Silent night, holy night... in Sadri? Well, why ever not?

The Yuletide spirit is catching up with the Christian community but more slowly than in other years in state capital Ranchi, which is now waiting with bated breath for the Assembly poll results on December 23.

However, Christmas gatherings are being held at different places almost every day. And giving a local flavour to those celebrations are carols in the local Sadri dialect.

“Carols in Sadri have become very popular over the years and are presented at almost all Christmas gatherings,” said Tej Mundu, a music composer who judges many carol contests.

Agreed Alvin Rozario, who sings in the band named after him. “The Sadri carols have become very popular over the past two decades or so and are now a must for any Christmas gathering,” he said.

He mentioned popular Sadri carols such as “Dekhu janam lelei Yishu (Look, Jesus is born)”. “The themes and sentiments are obviously the same as the western carols, but they (the Sadri songs) sound entirely different due to their indigenous Chotanagpuri tunes,” Rozario said. “The best part is that the Sadri carols are not copied from the famous English ones. Their tunes spring from the music of the soil, which the people love,” smiled Rozario.

Both Mundu and Rozario cited one very popular Sadri carol, “Charni upre ka tara tim tim chamkela (Stars above the manger shine).”

“It was on a starry night, when the hills were bright/ Earth lay sleeping, sleeping calm and still/Then in a cattle shed, in a manger bed a boy was born...” Rozario hummed. Then he sang the Sadri version. “Look, the tunes of these two are entirely different from each other.”

Mundu quoted “Jagat ka raja Yishu janam lelei (the lord of the world is born)” as another popular Sadri carol on the same theme. Rozario quoted, “Bethlehem gohar ghar majhe sone kamal khile (a golden lotus shines at a manger in Bethlehem)” to cite how local influences seep into the lyrics at times.

Rozario said that Sadri derivatives of the carol “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed/The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head” were also popular. “But again, the Sadri carols have their distinct tunes,” he added.

“The catchy tunes make Sadri carols very popular among the old and young alike,” Mundu agreed. “And only popular in Ranchi or Chotanagpur alone but also in neighbouring areas where tribal Christians live.”

Both get invited to perform live at Christmas gatherings. Mundu said he and his singer wife Monika were just about to leave for Rourkela in Odisha where they would sing at a Christmas event.

Rozario added that he performed in Ranchi on Friday and was leaving for Hazaribagh to perform at another event on Saturday.