JALGAON

Ahirani, the language predominantly spoken in Jalgaon, is a significant cultural marker for the region, and its folk music tradition reflects the deep ties between the community and the land. These songs are commonly performed during key life events, such as weddings, harvest celebrations, and festivals. Agriculture is central to the region’s identity, and the Pola festival, dedicated to honouring the bullocks that play a crucial role in farming, is a prime occasion for the performance of Ahirani songs.

During Pola, songs such as "Gharat Pola Ala" are sung by farmers to celebrate and seek blessings for the upcoming agricultural season.

Kanbai songs are folk songs that are dedicated to Kanbai Mata, a revered devi in the Khandesh region, particularly among the Ahirani-speaking. These songs, performed during religious ceremonies and festivals, hold immense cultural and spiritual significance for the local population. Known for their distinct rhythms and melodies, Kanbai songs are often accompanied by traditional instruments such as the dholki and lezim.

Bhavageet is a genre of Marathi music characterised by its deep emotional expressions and poetic lyrics. The songs are typically centred around themes of love, loss, and the beauty of life, and are known for their ability to evoke strong emotional responses from the listeners. In Jalgaon, Bhavageet is an important part of cultural events, including literary festivals, cultural evenings, and intimate gatherings. A prominent event for celebrating Bhavageet is the annual Kavi Sammelan at Dr. Annasaheb G.D. Bendale Mahila Mahavidyalaya, where poets and singers perform these emotional songs, delving into themes of rural life, personal experiences, and human emotions.

Dhurrie weaving is a textile craft in which flat-woven carpets are produced using a weft-facing technique. Dhurries are typically used as floor coverings, wall hangings, or bed covers. Designs range from simple geometric patterns to more complex motifs, some of which resemble those used in rangoli or kolam, which are temporary floor decorations during festivals.

The history of dhurrie weaving in India is rooted in the ancient practice of grass mat weaving, which gradually evolved into the art form known today. The motifs woven into dhurries often echo symbols seen in other folk art forms, such as the rangoli and kolam patterns used for temporary floor decorations during festivals. These designs, in many ways, reflect a close relationship between the community, their rituals, and their surroundings.

Dhurrie weaving is practised in multiple Indian states. In Jalgaon, the Saygaon region has been noted for its dhurrie weaving cluster, where artisans continue to produce handwoven rugs. 

Yuvarang is an annual cultural festival organised by Kavayitri Bahinabai Chaudhari North Maharashtra University. The event includes 26 sub-events such as classical dance, folk dance, mime (gamanchi kala prakar), theatre (rangmanchi kala prakar), stage photography (lalkala), and visual arts.

The festival includes participation from colleges affiliated with the university in Jalgaon and the surrounding districts. It provides a venue for student involvement in various art forms.

The Kala Maharshi Keki Moos Art Gallery is located in Chalisgaon and is dedicated to Keki Moos, an Indian artist and photographer. The gallery occupies Moos’s former residence, originally named Ashirwad and later Rembrandt Retreat, in reference to his interest in the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn.

Moos was an avant-garde artist in many ways, particularly renowned for his pioneering work in tabletop photography, a method of still-life photography that involves the careful arrangement of objects on a surface for the camera, often shot in a lay-flat or standing composition. Over five decades, Moos created more than 1,000 pieces in this style, capturing the delicate interplay of light and shadow in everyday objects. His work was widely acclaimed, earning him numerous national and international accolades.

Born in 1912 into a wealthy Parsi family in Mumbai, Moos moved to Chalisgaon at the age of eight. Despite his father’s wishes for him to manage the family business, Moos pursued his passion for art, studying at Wilson College in Mumbai and later in England, where he earned a diploma in commercial and fine arts. After travelling the world post-graduation, he settled back in Chalisgaon and never left his home again, choosing to create his art in isolation. His works reflect a deep intellectual and spiritual journey, with over 3,000 books in his personal library and a profound interest in music and philosophy.

In Life and Still Life, a book dedicated to his works, Moos is described as an “eccentric person who did not leave his house for years.” Yet, despite his seclusion, he attracted the attention of many prominent figures, including Jawaharlal Nehru, who visited him in Chalisgaon, along with social reformers like Jayaprakash Narayan. These visits underscored the respect Moos commanded for both his art and his intellect.

In his will, Moos instructed that his estate be used to create a museum to showcase his work. Following his death in 1989, the Kala Maharshi Keki Moos Art Gallery was established as per the instructions in his will, which directed that his property be converted into a museum. The gallery is managed by the Keki Moos Art Trust and houses his artwork, as well as his personal library of over 3,000 books. The gallery functions as a cultural space dedicated to the preservation and public display of Moos’s artistic work.

The Tutari is a wind instrument traditionally used to announce events or the arrival of individuals. It remains in use during festivals in Jalgaon, including Dussehra and Ganesh Chaturthi, where it signals the beginning of processions.

The Dholki is a percussion instrument commonly used in folk music and dance. In Jalgaon, it is played during festivals such as Pola and the Kanbai festival. It is typically accompanied by instruments including the lezim, sambal, and Tutari.

Bahinabai Chaudhari (1880–1951) was a poet from Jalgaon district, known for her ovi, traditional oral couplets. Her verses, composed in a blend of Khandeshi and Levanganboli language varieties, were not written down during her lifetime but sung by her as she performed her daily tasks. 

Born into a farming family, she married young and experienced the challenges of agrarian life, including droughts, financial hardship, and personal loss. These experiences shaped the content of her poetry, which often focused on themes of labour, resilience, and everyday life in a farming community.

Her work was preserved after her death by her son, Sopandev Chaudhari, who transcribed her ovi and helped bring them into public awareness. Though she lived outside formal literary circles, her poetry has since been recognised for its cultural and historical significance. Today, her legacy is honoured in Jalgaon, where institutions such as Kavayitri Bahinabai Chaudhari North Maharashtra University bear her name. Her ovi continue to be cited as an important part of Marathi literature and folk heritage.