Hidustani Raaga List - Page 24

Posted: 17 years ago

Varali (hindustani raag)

Also Called Usage
That Jaati
Creator Traditional From
Origin Ancient Carnatic Eq.
Samay Season
Rasa-Bhaava Ambit
Vaadi Samvaadi
Anuvaadhi Vivaadhi
 
Aaroha
Avaroha
Pakkad
Meend
Similar Raagas
Notation Used 'N S r R g G m M p P d D n N S' r'


 

Posted: 17 years ago

Vrindavani Sarang (hindustani raag)


 

Essentials

Also Called Usage  
That Kafi Jaati
Creator   From  
Origin Carnatic Eq.
Samay Season
Rasa-Bhaava Ambit Mandra-Madhya
Vaadi R Samvaadi P
Anuvaadhi Vivaadhi
 
Aaroha N S R m P N S'
Avaroha S' n P m R m R S 'N S
Pakkad n-P-m-R,m-R-'N-S
Meend
Similar Raagas
Notation Used 'N S r R g G m M p P d D n N S' r'

 

Posted: 17 years ago

Yaman (hindustani raag)


 

Essentials

Also Called Usage  
That Kalyan Jaati
Creator   From  
Origin Carnatic Eq.
Samay 5 (6 pm - 9 pm) Season
Rasa-Bhaava Ambit Mandra
Vaadi G Samvaadi N
Anuvaadhi P Vivaadhi
 
Aaroha 'N R G M D N S'
Avaroha S' N D P M G R S
Pakkad 'N-R-G-M-P-R-G-R-'N-R-S
Meend
Similar Raagas Yaman Kalyan
Notation Used 'N S r R g G m M p P d D n N S' r'

Film Songs

    aansu bhari hai je jeewan ki rahen, Film: Parvarish, Singer: Mukesh, Music: Dattaram ang anga ranga chalkaye, Film: Sankalp, Singer: Sulakshna Pundit, Music: Khaiyyam dile betab ko seene se laga hoga, Film: Palaki, Singer: Lata , Rafi, Music: Naushad ja re badara bairi jare ja re, Film: Bahana, Singer: Lata, Music: Madan Mohan
  • jiya ley gayo re mora sanwariya, Film: Anpadh, Singer: Lata, Music: Madan Mohan
Posted: 17 years ago

Yaman Kalyan (hindustani raag)


Essentials

Also Called Usage  
That Kalyan Jaati
Creator   From  
Origin Carnatic Eq.
Samay 5 (6 pm - 9 pm) Season
Rasa-Bhaava Ambit Mandra
Vaadi G Samvaadi N
Anuvaadhi P Vivaadhi
 
Aaroha 'N R G M D N S'
Avaroha S' N D P M G m G R S
Pakkad 'N-R-G-M-P-R-GmG-R-G-R-'N-R-S
Meend
Similar Raagas Yaman
Notation Used 'N S r R g G m M p P d D n N S' r'

Film Songs

    chandan sa badan chanchal chitawan, Film: Saraswatichandra, Singer: Mukesh, Music: Kalyanji Anandji jab deep jale ana jab sham dhale ana, Film: Chitchor, Singer: Yesudas, Music: Ravindra Jain jeewan dor tumhi sangh bandhi, Film: Parasmani, Singer: Lata, Music: Lakshmikant Pyarelal jiya le gayoji mora sawanria, Film: Anapadh, Singer: , Music: Madan Mohan lau laga ke geet gaa ke, Film: Bhabi Ki Chudiyan, Singer: Lata, Music: Sudhir Phadke
  • man re tu kahe na dhir dhare, Film: Chitralehha, Singer: Rafi, Music: Roshan
Posted: 17 years ago
Monday, June 11 2001
Asavari & Associates
By Rajan P. Parrikar

Rajan P. Parrikar is a recognized expert on Indian Classical music and shares his knowledge freely with those interested in the subject.
He has written a series of articles on Classical Indian Music some of which have been archived on Sawf. Click here to read Rajan's earlier articles.


Rajan P. Parrikar (California, 1989)
Namashkar.

Our incurable wanderlust through Ragaspace brings us to the next port of call: Raga Asavari. With its cachet as an elemental rAga in the Hindustani firmament, Asavari's counsel and influence have profoundly shaped the Indian musical imagination. This compendium explores that engaging melody as well as its derivative rAgas, or Asavariants, as I like to call them.

Asavari is a very ancient rAga as is the allied Raga Gandhari; both find mention in Sarangdeva's treatise Sangeeta Ratnakara. In his great exegesis, Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati, Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande plies his fine-toothed comb through the (often conflicting) major ancient works, cutting as best as he can the Gordian knots of rAga nomenclature and structure in their journey through time. The curious reader is referred to his magnum opus for historical minutiae concerning both the surviving rAga forms as well as those of the ancien regime. We will here train our sights on contemporary musical practice. Throughout this discussion, M=shuddha madhyam and m=teevra madhyam.


Group picture with President Rajendra Prasad (c. 1950)

Clickon the image to enlarge
Click on the image to enlarge

Front row, sitting (l-r): Unknown, Nissar Hussain Khan, Ahmad Jan Thirakhwa, Hafiz Ali Khan, Mushtaq Hussain Khan, Omkarnath Thakur, Rajendra Prasad (First President of India), Kesarbai Kerkar, Allauddin Khan, Kanthe Maharaj, rest in the row unknown.

Second row (l-r): Ghulam Mustafa Khan, unknown, unknown, Keramatullah Khan, Radhika Mohan Moitra, Illayaz Khan, Bismillah Khan, Kishan Maharaj, unknown, Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Vilayat Khan, Narayanrao Vyas, Vinayakrao Patwardhan, D.V. Paluskar.

Third row (l-r): First four not known, Ghulam Sabir Khan, S.N. Ratanjankar, Gyan Prakash Ghosh, next four unknown.

Fourth row (l-r): Unknown, Vinaychandra Maudgalya, next three unknown.




Raga Asavari

Asavari denotes a thAT, a rAgAnga and a rAga. The Asavari thAT, introduced ad hoc by Bhatkhande as one of his 10 basic sets, represents the scale corresponding to the 20th Carnatic melakartA Nata Bhairavi: S R g M P d n. The rAga, Asavari, itself comes in three flavours, each distinguished by the manner of rishab use. They are, respectively, the shuddha rishab-only (R) Asavari, the komal rishab-only (r) Asavari, and the third type employing both r and R. The swaras of the R-only Asavari are aligned with the Asavari thAT proper whereas those of the r-only Asavari belong to the Bhairavi thAT. PanditVishnu Narayan Bhatkhande
< -- Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande

The oldest version, the r-only Asavari, is the preferred choice of the Dhrupadiyas. The switch to the R-only is relatively recent and has come about through the agency of the Gwalior school. Bhatkhande alludes to the Khayals by the Gwalior pioneers Haddu Khan, Hassu Khan and Natthu Khan in support of this claim. The augmented rishab facilitates fast tAns so dear to the Khayaliyas over the original S r M movement. Bhatkhande writes that the Rampur Dhrupad performers favour the r-only Asavari. However, he also records, and this will be borne out when we hear Allauddin Khan later, that he heard Vazir Khan render Asavari with both the rishabs. The Aroha/avaroha set for the r-only Asavari is:

S r M P (n)d, (n)d S" :: S", r" n d P, d M P (M)g, r S

The shuddha rishab Asavari is obtained by appointing R in lieu of r in the above contour. The essential features of Raga Asavari and Asavariants such as Jaunpuri, Gandhari and Devgandhar are contained in Raganga Asavari. In the abstract proposed below the r-only Asavari is used for the purpose of illustration. S r P (n)d, d M P (M)g, r S
The key idea here is avarohi movement from P to g with only a hint of M (langhan alpatva). Neighbourly amity between r and g must be held in check, for a potential tirobhAva (disappearance of the swaroopa of the rAga under consideration) due to Todi lies in wait (see The Empire of Todi for details of Raganga Todi).

