Bhairavi Raaga : The morning Raaga - Page 3

For those of you who want to first understand what raaga, swar, taan, murkiya, thaat etc mean in Hindustani classical music world ,please read the following thread for the definitions:

Classical music terminologies at a glance

Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang"

In its width and penetration the work of Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" is the only one in recent times that approaches the standards established by Pandit Bhatkhande (see Appendix). Jha-sahab, who regards Bhatkhande as his param-guru, has critically extended the Chaturpandit's ideas through his masterful inquiry into the nature of Raga. Jha-sahab's Raganubhava is an accretion of decades of reflection and play. Mere tAleem cannot get you there. A musician with a superb tAleem and not much else is little more than a well-trained dog. This point cannot be underscored enough, for the Hindustani firmament is littered with the droppings of these "lakeer-ke-faqeer" chumps, these viveka-atrophied baboons.

Jha-sahab's parley opens with a demonstration of the vivAdi swaras. He then turns to the Ragavachaka prayogas. There is also a discussion of Bilaskhani Todi vis-a-vis Bhairavi. This discussion was gleaned on the telephone line. Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavispeak.ram

Bhairavi has been cultivated extravagantly by the Hindi film music composers. Many of the lasting creations of the 20th C have their roots in this Raga. The distinction between 'light' and 'classical' is largely moot in the case of Bhairavi since a good Bhairavi rendition is seen as "Bhairavi" without regard to genre or source. Indeed, as will be apparent soon, the greatest Bhairavi on record issued not under the auspices of the Classical world but through the artistry of a musical genius firmly wedded to the popular imagination. The banquet we are about to sink our teeth into contains many inviting items, but bear in mind that it represents a tiny sample of the Bhairavi goodies extant.

From this point on, I intend to practice severe economy of word and chime in only when, and if, necessary (if I can help it).

We begin with an invocation to that abiding symbol of learning, Goddess Saraswati. The text is a traditional description of the devi. The tune was developed by Allaudin Khan and adapted in the movie ALAAP (1977) by the great composer Jaidev. Lata Mangeshkar is assisted by Dilraj Kaur: Mata Saraswati Sharada -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_matasaraswati.ram

< -- K.L. Saigal

There has not been a greater exponent of Bhairavi than K. L. Saigal and this is not an opinion. It is in the fitness of things that we steal some moments with Saigal-sahab.

This stunning number from MY SISTER (1944) was composed by Pankaj Mullick: Aie kAtib-e-taqdeer -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/saigal_aikaatib.ram

Every Bhairavi that Saigal touched turned to gold. Soordas's famous bhajan, for instance, from BHAKTA SOORDAS (1942), set to music by Gyan Dutt: Madhukara Shyam hamAre chor -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/saigal_madhukar.ram

With this song on your lips, your small-beer tale of a life can acquire the sheen of an epic at dinner parties. Composer Naushad's pulls in an all-time pleaser for SHAHJEHAN (1946) -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/saigal_jabdil.ram

These Saigal numbers reveal his mastery of Bhairavi and his incomparable flair for joining melody to word.

From KISMAT (1943), composer Anil Biswas, singer Amirbai Karnataki: ab tere sivA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/amirbai_abteresiva.ram

Lata Mangeshkar -- >

A quick flavour of the creative ferment in Bhairavi can be had by examining Lata Mangeshkar's oeuvre. The gems culled are spread over many eminent composers of yesteryear.

From DULARI (1949), composer Naushad: aie dil tujhe -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_aidil.ram

It was fresh then and it is fresh now. The classic from GOONJ UTHI SHEHNAI (1959) composed by Vasant Desai: dil kA khilonA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_dilka.ram

Master composer Madan Mohan, film DEKH KABEERA ROYA (1957): tu pyAr kare -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_tupyar.ram

Chitragupta's tune in MAIN CHUP RAHUNGI (1962): tumhi ho mAtA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_tumhihomata.ram

A Ravi Shankar beauty from ANURADHA (1960): sANware sANware -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_sanware.ram

S.D. Burman in TERE MERE SAPNE (1971): jaise Radha ne -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_jaiseradha.ram

It is fashionable among Americans to talk in earnest about the "complexity and beauty" of African drumming or the "intoxicating beauty" of Gammelan or this and that and the other. The 'savage' has suddenly turned noble. Long before the advent of these childish Western fads, the brilliant Indian duo of Shankar-Jaikishan scoured the world's musical hotbeds incorporating into their work the best from all lands while staying true to their Indian soul. For instance, their adaptation of this number of the legendary Arab chanteuse, Asmahan (1918-1944)...

