Music and Cinema – Page 21

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #6

The sixth consecutive day of songs in this series.

I have been giving you Raaga Based Songs of the Day (eg, ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #82‘) for the last nearly three months now. Many of you, who know your music well, have many a times pointed out that a particular song, though ostensibly close to one raaga has traces of other raagas or has deviated substantially from the chosen raaga. I have readily admitted that, pointing out that it is not the job of the film songs composers to stick to the purity of any raaga. Their job is to produce tunes that would be popular and would tug at the emotions of the listeners.

With that in mind, I started a new series three days ago to give you songs that tug at your emotions even when they are not based on any raagas.

These are the songs that stay in the creases of your mind long after you last heard them, somewhat like the strains of the song of The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth.

I also feel that these are the songs that make you wonder whether the lyrics influenced you more or the composition or is it the composition that made you look at the beauty of the lyrics?

The first of these was put together by lyricist Shailendra and composer Salil Chowdhury and singer Talat Mahmood for the 1957 Dulal Guha movie Ek Gaon Ki Kahani starring Talat Mahmood, Mala Sinha and Abhi Bhattacharya: Raat ne kyaa kyaa khwaab dikhaaye (‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #1‘).

Our last one, that is the fifth one, was put together by lyricist Anand Bakshi, composer Roshan and singer Mukesh for the 1966 Mohan Sehgal movie Devar: Guzra zamaana bachpan ka (‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #5‘).

Lets turn to today’s song sung by Hemant Kumar.

“If God could sing, He would have a voice like Hemant Kumar’s”. This is how Salil Chowdhury described Hemant da’s singing. And we, who adore him, completely agree.

Hemant’s singing has the magical effect of carrying you – body, heart and soul – into the world of the song. Take Ye raat ye chandini phir kahan; and you realise that the Jaal (Net or Trap) is not just cast by Dev Anand for Geeta Bali, but that you yourself are caught in it like a struggling fish. When he goes on to sing… Taaron ki chhaon mein keh le kahaniyan…, you don’t have to imagine the scene; it unfolds before your eyes with his each word. Let’s take just one more illustrative song, a Waltzing number: Chup hai dharti chup hai chaand sitaare, mere dil ki dhadkan tujhako pukaare. Suddenly, you experience an enchanting silence wherein only thing that is awake is your soul.

It is very difficult to resist the seduction of Hemant’s Ye raat ye chandini phir kahan.

Interestingly, Hemant da has sung and composed more songs on Chand and Chup than any other. The atmosphere of moonlit night is to be enjoyed in silence and not in crescendo. For example, Lehron pe lehar, kismat hai jawan; Raaton ki sehar, chali aao yahan; Sitaare timtimaate hain to aaja aaja, Machalti jaa rahi hai ye hawaayen aaja aaja.

Hemant Kumar was a singer and composer who came alive, gently and heart warmingly at Raat (Night): Raat haseen, ye chand haseen, tu sabase haseen mere dilvar; Aur tujhase haseen tera pyaar.

Biswajeet lip-syncing (to Waheeda Rehman) Hemant Kumar’s Ye nayan dare dare in Kohraa

Is it, therefore, any surprising that he sang one of his best for a movie called Sannata (Complete Calm): Bas ek chup si lagi hai? Is it also surprising that his own film production of 1969 (he had Asit Sen (the famous director and not the comedian) directing it) was called Khamoshi (Silence)?

Raat, Khamoshi, Chandini are the themes that one can associate with Hemant Kumar: Jaadugar sainya, chhod mere bainya, ho gayi aadhi raat, ab ghar jaane de (from Hemant Kumar’s music direction Nagin), we would want to sing to him, trying to get back home. And Hemant da, in his characteristic baritone would sing back: Ek raat hoke nidar, mujhe jeene do. Life, for him, came alive, at night, like Wordsworth’s Lucy Gray:

“The stars of midnight shall be so dear,
For her and she shall lean her ear,
In many a secret place;
Where rivulets dance their wayward round,
And beauty born of murmuring sound,
Shall pass into her face.”

See the video of the song I am giving you today and watch the beauty born of murmuring sound pass into the face of Waheeda Rehman as Nurse Radha in a mental asylum. No wonder NDTV, on their 25th anniversary of broadcasting, had the President give her an award as one of the 25 Living Legends in India. And look at the high standards that she set for herself: she wasn’t satisfied with her own performance. She said Suchitra Sen in the Bengali version did a much better job of it. That’s remarkable humility.

Waheeda Rehman as Sister Radha tending to her patient Deven Verma in Khamoshi

She is a nurse in a psychiatric ward. Her sensitivity towards her patients is so much that they invariably get healed. That includes Dharmendra (the singer of this song in the movie) and that finally includes Rajesh Khanna. However, the doctors in the hospital are insensitive to the fact that she gets so personally involved in the treatment of her patients that finally there is an emotional bond, if not that of love (Pyaar ko pyaar hi rehane do koi naam na do). After being cured, when they leave, there is Khamoshi in her life. She can’t take it any more after Rajesh Khanna too leaves and heartbroken, she is finally admitted into the same ward as mentally imbalanced.

Waheeda Rehman’s emotional bonding with her patient Rajesh Khanna

In this song, all that she does is walk up to Dharmendra‘s room and back (we are not even face to face with him) and yet, there is so much packed in that walk, in terms of histrionics. Outstanding indeed.

Gulzar is the lyricist. He made not just this song but all songs of Khamoshi memorable and amongst his best. We just can’t get them out of our system; eg, Woh shaam kuchh ajeeb thi.

Hemant da was excellent in his singing always. However, his best was on his own compositions. This is one of them.