M P (n)d, (n)d S", r" n d, P, M P n d, P, d M P (M)g, r S


The langhan alpatva of n en route to the shaDaj in Arohi movements is an Asavari signpost. The dhaivat and pancham are locations of repose (nyAsa bahutva). The gandhAr is also a nyAsa swara but less so than P and d. Notice the Bilaskhani Todi-esque descending contour. The prescribed pause on P from d puts paid to any Bilaskhani aspirations. PanditRamashreya Jha
Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" -- >

That was the gist of the Asavari Raganga, according to Hoyle. Not every subtlety and nuance can be conveyed or put down in words. While we do not wish to make light of the details, our guiding spirit is that espoused by Einstein: "I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are mere details." Obiter dicta: An oft-heard phrase, P M P S" (n)d P, serves as a conduit for uttarAnga forays. The M P (n)d swara ucchAraNa (enunciation) above radically differs from that in Darbari (see The Kanada Constellation). The motivated reader is encouraged to think up possible tirobhAvAs due to Bhairavi. Although a kosher Asavari omits the nishad in Arohi runs, it is sometimes solicited in clusters around the shaDaj, the tAra shaDaj in particular. To wit, n S" or n S" r". Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" takes us through a running tour of Asavari. In him are joined the twin virtues of clarity of thought and gift of expression. The exposition was taped off a telephone line and reins in all the points made above and more:

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/jha_asavarispeak.ram


Jha-sahab's fifth volume of Abhinava Gitanjali, long overdue, will be off the press within the next 2-3 weeks. A complete discourse on Asavari is among the contents. (Note added later: The fifth volume is now out) A superb cast of clips awaits us as we ring up the curtain in the classical theatre. The r-only Asavari is presented first and we set the ball rolling with a druta rendition by D.V. Paluskar. Both the old bandish and Paluskar's elaboration sign up to a canonical Asavari: baDhaiyyA lAvo -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/dvpaluskar_asavari.ram


Renditions of komal rishab Asavari abound. Several of the well-known conceptions are seduced by Bilaskhani, leading to a violation of at least one standard Asavari clause, namely, the skipping of P in descent. Recall that r" n d M g is a vital Bilaskhani gesture. When it is introduced into the Asavari stream, quick measures are (or must be) implemented to stem any incipient Bilaskhani tide. One strategy is to first assert Asavari by, say, M P (n)d M P, before the slide down d M g, then reinstate Asavari through r M P, d M P. Although the specifics will vary the reflective musician will signal his intent to stave off Bilaskhani and advance Asavari. Let us now examine the prevailing mores in light of this point and the various imperatives adopted. An excerpt of an AlAp by Rahimuddin and Fahimuddin Dagar reveals their cards. Later, they pick up on a traditional Dhrupad: Ayo re jeet hi Raja Ramachandra -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/dagars_asavari.ram


Sawai Gandharva charms with delicate touches: preeta na keeje -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/sawai_asavari.ram


Following in his guru footsteps, Bhimsen Joshi:

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/bhimsen_asavari.ram


GangubaiHangal
< -- Gangubai Hangal

Same lineage, similar mannerisms, a different bandish. Gangubai Hangal: mAta Bhavani -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/gangubai_asavari.ram


A vigorous Agra rendition by Younus Hussain Khan is somewhat tainted by his stepping once too often into Bilaskhani's circle of influence -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/younus_asavari.ram


Amir Khan's mehfil recording was first offered in the Todi feature under "Asavari Todi." Komal Rishab Asavari and Asavari Todi are names of the same rAga although some posit a distinction by prescribing an explicit Todi-anga for the latter. This masterly statement by one of the greatest musicians of all time shows Asavari at its most sAtvic -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/amirkhan_asavari.ram


Bade Gulam AliKhan
Bade Gulam Ali Khan -->

Bade Ghulam Ali Khan sounds crisp and fresh in this 1950s mehfil recording. An excerpt of the druta portion -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/bgak_asavari.ram


Now, for the sole R-only Asavari exhibit, by the Gwalior duo of Akhtar Ali Khan and Zakir Ali Khan. It is a textbook Asavari mediated by the traditional Gwalior bandish, nAvariyA jhAnjari -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/aak_zak_asavari.ram


The third flavour of Asavari embraces both the rishabs. Typically, the higher shade prevails in Arohi sanchAris (S R M P d etc). Faiyyaz Khan's stately AlAp makes it abundantly clear why the old bean was called "Aftab-e-Mausiqui." Marvel at the swara lagAv and his delectable meeND work - Faiyyaz Khan
< -- Faiyyaz Khan



http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/faiyyaz_asavari.ram


Allauddin Khan Maiharwale plays Asavari with both the rishabs as did his guru Vazir Khan (vide Bhatkhande's HSP). The proportion of r is calibrated, the Asavari lakshaNAs are beautifully cultivated and nourished -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/allauddin_asavari.ram


Allauddin Khan's boy, Ali Akbar Khan San Rafaelwale, surpassed him in performance. At his peak (pre-1970) Mr. Alubhai was without doubt the most complete instrumentalist of his generation. Ah, what a lovely Asavari! AllauddinKhan
Allauddin Khan -- >



http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/aak_asavari.ram



Raga Jaunpuri

This rAga is very close in spirit and substance to the R-only Asavari so much so that some musicians (for instance, Omkarnath Thakur) do not acknowledge any difference between the two. In recent times Jaunpuri's dominance on the concert stage has virtually extinguished the shuddha rishab Asavari. A widely accepted point of departure in Jaunpuri concerns the komal nishad in Arohi sanchAris. Whereas in Asavari n is langhan alpatva (skipped) en route to the shaDaj that stipulation is relaxed in Jaunpuri. Still other minor areas of independence from Asavari are suggested, such as a higher value for P over d. As in the shuddha rishab Asavari, R receives a pronounced grace of S. All said and done, Jaunpuri (and the rAgas to follow) deeply embodies the Asavari-anga. A sample chalan is formulated: Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze
< -- Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze

P M P S" (n)d, P... PdnS", d g" R" g" R" S" R" n d, P, D M P (M)g, (S)R S, (M)R M P n d, P Madan Mohan's enduring composition from MADHOSH (1951) is among the myriad Jaunpuri-inspired melodies. It is delivered by that doyen of the maudlin brigade, the quivering palindromic lallu, Talat: meri yAd meN tum nA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/talat.ram


Jaunpuri is often rendered with a lightness of touch in contrast to the solemn Asavari. An energetic Dhamar by Younus Hussain Khan spreads the spirit: mArata pichakAri -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/younus_jaunpuri.ram


KesarbaiKerkar
Kesarbai Kerkar -- >

The Atrauli-Jaipur musicians relish Jaunpuri and Kesarbai's is a breathtaking performance: huN to jaiyyo -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/kesarbai_jaunpuri.ram


The same bandish from her Gharana confrere, Mallikarjun Mansur -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/mansur_jaunpuri.ram


Kishori Amonkar's old masterpiece is well-known. Here we have her in an unpublished mehfil. The traditional vilambit bAje jhanana and the druta chestnut, chhom chhananana bichuvA bAje -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/kishori_jaunpuri.ram


www.Khazana.com
From Roshanara Begum, a traditional Khayal: so aba ranga dhuliyA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/roshanara_jaunpuri.ram


Faiyyaz Khan imparts deft graces to a well-worn Jaunpuri staple: phulavana ki gendana -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/faiyyaz_jaunpuri.ram


Kumar Gandharva's Jaunpuri marches to the beat of a different drum, as is to be expected from a man who was no liege to any existing style or ideology. The bandish is his own: ari yeri jAgari -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/kumar_jaunpuri.ram


Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze breezes through as only he could -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/vazebuwa_jaunpuri.ram


Bismillah's piece will evoke nostalgic memories of festive occasions back home -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/bismillah_jaunpuri.ram


The final two items in Jaunpuri are among the earliest recordings made in India. First, Gauhar Jan's 1902 release of the famous bandish...

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/gauharjan_jaunpuri.ram


... and a 1905 Tarana by Abdul Karim Khan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/akk_jaunpuri.ram


Raga Gandhari

Although Gandhari is of ancient vintage there is no consensus regarding its contemporary swaroopa. The Gandhari in common currency takes in both the rishabs, the shuddha in Aroha and the komal in avaroha. This puts it in proximity of the bi-rishab Asavari discussed earlier. Then there's the Gandhari that likes both the dhaivats. And yet another one that could be mistaken for Jaunpuri. Precise rAga bheda within a specific school must, therefore, be established empirically by examining their entire suite of Asavariants. The Gandhari of two rishabs, purveyed by Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang," has Bhatkhande's sanction. The Chaturpandit, in turn, holds out the Dhrupad taught to him by Vazir Khan - kahiyo Udho tuma - as the touchstone for this rAga. The contours of Gandhari take after Asavari/Jaunpuri and the komal rishab typically enters the frame in conclusion of a melodic idea. For instance:

R M P d M P (M)g, (S)R M P n d P (M)g, (g)r (g)r S

Ramrang suggests that there is a increased presence of Todi here. Hence the rAga also goes by Gandhari Todi. Both the compositions of Ramrang lay bare the rAga -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/jha_gandhari.ram


S.N. Ratanjankar takes a similar view of Gandhari in two marvelous compositions one of which is a Tarana. K.G. Ginde supplies the voice:

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/ginde_gandhari.ram


Mushtaq Hussain Khan's Gandhari is for all intents and purposes a standard issue R-only Asavari. There was clearly more than one version circulating in Rampur-Sahaswan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/mhk_gandhari.ram


