Oral histories of Odisha: Bahuna (kandana) gita from Balasore

The bride and the women in her family used to weep while she would be leaving for in-laws' house in the Indian state of Odisha. These songs are known as "Bahuna" (ବାହୁନା ଗୀତ), "Bahuna gita" (ବାହୁନା ଗୀତ) or "Kandana" (କାନ୍ଦଣା). Would-be brides used to be taught by mothers and grandmothers about the tone and lyrics of these songs. These songs are rarely sung in the modern days. There is least available documentation of this oral tradition and its history. It is important to note that an Odia girl used to leave her parental home and live with the husband's and husbands' family after marriage. Kandana/bahuna is generally quite melodramatic.

Plot: In this kandana, an elderly woman role-plays a girl who is singing addressing her (the girl's) father a little before leaving her parents' house.

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