Manish Mishra (President, Pehal)
Basti (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 26: In India’s eternal Sanatan tradition, whenever an auspicious breeze enters a household, it arrives wrapped in melody, rhythm, and song. One timeless example of this is Sohar — a traditional folk song sung to celebrate the birth of a child.
There is no exact historical record of when the tradition of singing Sohar began in India, because Sohar is not merely a song; it is a sacred melody born from the very soil of this land. It naturally flows from the voices of women as they welcome a newborn’s first smiles and playful gestures. The lyrics of Sohar carry the fragrance of a mother’s affection, the blessings of elders, and the echoes of centuries-old traditions. Sohar is not just a folk song; it is a collective expression of joy that unites the entire family and society in celebration of new life.
If we delve into the meaning of the word Sohar, we find that its name is as sweet and pleasant as the songs themselves. Elders and scholars believe that the word originated from the Sanskrit root “Shobhan,” meaning “beautiful” or “pleasing to the heart.” Over time, through the streams of local dialects, Shobhan gradually transformed into Sohar. Even today, in the Bhojpuri region, people say “Bada Sohal Lagta” when they find something delightful. Some also believe the word comes from “Shokhar,” meaning “the remover of sorrow,” because the birth of a child drives away grief from a household. The journey to motherhood itself is filled with immense pain and struggle, and when a child is finally born, that child wipes away all the mother’s sorrows. In the joy of welcoming this “remover of sorrow,” Sohar naturally bursts forth.
Although this tradition still survives in many rural parts of India, the changing global environment has slowly distanced us from this historic cultural heritage. Our organization, Pehal, has taken a pledge to give this living pulse of Indian culture a global identity.
The Pehal organization has provided financial assistance of one lakh rupees to 100 self-help groups in Basti district of Uttar Pradesh for preparing “Ram Ji Ka Peda.” These women will prepare the sacred offering while singing “Ram Ji Ka Sohar.” In addition, Pehal has distributed sewing machines to one thousand women for making “Ram Ji Ka Jhola” (cloth bags dedicated to Lord Ram). These women, too, will sing “Ram Ji Ka Sohar” while preparing the bags.
Taking this historic Sohar tradition to the global stage, Pehal is organizing a grand event on 25 May 2026. In this program, 2,100 women from Basti district will sing “Ram Ji Ka Sohar” together in one voice and one rhythm. This will be a remarkable record in itself and is being submitted for inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records. On one hand, this event will provide global recognition to Sohar, and on the other, it will symbolize the emergence of a New India.
Since independence, India had long suffered from the scourge of Naxalism. Through violent ideology, Naxal groups inflicted countless wounds upon the soul of the nation. However, under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister and through the determined efforts of the Hon’ble Home Minister, the country has now become completely free from Naxalism. After 31 March 2026, in many ways, a New India was born.
To honor the efforts of the Home Minister and celebrate the birth of this New India, the voices of 2,100 women from Basti have risen in Sohar, whose collective resonance will be recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records on 25 May.
We have all heard the famous line:
“Jug-jug jiya su lalanwa, bhawanwa ke bhaag jagal ho”
(“May the child live forever; the fortune of the household has awakened.”)
On this auspicious rise of a New India, our mothers and sisters will pray through Sohar for this nation to prosper for generations to come. When the entire country, along with Basti, celebrates India’s achievements like one united family through the melodies of Sohar, the joy becomes many times greater. These songs of Sohar will travel through digital waves and reach every household across the nation.
Every birth — whether of a child or of a national dream — is a divine blessing. And whenever a new light descends upon the earth, it should be welcomed with the sacred words of Sohar. This tradition is a grand offering of women’s creative power, emotionally nurturing our society for centuries. Let us all pledge that the tradition of Sohar becomes an ornament in the voice of every Indian welcoming this newborn, peaceful, and prosperous India.
(The author is the President of Pehal organization and a social worker.)
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