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/asmahan.ram

...for the runaway superhit from AWARA (1951): ghar AyA merA pardesi -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_gharaayaa.ram

< -- l-r: Jaikishan, Shankar, Lata, Talat Mehmood

Shankar-Jaikishan's inordinate fondness for Bhairavi and their unshakeable faith in Lata's divine artistry stood at the cradle of many of our national chants. These five corkers are all rooted in the soil of the land:

PATITA (1953), kisi ne apnA banA ke -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_kisine.ram

MAYUR PANKH (1954), kushiyoNke chAnd -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_khushiyonke.ram

SEEMA (1955), suno chhoTi si -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_sunochhoti.ram

This number from BASANT BAHAR (1956) is also famous for Pannalal Ghosh's Bansuri interludes: maiN piyA teri-

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_mainpiya.ram

l-r: Anil Biswas, Lata Mangeshkar, Pannalal Ghosh -- >

DIL APNA AUR PREET PARAYI (1960), dil apnA aur -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_dilapna.ram

Enter Mohammad Rafi. From Naushad's workshop, this sparkling number was forged for MELA (1948): yeh zindagi ke mele -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/rafi_yehzindagi.ram

Some years ago, a vast and shameless Bong conspiracy to wangle a brilliant Goan composer as one of their own was exposed. The man in question was N. Datta (Datta Naik) who teamed with Sahir Ludhianvi to give us many unforgettable numbers. From DHOOL KA PHOOL (1959), in Mohammad Rafi's voice: tu Hindu banegA nA Musalman banegA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/rafi_tuhindu.ram

< -- The Mahatma

Mahatma Gandhi's life is celebrated in song, the handiwork of poet Rajinder Kishan, music composers Husanlal-Bhagatram, and Mohammad Rafi: suno suno aie duniyAwAloN Bapu ki yeh amar kahAni -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/rafi_bapuki.ram

Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammad Rafi -- >

Lata and Mohammad Rafi in a soft and gentle Khayyam composition from SHOLA AUR SHABNAM (1961): jeet hi lenge -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/latarafi_jeethi.ram

Composer Roshan's turn. From DEVAR (1966), this is Mukesh's sole entry: AyA hai mujhe phir yAd -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/mukesh_aayaa.ram

Ladies, time to pull out your hankies. Talat-bhai, the quivering doyen of the ronaa-dhonaa brigade, is here. From DAGH (1952), composers Shankar-Jaikishan: aie mere dil kahiN -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/talat_aimere.ram

O.P. Nayyar goes balle balle, that unappetising ritual invented by uncouth Punju primates and known today as Bhangra. Asha Bhonsle and Shamshad Begum deliver for NAYA DAUR (1957): reshmi salvAr kuRtA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/ashashamshad_reshmi.ram

Pt. Kishore Kumar's garden has a few Bhairavi lilies blooming. Such as the riveting masterpiece from AMAR PREM (1971) conceived by R.D. Burman: chingAri ko'i bhaDke -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kishore_chingari.ram

< -- Pt. Kishore Kumar giving taleem to Lata Mangeshkar

S.D. Burman cajoles Panditji into nibbling at a few vivAdi swaras in GAMBLER (1971): dil Aja -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kishore_dilaaj.ram

The closest the great man ever got to pure Bhairavi was in BEMISAL (1982) under R.D. Burman: kisi bAta par maiN -



http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kishore_kisibat.ram

http://www.udbhava.com/udbhava/songs.jsp?id=766

In this there is a raag bhairvi by Ustaad Bismillah ji too

I would like to add that the HEER, which is a Punjabi folk song (probably based on Heer Ranjha's love story) is also in Bhairavi raga. This melody conveys a lot of pain and longing.

Can anyone search for articles on Heer and put in links for the same?

Originally posted by: punjini

I would like to add that the HEER, which is a Punjabi folk song (probably based on Heer Ranjha's love story) is also in Bhairavi raga. This melody conveys a lot of pain and longing.

Can anyone search for articles on Heer and put in links for the same?

Sahana,

I started the thread on link for Heer:

http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=466717&T PN=1&#7936295