Awadhi Lokgeet Singers

Awadhi Lokgeet singers play a vital role in preserving the cultural and emotional heritage of the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh. These folk songs are deeply connected with rituals, seasons, and life events such as weddings, childbirth, festivals, and agricultural cycles. Ritual-based songs like Sohar, Kajri, Birha, and Barahmasa are traditionally performed during specific occasions, making Awadhi Lokgeet an integral part of community life.

The singers usually wear simple yet culturally rich attire. Men are often seen in dhoti-kurta or kurta-pajama with a gamchha, while women wear sarees or lehenga with traditional jewelry, reflecting rural elegance. The lyrics pattern of Awadhi Lokgeet is narrative and emotional, using local dialect, metaphors from nature, and repetitive refrains that make the songs easy to remember and sing collectively.

Renowned Awadhi Lokgeet singers include Malini Awasthi (songs: Kajri Gaaveli, Awadh Mein Rasiya), Rameshwar Yadav (Birha Lokgeet), Sharda Sinha (Sohar Geet), Kalpana Patowary (Awadhi Kajri), Ram Naresh Yadav (Desi Birha), and Girija Devi, who popularized semi-classical Awadhi folk forms. Through their voices, Awadhi Lokgeet singers continue to keep the traditions of Awadh alive for future generations.