Please enjoy: Tum pukaar lo…

तुम पुकार लो, तुम्हारा इन्तज़ार है,
तुम पुकार लो
ख़्वाब चुन रही है रात, बेक़रार है
तुम्हारा इन्तज़ार है, तुम पुकार लो

होंठ पे लिये हुए दिल की बात हम
जागते रहेंगे और कितनी रात हम
मुक़्तसर सी बात है तुम से प्यार है
तुम्हारा इन्तज़ार है, तुम पुकार लो

दिल बहल तो जायेगा इस ख़याल से
हाल मिल गया तुम्हारा अपने हाल से
रात ये क़रार की बेक़रार है
तुम्हारा इन्तज़ार है, तुम पुकार लो

I am fond of Hemant Kumar, raat, chand and khamoshi. When I am in Mumbai and most of the time there is constant din of religious festivities, I seek the silence of the hills. I believe that in noise the distance between a person and his inner self increases with each decibel. Khamoshi is the essential linkage to one’s soul. Hence, I enjoy most Hemant Kumar songs. Being an avid exponent of Rabindra Sangeet, there is never a jarring note in his singing. This is one song that tugs at my emotions whenever I listen to it.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #83

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Tukade hain mere dil ke ai yaar tere aansu….
Raag Pahadi, Tal Kaherava

This is the eighth time I am taking up a song based on Raag Pahadi here, the raaga of my place in the Himalayas. I believe that in everyone’s musical life a little Pahadi must fall like a gentle rain. I took up, for the first time, a song in this raaga on the 7th day: Aaj ki raat piya dil na todo (Tal Dadra). The very next day, I took up Zara sun haseena ai nazneen (Rupaktal). On the 32nd day, it was Chal udd jaa re panchhi (Kaherava), followed by Sawan ka mahina (Kaherava) on the 46th day. And then I took a break from Pahadi for the next almost a month until I was back with Mushkil hai bahut mushkil (Kaherava) on the 72nd day. This was followed by Tum apna ranj-o-gham (Kaherava) on the 80th day and now I give you Tukade hain mere dil ke (Kaherava). Do you see a pattern? Of course you do; which is that even though Pahadi is a romantic and enchanting dhun, I have given you most songs (except two) that tilt towards regret, ruefulness and sadness. Today’s song seals it, once and for all, that the dhun does as much justice to pensive thoughts as it does to happy romantic songs like Sawan ka mahina.

Lets have a look at all the artistes who made this song possible. Naturally, the very first one is OP Nayyar or Omkar Prasad Nayyar, the composer. I don’t know if anyone has kept track of it, but, OP Nayyar probably has the maximum percentange of hit and super-hit songs in his movies. He brought to the table signature Punjabi tunes such as Ik pardesi mera dil le gaya, Udhe jab jab zulfen teri, Reshami salwar kurta jaali ka, Sar pe topi laal haath mein resham ka rumaal, and Kajra mohabbat wala. Although there are many who believe that OP Nayyar had little or no knowledge of raagas, many of his songs have been composed in raagas, particularly his favourite Raaga Pilu and Pahadi. Being a Punjabi, he had strong likes and dislikes. For example, he didn’t have Lata Mangeshkar sing any of his songs since he didn’t find her voice “sexy enough”. Similarly, he fell apart with Mohammad Rafi in later years and shifted to mahendra Kapoor. He had Asha Bhosle sing most of his female songs until they too fell apart in 1974. This song from 1965 movie Mere Sanam is at the height of his association with both Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle and they delivered outstandingly.

Mohammad Rafi with Naushad, not just the best male singer the world ever saw, but also the most gentlemanly.

As far as the singer Mohammad Rafi is concerned, even if you write volumes about him, his singing, his modesty and gentlemanliness, these are still not enough. I was once listening to Annu Kapoor on Mastii, at late night. Annu said Mohammad Rafi once spent an entire night outside the recording studio of Naushad Ali so that the latter would finish recording and give Rafi the busfare to go home. Now, Naushad was also a workalohic and some sort of perfectionist. Hence, it was in the wee hours that Naushad appeared from the studio and found Rafi waiting outside to be given busfare to go home. Naushad felt bad that a great singer like Rafi should be so waiting and hence told him, “You could have just knocked at the door.” This is what Mohammad Rafi replied, “I couldn’t have ever thought of disturbing you in your work.” Take this song itself. It is so typical of the gentlemanliness that Rafi possessed: always being mindful of the feelings of others, especially women. It was concerned the chivalrous thing for gentlemen to do as far as ladies were concerned. Compare this with Yesudas‘s, “Maana ke ho tum behadd haseen, aise bure ham bhi nahin”, trying to compete with the lady. No wonder, Yesudas courted controversy in Oct 2014 by his ill thought of remark, “What should be covered must be covered. Women should not trouble others by wearing jeans.”

The lyricist of this song is Majrooh Sultanpuri, the only lyricist to have been awarded the highest in Indian Cinema: the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. His art was quite a mixed bag: on one hand he would write excellent Urdu poetry such as Bane ho ek khaak se to duur kya kareeb kya; on the other hand he kept dishing out forgettable songs with Chitragupta (except for a few of them). His forte’ was however romantic, enchanting songs such as Deewana mastaana hua dil, and Tum bin jaayun kahan. This movie gave him ample opportunity to brush up his art.

We have completed eighty-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 eighty-second post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #82‘ and the song was an Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik song from the 2001 Farhan Akhtar movie Dil Chahta Hai starring Aamir Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshay Khanna: Jaane kyun log pyaar karte hain. It is in Raag Nattakurinji, 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 eighty-one 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, Shankara, Bahar, Nand and Mian Ki Malhar; making it a total of 61 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, Bhairavi and Mand. Today, I am repeating Raag Pahadi for the eighth time.

