Raaga Based Song Of The Day #75

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Chham chham nachat aayi bahar ….
Raag Bahar, Tal Tintal. Punjabi Theka, Kaherava

Yesterday, I gave you one of Mohammad Rafi’s best raaga based songs: Nache man mora magan dhig dha dhigi dhigi. That got me started on other Nach (Dance) songs and then I realised that I haven’t given you, so far, any song in Raag Bahar, Basant Bahar, and Basant.

I have taken this song from the 1961 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Chhaya starring Sunil Dutt and Asha Parekh; Asha Parekh being the same actress who gave us that delightful dance on Nache man mora. It is not a surprise that she was known as the Dancing Queen. The songs of this movie were composed by Salil Chowdhury. One of the movie’s songs: Itna na mujhase tu pyar jata was composed by Salil da on Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 since he was influenced by his father’s collection of Western Classical Music. It is remarkable to see that in the same movie Salil da has this beautiful raaga based song too, proving his versatility.

Yesterday, I also mentioned how it is fashionable amongst some people to suggest that some other male singer, eg Manna Dey, perhaps, sang classical songs better than him; which is not really true. In the same manner, there are people who compare Lata to Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle and tend to tilt in favour of the latter. I for one have both Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar as my favourites and would like to bring out that Lata was the composers’ delight in singing and delivered 100 percent of times, whatever be the genre’ of music, which includes even singing “sexily” that OP Nayyar accused her of not having the ability of (Please listen sometimes to ‘Aankhon mein aankhen naa daalo mujhe kuchh hota hai’, a composition of Shankar Jaikishan for the 1969 movie Tumse Achha Kaun Hai; the title itself being so apt for Lata ji). Chham chham nachat aayi bahar has been sung beautifully by the Nightingale of India: Lata Mangeshkar.

We have completed seventy-four 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 seventy-fourth post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #74‘ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi song from the 1963 RK Rakhan movie Meri Surat Teri Ankhen starring Ashok Kumar, Asha Parekh and Pradeep Kumar: Nache man mora magan dhig dha dhigi dhigi. It is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Tintal/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 I‘.

In the last seventy-four 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, Mand, 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, Tilak Kamod, Hemant, Basant Mukhari, Gujri Todi, Kalavati, Hamir, Bhatiyar, Gawati, Shyam Kalyan, Gorakh Kalyan, Madhamat Sarang, Manj Khammaj, Darbari Kanada, Vibhas and Shankara; making it a total of 58 raagas. The raagas that have been repeated so far are Pahadi, the raaga of my home place in the Himalayas, Maru Bihag, Raag Kirwani, Jhinjhoti, Bhairavi, Gara, Basant Mukhari, Malkauns and Bhairavi. Today, I am giving you a new Raag Bahar. That makes it a total of 59 raagas so far.

Today’s song has been sung by Lata Mangeshkar on the lyrics of Rajendra Krishan and composition by Salil Chowdhury. As I said, it is in Raag Bahar, Tal Tintal, Punjabi Theka, Kaherava.

However, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. Today, we shall learn about one of the free online services available to learn Indian Classical Music.

The organisation is called Sharda with this link: https://www.sharda.org/ and the description given by them is:

Raag Bahar belongs to the Kafi Thaat. Raga Kafi has a direct lineage with the folk music of India. Folk music in Tappa, Hori, Dadra, Kirtan and Bhajans from different parts of India have been composed in this raga form for ages.

The Jati of Raag Bahar is Audhav-Shadhav Vakra (Rishabh and Pancham Varjya in Aaroha, Dhaivat Varjya in Avroha. Gandhar Komal, both Nishads. Rest All Shuddha Swaras. The time for performing this raag is second prahar of the night, ie, from 9 PM to midnight and the season is Spring. Raag Bahar is a beautiful Raag that most appropriately brings out nature’s beautiful blessings.

Some of the other songs composed in Raag Bahar are:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Baag Laga Doon Kaliyan Sang Chham Chham Nachat Bahar Aayi Pawan Deewani Chit Nandan Aaye Hoon Main Woh Chup Rahein Sooni Sooni Saans Aayi Bahar Aaj Khil Gayi Kaliyaan Preet Basi Hai Saaz Ho Tum, Awaaz Hoon Main Kahay Ghata Mein Jhuka Jhuka Ke Nigahein

Tansen Shaap Mochan Chhaya Jai Hanuman Dr. Vidya Do Kaliyaan Do Anjaane Jahan Ara Laal Patthar Aarzoo Sau Saal Baad Neela Aakash Saaz Aur Awaaz Suvarn Sundari Miss Coca Cola

K L Saigal D. V. Paluskar Lata Asha, Mahendra Lata Asha Lata Lata Asha Chorus Lata, Manna Dey Asha Rafi Lata, Rafi Asha, Mukesh

The song Chham chham nachat aayi bahar is from the 1961 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Chhaya starring Sunil Dutt, Asha Parekh and Nirupa Roy, who received the Best Supporting Actress Award for the movie. Besides Itna na mujhase tu pyar jata sung by Talat Mehmood and Lata Mangeshkar, based on Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, the movie had another beautiful number in Aansu samajh ke kyun mujhe aankh se toone gira diya.

Please enjoy in Raag Bahar, Tal Tintal, Punjabi Tekha, Kaherava: Chham chham nachat aayi bahar…….

Chham chham naachat aaI bahaar – 2
PaaT paaT ne lii anga.DaaI
Jhuum rahii hai Daar Daar
Chham chham naachat aaI bahaar – 2

(Mahak rahii hai phulavaarii
Nikharii kyaarii kyaarii ) – 2
Phuul phuul par joban aayaa
Kalii kalii ne kiyaa si.ngaar
Chham chham naachat aaI bahaar – 2

(Man matavaaraa Dole
Jaane kyaa kyaa bole ) – 2
NaI navelii aashaa jaagii
Jhuumat manavaa baar baar
Chham chham naachat aaI bahaar – 2

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. On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
50. On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
51. On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
52. On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
53. On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
54. On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
55. On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
56. On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
57. On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
58. On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
59. On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
60. On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
61. On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
    
62. On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
63. On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
64. On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
65. On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
66. On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
67. On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
68. On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
69. On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
70. On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
71. On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
72. On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
73. On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
74. On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
75. And today, on the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!