Gwalior, too, is ambivalent on the issue. There's the bi-rishab Gandhari, recorded in this splendid performance of D.V. Paluskar: beeravA manuvA saguna bichAro -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/dvpaluskar_gandhari.ram


And there's this breakaway version with just one rishab (shuddha) and both the dhaivats, as witness this rendition by Hameed Ali and Fateh Ali Khan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/hak_fak_gandhari.ram


Mallikarjun Mansur
< -- Mallikarjun Mansur

Atrauli-Jaipur gets to have the last word. True to form, Alladiya Khan has conceived his Gandhari with a twist. There's just one rishab (shuddha), the avaroha traces out a peculiar trajectory bypassing the pancham (R" n d M g R). The cameo role of the shuddha dhaivat is masterful and will be left to the reader to ferret out. Mallikarjun Mansur, kara mana tero -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/mansur_gandhari.ram



Raga Devgandhar

The recipe for Devgandhar: Take shuddha rishab Asavari, add shuddha gandhAr as in R n' S R G, M. Shake well (but don't stir). This proviso of G adds a most beautiful touch to the proceedings if executed judiciously. The rAga is popular with the Gwalior musicians. A sample chalan assumes the following form:

R M P n d P, d M P (M)g, (S)R S, R n S R G, M, P (M)g (S)R S

K. L. Saigal
K. L. Saigal -- >

K. L. Saigal's very first recording in 1932 went on to become a national chant. He was initially paid 25 rupees for the song. The recording company later offered him much more in response to the massive sales but Saigal-sahab refused the largesse. The song in question was based in Raga Devgandhar: jhulanA jhulA'o -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/klsaigal.ram


From SARGAM (1950) comes a nugget conceived by C. Ramchandra. Lata Mangeshkar and Saraswati Rane: jab dil ko satAve gHam -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/lata_saraswatirane.ram


RamashreyaJha
< -- Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang"

Ramrang's composition, samajhata nAhiN, formally introduces Devgandhar -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/jha_devgandhar.ram


S.N. Ratanjankar: first the traditional composition, raina ke jAge, and then his own composition, Aja sunA'o -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/snr_devgandhar.ram


C.R. Vyas: raina ke jAge and then the Gwalior favourite lADili banA bana -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/crvyas_devgandhar.ram


The lADili banA composition is reprised in vilambit Tilwada by the grand doyen of Gwalior, Krishnarao Shankar Pandit -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/krsp_devgandhar.ram


JitendraAbhisheki
Jitendra Abhisheki -- >

The concluding piece by Jitendra Abhisheki is the much-loved cheez of "Manrang," distinguished by its staccato-like design: barajori na karo re KanhAie -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/abhisheki_devgandhar.ram

An extension of Devgandhar with an additional komal rishab has been developed by S.N. Ratanjankar and it goes by "Devgandhari Todi." Abdul Karim Khan's recording of chandrika hi jaNu mistakenly carries the "Devgandhar" label. It is the Carnatic Raga Devgandhari (not Devgandhar) that has swara contours closely allied to the song, a clue to the origin of the labeling error.



Raga Khat

Most vidwAns are of the opinion that the word "Khat" is an apabhransha of "Shat" (meaning six in Sanskrit); the reference is to the six rAgas said to constitute Raga Khat. However, even among those who work with this premise, there is no consensus on just what those six rAgas are. Consequently, a wide variety of opinion is encountered concerning the swaroopa of this sankeerNa rAga. The curious reader is referred to Pandit Bhatkhande's detailed discussion of the several prevalent flavours of Khat. Here we shall take the empirical approach and briefly nibble at snapshots from available recordings. Although Raga Khat does not lend itself to a generalized shAstraic capture, a few observations usually hold up: Most current versions take Asavari for their base and then co-opt material from other rAgas. The Andolita nature of the komal dhaivat stands out as a defining characteristic. None of the versions finds use for the teevra madhyam. The adjunct rAgas are drawn from a pool with members as varied as, but not limited to, Bhairavi, Desi, Sarang, Suha Kanada, Sughrai and Khamaj. With its inscrutable twists and turns, Raga Khat has traditionally shown a bias for Dhrupad-oriented treatment. The Sadra in Jhaptala, vidyAdhara guniyana soN, has been the vehicle of choice for a number of performers as witness the next four expositions. The Andolita nature of d and the recurring n P sangati find expression in K.G. Ginde's excerpt. Also take measure of the avarohi D in the asthAi and the Arohi M P D n S" prayoga in the antarA. K. G. Ginde -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/ginde_khat.ram


Vazebuwa's treatment of the Andolita komal dhaivat occasions delight -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/vazebuwa_khat.ram


The influence of Raga Desi in the poorvAnga is conspicuous in the Atrauli-Jaipur panorama flashed by Kesarbai Kerkar -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/kesarbai_khat.ram


Mallikarjun Mansur injects an occasional P D n S" sangati in the antarA (for instance at around 3:29 into the clip) -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/mansur_khat.ram


The final item in the Khat parade markedly deviates from its predecessors. Whereas the earlier flavours all employed the shuddha rishab, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan builds on matriel furnished by komal rishab Asavari -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/bgak_khat.ram



Raga Audav Asavari

This uncommon auDav-jAti (pentatonic) rAga advanced by Amarnath, a pupil of Amir Khan, has the following swara set: S R M P d. The absence of the gandhAr prevents formation of the Asavari anga. Some sing this melody under the name "Shobhavari." After listening to Amarnath's rendition a friend perceptively remarked that he aspires for the heights of an Amir Khan but ends up being waylaid by Banditji -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/asavari/amarnath_audavasavari.ram


Other variants of Asavari, mainly hybrids such as Jogiya-Asavari, Sindhura-Asavari etc., are also heard in the lighter genres. They are not considered to be 'big' rAgas.


Acknowledgements:

My deepest thanks to Romesh Aeri, Ashok Ambardar, Ajay Nerurkar and an India-based collector (who wishes to remain anonymous) for fulfilling some of my requests for published and unpublished recordings. Anita Thakur of SAWF supplies the kindness and the cheer to keep this going.

http://www.sawf.org/Newedit/edit06112001/musicarts.asp

Posted: 17 years ago
Monday, May 29, 2000
Bhairav - The Primordial Sound
Rajan P. Parrikar

Rajan P. Parrikar is a recognized expert on Indian Classical Music and shares his knowledge freely with those interested in the subject.
He has written a series of articles on Indian Classical Music some of which have been archived on Sawf. Click here to read Rajan's earlier articles.

Namashkar. In this session, we occupy ourselves with a coup d'oeil of the hoary Raga Bhairav and members of its extended family. Bhairav connotes three entities: the rAga, the rAgAnga, and the thAT. All the three converge only in the flagship Raga Bhairav. Concerning its etymology, "Bhairav" is the epithet associated with Lord Shiva's fierce, bhayAnak swaroopa. In old treatises Bhairav is referred to as the AdirAga and comes attached with a wealth of lore. In his monumental exegesis Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati, Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande has sifted through Bhairav's tortuous history and its passage through time in great, and sometimes painful, detail. We shall here confine ourselves to its contemporary musical structure and practice. Bhairav is so fundamental to Indian tradition that its impaction on the nation's musical soul can never be overstated. Even the unlettered in the land is familiar with its germ in some form or the other. The overlay of Bhairav strains on an early, bucolic Indian morning affords a purifying experience like no other. Verily, it falls to the lot of the noblest of rAgas, deserving of renewal and reflection in the portals of the mind every single day. Throughout this promenade M = shuddha madhyam, m = teevra madhyam. The swara set constituting the Bhairav thAT - S r G M P d N - is congruent with the 15th Carnatic melakartA Mayamalavagoula. Raganga Bhairav (Bhairavanga) is composed of two chief threads, one each in the poorvAnga and uttarAnga regions. G M P G M (G)r, S
The point of note here is the special Andolita treatment accorded the komal rishab in the avarohAtmaka movement. This ucchAraNa is vital, represents Bhairav's signature, and at once precipitates the Raganga. G M (N)d, d, P
This is the uttarAnga marker of the Raganga. The swara lagAv of both r and d is Andolita, a sine qua non for effective expression of the Bhairavanga. The lakshaNAs of Raga Bhairav are now formally fleshed out: G M (n)d, (n)d, P, P G M (G)r, S
The komal nishAd, while nominally varjya, is nevertheless cultivated through the Andolita nature of the dhaivat. That is to say, it is "gupt" (hidden) and rarely laid out explicitly in notation although in some of the old Dhrupad compositions there is a somewhat less inhibited recourse to the komal nishAd. Notice the pancham - 'langhan alpatva' (skipped) in the Arohi movement and 'nyAsa bahutva' (point of repose) in the avarohi mode. This is characteristic of Ragadari music where a swara may be called upon to wear multiple hats in service of the rAga. The swara, it must be emphasized, is not synonymous with note. G M (N)d, (N)d N S", N S" (N)d N d P
The dhaivat is now caressed with the shuddha nishAd, the retreat from S"->d is mediated by a meeND. Although the intonational nuances are difficult to convey through the written word we shall shortly remedy the situation with the tools of current technology. The offerings in our audio package embosom all the subtleties of ucchAraNa. S G M P G M, G M (G)r, S r G M P
The rishab is often rendered alpa and skipped in Arohi movements. An occasional deergha madhyam makes for a pleasing effect. The treatment of gandhAr calls for careful handling since an inopportune nyAsa may inadvertantly create an AvirbhAva of Raga Kalingada (to be discussed later). Ragas Kalingda and Gouri (Bhairav thAT) use the same set of notes but embody different Ragangas. Building on the foregoing discussion leads to the following formulation: S, (G)r (G)r S, (N')d' N' S, N' S G M, G M (G)r, S
S r G M P, P G M (N)d, d, P, P GMPGM (G)r, r S
G M (N)d, d, P, G M P d N S", r" S" N S" (N)d, d, P
The gAyaki of the rAga thus outlined is complemented by straight Arohi-avarohi runs (SrGMPdNS":S"NdPMGrS) and other supporting gestures. With this propaedeutic we are now ready for a dip in the Bhairav ocean. The prefatory pieces are Bhairav-based samples drawn from the 'light' arena. The operative word here is "based." Oftentimes the scale of Bhairav will be plied but not the conduct demanded by the rAga. We open with M.S. Subbulakshmi's bhajan from Jayadeva's Geeta Govinda: jaya jagadeesha -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/mss.ram


