Chowtal
In this article, we will delve into the fascinating world of Chowtal, exploring its different facets and meanings. From its origin to its relevance today, Chowtal has been an object of interest and study for various disciplines. Throughout history, Chowtal has sparked curiosity and debate among experts and fans, generating a wide spectrum of opinions and theories. Through this article, we will seek to shed light on Chowtal and analyze its impact on society, culture and everyday life. This fascinating topic invites us to reflect and question our perceptions, presenting an enriching and diverse panorama that deserves to be explored carefully.
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (October 2019) |
Chowtal or Chautal or Chawtal, aside from being the name of a "taal"/"tala" or meter in Hindustani classical music, is a form of folksong of North India's Bhojpuri region, sung during the Phagwa or Holi festival.
In chowtal, two rows of singers face each other (semi-circle), with a "dholak" drummer at one end, and sing lines of Hindi text antiphonally. While the melodies are relatively simple, the song undergoes various modulations of rhythm and tempo, alternating between subdued passages and exciting climaxes. Chowtal is generally sung by enthusiasts for their own pleasure, rather than for an audience. "Chowtal" is an umbrella term for the format, which comprises various subgenres including chowtal proper, jhumar, ulara, lej, baiswara, dhamar, rasiya, kabir, jogira, and others. Chowtal is performed today in various parts of the Bhojpuri region, but is in decline.
During 1838–1917, chowtal was one of the Bhojpuri folk music genres transmitted by indentured workers to the Caribbean (primarily Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname), Fiji, Jamaica, Mauritius and South Africa. In these sites it has flourished vigorously—in spite of the decline of the Bhojpuri language in Trinidad and Guyana. It also flourished in secondary diaspora communities of Indo-Caribbeans in New York and Florida in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and elsewhere, Indo-South Africans in the United Kingdom and the United States, Indo-Mauritians in the United Kingdom, France, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and of Indo-Fijians in Australia, New Zealand, the west coast of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
References
- Manuel, Peter (2009). “Transnational Chowtal: Bhojpuri Folksong from North India to the Caribbean, Fiji, and Beyond.” Asian Music 40/2: 1–32
- Manuel, Peter (2010). "Tassa Thunder: Folk Music from India to the Caribbean." Documentary video.
- Sasenarine, Rudy, compiler (2009). "Chowtal Rang Bahar: A Treasury of Chowtal Songs from India and the Caribbean." Queens, New York: The Rajkumari Centre.