Raaga Based Song of the Day #10

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Dhadakte Dil Ki Tamanna Ho…
Raag Pilu, Tal Kaherava

We have completed nine days of Raaga Based Songs of the Day. Although our first post in the series was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #1’ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1970 Shakti Samanta movie Pagla Kahin Ka: Tum mujhe youn bhula na paoge (It is in Raag Jhinjhoti, Tal Kaherava), the fact is that on WhatsApp groups I had started with these posts three or four days before putting them up here on this blog. This is the last of the earlier WhatsApp posts that I am merging here.

Our ninth post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #9’ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle song from the 1966 Abdul Rashid Kardar movie Dil Diya Dard Liya: Swan aaye ya na aaye. It is in Raag Brindavan Sarang, Tal Kaherava.

This blog has a number of posts on Raaga based songs in Hindi movies titled similarly; for example: ‘The Best Raaga Based Songs in Hindi Movies – Raaga Darbari Kanada – Part II’.

Today we shall take up a song based on Raag Pilu.

This is just a reminder that the literal translation of the word Raag is Colour, Tinge or Shade. Rendition of a Raag, traditionally, is to colour the mind of the listener with the same colour as the mood of the artiste. Raagas are arranged as per mood, season and time of the day.

This is also to reiterate that Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande who did an extensive study of gharanas to arrive at North Indian or Hindustani system of Raagas. He came up with a list of 32 Thaats (modes) associated with 32 prevalent Raagas. Further study by him made him prune the list of Thaats to just 10 and he found that almost all Raagas belonged to these ten Thaats: Bilawal, Kalyan, Samaj, Bhairav, Poorvi, Marwa, Kafi, Asavari, Bhairavi and Todi.

Raag Pilu, according to his system (the one that is prevalent today) belongs to Kafi Thaat. Kafi is basically a late evening Raaga and is Raaga of Spring Time.

One composer who used Raag Pilu extensively was Omkar Prasad Nayyar or OP Nayyar. Some of his songs (conveying the mood) of Pilu are: Jayiye aap kahan jayenge, Kabhi aar kabhi paar laaga teere nazar, Kaisa jadoo balam tune daala (my favourite Waheeda Rehman song from Guru Dutt movie 12 O’ Clock), Main soya akhiyan meeche, and Piya piya piya na laage mora jiya. But, I am not giving you any of these.

I am also not giving you Naushad’s jhule se pawan mein aayi bahaar (literally spring time) or SD Barman’s Ab ke baras bhej bhaiya ko babul or that beautiful Sujata number Kali ghata chhaye mora jiya tarsaaye.

The value added learning for today is about the sources of the names of Raagas. These are as follows:

1. Names of Hindu deities: Kedaar, Bhairav, Gouri, Durga.
2. Tribal melodies: Ahiri, Asavari,Gujari.
3. Folk tunes of regions:Marwa, Jaunpuri,Pahadi.
4. Names of their creators: Miya Taansen: Miya ki Malhar , Miya ki Todi; Bilaskhan (son of Taansen): Bilaskhani Todi; Gorakh Naath to bring his guru back: Gorakh Kalyan.
5. Performing Artists, eg, Pt Bhimsen Joshi: Raag Kalashree (combination of Kalawati and Bageshree).
6. Miscellaneous Sources: Darbaari Kanada is supposed to been derived from the Carnatic version of Kanada but sung in darbars in front of the kings for evening concerts. It is reputed that Tansen imported it from the South to the court of Emperor Akbar.

Today I am giving you a composition of Ghulam Mohammad for the 1961 movie Shama in which Suraiya and Nimmi both loved a poet Vijay Dutt. Nimmi was in the title role experiencing heartbreak when she arranged his marriage with Suraiya.

Ghulam Mohammad is the same composer and music director who was responsible for Pakeezah songs and music.

Kaifi Azmi penned the song Dhadakte dil ki tamanna ho mera pyaar ho tum and Suraiya sang it both for Nimmi and herself!
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu, Taal Kaherava.

Dha.Dakate dil kii tamannaa ho meraa pyaar ho tum
(mujhe qaraar nahii.n) – 2
(jab se beqaraar ho tum) – 2
dha.Dakate dil kii tamannaa ho meraa pyaar ho tum

(khilaao phuul kisii ke kisii chaman men raho) – 2
jo dil kii raah se (guzarii hai vo bahaar ho tum) – 2

(zah-e-nasiib ataa kii jo dard kii sauGaat) – 2
vo Gam hasiin hai jis (Gam ke zimmedaar ho tum) -2
dha.Dakate dil kii tamannaa ho meraa pyaar ho tum

cha.Daauu.N phuul yaa aa.Nsuu tumhaare qadamo.n me.n
merii vafaao.n ke (ulfat kii yaadagaar ho tum) – 2
dha.Dakate dil kii tamannaa ho meraa pyaar ho tum

We have intended to learn about Raaga based music whilst we entertain ourselves with Raaga based songs. So, lets, once again, take stock of our collective learning so far:

1. On the first day we learnt about the Raaga system devised by Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, which is the prevalent system in Hindustani Classical Music and based on ten Thaats.
2. On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
3. On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
4. On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
5. On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
6. On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
7. On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
8. On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
9. On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Calssical Music.
10. And today, on the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!