Malushahi Ballad of Kumaon
MOHAN UPRETI

A secular, romantic narrative of the Kumaon hills of Uttar Pradesh, the Malushahi ballad is the love story of King Malushahi — perhaps a historical personage — and Rajula, daughter of a Tibetan trader visiting the king’s dominions. All three main versions of the ballad end in the marriage of Malushahi and Rajula. Sung at a stretch — in a village courtyard or home on a happy social occasion — the ballad takes ten or 12 hours to perform. This monograph provides a detailed account of the ballad and its performance: the socio-historical context, the singing style, the music, as well as notes on the region and communities dealt with in the narrative. The main part of the book consists of synopses of the three versions of Malushahi.

170 x 245 mm / 73 pages / 14 drawings / 15 halftones
Published 1980 / Rs 30