Raaga Based Song Of The Day #34

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Kuchh aur zamaana kehta hai…
Raag Gaur Sarang, Tal Dadra

We have completed thirty-three 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-third post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #33’ and the song was a Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1956 Anant Thakur movie Chori Chori: Rasik balma.  It is in Raag Shuddha Kalyan, 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 Todi’.

In the last thirty-three 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, Chayanat and Shuddha Kalyan. 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 Gaur Sarang, Tal Dadra.

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

Colloquially, we call any song or melody as Tarana. However, it is type of composition in Hindustani music such Dhrupad, Khayal, Thumri and Tappa that I have already told you about. Whilst giving you a write-up about Hindustani classical music I told you about the contribution of Amir Khusrow and how he first fuzed Sufi music with Sanskrit/Hindi music. Taranas are medium (madhya) or fast (drut) paced (laya) songs that convey mood of elation. Taranas consist of lines of rhyming poetry that use Persian or Arabic syllables or bols. The singers use these poetical lines for improvisation.

Do you recall Baiju Bawra, the 1952 Vijay Bhatt movie? (Please read). Naushad had all songs of the movie based on one raaga or the other. He got Ustad Amir Khan to sing Tori jai jai kartar in Raag Puriya Dhanashree, Langar kankariya ji na maro in Raag Todi (with DV Paluskar), Ghanana ghanana ghana garjo re in Raag Megh and Sargam in Raag Darbari. Well, it was the same Ustad Amir Khan who gave impetus to Tarana genre’ of singing in modern times. Those who are familiar with Sri Guru Granth Sahib would also know that Sri Guru Gobind Singh used tarana in his compositions like Jagardang nagardang bagardang.

As I mentioned, today’s song is composed in Raag Gaur Sarang, Taal Dadra.

Gaur or Gaud Sarang is a raga in Hindustani classical music that combines characteristics of Sarang and the now extinct raga named Gaud. Unlike most other members of the Sarang family of ragas, Gaud Sarang is assigned to the Kalyan thaat rather than the usual Kafi.

It’s Jati is Sampurna-Sampurna Vakra (all swar are Shuddha except both Madhyam are used in Avroha).

The time of the day for rendering this Raaga is the third prahar of the day, ie, between noon and 3 PM.

Raag Gaud Sarang, though a daytime melody produces effect like the night melodies. The overall impact of the Raag is identical to that in Raag Kedar or Raag Bihag. (Both night time Raagas).

Shuddha Madhyam is a prominent note which is Deergh Swar but not a resting note. Pancham and Gandhar are the resting note of the Raag. Like in Raag Kedar and Raag Hameer the Teevra Madhyam (M) is rendered Vakra.

The song is dear to me because I regard it as one of the best ever penned by lyricist Shailendra. Indeed, on my Facebook page ‘Lyrical’, as soon as I finished with my favourite lyricist Shakeel Badayuni, the very first Lyricist that I paid tribute to, in Great Lyricists series, was Shailendra.I have taken today’s song from the 1965 movie Chhoti Chhoti Baatein that was the only movie directed by actor Motilal under his banner Rajvanshi, and starring him, Nadira and Moti Sagar in the lead roles. He died before the movie was released. The movie was a flop at the box-office even though it earned enormous critical acclaim.

Here is a gem that came my way and I must share it with you:

Through Shankar Jaikishan Music Foundation (SJMF) I am acquainted with Dinesh (Shailendra’s son). One day, on his timeline there was a raging discussion about whether Shailendra got back from Raj Kapoor what he had so loyally given him. The reference was to Shailendra’s own movie Teesri Kasam starring Raj Kapoor, which was delayed by the latter so that he could first revel in the success of his Sangam. Some said that the lyrics of the song: Dost dost na raha probably fitted with Shailendra’s emotions for not having got any support from his friend Raj Kapoor for the early release of his own movie, leading to its getting much reduced box-office and ultimate untimely death of Shailendra. My input was that Teesri Kasam was released a year after Chhoti Chhoti Baatein (and a year before Teesri Kasam) and that Shailendra said in this song whatever he obliquely wanted to refer to! The most revealing lines are:

Duniyaa ne hame.n berahamii se
Thukaraa jo diyaa, achchhaa hii kiyaa
Naadaan ham samajhe baiThe the
Nibhatii hai yahaa.N dil se dil kii

From what I have seen, Dinesh is a level-headed, mature man, not given to affectations. I was, therefore, quite pleased when he tacitly upheld my assessment. My assessment was also based on another fact; which is, that whatever Shailendra wanted to tell people close to him he conveyed through his lyrics. For example, when Shankar Jaikishan dilly-dallied about introducing him to other music directors despite their promise, Shailendra wrote to them: “Chhoti si ye duniya, pehchaane raaste; tum kabhi to miloge, kahin to miloge, to poochhenge haal”. This, later, became a popular song.

Chhoti chhoti baatein, indeed.

It was Anil Biswas who composed the song in Raag Gaur Sarang, Tal Dadra. The song was sung for Nadira by Meena Kapoor.

Please enjoy: Kuchh aur zamana kehta hai….

Kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai, kuchh aur hai zidd mere dil kii
mai.n baat zamaane kii maanuu.N, yaa baat sunuu.N apane dil kii
kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai …

Duniyaa ne hame.n berahamii se
Thukaraa jo diyaa, achchhaa hii kiyaa
naadaan ham samajhe baiThe the
nibhatii hai yahaa.N dil se dil kii
kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai …

Inasaaf, muhabbat, sachchaa_ii
vo raham-o-qaram ke dikhalaave
kuchh kahate zubaa.N sharamaatii hai
puuchho na jalan mere dil kii
kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai …

Go bastii hai insaano.n kii
insaan magar Dhuu.NDhe na milaa
patthar ke buto.n se kyaa kiije
fariyaad bhalaa TuuTe dil kii
kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai …

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. On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
34. And today, on the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!