Raaga Based Song Of The Day #33

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Rasik balma…
Raag Shuddha Kalyan, Tal Kaherava

We have completed thirty-two days of Raaga Based Songs of the Day. 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.

Our thirty-second post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #32’ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi song from the 1957 Krishnan-Panju movie Bhabhi: Chal udd jaa re panchhi.  It is in Raag Pahadi, 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 Jaijaivanti’.

In the last thirty-two days of sharing Raaga based songs of the day, I have given you songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti, Gara, Bhimpalasi, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani, Bihag, Pahadi, Sarang, Pilu, Bhairavi, Khammaj, Charukesi, Kalyan or Yaman, Desh, Malgunji, Kirwani, Kedar, Bageshri, Megh Malhar, Bhupali, Ahir Bhairav, Malkaush, Adana, Kafi, Rageshri, Jaunpuri, Tilang, Janasammohini and Chayanat. The only raag that has been repeated so far is Pahadi, the raaga of my home place.

Today, I give you a song in Raag Shuddha Kalyan, Tal Kaherava.

However, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. Today, we shall learn about Tappa:

Tappa is as semi-classical as Dhrupad, Khayal and Thumri. In royal courts, songstresses known as Baigees used to sing Tappe that are fast paced, subtle, sweet and melodious genre’ of singing representing the emotional outburst of a lover.

Camel riders of Punjab are credited with having begun the tradition of Tappa in their folk singing. Mian Ghulam Nabu Shori or popularly known as Shori Mian is credited with having developed Tappa as classical music. He was a court singer in the then Nawab of Avadh: Asad-ud-Dowlah. In the 18th and 19th century, tappas sung by Nidhu Bahar became popular in Bengal. These were called: Nidhubabur Tappa. Presently, amongst the best known Tappa singers are: Girija Devi, Ishwar Chandra Karkare, Jayant Khot, Laxmanrao Pandit, Manvalkar, Meeta Pandit and Shanno Khurana.

As I mentioned, today’s song is composed in Raag Shuddha Kalyan, Taal Kaherava.

Raag Shuddha Kalyan belongs to the Kalyan Thaat in Bhatkhande’s system of raagas. The raaga is to be sung during the first prahar of the night (6 PM to 9 PM); indeed, that is true for all raagas in the Kalyan Thaat. Characterised by the teevra Madhyam, the name Kalyan translates to ‘Good Luck’. It is, therefore, performed at the beginning of a concert in the evening to seek blessings. Shuddha Kalyan is one of the many variations; some of the others are Shyam Kalyan, Yaman Kalyan, Anandi Kalyan, Khem Kalyan and Savani Kalyan. The Jati of the raaga is Audhav – Sampoorna (Vakra). This raaga has notes of Raag Bhoopali in tha Aaroha and Raag Kalyan (or Yaman) in Avaroha. Because of this reason it is also referred to as Raag Bhoop Kalyan.

Some of the songs composed in Raag Shuddha Kalyan are: Chand from niklala from 1957 movie Paying Guest, Jahan daal daal par sone ki chidhiyan karti hain basera from 1965 movie Sikander-e-Azam, Meri mohabbat jawan rahegi from 1965 movie Jaanwar, and Ye shaam ki tanhayiyan from 1953 movie Aah.

I have taken today’s song from yet another AVM Production movie, the 1956 Anant Thakur movie Chori Chori starring Nargis as Kammo, the daughter of a multi-millionaire Girdharilal (Gope). She jumps out of her father’s ship in Bombay harbour so as to be with her lover Suman Kumar (Pran). Whilst on her way to Bangalore, at the bus-stop itself, she meets Sagar (Raj Kapoor) and decides to take help from him in undertaking a journey that she had never taken alone. Gradually they fall in love. The movie’s story was later used by Mahesh Bhatt in his 1991 movie Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin that starred his daughter Pooja in the same role as Nargis and Aamir Khan in Raj Kapoor’s role.

As with most Raj Kapoor starrers, the lyricists were Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri with music by Shankar Jaikishan. This one has been penned by Hasrat Jaipuri.

I have put my neck out by selecting my five favourite songs of Lata Mangeshkar (Please read: ‘My Favourite Songs Of Lata Mangeshkar’). This song is at #1. The other four are:

#2. Jaa jaa re jaa balamwa in Raag Jhinjhoti, Tal Kaherava from Basant Bahar.
#3 Unako ye shikayat hai ke ham kuchh nahin kehate in Raag Malgunji, Tal Dadra from Adalat.
#4 Aapki nazaron ne samajha pyaar ke kaabil mujhe in Raag Adana, Tal Rupaktal from Anapadh.
#5 Aaja re pardesi in Raag Bageshri, Tal Kaherava from Madhumati.

Please enjoy my most favourite song of Lata Mangeshkar in Raag Shuddha Kalyan, Tal Kaherava: Rasik balma….

Rasik balamaa, haay, dil kyo.n lagaayaa
tose dil kyo.n lagaayaa, jaise rog lagaayaa

Jab yaad aaye tihaarii
suurat vo pyaarii pyaarii
nehaa lagaa ke haarii
aa~
nehaa lagaa ke haarii
ta.Dapuu.N mai.n Gam kii maarii
rasik balamaa …

Dhuu.Ndhe hai.n paagal nainaa
paaye na ik pal chainaa
Dasatii hai ujda.Dii rainaa
aa~
Dasatii hai ujda.Dii rainaa
kaase kahuu.N mai.n bainaa
rasik balamaa …

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 Classical Music.
10. On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
11. On the eleventh day, we learnt about why Bhairavi is the first raag to be taught to beginners and also why it is the last in a performance.
12. On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
13. On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
14. On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
15. On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
16. On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
17. On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
18. On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
19. On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
20. On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
21. On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
22. On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
23. On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
24. On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
25. On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
26. On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
27. On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
28. On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
29. On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
30. On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
31. On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
32. On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
33. And today, on the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!