. 
These girls will be carrying small earthen pots with holes in them and they'd light a diwa in them. 

They also mention the name of the son at whose home they are singing, so for example, in one song it says, ‘Jawaharbhai [my brother’s name] will bring a lotus flower and his wife Anupama will have the pleasure of enjoying its fragrance.'

With the help of my brother, I wrote these down before we all forget them for ever.

If any of you, or the friends you are in touch with, know any more of these, please do send them to me. 

નવરાત્રિના કેરોલ્સ

  

એક દડો, ભાઈ બીજો દડો, ત્રીજા તોરણ બાંધજો

આજના મારા  જવાહરભાઈ તમારી વહુને વારજો

તમારી વહુ છે લાડકાં ઝાંઝરિયાં ઘડાવજો

ઝાડ ઉપર ઝૂમખાં, ચોખલિયાળી ભાતરે

ભાત રે ભાત રે ભળકડાં વેલ છૂટતી જાય રે

વેલમાં બેઠો વાણિયો કાગળ લખતો જાય રે

કાગળમાં બે પૂતળી હસતી રમતી જાય રે

વાંકાશેરનો વાણિયો શેર કંકુ તોળે રે

આછી ટીલી ઝગેમગે, ટહુલે ટહુલે મોર રે

મોર વધાવ્યા મોતીડે ઈંઢોણી મેલી રડતી રે

રડતી હોય તો રડવા દેજે.

·          

તેલ પૂરાવે તેને તેલિયો દીકરો આવે રે

ઘી પૂરાવે તેને ઘેલો દીકરો આવે રે

પૈસો પૂરાવે તેને પાંચ દીકરા આવે રે

સેન્ટિયો પૂરાવે તેને સેડાળો દીકરો આવે રે

રૂપિયો પૂરાવે તેને રુપાળો દીકરો આવે રે.

·          

 ચાંદા ચાંદાની રાત ચાંદો કેદી ઊગશે રે

ચાંદો પાછલી પરોડ મોતીડાં વીણશે રે

જ્વાહરભાઈ ચાલ્યા દરબાર, ઘોડે બેસી આવશે રે

લાવશે કમળનાં ફૂલ, અનુપમા વહુ સૂંઘશે રે.

·          

મા એકના એકવીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે

 મા બેના બાવીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે

 મા ત્રણના ત્રેવીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે

 મા ચારના ચોવીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે

 મા પાંચના પચીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે

 મા છના છવીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે

 મા સાતના સત્તાવીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે

 મા આઠના અઠાવીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે

 મા નવના ઓગણત્રીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે

 મા દસે પૂરા ત્રીસ ગરબો ઘૂમે છે.

·          

ચકી તારા ખેતરમાં મેં ઝીંઝવો વાવ્યો

 ઝીંઝવે ચડી જોઉં રે કોઈ આદમી આવે

 હંસલો ઘોડો હાથમાં જવાહરભાઈ આવે

 હાલડહૂલડ બેટડો ધવડાવતી નાર  આવે

 આવને વીરા વાત કહું, કયા દેશથી આવ્યા?

 ઝીણી ભરડાવું લાપસી વીર વાડીએ જમજો

આદુમરીનાં આથણાં વીર વાડીએ જમજો.

ભદ્રા વડગામા અને નટુભાઈ કાપડિયા

Zanzibar’s Uniqueness: of music, weddings, cricket and times past. by Chirantan Shukla

I have followed people’s reminiscences about our beloved Zanzibar with much interest. It has prompted me, rather belatedly, to offer a few experiences of growing up in Zanzibar.

I became aware of Zanzibar’s uniqueness soon after our arrival in late 1953; when I was just 7 years of age. At the time, we were staying in Sokomogo Street. It was the holy month of Ramadhan and in the middle of the night, I was woken by singing and music coming from the street. The tunes sounded familiar. The accent was different but nevertheless melodious. I could not resist getting up and looking from the window. The group singing and playing the music was entirely Waswahili, but they were singing popular Hindi songs from hit Bollywood movies of the time.

