Dahuka boli (Odia: ଡାହୁକ ବୋଲି, also "Dahuka gita" (ଡାହୁକ ଗୀତ)) are poetic recitations which Dahukas (or Ratha bhanda), the charioteer who recite during the Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha. Ratha Yatra being a symbolic expression of fertility and Life cycle, these "boli" sung by the Dahuka contain bawdy songs. It is believed that unless the Dahuka boli is sung 'Ratha' doesn't move.^[1] These songs are sung publicly without any kind of hold on the lyrics.^[2] Dahuka controls the movement of Ratha during the festival.^[3][4] This tradition is the remnant of Vajrayana Buddhism in Odisha and the lyrics bear the signature of the Vajrayana Buddhist poetry. The Dahukas are believed to be the descends of the famous 84 Mahasiddhas.^[5]

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Lyrics samples

^[6]

History

"Dahuka boli" have many derivatives from Charyapada. One of the earliest Dahuka boli by Kanhapa is as follows:

Roman transliteration:

^[6]

In the "Swatwalipi (Odia: ସ୍ୱତ୍ୱଲିପି) or Adhikara abhilekha (Odia: ଅଧିକାର ଅଭିଲେଖ) service no 104 there is the description of Dahuka and their service on "Ratha"^[7] There is no description of such service in "Purusottama mahatmya" in Skandha purana. But there are descriptions of "Dahuka" in Purusottama Karmangi.^[6][8]

Text from Purusottama Karmangi

ଏ ଭୂଇଁ ଭୋଗୀ। ଏମାନେ ରଥବେଳେ ରଥ ଚଳାଇବେ। ମୋଡ଼ ବୋଲିବେ। ଅକଥା କହି, ପରମେଶ୍ୱର ରଥ ରୋକି, ରଥଗତି ଉଣ୍ଡି, ବେତ ଚଳାଇ ମୋଡ କଥା କହିବେ। ସେ ସମସ୍ତ ଚାଳିବେ। କଳା ବେଠିଆ ରଥ ସେହିମତେ ଚଳାଇବେ।”

— Purusottama Karmangi^[8]

The boli/dahuka boli were also called as "Tucha pada" (ତୁଚ୍ଛ ପଦ), "Bhanda gita" (ଭଣ୍ଡ ଗୀତ) or "Bakra gita" (ବକ୍ରଗୀତ). During the earlier 20th century Jagadeba Mishra, a poet from Puri has written about the "Dahuka boli" his book "Sahari jalam":

Ban on Dahuka boli

During 1995 The Jagannatha temple trustee officials banned the recitation of Dahuka boli. Apart from few exceptions since 1997, Dahukas never sung Dahuka gita.^[6]