When the Hills Sing Back

Uniyal / Apple Music

These days, there is much discussion around the idea that art is, and can never be, apolitical. While films and other visual media often receive considerable attention, what particularly intrigues me is how poetry and songs can be profoundly political, yet rarely receive the recognition they deserve. I have been following Uttarakhand’s hip-hop scene for some time, and I find these young artists particularly compelling. Through their music, they raise socio-political awareness, question authorities, and bring to the forefront the agony of the natives today.

Music has played an important part in Uttarakhand’s culture. Folk songs, in particular, have long held a special place. According to Andrew Alter in Dancing with Devtas, the state’s folk music can be divided into two types: long, epic compositions called gatha, and shorter songs known as lok-git. Dr Govind Kandari “Chatak,” regarded as the father of Garhwali folk literature, further divided gatha into three forms: Jagar, Pawara, and Chait.

Instruments used in the performance of these Uttarakhandi folk songs largely consist of percussive instruments like the dhol-damau, hudka, and thali. The percussive nature of these instruments connects them to spiritual traditions and serves as a defining feature of various forms of performance in the region, including Jagar and Pawara.

Music brings people together, creating a collective emotional experience. It establishes shared meanings and cultural references, as pointed out by Sabrina P. Ramet. In Uttarakhand, music has long had relevance beyond mere entertainment. During the Uttarakhand Rajya Andolan (statehood movement), poets, writers, and singers all actively engaged the power of their voices to unite people. Narendra Singh Negi was the torchbearer of the singing voice that captured the essence of village and town residents yearning for an independent Uttarakhand, penning songs like Uttarakhand Andolan Maa and Sou Uthola Ekattha Hola. Similarly, the poet Girish Tiwari played an instrumental role in articulating the voices of the movement through poems such as Jaita Ek Din Toh Aalo and Hum Ladte Raeyaan, Hum Ladte Rulon.

Uttarakhand’s musical culture, rooted in folk traditions, poetic activism, and storytelling, continues to evolve. Emerging artists today are reinterpreting these traditions, blending older styles with contemporary sounds. Musicians like Uniyal and Tarun have carved out a distinctive space by blending vernacular traditions with folk instruments. Their music carries the essence of home. It offers nostalgia to all who reside far from their Janmabhoomi. At the same time, they give voice to the anxieties, aspirations, and collective consciousness of the natives.

Uniyal and Soumya Rawat had earlier experimented with this approach through their EP Nanda Devi Express. The songs Vartmaan and Wan Mundoli seemed to go beyond streaming numbers, connecting with listeners by truthfully expressing contemporary struggles in Uttarakhand. The duo is back with Namo Narayan, a socially conscious anthem that pairs sharp commentary with a distinctive sound, continuing this tradition. Featuring Rakesh Manral and Shadow Evergreen, the song carries the duo’s signature approach of blending meaningful storytelling with wide appeal.

The music video itself is an important aspect of the song. It captures and articulates the rural landscape and local community in the setting of Uttarakhand’s villages. With its rich colour grading and cinematography, the visuals are vivid and engaging, making the music video more than just a supporting element — it becomes a meaningful, relatable, and emotional part of the song. This video resonates with those living far from their homeland, taking them back to the sights and memories of home. The use of forest fires as a sign of ecological imbalance also feels like a deliberate creative choice: it reflects not only environmental damage but also the constant sense of unrest the state seems to be going through, giving the visuals a dual meaning.

The beat production by Rawat is a significant component of the song, deeply rooted in the indigenous sounds of Uttarakhand. Instruments such as the hudka, thali, and dhol-damau echo through the track, giving it a unique regional identity while blending with the contemporary production. The slight eeriness of the beat complements the lyrics and the video, conveying an atmosphere of underlying tension and unease drawn from the spiritual essence and unseen forces present in this culture.

Together, the musical composition and the video communicate the song’s central concept: Jagar, a folk ritual practice in which deities’ spirits are invoked through music and performance. This notion is echoed in the rhythms, the ritualistic imagery, and the community visuals, resulting in an effective connection to the cultural roots of the region.

Uniyal’s verse powerfully communicates the anxieties of Uttarakhand’s contemporary population through vivid imagery and sharp social commentary, reflecting the growing sense of disorder and disillusionment felt by many in the region. Through lyrics like “Prabhu ka desh mein prabhu ka naash, Insaani bhes mein aaya pichas,” he questions developmental projects believed to be ecologically harmful to the already fragile Himalayan landscape. The song also addresses widespread youth unemployment, a persistent theme in both his work and that of other local artists.

Beyond these concerns, the song focuses on the lives of women in the hills, whose hard work and sacrifices support mountain communities. They play a vital role in everyday life, yet their contributions are often overlooked in mainstream narratives. Uniyal vividly paints images of lives shaped by early marriages, domestic duties, and mundane household chores. At the same time, he highlights the resilience of women who raise children, educate the next generation, preserve traditions, and continue to nurture hope despite years of struggle. Through these verses, the song acknowledges both the burdens they carry and the quiet strength with which they endure.

Uttarakhand’s folk tradition of Jagar is a deeply rooted ritual practice that invokes the isht devta (local deity), ancestors, or other divine spirits to overcome life’s adversities or seek their blessings. Uniyal and Shadow Evergreen draw on this tradition to express the anxieties, uncertainties, and doubts that shape the lived experiences of the local community. The imagery suggests that the challenges confronting society have become so profound that even the divine appears powerless or distressed in the face of human suffering. At the same time, the references to gods, divine mountains, and sacred rivers reflect the rising concerns of local communities, who, through chants and drums, pray for protection, stability, and balance.

This imagery of divine harmony, far from being meant literally, embodies a cultural expression of resilience and a fervent hope for recovery, since, as Stefan Fiol asserts in Recasting Folk in the Himalayas, the practice of Jagar is fundamentally intended to bring about healing.

The vision of red eyes, broken paths, and dried lakes evokes a pain-ridden landscape and human existence shaped by suffering, while the anger, blood, and sweat of the masses become a symbol of resilience — an inextinguishable torch (mashaal) of survival. Thus, Namo Narayan appeals to the common citizen, caught in the cycle of daily struggle and survival, to think ahead and rise above immediate hardships, urging them to leave behind vices and keep marching forward without giving up. It is, in many respects, evocative of the aspirations expressed by artists such as Narendra Singh Negi and Girish Tiwari “Gir Da” during the statehood movement and other ecological preservation movements — artists who articulated the feelings and emotions of the populace in a deeply relatable way, paving the way for a tradition of socially aware music.

Aryan Kanyal studies history at the University of Delhi and frequently writes on socio-cultural issues.