Raaga Based Song Of The Day #49

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Balma anaadi man bhaye…
Raag Hemant, Tal Kaherava

Yesterday, I introduced the music instrument Veena to you but didn’t give you a song with that. The reason was that I was still giving you songs on Mukesh’s Birth Anniversary four days ago, on 22 Jul. I make up for that now and today’s is a remarkably beautiful song sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

We have completed forty-eight 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 forty-eighth post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #48‘ and the song was a Mukesh song from the 1964 Ravindra Dave movie Dulha Dulhan: Hamne tujhako pyar kiya hai jitna.  It is in Raag Tilak Kamod, 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 Bhairavi – Part II‘.

In the last forty-eight 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, Shuddha Kalyan, Gaur Sarang, Jogiya, Asavari, Maru Bihag, Durga, Lalit, Puria Dhanashri, Bhinna Sahdja, Sohani, Multani, Patdeep, Jaijaiwanti and Tilak Kamod. The only two raag that has been repeated so far are Pahadi, the raaga of my home place in the Himalayas, and Maru Bihag.

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

However, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. Today, for the first time, I am repeating learning about Veena; with just one request for you: You have to identify the Veena that Mala Sinha is holding (what type of Veena is it?) and give me your answers in the comments of this post. Also, please do let me know as to why do you think I didn’t share the obvious Veena song from 1957 movie Dekh Kabira Roya: Meri veena tum bin roye composed by Madan Mohan in Raag Ahir Bhairav?

Veena is one of the oldest of Indian musical instruments. If you look at a picture of Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning, you see her sitting with a Veena. It is so ancient that the word Veena in Sanskrit used to genrecally mean any plucked stringed instrument. Veena is mentioned in the Rigveda, Samaveda and other Vedic literature such as the Shatapatha Brahmana and Taittiriya Samhita. In the ancient texts, the sage Narada is credited with inventing the Veena and even his pictures show him carrying Veena.

The construction of Veena varies between the Hindustani music and Carnatic Music. In Hindustani music, it is a stick zither about 3.5 to 4 feet. It has a hollow body and two large resonating gourds under each end. There are a total of seven strings; four main strings which are melody type, and three auxiliary drone strings. To play, the musician plucks the melody strings downward with a plectrum worn on the first and second fingers, while the drone strings are strummed with the little finger of the playing hand. The musician stops the resonating strings, when so desired, with the fingers of the free hand. The veena has been generally replaced with the sitar in north Indian performances.

In the Carnatic music design, Veena is a long-necked, pear shaped lute. It has a pear shaped wooden piece in place of the lower gourd of the Hindustani music Veena. It too, however, has 24 frets, four melody strings, three drone strings, and played quite similar. Unlike, in Hindustani music, Veena continues being an important and popular stringed instrument in Carnatic music.

Veena strings can produce pitches in full three octave range.

Veenas are of different types. Some of these are:

• Rudra Veena is a fretted veena, with two large equal size tumba (resonators) below a stick zephir.
• Saraswati Veena is similar to Rudra Veena with the two resonators being of different sizes. The veena is played by sitting cross-legged with the instrument held tilted slightly away from the player. The small gourd on the left rests on the player’s left thigh, the left arm passing beneath the neck (of the Veena) with the hand curving up and around so that the fingers rest upon the frets. The palm of the right hand rests on the edge of the top plank so that the fingers (usually index and middle) can pluck the strings. The drone strings are played with the little finger. The veena’s large resonator is placed on the floor, beyond the right thigh.
• Vichitra Veena does not have frets. It sounds close to humming human singer.
• Tritantri (3 string) Veena, now called Sitar (a Persian word meaning three strings).
• Saradiya Veena, now called Sarod.
• Pinaki Veena, related to Sarangi.
• Kachapi Veena, now called Kachua Sitar.
• Others such as Shatatantri Veena (Santoor), Gayatri Veena (with one string only) and Saptatantri Veena.

As I mentioned, today’s song is composed in Raag Hemant, Tal Kaherava.