The Gemini composer duo of M.D. Parthasarthy and Emani Shankar Sastry brought forth this Lata number in SANSAR (1952): ammA roTi de -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/sansar.ram


Salil Chowdhary, by a long shot the most beautiful and complex musical mind to have come out of Bengal, files two beautiful Lata solos, one in MUSAFIR (1957): mana re Hari ke guna -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/musafir.ram


And the much loved melody from JAGTE RAHO (1956): jAgo Mohan pyAre -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jagteraho.ram


A haunting melody from composer Roshan in SANSKAR (1952), again in Lata's ethereal voice: haNse Tim Tim -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/sanskar.ram


BAIJU BAWRA (1953) carried what is probably the most famous Bhairav-based composition in the popular imagination. Composer Naushad teams with Lata -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/baijubawra.ram


O.P. Nayyar throws caution to the winds in a cavalier romp through Bhairav territory. Asha figures in this PHIR WOHI DIL LAYA HOON (1962) sparkler: dekho bijlee Dole -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/phirwohidil.ram


On the Marathi stage the Bhairav scale is most strongly sensed in narrative musical passages known as 'sAki' (some may argue that Kalingada, not Bhairav, is the basis for these folk-inspired tunes). Vasantrao Deshpande flashes an instance of this sub-genre in the folksy (Lavani-esque) Hindi sAki from SHAKUNTALA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/vasantrao.ram


We close out the 'light' round with a Marathi bhajan of the 14th C saint Namdev, rendered by Kumar Gandharva -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/kg_bhajan.ram


It is a pleasure to acknowledge the assistance of Sir Vish Krishnan in the above compilation. We turn now to the Classical department where we have gathered compelling representative samples of Bhairav and associated melodies. The choice for inclusion of a clip was governed by the following criterion: Does it say something important about the rAga, and say it well? For all its pervasive influence and gravitas, performances in pure Bhairav are few and far between. The Dhrupadiyas get the first shot. Nasir Aminuddin Dagar, in a composition set to the 10 beat Sooltala: Shiva Adi -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/nadagar_bhairav.ram


A comprehensive suite in Bhairav by one of India's finest musical minds and the greatest living Hindustani composer, Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" follows. The first two selections are culled from a public performance in Goa in 1999. Yours truly provides Harmonium support and Tulshidas Navelkar plays the Tabla.
www.Khazana.com
The vilambit Khayal in Ektala: samajha mana bAware -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_bhairav_vil.ram


The druta bandish: bana nahiN Ave banAye sakhi apno banAye
te Hari ke banAye bane pala chhina meiN ri

Hari tAre saNwAre kAja bighana TAre
'Ramrang' sumirata deta banAya pala chhina meiN ri


http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_bhairav_druta.ram


Jha-sahab's sAhitya of the following Dhrupad-anga composition (Sadra) in Jhaptala is inspired by Kabir. There's a deft play on words, and he explains the import - mAlA kara phire manuvA anata phire
sumirana ki yaha bAni nahiN
kara kA manakA DAra de
'Ramrang' mana kA manakA phera surata gahi


http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_bhairav_jhaptala.ram


A sampler of Bundu Khan's Sarangi is always considered a rare treat. He plays a Dhrupad in Chautala. Notice the caress of the komal nishAd -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/bundu_bhairav.ram


Barkatullah Khan, the grand Senia master of the Sitar, is not a familiar name to today's rasikas. Among his students were Ashiq Ali Khan and Ashiq Ali's son, Mushtaq Ali Khan. Ah, what Ragadari!

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/barkatullah_bhairav.ram


Salamat Ali's Khayal is solid -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/salamat_bhairav.ram


A very young and sprightly Gangubai Hangal -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/gangubai_bhairav.ram


Kumar Gandharva's own composition contains delicate glides and shading of swara. In particular, keep an ear out for graces imparted to the dhaivat: ravi ke karama -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/kg_bhairav.ram


The Bhairav montage concludes with Mallikarjun Mansur's tremendous display -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/mm_bhairav.ram


We now take up the variations on the Bhairav motif. The commentary from this point on will be concise and terse. Specific inquiries are welcome and will be addressed (as always, time and weather permitting). A few of the prakArs are 'big' enough to merit more spacetime than is allotted here. As we make our way through the Bhairav matrix, fix your attention on the Bhairavanga and on the varied melodic interpolations and extrapolations of its kernel.


Raga Gunakali/Gunakri

in this nominally pentatonic (Audav-jAti) rAga - S r M P d - it is not unusual to lace the rishab with G along the M->r contour and thus generate an AbhAsa of Bhairavanga. Jha-sahab has written a beautiful bandish describing Lord Shiva's visit to Brindavan to see the baby Krishna. The text verbalizes the Great Yogi's response to an apprehensive Jashoda - jAne nahiN apne lAla
jAke Dara Darapata yamakAla tAhi kauna DarAve?

Shiva Brahma-Adi Sanaka-Adi dhyAve
'Ramrang' veda naeeta nita gAve
yaha to anAdi ananta kahAve


http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_gunkali_druta.ram


Mushtaq Hussain Khan of Rampur-Sahaswan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/mushtaq_gunkali.ram


Kumar Gandharva's maverick treatment assigns explicit values to both the gandhAr and the nishAd. His own composition: Ava mhArA mana basiyA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/kg_gunkali.ram


Raga Bairagi

This Audav-jAti - S r M P n - rAga, introduced by Ravi Shankar, was quickly and widely assimilated, mutatis mutandis, into the Bhairav family. Amir Khan's sumarata nisadina tumaro nAma is considered representative of the best this rAga has to offer -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/amirkhan_bairagi.ram

En passant, another pentatonic Bhairavanga rAga employing the S r M d N set has been advanced in recent times. It goes by the name "Kshanika."


Raga Anand Bhairav

In this traditional prakAr, the komal dhaivat is replaced by its shuddha counterpart. The komal nishAd is subtly dropped into the scheme in an avarohi passage S" D n P inspired by Bilawal. In Bhairavanga rAgas where either the rishab or the dhaivat is rendered shuddha, the madhyam tends to assume a more powerful role and is often elevated to the level of a vAdi swara. Note that Anand Bhairav is susceptible to undesirable Bhatiyar influences in ill-conceived or careless assays. Jha-sahab presents a traditional composition of 'Sadarang' and tops it with his own druta cheez Hari bina tero kaun sanga sAthee -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_anandbhairav_vil.ram

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_anandbhairav_druta.ram


K.G. Ginde dispenses a smart, taut composition of his guru S.N. Ratanjankar: bina darasa mana tarasata nisadinA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/ginde_anandbhairav.ram


Ravi Shankar's handling is exemplary. Notice the hint of komal nishAd, not to mention the arresting layakAri -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/rs_anandbhairav.ram


Raga Saurashtra Bhairav

In this uncommon derivate, both the dhaivats are pressed into service. The basic idea involves insertion of strands of Bhinna Shadaj (G M D N ) into the Bhairav fabric. In such situations it is not unusual to find divergence in implementation across Gharana borders as witness the following two cuts. Jha-sahab sketches his composition: barani na jAya chhabi -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_saurashtrabhairav_jhap tala.ram


