Kabutari Devi

Kabutari Devi

1945 – 7 July 2018

Kabutari Devi was the first women folk singer from Uttarakhand. She sang more than hundreds of songs for Akashvani.

This great lady is also known as “Voice of the Hills” in the 70s she broadcast the folk songs of Uttarakhand through Akashvani and other reputed forums. She made herself legendary through her hard work, struggle, and overcoming problems.

Early Life and Career

Kabutari Devi was born on 7 July 1945 in the Mirasi (Folk singer Community) family of Kali Kumaon (District Champawat) Uttarakhand. She took her early music education in the village from Deb ram and Devki Devi.
Kabutari Devi used to laboured during the day, and she practiced music whenever she could find time, her father was a folk singer kabutari picked the essentials of folk music from her father. Kabutari Devi’s early years were full of hardships.

Kabutari Devi took music education from his father after practicing ragas used in Pahari songs, her style is different from other folk singers. After marriage, her husband recognized her talent and encouraged her to sing at Akashwani and local fairs. No female cultural singer used to sing for Akashwani; she was the first women folk singer from the Kumaon Uttarakhand to be featured on All India Radio.

During the 70s and 80s, her fame increased with the program of Kumaoni songs broadcast from Lucknow, Ranpur and Najibabad Akashvani, and even Mumbai. She has sung more than a hundred songs for Akashvani; she has taken mountain folk music to international forums. After spending more than twenty years in poverty, she started to get respect for her talent from 2002. Kabutari Devi used to sing in many genres of Pahari music such as Mangal Geet, Agricultural Songs, Ritu Rain, Beauty of Mountain, Bhagnul Nyauli jagar, Ghaneli Jhoda and Chanchari, the pain of mountain migrants.

Married

Kabutari Devi was married to Diwani Ram of Pithoragarh district; he was so supportive of her wife’s work, and he inspired her to sing for Akashvani and other fairs like Ramleela and the Uttarayani fair. Kabutari Devi and Diwani Ram have one daughter. After her husband’s demise, Kabutari Devi left music to raise her children and run the household.

Death

After asthma and heart problems, she was admitted to the district hospital in Pithoragarh. After seeing her condition doctors referred her to Dehradun higher center but due to not reaching the helicopter, they could not move her to the higher center for better treatment then she was admitted back in District hospital, unfortunately next day on 7 July 2018 she died, she was cremated on 8 July 2018 at Rameshwar Ghat of River Saryu.

Achievements

In the year 2002, She was Honored by Navodya Parvatiya Kala Kendra Pithoragarh.

She was also honored by the Pahad Sanstha.

In 2016, on the Occasion of the 17th state foundation day, the Uttarakhand Government also honored her with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of singing.

She is still known as the Voice of the Hills, All India radio’s first female music composer Madhuri Barthwal says that Kabutari Devi Breathed life into Traditional songs.

Cultural Activist Uma Bhatt who closely observed Devi’s life recalls The Kumaoni folk music felt orphaned after the demise of Kabutari Devi, Kumaoni folk music was heard across the nation due to the efforts and hardships of Kabutari Devi.

We all appeal to the Government of India to honor Kabutari Devi with the Padma Award.

It appears that she has been forgotten but her legacy songs will live on.