PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Ramnagar
To share Uttarakhand’s rich folk culture, traditional instruments and wedding customs with global and national audiences, Haat Kalika Production has launched the Pahari song ‘Byoli Nacheli.’ Named after the revered regional deity Maa Haat Kalika, the digital production house specialises in creating music videos and content in Kumaoni, Garhwali and other regional languages. The song seeks to bring the State’s cultural heritage into the spotlight and encourage people to celebrate weddings to the vibrant rhythms of Pahari music, said the singer Shweta Mahara, who has lent her voice to the song.
“The people increasingly dance to songs in different languages during wedding celebrations. Uttarakhand’s music and cultural traditions also deserve a platform that inspires people to dance to their traditional rhythms. The song has been created with this vision and showcases glimpses of the State’s traditional wedding customs and festive spirit,” she added.
Swati Bhatt, who has penned the lyrics, said as she belongs to Uttarakhand she wants to contribute towards giving the State’s old culture a distinct identity through the creative reach of Bollywood. She emphasised that folk songs and traditional musical instruments hold a special place in the cultural heritage of the hills. “So it is important to pass this legacy on to the younger generation,” she noted.
Nishad, who has composed the music, said music cannot be confined within boundaries. Drawing on his experience of working in Bollywood, he has attempted to blend contemporary musical elements with the distinctive character of Pahari music.
Pankaj Rawat, who is also closely associated with the production team, said that the song could help take Uttarakhand’s cultural traditions beyond the boundaries of the State.
They all said in unison that through ‘Byoli Nacheli’, the team hopes to bring the region’s folk music, wedding customs and festive traditions to a wider audience, while giving Pahari music greater recognition beyond its traditional heartland.