Today’s song has been sung by Mohammad Rafi on the lyrics of Majrooh Sultanpuri and composition by OP Nayyar. As I said, it is in Raag Pahadi, Tal Kaherava. The song is picturised on Biswajit and Asha Parekh in the 1965 GP Sippy production and Amar Kumar directed movie Mere Sanam.

Lets first take up Biswajit Ranjitkumar Chatterjee, the actor, and the director of his own 1975 production Kehte Hain Mujhako Raja. He is a singer too and performs in concerts. After acting in Bengali movies in Calcutta, he made his debut in 1962 in Hindi movies with Bees Saal Baad with Waheeda Rehman. The movie had two beautiful Hemant Kumar songs picturised on him: Beqraar karke hamen youn na jayiye, and Zara nazaron se kehdo ji; both the songs having been penned by my favourite lyricist: Shakeel Badayuni.

Asha Parekh was born on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday in his state Gujarat, in the year when Gandhi started Quit India movement against the British. After having done a few movies as a child-artiste, she was rejected by Vijay Bhatt for the role of a heroine in his movie Goonj Uthi Shehnai. Finally, she became the find of Nasir Hussain, who cast her as a heroine opposite Shammi Kapoor in his 1960 movie Dil Deke Dekho. She soon emerged not just as a huge star but also earned the sobriquet of being the Dancing Queen. Two of her early successes are Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai with Dev Anand with that most enchanting and ever-fresh duet: Sau saal pehle mujhe tumase pyaar tha, and Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon with Joy Mukherjee, which too had songs composed by OP Nayyar such as Aankhon se jo utari hai dil mein, and Zulfon ki chhaon mein chehre ko ujala dekar.

Lets get to the movie: Mere Sanam. As I said, this 1965 GP Sippy production and Amar Kumar direction movie starred Asha Parekh, Biswajit, Pran, Mumtaz and Rajendra Nath. The movie is a remake of Come September which is a 1961 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Mulligan, and starring Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin. The best part of this copied story movie is that the copy, in India, did as well at the original and was a box-office success. Its songs are still fresh with the people and like in another movie of OP Nayyar: Kashmir Ki Kali, the songs have the freshness of the Kashmir valley.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last time onwards we started learning about some of the leading personalities in Indian Classical Music or Shastriya Sangeet. The first one that we took up was Ustaad Asad Ali Khan, the finest Rudra Veena player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Hari Parsad Chaurasia, the greatest Bansuri player in the country. Tonight, lets talk about Ali Akbar Khan, the greatest Sarod player in the country.

You would recall I told you about Sarod when I was covering Hindustani Musical instruments (Please see ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #45‘). Ali Akbar Khan was born on 14 Apr 1922 in the village of Shibpur, Nabinagar Upazila, Brahmanbaria, in present-day Bangladesh, (then Comilla, East Bengal), to renowned musician and teacher, Allauddin Khan and Madina Begum. Soon after his birth, Khan’s family returned to Maihar (in present-day Madhya Pradesh, India) where his father was the primary court musician for the Maharaja of the princely state. Hence, Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan belongs to Maihar Gharana.

In addition to classical music performances, Ali Akbar Khan composed a few songs in movies, the famous one being Har kisi pe shaadmani sung by Lata Mangeshkar in Chetan Anand’s 1952 movie Aandhiyan.

He performed in India and traveled extensively in the West. In 1956, Khan founded the Ali Akbar College of Music in Calcutta, with the mission to teach and spread Indian classical music. He founded another school of the same name in Berkeley, California in 1967 and later moved it to San Rafael, California.

He is the recipient of many awards; Padma Bhushan in 1967 and Padma Vibhushan in 1989 being two of the highest.

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Pahadi, Tal Kaherava and I have told you a lot about this raaga already.

Why do I have this urge to get back to Pahadi? On the tenth day, I had covered for you, the sources of names of raagas and mentioned that raagas like Marwa, Jaunpuri, Mand and Pahadi were named after places. Pahadi is not a place, in the same manner, as Marwa, Mand and Jaunpur. You should expect Pahadi anywhere you see pahad or hills but actually the name is from hills in Himalayas, my home place. It is a light raaga and is more akin to being a dhun.

Pahadi is a very beautiful raag. Soundofindia.com describes it beautifully: the raga is like a lover, unruffled in union, serene in separation, powerful enough to achieve eternal union, but resigned to the painful parting ordained by destiny.

All raagas are supposed to transport you to the mood of the raaga (bhaav). But, none other does it better than Pahadi: you can’t escape the freshness, quiet, wetness, echoing effect and palpable romance of the hills. It is as if the raaga says to you: ‘Love is in the air’.

I am not giving you again a list of songs composed in Raag Pahadi as I have already given you this elsewhere.

The song Tukade hain mere dil ke ai yaar tere aansu is from the 1965 Amar Kumar movie Mere Sanam. As I said, OP Nayyar had a record of hit and super-hit songs in his movies. Have a look at the complete list of songs of this movie:

1	“Roka Kayi Baar Maine Dil Ki Umang Ko”	Asha Bhosle & Mohammed Rafi	05:58
2	“Yeh Ab Kya Sochiye”	Asha Bhosle & Mohammed Rafi	04:50
3	“Pukarta Chala Hoon Main”	Mohammed Rafi	03:52
4	“Jaaiye Aap Kahaan Jaayenge”	Asha Bhosle & Mohammed Rafi	06:29
5	“Ye Hai Reshmi Zulfon Ka Andhera”	Asha Bhosle	03:22
6	“Humdum Mere Maan Bhi Jaao”	Mohammed Rafi	04:32
7	“Tukde Hain Mere Dil Ke”	Mohammed Rafi	03:30
8	“Hue Hain Tumpe Aashiq Hum”	Mohammed Rafi	04:02
9	“Haaji Haaji Haaji Arrey Haaji Baba”	Asha Bhosle & Mohammed Rafi	04:40

Please enjoy in Raag Pahadi, Tal Kaherava: Tukade hain mere dil ke ai yaar tere aansu ….

