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' |
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' |
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' |
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. |
Rajan P. Parrikar (California, 1989) |
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. |
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.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 SM P (n)d, (n)d S", r" n d, P, M P n d, P, d M P (M)g, r S
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: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 -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
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 -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 -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.
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. |
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 lAlaRaga 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 -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 -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 -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 -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 -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 -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, SRaga 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 -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 -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 SRaga 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 -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 -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 -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 -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-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 -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 -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 -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 -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 -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 -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 -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 GRaga 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' SThis 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
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. |
Rajan P. Parrikar (1989) |
n' S g M d P
The uttarAnga forays are launched via: g M d n S"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
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
Bhairavi (Page 2 of 2) By Rajan P. Parrikar |
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.