Hemant belongs to Bilawal Thaat in Bhatkhande’s system of raagas. Its Jati is Audhav-Sampoorna, ie, five notes in Aaroha (Re and Pa are excluded) and all seven notes in Avaroha. Let me see now how attentive you have been. Do you recall a week back I gave you a Shobha Gurtu song (Thumri): Yaad piya ki aaye? (Please read: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #41’). Do you recall that I called that Raag Bhinna Shadja or Kaushik Dhwani? I told you that its Jati was Audhav-Audhav, that is five notes or swar each in Aaroha and Avroha. Now in Raag Bhinna Shadja or Kaushik-Dhwani when Pancham (Pa) and Rishabh (Re) are used in Avroha, Raag Hemant is conceived (this is exactly how one raag leads you to another).

Hemant, as you can make out, is a very melodious raag and creates a deep and soothing atmosphere (just listen to the song and you will know). The time for playing this is second prahar of the night (9 PM to midnight).

Some of the popular songs composed in this raaga are: Rooth ke tum to chale gaye (Tal Dadra), Sudh bisar gayi aaja (Tal Jhaptal), Tum bin jeevan kaisa jeevan (Tal Punjabi Theka), and Jaane kaise sapno mein kho gayi akhiyan (beautiful song from the movie Anuradha).

Today’s song is from the 1963 T Prakash Rao movie Bahurani starring Guru Dutt, Mala Sinha and Feroze Khan. The movie had really exquisite songs penned by Sahir Ludhianvi and composed by C Ramchandra:

1. Umr hui tumase mile (Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar).
2. Ye husn mera ye ishq tera rangeen to hai badnam nahin (Asha Bhosle).
3. Main jaagun sari rain sajan tum so jaayo (Lata Mangeshkar).
4. Kaam krodh aur lobh ka maara (Mahendra Kapoor).
5. Etal ke ghal mein tital bahar achha ya bheetar (Hemant Kumar).
6. Kab gham ki ghatayen (Lata Mangeshkar).
7. Bane aisa smaaj (Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey).

The story could be that of Ram Aur Shyam and Seeta Aur Geeta except that no one has double role. It is Mala Sinha as Padma who prepares a simpleton Guru Dutt as Raghu to stand up to his oppressors: his step-brother Feroze Khan as Vikram and his father, the Zamindar’s (Nazir Hussain’s) second wife Lalita Pawar as Rajeshwari. Mala Sinha marries Guru Dutt accidentally but later falls in love with him and his simple ways. This song depicts the beginning of transformation of Guru Dutt.

Please enjoy a delightful Veena song composed by C Ramchandra in Raag Hemant, Tal Kaherava, on the lyrics of Sahir Ludhianvi, and sung by Lata Mangeshkar for Mala Sinha: Balma anaadi man bhaye….

Balma anadi man bhaye balma anadi man bhaye
Ka karu samjh na aaye ka karu samjh na aaye
Haye Ram, balma anadi man bhaye
Man bhaye balma anadi man bhaye

Mose prem se puche prem ka matlab
Jane na kuch puche sab hum se
Jane na kuch puche sab hum se
Uljhan badhti jaye uljhan badhti jaye
Haye Ram, balma anadi man bhaye
Balma anadi man bhaye balma anadi man bhaye
Man bhaye balma anadi man bhaye

Honth hile to bat na jane honth hile to bat na jane
Nain mile to ghat na jane nain mile to ghat na jane
Nis din jee tarsaye nis din jee tarsaye
Haye Ram, balma anadi man bhaye

Neha laga aise preetam se neha laga aise preetam se
Bin karan jo ruthe hamse bin karan jo ruthe hamse
Samjhe na samjhaye samjhe na samjhaye
Haye Ram, balma anadi man bhaye
Balma anadi man bhaye bhaye balma anadi man
Bhaye bhaye balma anadi man bhaye
Man bhalye balma man bhaye
Balma anadi man bhaye balma anadi man bhaye

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. On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
35. On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
36. On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
37. On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
38. On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
39. On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
40. On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
41. On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
42. On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
43. On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
44. On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
45. On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
46. On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
47. On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
48. On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
49. And today, on the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!