(Tuka.De hai.n mere dil ke, e yaar tere aa.Nsuu
Dekhe nahii.n jaate hai.n, diladaar tere aa.Nsuu ) – 2

Katare nahii.n chhalake ye, aa.Nkho.n ke piyaalo.n se
Motii hai.n muhobbat ke, in phuul se gaalo.n pe, in phuul
Bahane nahii.n duu.ngaa bekaar tere aa.Nsuu
Dekhe nahii.n jaate

Ashko.n se bharaa dekhuu.N kaise terii aa.Nkho.n ko
Ai jaan ye sulagataa Gam, de de merii aa.Nkho.n ko, de de merii
Palako.n pe uThaa luu.ngaa, sau baar tere aa.Nsuu
Dekhe nahii.n jaate

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:

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.
On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
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.
On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
On the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.
On the eightieth day, we learnt about Tivra Tal.
On the eighty-first day, we learnt about the greatest Rudra Veena player ever: Ustaad Asad Ali Khan.
On the eighty-second day, we learnt about the greatest Bansuri player alive: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
And today, on the eight-third day, we learnt about the best Sarod player in the country: Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #5

The fifth consecutive day of songs in this series.

With that in mind, I started a new series three days ago to give you songs that tug at your emotions even when they are not based on any raagas.

These are the songs that stay in the creases of your mind long after you last heard them, somewhat like the strains of the song of The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth.

I also feel that these are the songs that make you wonder whether the lyrics influenced you more or the composition or is it the composition that made you look at the beauty of the lyrics?

Our last one, that is the fourth one, was put together by lyricist Kaifi Azmi, composer Madan Mohan and singer Mohammad Rafi for the 1964 Chetan Anand movie Haqeeqat: Main ye soch kar us ke dar se utha tha (‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #4‘).

Today’s singer, Mukesh Chand Mathur or simply Mukesh, has a cult following. His fans swear by him as much as those, in my young days in the Indian Navy, who were hooked on to Charminar cigarettes and won’t accept even Rothmans and Dunhills freely available on board. In his initial years in the movies, he tried to imitate KL Saigal. Indeed, his first song in the movies: Dil jalta hai to jalne de was so similar to the style of singing of Saigal that the latter remarked, “That’s strange, I don’t recall singing that song”.

Mukesh sang for many heroes , which included Dilip Kumar in Shimla based Mehboob Khan movie Andaz (Beautiful numbers such as Tu kahe agar jeevan bhar main geet sunata jaayun, and Jhuum jhuum kar naacho aaj) and Madhumati (Suhana safar aur ye mausam haseen). He was, however, known as the Singing Voice of Raj Kapoor and hence frequently associated with Raj Kapoor team of Shankar Jaikishan, Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri.

Dilip Kumar lip-syncing Mukesh’s Tu kahe agar jeevan bahr main geet sunata jaayun in 1949 Mehboob Khan movie Andaz (Pic: Sunbyanyname)

As far as Dharmendra is concerned, the hero on whom this song is picturised, many like to think of him as Garam Dharam, Dharam paaji and even Jatt Yamla Pagla Deewana. However, he is a serious actor in his own right. I do recall that his very first song in his debut movie in 1960 Dil Abhi Tera Ham Bhi Tere was a serious Mukesh number: Mujhako is raat like tanhayi mein awaaz na do. In his next movie, the 1961 Shola Aur Shabnam, he delighted us with another very serious songs put together by Kaifi Azmi, Khayyam and Mohammad Rafi: Jaane kya dhoondati rehati hain ye aankhen mujh mein, and Jeet hi lenge baazi ham tum.

Mukesh’s Jeet hi lenge baazi hum tum was lip-synced by Dharmendra in 1961 Ramesh Saigal movie Shola Aur Shabnam

This last song is an indicator of what to expect in this song; that is memory of childhood love. What was there between Dharmendra and Tarla Mehta in Shola Aur Shabnam was also there between him and Sharmila Tagore in 1966 Mohan Sehgal movie Devar and that’s why this song, because she was to be married to someone else.

The pairing of Dharmendra with Sharmila Tagore was first done by Hrishikesh Mukherjee in the 1966 movie Anupama, just before their Devar the same year (indeed, Mohan Sehgal retained the entire team of Anupama including Shashikala and Deven Verma). Hrishikesh called this the best pairing ever made in Hindi movies and they (Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore) went on to make eight movies together.

Dharmendra and Sharmila were first paired together in 1966 Hrishikesh Mukherjee Anupama. (Pic courtesy: rediff.com)

The composer of the song is Roshan of Barsaat Ki Raat and Taj Mahal fame.
Once again, as with all songs in the present series that I have given you, the song fills you with nostalgia about your own childhood and its strains persist with you long after you finish listening to it.

The lyricist is Anand Bakshi, the winner of four Filmfare Awards.

Please enjoy: Guzra zamaana bachpan ka…..

आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम
गुज़रा ज़माना बचपन का
हाय रे अकेले छोड़ के जाना
और ना आना बचपन का
आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम

वो खेल वो साथी वो झूले
वो दौड़ के कहना आ छू ले
हम आज तलक भी ना भूले – २
वो ख्वाब सुहाना बचपन का
आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम

इसकी सबको पहचान नहीं
ये दो दिन का मेहमान नहीं
मुश्किल है बहुत, आसान नहीं – २
ये प्यार भुलाना बचपन का
आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम

मिल कर रोये फ़रियाद करें
उन बीते दिनों की याद करें
ऐ काश कहीं मिल जाये कोई – २
वो मीत पुराना बचपन का
आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम

When asked about the most intense nostalgia of their lives, nine out of ten people are bound to tell you that it is nostalgia about their childhood. This is extremely curious since during that period we want to quickly grow and become big and capable. However, we continue to fondly remember it as the best and the happiest period of our life. This song gnaws at my innards when it reminds me of this period. I am suddenly transported to when I was small and carefree and hopeful and happy.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #4

The fourth consecutive day of songs in this series.

I have been giving you Raaga Based Songs of the Day (eg, ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #81‘) for the last nearly three months now. Many of you, who know your music well, have many a times pointed out that a particular song, though ostensibly close to one raaga has traces of other raagas or has deviated substantially from the chosen raaga. I have readily admitted that, pointing out that it is not the job of the film songs composers to stick to the purity of any raaga. Their job is to produce tunes that would be popular and would tug at the emotions of the listeners.

With that in mind, I started a new series three days ago to give you songs that tug at your emotions even when they are not based on any raagas.

These are the songs that stay in the creases of your mind long after you last heard them, somewhat like the strains of the song of The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth.

I also feel that these are the songs that make you wonder whether the lyrics influenced you more or the composition or is it the composition that made you look at the beauty of the lyrics?

Our last one, that is the third one, was put together by Kishore Kumar as Lyricist, Composer and Singer for the 1964 movie Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein that was written, produced and directed by Kishore Kumar: Aa chal ke tujhe main le ke chalun (‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #3‘).

So now you are hooked to the new series? Some of you have written back (thank you for that) that you can’t wait to see what would be the next song.
I plan. I gave you, in the first three days, songs by Talat Mehmood, Manna De and Kishore, so that when you actually listen to Mohammad Rafi you are bound to say, for the nth time, that there was no one like him and no one is going to be. He was the god of songs. All of us have our favourites such as Hemant and Mukesh and yet we know, there is no comparison with Rafi. The other day I mentioned that Lata ji (my favourite female singer) was the delight of the composers, especially Shankar Jaikishan. She delivered exactly what was expected of her. Mohammad Rafi was several steps ahead of her in that he showed the composers how much more they could expect from him, every time. When he died, in Bombay, at the age of just 55 years, all composers admitted that they had still not exploited Rafi’s complete capabilities. Achha hai kuchh le jaane se dekar hi kuchh jaana.

Take this song from Chetan Anand’s 1964 movie Haqeeqat explaining the debacle of 1962 Sino Indian War. Madan Mohan, the best composer ever for songs with pathos and agony, was trying in this song a new concept in that the song was like a free flowing poem, without traditional and recurrent mukhada and antaras. He actually asked Kishore Kumar and Manna De to sing it and then, disappointed, he turned, once again, to Mohammad Rafi.

Why am I in love with this song? Yes, it is not just because of its outstanding rendition by Rafi. This song is the finest example of Lyrics, Composition, Music and even the scenario (of the war with its frustration and hopelessness) and scenery (of Ladakh), all blending seamlessly into giving us an unforgettable song. You have no idea of what tugs at your emotions more; nor do you care because you are, with the first few notes, transported into another world wherein the silence of your soul converses with you.

Look at this scene at the beginning of the song: the others have got their letters and Ram Singh hasn’t. And, in the deadly silence of the place, he seeks still more silent and isolated place whereat he can converse with himself (this still comes to you courtesy Sunbyanyname)

Of all the lyricists that I know of, Kaifi Azmi mastered the art of giving vent to the most intense and most powerful emotions through simplest words. One author who did that is my favourite: Ernest Hemingway. Likewise, taste this from Kaifi in Hanste Zakhm:

Dil ki naazuk ragen toot ti hain,
Yaad itna bhi koi na aaye,
Aaj socha to aansu bhar aaye….

These are, as I am fond of saying, raw emotions hanging from hooks of poignancy.

It is the same with this song. You know the background of the song and yet I am repeating it. Mail is received in that war sector and once again this jawan Ram Singh (played by debutant Sudhir who was later reduced to doing small villainous roles) hasn’t received a letter from his beloved. It is not just that he lost a bet with another jawan, he has come a cropper in his wager with life itself. Kaifi Azmi, Madan Mohan, Mohammad Rafi, and Chetan Anand had to now have a song that would rise from an individual situation to the general helplessness of a war that takes one as far as possible from normal human desires and longings. And, they did it so well.

The hopelessness of war as depicted in Haqeeqat

Please enjoy: Main yeh soch kar usake dar se utha tha ke woh roke legi mana legi mujhako…..

