Personal narrative of Mateenuddin Shaikh

This is a personal narrative of the life of the speaker Mateenuddin Shaikh. He narrates his childhood incidences and the early days of his adulthood when he migrates to Mumbai. Additionally, he gives information about his family members and describes his village Sonwara.
Date: December 28, 2019
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Personal narrative of Shazia Shaikh

This is a personal narrative of the life of the speaker Shazia Shaikh. She narrates many of her childhood incidences. Additionally, she provides a detailed description of most of her family members as well as her village Bairidih.
Date: December 28, 2019
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Conversation while cleaning fishes

This is a recording of a conversation while cleaning fishes. There was some conversation between women who were cleaning fishes. In order to get natural data, Maaz goes near to them, sits, and starts recording without alerting them. Suddenly as few seconds pass, one of them alerts, and everyone takes a surprise! But a few moments later, they become comfortable with it. They then start imitating and mocking the far northern variety of Azamgarhi spoken in Dewārā, the flood plain area of the Ghaghra river in the northern part of Azamgarh.
Date: January 28, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Conversation while sewing clothes

This is a recording of a conversation on ladies’ clothes and design between four women, among whom one was sewing clothes.
Date: January 28, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Discussion of irrigation systems (in Urdu)

This is a discussion on the popular irrigation systems used in Azamgarh and nearby areas of Purvanchal, Uttar Pradesh state, before the invention of tube wells. This discussion briefly also extends to farming systems and agricultural tools. This discussion was primarily between the researcher and two residents of southern Azamgarh who were distant relatives to the researcher. It took place almost entirely in Urdu, whereas some background noises can be frequently heard in Azamgarhi.
Date: January 28, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Conversation in Ladhuwāī̃ village

This is a conversation initially between Munni, her sister, Maaz, and his uncle when they visit her home in Ladhuwāī̃ village. Munni is the wife of Naushad, who has worked with the Maaz’s family for several decades. After a while, Mr. Naushad arrives, and he too joins the conversation.
Date: January 29, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Conversation with Shahida Bano about changing times, language, Sonwārā village, and relatives

This is a conversation between four people in Sonwārā, the researcher’s village. Maaz, accompanied by his cousin Noman, visits Shahida Bano to document some folk songs mostly sung on the occasion of marriages. Rehana Bano—the neighbor of Shahida Bano—on noticing some folksongs being sung and recording taking place, joins the gathering at the request of Shahida. Maaz and Noman then ask her to brief them on topics such as changing times, a description of the demography of the village Sonwārā, the languages/ varieties spoken by Muslims and Hindus. Meanwhile, Maaz—on having noticed Shahida’s language to match with Bhojpuri than Azamgarhi—starts records the ongoing conversation. Shahida then extends the conversation to cover family members and some significant events along with some personal narratives. While Shahida Bano talks in Bhojpuri, the other people converse in Azamgarhi.
Date: January 29, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the folksong Dulahē kī ammā ‘O the bridegroom’s mother’

This is a performance of a traditional song by the title ‘Dulahē kī ammā’ (Eng. O the mother of the bridegroom). In this song, the bridegroom’s mother is asked to bless her son on this auspicious marriage occasion. Such folksongs are of great significance to the community; however, until recently, their popularity and importance have started dwindling because of the penetration of urban culture into rural society. This folksong is in the Eastern dialect of Urdu.
Date: January 29, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the folksong 'Dulahē tērī ãkhiā̃' 'O bridegroom, your eyes'

This is a performance of a traditional song by the title ‘Dulahē tērī ãkhiā̃’ (Eng. O bridegroom, your eyes) sung on the occasion of marriage. It praises the beauty of the bridegroom and his costume. Such songs are of great significance to the community; however, until recently, their popularity and importance have started dwindling because of the penetration of urban culture into rural society.
Date: January 29, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Retelling of the story of Raja Janmejai and of the King and Queen of Mehnagar

This is a retelling of the story of Raja Janmejai and of the King and Queen of Mehnagar narrated by Toofani Kaka
Date: January 29, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Conversation in Mande village of Azamgarh

This is a conversation between four-five people. Maaz — accompanied by his father — visits his (late) paternal grandmother’s ancestral home in Mande village. His father and his grandmother’s sister-in-law have a conversation which was joined by her relatives too. Maaz finds the conversation quite interesting and decides to record it. It ranges from a discussion on the modern age and its issues on family members, religion, current issues, politics, etc.
Date: January 31, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Monologue on Mande village

This is a monologue on Mande village by Master Mohammad Khalid. The narrative is in the Northern (Mande) dialect of Azamgarhi. Frequent code-switching to Urdu can be easily heard even when pointed out to speak in the local language by the researcher in the beginning part of the recording.
Date: January 31, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Monologue on Naushad

