Originally posted by: Bhaskar.T
Jhoom Jhoom dhalti raat is possibly my most favourite one of all the haunting melodies sung by Lataji.
Jhoom Jhoom Dhalti Raat is a very eerie song from Kohraa and another Hemantda, Lataji combo. This song has two versions to it. Almost everyone knows one version of the song where it only has three instruments used. (tabla, strings, very very faint solo violin. You'd really have to hear 'behind' her voice to find that) There is a second version where it is more instrumental than the latter.
This song is based loosely on Asavari (the straight chained nature of the notes). A strange feature of this song has a grace note of shuddha ni. Unlike grace notes used by many other musicians, the suddha ni is used chromatically with komal ni. This is why it sounds "strange" in the antara. It sounds even more strange, yet "cleaner" to the ears when she uses the high Sa to latch down to komal ni.
Hemant-da was a clever music director. In Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil, he composed the antara using only three notes from the Raga Sohini, and five grace notes (two of which are found in the instrumental interlude found in the movie version) which aren't in the raga. Here is the sargam for that
D d D N N N S' N S' R' S' S' N N
(na main sapna hoon na koi raaz hoon)
N N D - N N S' -- N S' N m
(ek dard bhari awaaz hoon)
Note the shuddha ma is here! Suddha ma and Sa form a harmonic pair. This raga Sohini is not understood for its harmony, as it is a Marwa Thaat raga. The grace note of shuddha ma form a harmony that sounds very otherworldy in the scope of this raga.