We had arrived in Zanzibar from Kenya and this first hand cultural experience left its mark. Thereafter, I well remember non-Hindi Zanzibaris proclaiming with joy “lewo iko Awara” as they went about their daily
routines; and sure enough multi-ethnic audience would flock to the Empire Cinema to see their favourite Raj Kapoor and hear “Awara hoon”.


In later years, I found that a significant number of Hindi tunes were adopted for Swahili songs. Elements of Hindi music were also adopted for some taarab music. This could only happen in Zanzibar.

Indian weddings were held with proper pomp and ceremony in Zanzibar. The procession of the bridegroom was an essential element of the wedding. The procession was led by a band playing music. I only knew of one band; the “Salum's Band” named after the band leader Salum. The band’s dress, while performing, was khaki shorts and a khaki shirt. I believe Salum was of Arabic extraction and some of his musicians were Waswahilis. They exclusively played Hindi songs. What memories!

There was a tea/coffee house cum Arabic restaurant; opposite our house in Sokomogo, The radio in the restaurant was constantly tuned to radio Cairo and played popular Arabic songs of the time. I did not speak Arabic but fell in love with the music blaring out from the radio. I soon began to appreciate songs by
Arabic legends like Om Kultum, Abdul Halim Hafiz, Farid-el-Atrash etc. This appreciation of Arabic music stood me in good stead when during the course of my career; I worked in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Tunisia.

This early cultural exposure in Zanzibar allowed me to retain my appreciation of Arabic music and later I became an ardent fan of the great Fairuz. This was only possible because of growing up in Zanzibar.

I had a keen interest in sports and followed the national cricket and football teams. The make-up of Zanzibar cricket team illustrated the multi-ethnic cohesion of Zanzibaris. The cricketers (1950’s and early 60’s) who come to mind are Ahmed Himid, Mansour, Baker Tejani, Zaghlul, Harji Mawji, Rusi Madon, Abdulkadir, Gajendra Doshi, Gulam ("Golo") Mshamba, Jawad, Ahmed Bachoo, Mehdi etc. Juma Aley was closely involved with cricket and did play for Zanzibar. He was a better administrator than a cricketer.

In my view, Harji Mawji was perhaps the best Zanzibari cricketer. He was a genuine all rounder in
the mould of Gary Sobers. Actually, I have always considered Gary Sobers to be in Harji Mawji’s mould; as Harji came before Sobers. Harji was a prolific batsman, a very good medium pace bowler who also bowled spin and an excellent fielder. Harji was not adequately challenged in Zanzibar and could not achieve his potential. Ramanbhai Patel (then Captain of Kenya and a fine batsman) was so impressed with Harji, that he advised Harji to go to England and become a professional cricketer.

Harji and his family were of modest means and there was no prospect of him coming to England. Harji played football for Kikwajuni. He was the only Indian to play football for a first Division team. He was a very good volleyball player. Harji remained a Zanzibari to his end. Footballers who played for the national team in the 1950’s who come to mind are Issa, Sururu, Shaban etc.

I have fond memories of my years at King George VI Secondary School. In one respect, the class was a microcosm of Zanzibar. Names of my classmates illustrate this point; fellow students like Salim Himid, Abii Seif, Abdulla Ahmed, Moh’d Shangama, Salim Juma, Makame Usi, Moh’d Raza Sultan, Bipin Suchak,
Harkishan Bhagat, Abdul Latif, Irshad Dalal, Abitalib etc. In another sense, the ethnic distribution of the class did not reflect the percentage make-up of the Zanzibari population.

I have to conclude by noting that my mother Mrs Shukla was a teacher at the Government Girls Secondary School. Girls who were students at the school between 1954 and 1970, would have been taught by Mrs Shukla.

My mother tells me that when the late Abeid Karume was President; his then young sons, Amani and Ali, used to come to the Jani Building (behind Beit-el-Ajab) for private tuition with her. I am proud that my mother may have played a very small part in developing illustrious future leaders of Zanzibar.

Mrs Shukla is almost 90 years old and keeps remarkably well for her advanced years.