Indo-Trinidadian singer Rakesh Yankarran’s “Mousie” is a famous chutney composition. Featured on the album “Geh Tem Raja” (2000) by Praimsingh Productions, most do not know that it is a sohar or genre of music played for the birth of Hindu children. The lyrics narrate the order of events that take place at the chathi or six day rites for babies. The mousie (maternal aunt) makes halwa (sweets) in the rasoi (kitchen). The chamine (midwife) arrives to give the mother a “bush bath” before she changes her clothes. While the lalana (baby) cries for milk, the Aji (paternal grandmother) rocks the jhulana (cradle). The parjaa (family) arrive with food and the babu (priest) performs the rituals.
Translated by Vinay Harrichan as part of the Caribbean Hindustani team:
Mausi rasoiye halwa, ab mausi rasoiye halwa
Mousie is making sweets in the kitchen now
Arey batarwa, oh batarwa, ai batarwa khoje
She is searching and looking for the butter
Chau din ke, barhi manawe, barhi manawe
After six days, observe the twelve day rites
Chathi ke, na bhar de, chahti ke, na bhar de
Do not stop the celebrations after the chathi
Chamine aaye, maiya nahaiye, maiya nahaiye
The midwife comes and the mother bathes
Pehene ab sundar kapra, pehene ab sundar kapra
Now she puts on some beautiful clothes
Lalana roye, dudhe mange, dudhe mange
The baby cries and wants milk
Aji-bahu, jhulana jhulawe, jhulana jhulawe
The paternal grandmother and daughter-in-law rock the cradle
Parjaa aaye, khana laaye, khana laaye
The relatives come and bring food
Babu bidhi dikha lalana, babu bidhi dikha lalana
The pandit does the birth rites and shows the baby