Ghulam Hasan Shaggan of Kirana -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/shaggan_saurashtrabhairav. ram


Raga Mangal Bhairav

In this shuddha dhaivat-laden Bhairav prakAr, the nishAd is attenuated and there prevails an AvirbhAva of Durga in the uttarAnga via the M P D S" cluster. Parveen Sultana -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/parveen_mangalbhairav.ram


Rasiklal Andharia -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/andharia_mangalbhairav.ram


Raga Bhatiyari Bhairav

The constituents of this hybrid rAga are, as the name suggests, Bhairav and Bhatiyar. Jha-sahab's treatment uses the shuddha dhaivat only, retaining for the most part the Bhatiyar framework. The Bhatiyar-ic P G r S is displaced by the Bhairavanga molecule G M (G)r, S. Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang": dhurana murana tAnana soN -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_bhatiyaribhairav_druta .ram


A different perspective is purveyed by Jagannathbuwa Purohit 'Gunidas' in his composition presented here by C.R. Vyas: E Ali ri - http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/crvyas_bhairavbhatiyar.ram


Raga Bhairav Bahar

The attributes of a well-designed, wholesome hybrid rAga are a judicious choice of the constituents and a smooth transition at the junction of the disparate constituents (Electrical Engineers like of talk of impedance matching in similar situations). Let us see how the various conceptions of Bhairav Bahar adduced stack up. 'Aftab-e-Mausiqui' Faiyyaz Khan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/faiyyaz_bhairavbahar.ram


Basavraj Rajguru elaborates on a composition of Achapal (Tanras Khan's guru): jobanA re lalanA ko -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/rajguru_bhairavbahar.ram


Omkarnath Thakur spins a different yarn -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/ot_bhairavbahar.ram


Raga Ahir Bhairav

Among the most popular Bhairav prakArs today, Ahir Bhairav admits the shuddha dhaivat and komal nishAd. The poorvAnga patently hews to the Bhairav protocol, the uttarAnga carries elements of Kafi. This is a solid composite and has carved out a swaroopa all its own. The powerful madhyam registers. A sample chalan is: D' n' r, S, S r G M, M, G M (G)r, D' n' r, S
G M P D n D P, D n S", S" n D P, G M (G)r, r S Amir Khan's grand, deeply introspective mien is written all over this piece -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/amirkhan_ahirbhairav.ram


Hirabai Barodekar: rasiyA mhArA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/hirabai_ahirbhairav.ram


Raga Virat Bhairav

A rather busy uttarAnga characterises this uncommon rAga. The nishAd is komal, and both the dhaivats are in attendance. The shuddha dhaivat is used sparingly, in special sanchAris such as GMPDnDn and PDnS". Nivruttibuwa Sarnaik: nayo nayo bairAgi -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/sarnaik_viratbhairav.ram


Raga Kabiri Bhairav

This Jaipur-Atrauli specialty also has a busy uttarAnga and accomodates both the nishAds and dhaivats. Notice the lagAv of D and n in the avarohi S->D prayoga and the special handling of the komal rishab in the tAr saptaka. We have two magnificent renditions on tap. Mallikarjun Mansur -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/mm_kabiribhairav.ram


Kishori Amonkar's attack on the shuddha dhaivat takes one's breath away - http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/kishori_kabiribhairav.ram


Raga Shivmat Bhairav

The twist here lies in the prayogas involving the komal gandhAr and komal nishAd in an otherwise Bhairav framework,. Although the specific nature of their swara-lagAv varies among different schools and styles, the general prescription may be summarized in these two tonal strips: G M (G)r, r g r S

P d n d P
In Jha-sahab's drut cheez, Lord Shiva finds himself in trouble (again), this time on the eve of his wedding to Parvati. Parvati's mom strongly disapproves of Him given his appearance. She says to the Great Yogi, "No way Jose! You are not getting anywhere close to my girl." The G.Y. is taken aback and demands an explanation. But Parvati's mom will have none of him. Parvati, after all, comes from a high-status family, is convent-educated, enjoys fine dining, movies and rollerblading - a perfect blend of the East and West. The G.Y. isn't exactly her idea of a stud and she says as much: baurAhe ko nA doongi apno dulAri Girija-kumAri rAkhoongi ghara apno
ek na mAnoongi sikha kAhu ki
'Ramrang' byAhu na Girija-kumAri rAkhoongi ghara apno


http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_shivmatbhairav_druta.r am


Kumar Gandharva is a bundle of energy -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/kg_shivmatbhairav.ram


A different angle from the prism of Vilayat Hussain Khan 'Pranpiya' -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/pranpiya_shivmatbhairav.ra m


The pupil follows his guru. Jagannathbuwa Purohit 'Gunidas' -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/gunidas_shivmatbhairav.ram


Vasantrao Deshpande -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/vasantrao_shivmatbhairav.r am


And now, the man who has reified this rAga: Mallikarjun Mansur. His AIR recording is a modern classic. The huge meeND from P to S spanning the P->M->G->r->S locus betrays an unusually developed musical genius. Alladiya Khan's composition is the standard issue to all the Atrauli-Jaipur children: prathama Allah -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/mm_shivmatbhairav.ram


Raga Devata Bhairav

This rAga was brought forth by the influential Agra figure, Azmat Hussain Khan 'Dilrang.' Its notable feature is a Bhairavi-like descent via the komal gandhAr - M g r S. Abhisheki, who took tAleem from Azmat Hussain, amplifies on the idea -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/abhisheki_devatabhairav.ra m


Raga Beehad Bhairav

A progeny of Kumar Gandharva's, it bears some resemblence to Shivmat Bhairav with its use of both g and n. The distinction lies in the chalan bheda and swara-lagAv. Kumar sings his own composition: banA bani Ayo -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/kg_beehadbhairav.ram


Raga Prabhat Bhairav

The introduction of a Lalitanga through the agency of the madhyams placed cheek by jowl leads to an AvirbhAva of this old rAga. The motivated reader will discern the varied flavours issuing from individual temperaments below. Jha-sahab hauls a traditional 'Adarang' composition -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/jha_prabhatbhairav_vil.ram


K.G. Ginde volleys Ratanjankar's bandish in Tilwada: ab to jAgo manavA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/ginde_prabhatbhairav.ram


Gangubai Hangal also sings to Ratanjankar's tune but in vilambit Ektala -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/gangubai_prabhatbhairav.ra m


Raga Bhavmat Bhairav

This Lalitanga-laden variant incubated in the fertile imagination of Kumar Gandharva. The dhaivat is shuddha, the nishAd komal. Kumar himself lays out the premilinaries -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/kg_bhavmatbhairav.ram


Raga Ramkali

The main plot here concerns the insertion of a peculiar tonal phrase m P d n D P into the Bhairav flow. While Ramkali retains the primary Bhairav lakshaNAs it has its own eccentricities. For instance, there is a predilection for skipping the rishab in Arohi prayogas as in: N' S G M P. K.G. Ginde presents a traditional Khayal ascribed to 'Sadarang': mAchariyA mendi suno-

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/ginde_ramkali.ram


Shruti Sadolikar's clip supplies the distinguishing Ramkali phrase. The composition is credited to Alladiya Khan of Atrauli-Jaipur: yeh banA sAri raina -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/sadolikar_ramkali.ram


D.V. Paluskar is a class act -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/paluskar_ramkali.ram


Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande has discussed an arcane version of Ramkali that uses both the gandhArs. Another idiosyncrasy is observed in the Maihar tradition which eschews the komal nishAd. Ravi Shankar's resounding AlAp in this brief segment has a curious feature: the komal nishAd manifests itself very subtly (and presumably inadvertantly given the Maihar proscription) as an AbhAsa ("swara kA AbhAsa honA" - i.e. when a swara is not explicitly intoned but an impression of it is created). Zoom in on the region between 0:26 and 0:27 -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/rs_ramkali.ram


Raga Roopkali

The rAga takes inspiration from Ramkali for its teevra madhyam but there is no komal nishAd. An additional feature is the casual hire of the shuddha rishab. Aslam Hussain Khan's Khayal is launched from that very swara -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/aslamkhan_roopkali.ram


Ragas Hussaini Bhairav, Bakula Bhairav, Basant Mukhari, Kaushi Bhairav

These different rAgas are grouped together under one header because they share the same scale, corresponding to the 14th Carnatic melakartA, Vakulabharanam: S r G M P d n. It is a truism that a mere scale does not a rAga make. The reader is invited to figure out the lakshaNAs and implementation of the details for each of these rAgas. Hussaini Bhairav by Younus Hussain Khan (Pranpiya's son) discloses a peculiar swoop on the mandra pancham from the shaDaj. The Bhairavanga surfaces in the poorvAnga -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/younus_hussainibhairav.ram