मैं ये सोचकर उसके दर से उठा था
के वो रोक लेगी मना लेगी मुझको

हवाओं में लहराता आता था दामन
के दामन पकड़कर बिठा लेगी मुझको

कदम ऐसे अंदाज़ से उठ रहे थे
के आवाज़ देकर बुला लेगी मुझको

मगर उसने रोका
न उसने मनाया
न दामन ही पकड़ा
न मुझको बिठाया
न आवाज़ ही दी
न वापस बुलाया

मैं आहिस्ता आहिस्ता बढ़ता ही आया
यहाँ तक के उससे जुदा हो गया मैं …

By this time, you would be convinced that in this song, we witnessed something extraordinary that the team of Chetan Anand’s 1964 movie Haqeeqat essayed to give to us. As with some of the other songs in the movie, notably Hoke majbuur mujhe usane bhualaya hoga, and Kar chale ham fida jaan-o-tan saathiyo, ab tumhaare hawaale watan saathiyo, this song leaves a lasting impact on one’s mind and heart. I have goosebumps every time I listen to it.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #82

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Jaane kyun log pyaar karte hain ….
Raag Nattakurinji, Tal Kaherava

A new raag tonight and that too from Carnatic Music. The song in this raag is composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, also known as S-E-L, standing for the Composer Group of Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendosa; Shankar Mahadevan is the vocalist, Ehsaan Noorani is the lead guitarist and Loy Mendosa is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the piano, bass guitar, harmonica and is currently learning to play the trumpet. Their first big break was in the 2001 movie Dil Chahta Hai, the debut movie of Farhan Akhtar as a director. They happened to be the music director for the movie because AR Rehman, who was the first choice, had to back out due to other engagements. They are recipients of three Filmfare Awards and one National Award (for Kal Ho Na Ho) besides a host of other awards.

A word about the singers: Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. Udit Narayan Jha was born on 01 Dec 1955 and has been the recipient of three National Awards and Five Fimfare Awards. He started singing in the Hindi movies in 1980 and hence is the only male singer who has won Filmfare Awards over three decades of singing. Alka Yagnik is over 10 years younger, having been born on 20th Mar 1966. She has a record of winning seven Filmfare Awards from 36 nominations and two National Awards. Incidentally, this song got Udit Narayan a National Award.

The song’s lyrics were penned by Javed Akhtar. Javed Akhtar, born on 17 Jan 1945, is the son of noted lyricist and poet Jan Nisar Akhtar. He is the recipient of five National Awards, six Filmfare Awards, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.

We have completed eighty-one 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 eighty-first post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #81‘ and the song was a Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1962 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Aashiq starring Raj Kapoor, Nanda and Padmini: O shama mujhe phoonk de. It is in Raag Bhairavi, 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 III‘.

Today’s song has been sung by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik on the lyrics of Javed Akhtar and composition by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. As I said, it is in Raag Nattakurinji, Tal Kaherava. The song is picturised on Aamir Khan and Preity Zinta in the 2001 Farhan Akhtar debut movie Dil Chahata Hai. A word about the movie and its principal actor: Aamir Khan.

Aamir Khan about to hit the winning runs in 2001 movie Lagaan

Lets first take up Aamir Khan, the actor, producer and director, besides a figure for humanitarian causes. In everything that he puts his hands to, Aamir Khan is known as a perfectionist. Unlike other contemporary actors and stars, Aamir Khan gets into the soul of the role that he takes up and is choosy about quality more than quantity. Take the year 2001, for example; Aamir Khan’s own production and an Ashutosh Gowariker movie Lagaan was released that year and he played a rustic hero with excellent leadership qualities who got his village out of paying lagaan (tax) to the British after winning a game of cricket with them, a game they had never played before. He was so convincing in his role as the village-boy Bhuvan that no one expected him to switch to an urbane role as Akash Malhotra in his second movie of the same year: Dil Chahta Hai. One has to imagine that there must have been occasions when the shooting of the movies would have been near concurrent and Aamir Khan had to shift from rustic to urbane.

Lets get to the movie: Dil Chahta Hai. It was the debut directorial venture by Farhan Khan who wrote the story and the screenplay too. The movie was about three childhood friends, Akash Malhotra (Aamir Khan), Sameer Mulchandani (Saif Ali Khan), and Siddharth “Sid” Sinha (Akshaye Khanna). Akash didn’t believe in the concept of love and hence this song that I have chosen for you is so appropriate with Preity Zinta bringing out the benefits of love and Aamir Khan denying them fervently. The movie won seven Filmfare Awards, two National Awards and four IIFA awards. If you now consider the awards won by Lagaan, these are: eight National Awards, nine Filmfare Awards, nine Screen Awards and ten IIFA Awards. This would mean that these two movies in 2001 carried a bulk of awards that year.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last time onwards we started learning about some of the leading personalities in Indian Classical Music or Shastriya Sangeet. The first one that we took up was Ustaad Asad Ali Khan, the finest Rudra Veena player in the country. Tonight, lets talk about Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, the greatest living flautist (Bansuri player) in the country.

You would recall I told you about Bansuri when I was covering Hindustani Musical instruments (Please see ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #46‘). Indians have a natural fascination towards Bansuri, the instrument played magically by our most loved Lord Krishna. Even at that time I briefly covered Padma Vibhushan Hariprasad Chaurasia. I recall, on 21 Dec 2013, when NDTV had the President honour 25 Living Legends (on the occasion of NDTV completing 25 years of broadcasting), Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia was one of them. His father wanted him to become a wrestler. Hence, he had to learn music without the knowledge of his father (his mother died when he was only 6).

Chaurasia started learning vocal music from his neighbour, Pandit Rajaram, at the age of 15. Later, he switched to playing the flute under the tutelage of Pandit Bholanath Prasanna of Varanasi for eight years. He joined the All India Radio, Cuttack, Odisha in 1957 and worked as a composer and performer. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia composed music for Hindi films along with Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, forming a music duo called Shiv-Hari. Coincidentally, today, on the first birth anniversary of actor Vinod Khanna after his demise on 27 April 2017, I gave in my Facebook Group ‘Yaad Kiya Dil Ne’ one of their songs: Lagi aaj sawan ki phir woh jhadi hai penned by Anand Bakshi.

Pandit ji received many awards in his career. The first important one was the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1984. It was followed by Padma Bhushan in 1992 and finally Padma Vibhushan in 2000.