This is a personal narrative about an incident of the childhood time of Naushad Shaikh, the paternal uncle of the researcher, in Mandē village of Azamgarh.
Date: January 31, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of a joke

This is a recording of Mr. Anwar reciting a joke on the wit of an Indian involved in an argument with an American and a Russian.
Date: January 31, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Personal narrative of Mohammad Khalid

This is a personal narrative of the life of the speaker Mohammad Khalid. The narrative is in the Northern (Mandē) dialect of Azamgarhi with some code-switching to Urdu.
Date: January 31, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Retelling of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah

This is a retelling of one of the stories on Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the eleventh and last king of the Awadh Kingdom. Wajid Ali Shah was widely regarded as a debauched and detached ruler, and this story highlights the point.
Date: January 31, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Story of a couple

This is a story of a husband and wife who once had so little flour left in their house that only three chapatis could be made. The husband says that he will eat two chapatis, and the wife too says the same. A heated exchange took place between them, but they finally agreed that whoever speaks first will eat just one chapati while the other one, two. They lie down and silently stare at each other, and three days pass like this. The villagers, thinking of them being dead, go to their house, wrap them in a shroud and take them to the crematory. At last, the husband says to the wife, okay two chapatis for you!
Date: January 31, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Story of a king and three sisters

This is a story about a king who once takes a walk in his kingdom to check if everyone there is pleased with him. He finds three sisters wishing that if they marry the royal cook, the vizier, and the king, their lives will change forever. This happens, and the king marries the younger sister. She gives birth to a child whom the elder sister replaces with a kitten and leaves him flowing in the river. This happens thrice. The children were found by a gardener who brings them up very well. The story, which is in the Northern (Mandē) dialect with some instances of code-switching to Urdu, continues further.
Date: January 31, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Story of Master Sahib

This is a story of a teacher who once — while teaching his students — says, “I have made you human from donkey by beating, but you don’t understand.” A washerman who had no children passes by and hears this. He then approaches the teacher and pleads with him to turn a donkey into a son for his sake. The teacher agrees to this and asked him to return after six months. The washerman returns after six months and asks for his son. The teacher replies that he taught and trained him so much that he became a judge at the Allahabad High Court. The washerman then visits the court, and the story continues.
Date: January 31, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Interpretation of an Urdu poem on dowry system

This is a description of an Urdu poem, written by one of the speaker's relatives, on the dowry system prevalent in North India. The poem is in the Urdu language, and the speaker interprets it and explains its meaning and significance in Azamgarhi to the researcher.
Date: February 1, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the folksong Abbā kē nadiā ‘The river of the father’ along with discussion.

This is a performance of a traditional song by the title Abbā kē nadiā (Eng. The river of father) followed by a discussion on the same. This folksong is sung on the occasion of rukhsatī 'the bride's departure to her husband's home after the marriage'. It describes the differences in the emotional attachment that a daughter has with her mother, father, brother, and sister-in-law. The folksong is in the Bhojpuri language, the mother tongue of Asiya Khatoon, whereas the discussion is in Urdu and somewhat in Azamgarhi.
Date: February 1, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the folksong Bēṭī 'The daughter' along with discussion

This is a performance of a traditional song titled 'Beṭi' (Eng. The daughter) followed by a discussion on the same. This folksong is sung on the occasion of rukhsatī 'the bride's departure to her husband's home after the marriage'. It describes how differently the bride's blood-related family members—the mother, father, and brother—get strong memories of her absence. In contrast, the non-blood-related sister-in-law doesn't feel her absence at all—instead, she's glad that the bride left. In this, the daughters The folksong is in the Bhojpuri language, the mother tongue of Asiya Khatoon, whereas the discussion is in Urdu and somewhat in Azamgarhi.
Date: February 1, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of various folk songs along with discussions on them and some conversations

This is a recording of various folktales which begin with a short conversation. After completing the narration of a story, Mehar Afroz asks Qamar Afroz to stitch a cloth. After which, she asks Asiya Khatoon to sing some folksongs along with her, followed by a discussion on each of them. These kinds of traditional songs are sung on the occasion of girls' marriage, varying from praising the beauty of the beloved daughter to vidāī — the girl's farewell from their parental home. The songs in this recording are in the Eastern dialect of Urdu. The discussions on them and some other conversations take place in a mix of Azamgarhi and Urdu.
Date: February 1, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library

Story of a prince and his stepmother

This is a story about a prince whose mother died and his stepmother would never like him. The story describes how she troubles him and never gives him good food to eat, but he was lucky enough to have the blessings of a miraculous cow and feed on her milk. Later on, when his stepmother realized this, she ordered that all cows be slaughtered. Still, the prince escapes along with the cow to a different country where he grows up in a healthy environment. After quite a few years, he returns to his village, reuniting with his father.
Date: February 1, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
System: The UNT Digital Library