Bakula Bhairav derives its name from the parent melakartA and was conceived by Sumati Mutatkar. The treatment is Bhairav-like albeit with the komal nishAd. Her own Dhrupad composition -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/mutatkar_bakulbhairav.ram


Basant Mukhari emits alternating scents of Bhairav (in the poorvAnga) and Bhairavi (in the uttarAnga). There are no universally accepted precepts for this rAga in its Hindustani adaptation. In some treatments the Bhairavanga is not articulated, whereas in others it is. S.N. Ratanjankar renders his own composition: uThata jiyA hooka -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/snr_basantmukhari.ram


Kaushi Bhairav comes in two varieties. The one considered here is due to Baba Allauddin Khan of Maihar. This melody stands apart from the above three despite congruence of scale. The central theme is the Malkauns-anga, expressed in the uttarAnga and sometimes via the d' n' S M cluster. The tonal activity is centred on the madhyam. It is instructive to compare Allauddin Khan's own interpretation with that of his disciple Ravi Shankar. Allauddin Khan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/baba_kaushibhairav.ram


There is much to be said for Ravi Shankar's brilliant, searching mind. He has added to his guru's theme, fructifying the germ of an idea - http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/rs_kaushibhairav.ram


Raga Zeelaf

This haunting pentatonic melody is composed of the following swaras: S G M P d. Jitendra Abhisheki gives a superb account with his own composition. Notice the strong madhyam. Zeelaf also employs the subtle GM->S meeND: taba te juga samAna -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/abhisheki_zeelaf.ram


Raga Devaranjani

This import from the South has a vichitra swaroopa. The rishab and gandhAr swaras are varjya thus leaving open the wide interval S-M-S. I have posted a note on this rAga some years ago on the Usenet newsgroup rec.music.indian.classical (RMIC). K.G. Ginde breathes life into S.N. Ratanjankar's composition -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/ginde_devaranjani.ram


Raga Nat Bhairav

A relatively recent entrant into the Hindustani catalogue, this melody was popularized by Ravi Shankar. He seized upon the idea after hearing a demonstration of an allied theme by Prof. B.R. Deodhar. The sampoorNa scale employed corresponds to the 27th Carnatic melakartA Sarasangi. The vakra sanchAris, however, give it a distinct swaroopa. The Nat phrasings in the poorvAnga - S R, R G, G M - are balanced by the Bhairav's uttarAnga - G M d, d N S", N S" (N)d. Among the finest Nat Bhairavs on record, Vasantrao Deshpande -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/vasantrao_natbhairav.ram


Shubha Mudgal sketches a delectable composition of Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang": tana mana vAruN re tope -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/mudgal_natbhairav.ram
Obiter dictum: Basant Mukhari's scale is also used by a rAga known as Hijaj Bhairav but there is a difference of opinion on this issue. Some insist that Hijaj Bhairav is the ancient form of what is today's Nat Bhairav. The quarrel is of academic interest only.


Raga Asa Bhairav

In this hybrid of rAgas Asa and Bhairav, the Bhairavanga is expressed only in the poorvAnga, through G M (G)r S. The rest of the contour looks to Asa: S S(M)R M P, DNPD S" and so on. Ravi Shankar furnishes a delightful play on the theme -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/rs_asabhairav.ram


Vilayat Khan plays an allied melody called Mand Bhairav where he uses the G M P D N S" pattern of Mand. It is a pile of rubbish, a schoolboy tantrum. He plays the big, fundamental rAgas beautifully but is singularly inept at the more 'complex' constructions. I do not mean to say this diminishes his stature or musicianship in any way anymore than it does Bhimsen Joshi's for precisely the same reason. Vilayat's desire to mount the "me-too-member-of-fancy-Ragas-club" bandwagon is understandble. But alas, he has not even a hundredth of the bandmaster's bandwidth ("bandmaster" is how Vilayat is said to have referred to Allauddin Khan). Concerning his much-touted six generations of pedigree, I say, are we talking about music or about Villie-the-Pooh?


Raga Jaun Bhairav

This blend of Ragas Jaunpuri and Bhairav was whipped up by Jagannathbuwa Purohit "Gunidas". It has a crowded swaraspace - there are two rishabs, two gandhArs and two nishAds. Gunidas displays great skill in navigation and manages to successfully bring an aesthetic unity to his design: aba meri suno tuma -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/gunidas_jaunbhairav.ram


Raga Kalingada

Kalingada and Bhairav share the same scale but there is no Bhairavanga in the former. Kalingada has a flippant mien, its personality far less austere than Bhairav. The gandhAr and pancham are advanced to positions of influence, the swara-lagAv is relatively straightforward and without the Andolita treatment accorded in Bhairav. Elements of Kalingada are widely found in many folk forms and in bhajans. A sample chalan is suggested: S r G M P, d P M P M G, M G r G
P d P d N, S" N d N, N d P, d P M G M P Faiyyaz Khan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/faiyyaz_kalingada.ram


A remarkable man of diverse talents and a great master of the Harmonium, Govindrao Tembe -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/tembe_kalingada.ram


Raga Jogiya

The last item in our menagerie takes all the swaras of the Bhairav thAT plus the komal nishAd. There is no presence of Bhairavanga here. The madhyam is a powerful presence (nyAsa bahutva) and anchors the development. The gandhAr and dhaivat are skipped in Arohi passages. The following outline should clarify Jogiya's features: S r M, M P, P M r S, r S d' S
M P d S", S" (N)d P, M P d n d M, M r S Abdul Karim Khan's stirring Jogiya thumri: piyA ko milan ki Asa -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairav/akk_jogiya.ram


This monograph has brought within its ambit most of the important members of the Bhairav dynasty. A few traditional prakArs - for instance, Bangal Bhairav, Komal Bhairav - elude us at this time. Thinking about Bhairav is a profoundly moving experience. During the course of this compilation, I was often lead to wonder about the great rishis who saw in the primal scale the elemental patterns that finally coagulated into this wondrous melodic organism we now call Bhairav. These ruminations brought to mind the great German-English composer Handel. When his oratorio "Messiah" premiered in London to a thunderous ovation, a friend came up and said to him, "All the people seem to be greatly entertained." Handel, who had spoken of visions of the Lord's Creation during the making of his magnum opus, was not pleased. He replied, "My dear Sir, I should be disappointed if they were only entertained. My goal was to make them better." It is hoped that this mighty Raganga Raga, Bhairav, will incline those, whose good fortune it is to make its acquaintance, to a similar sentiment.

http://www.sawf.org/Newedit/edit05292000/musicarts.ASP

Posted: 17 years ago
Monday, May 13 2002
Bhairavi (Page 1 of 2)
By Rajan P. Parrikar

Rajan P. Parrikar is a recognized expert on Indian Classical music and shares his knowledge freely with those interested in the subject.
He has written a series of articles on Classical Indian Music some of which have been archived on Sawf. Click here to read Rajan's earlier articles.


Rajan P. Parrikar (1989)
Namashkar. Our voyages in the ocean of Raga have connected us with worlds both familiar and alien. We now stand in sight of what shall mark our terminus ad quem - Raga Bhairavi. A synoptic account of this melody, universally prescribed for ringing down the curtain on a Hindustani mehfil, makes for the final chapter of these chronicles. The word "Bhairavi" derives from one of the eight forms of the Devi, born in the burial grounds. So fanatically loved and widely embraced is Raga Bhairavi that its elemental imprint is firmly fixed in the mind of even the untutored Indian rasika. Bhairavi is also one of the ten fundamental Hindustani thATs proposed by the great sangeetaggya Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. Its swara-set hews to the 8th Carnatic melakartA, Hanumatodi (M=shuddha and m=teevra madhyam): S r g M P d n.
Although Bhairavi is a major league Raga, it stands apart from other Ragas of like stature in one important way: its use of all 12 swaras, a signal feature of the Bhairavi praxis. The five vivAdi swaras that are not members of the original set are implemented judiciously, without injury to the basic Raga-swaroopa. In this latter form the melody so instantiated is often termed "Mishra Bhairavi." Dhrupad and Dhamar compositions abound in Bhairavi. Khayal treatment is usually dispensed through druta compositions. Bhairavi finds extensive application in auxiliary genres such as Tarana, Tappa and Thumri. Vilambit Khayal presentations are extremely rare although such compositions have been conceived (eg. S.N. Ratanjankar). Outside the Classical realm proper, it is well-nigh impossible to tread without frequent run-ins with Bhairavi: it thickly inhabits every conceivable Indian musical form - Bhajan, Geet, Ghazal, Qawwali, Natyasangeet, Rabby Shongeet and so on.