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Nattakurinji, Tal Kaherava.

Raag Nattakurinji is a raaga of Carnatic Music. It is an audhava janya raaga of 28th Melakarta raaga Harikambhoji. This gentle raaga evokes devotion and compassion, ie, the raaga is most suited to bring about Karuna and Sringara Rasa. A pleasant raga, its phrases are very graceful and when handled tastefully, this raga can be quite a treat. Mostly suited for singing in the evenings, it is actually a rakti raaga, ie, can be sung at any time. Natakurinji is easily identifiable owing to its unique Aarohana-Avarohana pattern:

Aarohana (Ascending) : S R2 G3 M1 N2 D2 N2 P D2 N2 S’
Avarohanam (Descending) : S’ N2 D2 M1 G3 M1 P G3 R2 S

Natakurinji is a relatively recent raga. There is no reference to this raaga in pre-18th century literature. The name of the raaga suggests that the origins of this raaga are in the music of the early Tamils; which is not really correct.

In film music, Natakurinji songs are just a few, noteworthy and full of bhava. The convoluted patterns in the raga often scare off film composers from touching upon it. Those brave enough to handle it have done so admirably. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy are an exception in Hindi movies, as far as this raag is concerned.

The song Jaane kyun log pyaar karte hain is from the 2001 Farhan Akhtar directorial movie Dil Chahta Hai. Other songs of the movie penned by Javed Akhtar and composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy are:

1.	“Dil Chahta Hai”	Shankar Mahadevan, Clinton Cerejo	5:11
2.	“Jaane Kyon”	Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Caralisa Monteiro	4:49
3.	“Woh Ladki Hai Kahan”	Shaan, Kavita Krishnamurthy	5:06
4.	“Kaisi Hai Yeh Ruth”	Srinivas	5:29
5.	“Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe”	Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, KK	5:46
6.	“Akash’s Love Theme”	Michael Harvey	2:10
7.	“Tanhayee”	Sonu Nigam	6:10
8.	“Dil Chahta Hai (Reprise)”	Shankar Mahadevan, Clinton Cerejo	4:18
9.	“Rocking Goa”	Chorus	2:06

Please enjoy in Raag Nattakurinji, Tal Kaherava: Jaane kyun log pyaar karte hain ….

Jaane kyuu.N log pyaar karate hai.n
Jaane kyuu.N vo kisii pe marate hai.n
Jaane kyuu.N

Pyaar me.n sochi_e to bas gam hai
Pyaar me.n jo sitam bhii ho kam hai
Pyaar me.n sar jhukaanaa pa.Dataa hai
Dard me.n muskuraanaa pa.Dataa hai
Zahar kyuu.N zi.ndagii me.n bharate hai.n
Jaane kyuu.N vo kisii pe marate hai.n
Jaane kyuu.N

Pyaar bin jiine.n me.n rakhaa kyaa hai
Pyaar jis ko nahii.n vo tanhaa hai
Pyaar sau ra.ng le ke aataa hai
Pyaar hii zi.ndagii sajaataa hai
Log chhup chhup ke pyaar karate hai.n
Jaane.n kyuu.N saaf kahate Darate hai.n
Jaane kyuu.N

Pyaar bekaar kii musiibat hai
Pyaar har tarah khuubasuurat hai
Ho pyaar se ham duur hii achchhe
Are pyaar ke sab ruup hai.n sachche
Ho pyaar ke ghaaT jo utarate hai.n
Duubate hai.n na vo ubharate hai.n
Jaane kyuu.N

Pyaar to khair sabhii karate hai.n
Jaane kyuu.N aap hii mukarate hai.n
Jaane kyuu.N

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:

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.
On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
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.
On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
On the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.
On the eightieth day, we learnt about Tivra Tal.
On the eighty-first day, we learnt about the greatest Rudra Veena player ever: Ustaad Asad Ali Khan.
And today, on the eighty-second day, we learnt about the greatest Bansuri player alive: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #3

The third consecutive day of songs in this series.

With that in mind, I started a new series two days ago to give you songs that tug at your emotions even when they are not based on any raagas.

These are the songs that stay in the creases of your mind long after you last heard them, somewhat like the strains of the song of The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth.

I also feel that these are the songs that make you wonder whether the lyrics influenced you more or the composition or is it the composition that made you look at the beauty of the lyrics?

Our last one, that is the second one was put together by lyricist Prem Dhawan, composer Salil Chowdhury and singer Manna Dey for the 1961 Bimal Roy production and Hemen Gupta directed movie Kabuliwala starring Balraj Sahni in the title role: Aye mere pyaare watan, aye mere bichhade chaman, tujhpe dil qurbaan (‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #2‘).

Today’s song is another special one.

At the height of Amitabh Bachchan’s popularity, he was covered by Time magazine in a feature, the crux of which was that the Big B was an industry by himself. However, one artiste who actually fitted the description of an industry was not AB but Kishore Kumar. Look at his versatility: he was a playback singer, actor, lyricist, composer, music director, screen and story writer, producer and director, all rolled into one.

Let’s just look at his singing and musical acumen. On one hand he sang comical songs such as those of Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (Paanch rupaiya barha aana, for example). On the other hand, he sang for Vinod Khanna (whose first birth anniversary after we lost him on 27th of April this year), the Mere Apne song, a serious song: Koi hota jisako apna, ham apna keh lete yaaro.

When it came to producing and directing, Kishore Kumar opted for making movies like Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein and Door Ka Rahi that satisfied his inner urge rather than with an eye on commercial success.

