Lullabies

Lullabies are the fresh and innocent songs sung by the mothers to their children. These songs have an enchanting and haunting music and soft and tender feelings natural to the theme. Often, they unfold the mood of the child or depict simple episodes dear to the child`s imagination. The lullabies transport the child into a magic land of dreams and fancy. In Assamese, there is a lovely little song that depicts a conversation between a mother and the moon.

Many times, it is the sister who sings the young child to sleep. She is said to be a replica of the mother and takes care of the young one as well as puts him to sleep in the mother`s absence.

There are many cradle songs which draw on the childhood of Lord Krishna and his exploits in the land of Brajdham. Lord Krishna is pictured as eternally a child. The greatness of his personality is revealed through his frolicsome pastimes and childhood pranks in these nursery rhymes. This has inspired a cycle of songs called Kamkhowa in Assamese.

The birth of a male child is a great distinction for a woman in some parts of the country, as certain folk songs from Orissa illustrate. There is a song from Uttar Pradesh in which a crow predicts a son to a woman who is pregnant. She has so far given birth to female children only, which has given great displeasure to her husband. She finds it difficult to believe the crow`s prediction. Then a male child is actually born to her. She is so happy that she sets the whole neighbourhood in search of the crow. She wants to cover its beak and wings with gold, and offer it milk in a cup of gold.

Rajasthani cradle-songs are different. Like all other songs, they too have the burden of bravery in them. The following is the type of song that the mother sings as she rocks the cradle.