The central Bhairavi themes will be first sketched followed by a brief discussion of the normative variations. Clearly, much detail will be left unwritten. The curious student will have opportunities aplenty to partake of the minutiae at the accompanying audio banquet. The driving phrases of the poorvAnga are: S n' S r g M [g] r S
The square brackets on the gandhAr denote a shake of that swara that is sui generis to Bhairavi. This cluster, if properly intoned, at once precipitates the essence of Bhairavi. g M d P, d P M P (M)g, M (g)r S
The rishab and/or the pancham are often skipped in Arohi prayogas, viz.,

n' S g M d P

The uttarAnga forays are launched via: g M d n S"
This cluster is very Malkauns-like. Since Bhairavi is a sampoorNa Raga, straight ("sapAT") runs of the S r g M P d n S" kind are frequently admitted. A more complete sentence is:

g M d n S", d n S" r" n S" (n)d P

Stitching together these elemental patches, a chalan of the 'shuddha' swaroopa of Bhairavi is formulated:

S n S g M d P, (M)g M P d M P (M)g, d' n' S r [g] r S
g M d n S", S" r" n S" (n)d P, d P M P (M)g, S r g M, (g)r S

The typical modus operandi for each the five vivAdi swaras is now outlined. Shuddha rishab:
Arohi: S, d' n' S R [g] r S
Avarohi: P, d P M P (M)g R g, r S
This vivAdi R is frequently invoked. Shuddha dhaivat: g M P d P, D n d P Teevra madhyam: P d M P (M)g, g M m g r S Shuddha nishAd: S, r N' S, d' n' S r [g] r S r N' S Shuddha gandhAr: S r g M, M G M, S r G r S
The shuddha gandhAr is the odd one out and does not lend itself to as good a fit in the aesthetic landscape of Bhairavi. The nyAsa swaras are S, g and P; in addition, M and d are often sought for elongation. As to the vAdi no consensus prevails. Traditionally, M has been considered for the role but in recent times the accent has shifted to other swaras. For instance, Jha-sahab argues in his classic volumes of Abhinava Geetanjali that d and G are the vAdi and samvAdi, respectively. These differences in outlook and interpretation notwithstanding, there is no mistaking the core of Bhairavi. A variation known as Sindhu Bhairavi retains all the mannerisms of the parent Bhairavi with the rishab augmented to its shuddha shade. These days Sindhu Bhairavi is sung with both the rishabs and both the dhaivats. Then there are other variants such as Jangla Bhairavi, Kasuri Bhairavi and such like. These are relatively minor offshoots originating from the Bhairavi stem; I prefer to locate them all under the "Mishra Bhairavi" rubric. This just about completes the prolegomenon concerning Bhairavi's internal matters. The Raga affords a wide compass for rumination and numerous melodic templates with which to direct and develop its motif have evolved. Obiter dictum: The profoundly significant Raga Bilaskhani Todi is carved out of swaras from the Bhairavi campus. The kinship ends there, for Bilaskhani Todi is a horse of an entirely different colour with its special prayogas, its Todi-anga ucchAraNa and its meeNDs. A step into Bhairavi territory may deal the kiss of death to Bilaskhani. Pandit Ramashreya Jha
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
< -- 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
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
< -- 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
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
< -- 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 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
< -- 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


That completes our Hindi film-based round. We next turn to melodies in other languages. Dnyaneshwar's transcendental words in this Pasayadan are set to music by Hridaynath Mangeshkar and recited by Lata -

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


Marathi Natyasangeet has liberally drawn on Bhairavi. The famous musician-actress of yesteryear, Jyotsnatai Bhole, in the drama KULAVADHU (1942), music for which was composed by Master Krishnarao: bolA amrutabolA -

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


Jyotsna Bhole
Jyotsna Bhole -- > Jyotsnatai was born Durga Kelekar in a tiny village in Goa, younger sister of Girijabai Kelekar (Abhisheki's first guru). I am often asked about the suffixes "tai" and "bai" used on names of Maharashtrian and Goan women. Research has shown that they are intimately tied to the woman's biological cycle: "tai" is assumed at the crack of puberty and it automatically turns to "bai" at the conclusion of menopause. For the woman over 60 who pretends to be the self-righteous virgin - we call her "Lata-didi." The drama SANYASTA KHADGA (1931) written by the great Indian nationalist and freedom fighter, Veer Savarkar, features Dinanath Mangeshkar's arresting Bhairavi: sukatAtachi jagi yA -

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


Veer Savarkar
< -- 'Veer' Savarkar The Marathi musical EKACH PYALA (1919) is pregnant with memorable tunes. Kumar Gandharva plies one such: prabhuaji gamalA -

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


Kumar Gandharva
Kumar Gandharva -- > Over to the Department of Kannada. Basavanna's vacanA is tuned and rendered by Basavraj Rajguru: chakorange chandramana -

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


Rabindranath Tagore is represented through his famous mor beenA delivered here by Debabrata Biswas -

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


We round off this section with a clip of Greek Rembetika singing to the scale of Bhairavi -

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

http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit05132002/musicarts.asp

Edited by osoniare - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago
Monday, April 29 2002
Bhairavi (Page 2 of 2)
By Rajan P. Parrikar

Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" -- > On this page we address Bhairavi's manifestation in many other forms prevalent in Hindustani music. Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" has put together an exclusive Bhairavi Baithak. In this extraordinary session, recorded in May 2002 at his home in Allahabad, he ranges over several compositions of varied design and genre, traditional and self-composed. To me this shall forever remain an act of overwhelming love and kindness on Jha-sahab's part especially in light of his fragile health at the time. Several items in this pool have been published in Jha-sahab's 5th volume of Abhinava Geetanjali. The reader is advised that the delivery of the compositions is prototypic, not in the manner of a full concert-style rendition. The intention is solely to illustrate and illuminate the underlying features. The highlight of the session is Jha-sahab's adherence to the appropriate ucchAraNa and gestures characteristic of the form under consideration; pertinent remarks punctuate the proceedings. Jha-sahab opens with a traditional Dhrupad in praise of Lord Shiva: bhasma anga Gori sanga -

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


Ramrang's own Khayal composition: Bhairavi Bhavani devi -

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


Switching tracks, Jha-sahab takes on the Dadra. The first is set to Dadra tAla: nainA lAge -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_dadra1.ram


The second is a Sindh Bhairavi Dadra set to Keherwa: nA jA balama pardeswA-

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_dadra2.ram


The next several items are based in the Thumri genre. Jha-sahab kicks off with a Thumri of the vilambit type, pausing to touch upon the antecedents of this class: rasiyA raina ga'i -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri1.ram


The older form of Thumri, the bandish-ki-Thumri, in Ramrang's own exquisite composition: mA'i re muraliyAN -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri2.ram


Next in line are two compositions, both bandish-ki-Thumris, of the legendary Thumri composer 'Lalan Piya.' Lalan Piya (c.1850-1927) was the nom de plume of Nandalal Sharma of Farrukhabad. In his book, Indian Music, Thakur Jaideva Singh writes: ...In the later half of the nineteenth century, a movement of composing thumaris on the pattern of gats of instrumental music like sitar or sarod had started. These thumaris were mostly of fast tempo. There were some good composers of this type of thumari. None, however, surpassed Lalan Piya in the composition of such thumaris...His compositions were of such svelte, rhythmic variations that it was difficult for a tabla accompanist to catch the sam. He composed hundreds of thumaris. They were all of bandish (well-set improvised) pattern and in medium or fast tempo. They were mostly on the pattern of gats (fast instrumental compositions) of sitar...Some texts of his thumaris are extraordinary from another point of view. For instance, some of his thumaris are 'onthabanda' i.e., none of the words of such a thumari is labial. Such thumaris are not merely padding of words. They have also beautiful poetic content... Jha-sahab presents 'Lalan Piya' -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri3.ram


Ramrang pries open some gems of another famed composer, 'Kunwar Shyam' (see Jaipurwales: The Lost Treasure for more on 'Kunwar Shyam'): bATa chalata mori chunari -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri4.ram


A different build, this time set to Addha tAla: Nandlala DARo gulAla -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri5.ram


The next two Thumri selections are taken "madhyam se" (i.e. the tonic is shifted to the madhyam). First, Kunwar Shyam's composition: suno suno ji na DARo -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri6.ram


This "madhyam se" thumri is a composition of Jha-sahab's guru Bholanath Bhatt whose adopted colophon was "Das Shyam" (see A Tale of Two Malhars for more on Bholanath Bhatt): jina jAvi ji Aja ko'u -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri7.ram


Ramrang negotiates yet another genre, the Tappa -

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


The Bhairavi Baithak concludes with a bhajan of Kabir: yA bidha mana ko -

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


Jha-sahab takes leave with these parting remarks -

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


It is seldom recognized that Pandit Bhatkhande was a composer of great merit. Parveen Sultana amplifies on his famous Sadra: Bhavani dayAni -

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


l-r: Pandit V.N. Bhatkhande, Shankarrao Karnad, Bhalchandra Sukthankar, Brijkishan Koul, Rai Umanath Bali
< -- l-r: Pandit V.N. Bhatkhande, Shankarrao Karnad, Bhalchandra Sukthankar, Brijkishan Koul, Rai Umanath Bali Bhairavi's looming presence in the Indian's mental world is in no small measure due to its nexus with the land's religious and spiritual repertoire. No bhajani baithak can be complete without a generous dose of Bhairavi. Sample an early Bhimsen Joshi rendering this arresting Hari bhajan: jo bhaje Hari ko sadA -

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


Bhimsen Joshi

Bhimsen Joshi -- > Bhairavi lends itself well to brisk bandishes characterized by tautness of design. Exemplifying this type of composition is a bandish of Tassaduq Hussain Khan "Vinodpiya" (1879-1940) rendered by Jitendra Abhisheki: pAyaliyAN bAje re -

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


Of similar vintage is this old, well-worn cheez rendered by Shaila Datar: dekho mori chuRiyAN -

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


The American Khayal singer, Shri Warren Senders, has earned for himself the sobriquet "Bostonbuwa." In this recording of a Mumbai mehfil, Bostonbuwa unleashes a Tarana -

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


From Tarana it is a hop and skip to Tappa for which Bhairavi is a happy and fertile ground. First, the Rampur-Sahaswan buzurg, Mushtaq Hussain Khan -

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


Mushtaq Hussain Khan
< -- Mushtaq Hussain Khan Among the current crop, Malini Rajurkar is the reigning Tappa specialist -

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


The Tappa genre was very dear to the Gwalior elders. Three marvelous instances of Krishnarao Shankar Pandit are attached. The first is a younger KRSP at the peak of his powers -


http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/krsp0.ram


Krishnarao Shankar Pandit
Krishnarao Shankar Pandit -- > The next two are unpublished items of a later KRSP -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/krsp1a.ram

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/krsp1b.ram


The nangA Emperor Ali Akbar Khan recently spent quality time pissin' & partyin' in his San Rafael swamp on the occasion of his 80th birthday (Happy Birthday, Alu! Pssssst, time to now dispatch you to the knackers). Mr Alubhai has let the grass grow under his sarod for years (it is now perhaps longer than the hair coming out of his ears). Long ago, before he went to the winds, Alumeister had the capacity for a good Bhairavi. Here we must make do with a ho-hum effort -

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


Bismillah Khan with his brother Shamsuddin
< -- Bismillah Khan with his brother Shamsuddin The swarasmith par excellence, perhaps the greatest Hindustani instrumentalist of the past 50 years, Bismillah Khan, reminds us of the good, festive times in India -

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


Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan never quite got the recognition he deserved as a sitar player of high class. He breaks a few squares here with intriguing Sindhu Bhairavi-esque variations -

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


Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan
Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan -- > I have never found myself listening to harmonium solos for over 3 minutes but Govindrao Tembe is not your regular harmonium player. Govindrao's abilities cut a wide swathe of artistic activity: author, playwright, actor, composer and musician. His wizardry on the harmonium was admired even by the likes of Alladiya Khansaheb and Kesarbai Kerkar. This scratchy 78 rpm suggests why -

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


Govindrao Tembe
< -- Govindrao Tembe We now turn to the Thumri anga material. At the head of the line is Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. This rare, unpublished instance finds him engaged in an informal session, displaying the Bhairavi bag of tricks -

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


Bade Ghulam Ali Khan with family
Bade Ghulam Ali Khan with family -- > This classic BGAK recording is more familiar: nainA more tarase -

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


Rasoolan Bai's severely enchanting manner enthralls. Notice the Thumri-induced shuddha nishAd mentioned earlier by Jha-sahab -

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




Vasantrao Deshpande
< -- Vasantrao Deshpande A bandish-ki-Thumri, courtesy Vasantrao Deshpande -

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


Abdul Karim Khan's jamunA ke teer is among the national treasures -


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


Abdul Karim Khan in a mehfil
Abdul Karim Khan in a mehfil -- > A promising student of Omkarnath Thakur and Balkrishnabuwa Kapileshwari (Abdul Karim Khan's direct disciple), Yeshwantrai Purohit's was a life cut short. His manner exudes vestiges of Abdul Karim Khan -

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


Kesarbai's old recording in Raga Bhairavi represents India on the music carried aboard the Voyager spacecraft that is now coasting in the desolate vastness of interstellar space. It is a breathtaking performance: jAta kahAN ho -

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


Kesarbai Kerkar
< -- Kesarbai Kerkar Mallikarjun Mansur takes off his high brow hat for a change -

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


Mallikarjun Mansur in a mehfil
Mallikarjun Mansur in a mehfil -- > The piece de resistance of the Thumri round - a recording of Anjanibai Malpekar administering tAleem to Begum Akhtar!


Begum Akhtar with her disciple Shanti Hiranand
< -- Begum Akhtar with her disciple Shanti Hiranand Anjanibai Malpekar (1883-1974) from Goa (not to be confused with the Agra vocalist, Anjanibai Lolienkar, also from Goa), trained under Nazir Khan, one of the founders of the Bhendibazar Gharana (the others being Chajju Khan and Khadim Hussain Khan). Anjanibai was famous in her time for both for her musical gifts and her uncommon beauty. Kishori Amonkar, currently the greatest living Hindustani musician, had the privilege of being taught for a while by Anjanibai. In Between Two Tanpuras, Vamanrao Deshpande has this passage in his essay on Kishori:
"...Another of Kishori's gurus was Anjanibai Malpekar. Anjanibai loved Kishori dearly, especially because of her great musical talent. She often said to Kishori, "In you, your mother has given birth to a real gem. Go and tell your mother that I said this." Tonal sensitivity was something Kishori was born with. But she goes to great lengths to admit that her enchanting glide (meend) was taught to her by Anjanibai..."

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


Anjanibai Malpekar
Anjanibai Malpekar -- > The senior Dagar brothers, N. Moinuddin and N. Aminuddin -

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


Meerabai's entreaty in mat jA jogi is renewed by Omkarnath Thakur, in what is surely among the most moving and memorable Bhairavis -

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


Omkarnath Thakur
< -- Omkarnath Thakur We rein in these peregrinations with the celebrated lament that has become synonymous with Bhairavi. Wajid Ali Shah, engulfed in wrenching grief, famously cried bAbul morA naihara chhoTo jAy (see Appendix for the story). Scores of musicians have registered their versions keeping alive the memory of Wajid Ali's acute distress. Of these we have plucked the finest and all but one are unpublished. Khadim Hussain Khan
Khadim Hussain Khan -- > Khadim Hussain Khan of Agra -


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


Siddeshwari Devi -

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


Siddeshwari Devi
< -- Siddeshwari Devi Kesarbai Kerkar -

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


Kishori Amonkar -

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



'Aftab-e-Mousiqui' Faiyyaz Hussain Khan -

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


Our odyssey concludes with that supreme Bhairavi rendition of our age, among the finest pieces of recorded music in human history. K.L. Saigal's performance has earned the imprimatur and unvarnished admiration of the greatest classical masters, and it has for decades seized the imagination of every lay Indian. This recording from STREET SINGER (1938) is one of the reasons why, in Bertrand Russell's words, "the human race is worth preserving." Upon Saigal-sahab's bAbul morA no human voice can improve -

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


It has been a pleasure and a privilege to bring to you these set of notes. Men like Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, with their telescopic vision, capacity for sAdhanA, keen intellect and ability for synthesis, come by only rarely. Between these instances of very great men are longer periods where humbler hands must remain ceaselessly at work nurturing and keeping the flame of Raga burning. And so, "to these serving hands mine also shall belong."


Acknowledgements

I am indebted to Romesh Aeri for his steady support and for allowing me unrestricted access to his vast collection. The assistance of Ashok Ambardar and Ajay Nerurkar has been both valuable and critical. Sir Vish Krishnan is peerless in his knowledge and prehensile understanding of the diverse genres in India's music mosaic. The challenge for me was to pare the enormous amount of material he repeatedly placed at my door. Special thanks to Prashanth Sharangapani, Ajit Akolkar, Guri Singh, V.N. Muthukumar and Shubha Mudgal. Dhananjay Naniwadekar supplied an important recording for this feature. This effort would not have gone beyond a couple of installments had it not been for Anita Thakur's unswerving dedication to the cause. She has worked on each of these pages herself with affection and care. I cannot thank her enough.


Photo Credits

Almost all the photos in these features we have scanned ourselves. About 3-4 pictures have been borrowed from other websites such as www.chembur.com and www.naqikhan.com. We would be happy to acknowledge the odd instance where we may have inadvertently failed to assign credit if it is brought to our attention.

http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit04292002/musicartst.asp

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