A scene from Kishore Kumar’s Door Ka Rahi

Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein was released in 1964 and starred his son Amit Kumar and Supriya Choudhury together with Kishore da himself. The movie’s story was based on American film The Proud Rebel, of 1958. Kishore da played Shankar, a retired army man, who returned home to find his family had died in a fire leaving his son Ramu who had become a mute since the fire. Shankar faced intense difficulties in trying to seek treatment for his son as also to lead a normal life. That included personal assault on him, something that I too faced, even when I had not yet retired.

Kishore Kumar being nursed by Supriya Chowdhury after his assault in his movie Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein

The movie did poorly at box office, which was the fate of almost all movies that tried to get out of the mould of ‘formula films’. Shailendra’s Teesri Kasam is a fine illustrative example.

The movie’s songs, however, became very popular. There were eight penned by Shailendra and composed by Kishore da himself. These included Jin raaton ki bhor nahin, Koi lauta de mere beete huye din, and Rahi tu mat ruk jaana.

The last one, sung by Hemant Kumar, is how I would like to remember Kishore Kumar, a Rahi in search of a Utopian world.

None of these songs, however, became as popular as the only one in the movie penned by Kishore Kumar. It was sung by him on his own composition, in a movie that was written, produced and directed by him, and that starred he and his son Amit Kumar.

You have to admit that the song stays with you long after you have finished listening to it and hence it eminently meets the requirements of the present series.

Please enjoy: Aa chal ke tujhe main le ke chalun….

आ चल के तुझे, मैं ले के चलूं
इक ऐसे गगन के तले
जहाँ ग़म भी न हो, आँसू भी न हो
बस प्यार ही प्यार पले
इक ऐसे गगन के तले

सूरज की पहली किरण से, आशा का सवेरा जागे (२)
चंदा की किरण से धुल कर, घनघोर अंधेरा भागे (२)
कभी धूप खिले कभी छाँव मिले
लम्बी सी डगर न खले
जहाँ ग़म भी नो हो, आँसू भी न हो …

जहाँ दूर नज़र दौड़ आए, आज़ाद गगन लहराए
जहाँ रंग बिरंगे पंछी, आशा का संदेसा लाएं (२)
सपनो मे पली हँसती हो कली
जहाँ शाम सुहानी ढले
जहाँ ग़म भी न हो, आँसू भी न हो …
आ चल के तुझे मैं ले के चलूं …

As motivational songs go, this song is in a class by itself. Despite all the difficulties faced by Kishore Kumar he still dreams of a Utopian world. The first part of the video where his son chooses a flute over a toy-gun is also very symbolic. This is one of the few songs that I know of wherein no matter what mood you are in, you feel like singing along, somewhat similar to Neil Diamond’s Song Sung Blue.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #2

Thank you very much for the enthusiastic response to the new series. Here is how it started:

I have been giving you Raaga Based Songs of the Day (eg, ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #80‘) for the last nearly three months now. Many of you, who know your music well, have many a times pointed out that a particular song, though ostensibly close to one raaga has traces of other raagas or has deviated substantially from the chosen raaga. I have readily admitted that, pointing out that it is not the job of the film songs composers to stick to the purity of any raaga. Their job is to produce tunes that would be popular and would tug at the emotions of the listeners.

With that in mind, I started a new series yesterday to give you songs that tug at your emotions even when they are not based on any raagas.

These are the songs that stay in the creases of your mind long after you last heard them, somewhat like the strains of the song of The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth.

I also feel that these are the songs that make you wonder whether the lyrics influenced you more or the composition or is it the composition that made you look at the beauty of the lyrics?

Today’s song is another special one.

It is from the 1961 Bimal Roy production Kabuliwala that was directed by Hemen Gupta who was private secretary to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The movie was based on a story by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and starred Balraj Sahni as an Afghan, Abdur Rahamat Khan, who travels to Calcutta from his village near Kabul (that’s why the title) so as to earn more and give better life to his family, particularly his little daughter played by Baby Farida. Whilst in Calcutta as a dry-fruit seller, he develops affection for a small girl Mini, played by Sonu, the daughter of Rama (Usha Kiran) and her husband (Sajjan). He sees in Mini his own daughter in his Afghan village.

This song, penned by Prem Dhawan, composed by Salil Chowdhury, and sung by Manna Dey is a poignant one when Balraj Sahni and other Afghans miss their country and their loved ones that they left behind whilst seeking greener pastures in India. The strains of the song stay with you long after it is over. Many of us actually sing the song as a devotion to our own country, which is but natural.

Bimal Roy’s Yahudi, for example, was about the persecution of Jews during the Roman Empire

The song also fills you with silent pride about the kind of movies that we made in just independent India. We made movies, for example, on the plight of Jews, on Iraqis (particularly Baghdad), and on themes driven by Egypt, China, Burma and Japan.

Many a times, our music directors assimilated notes from these foreign locales. For example, the song that I have selected for you is based on a folk-tune of Afghanistan.

We were the best in portraying themes of humanism, international cross cultures and search for mutated identities of people affected by large-scale migration.

Just to drive home that point, let me add that Rabindranath Tagore’s story Kabuliwala was translated into English by an Irish woman Margaret Elizabeth Noble, who was so influenced by Swami Vivekananda‘s ideal of humanism and service to mankind, that she became a lifelong disciple of the Swami and was given the name Sister Nivedita (dedicated to God) by Swami Vivekananda, in Calcutta, much before Mother Theresa embarked on her Service of God theme.

I am in love with this song and I assume it fills you too with emotions that are bound to be there when one has travelled far from one’s country of birth. So powerful is this theme that many decades later when Pankaj Udhas came up with his Chidhi aayi hai, it evoked equally strong emotions.

Please enjoy: Aye mere pyaare watan, aye mere bichhade chaman, tujh pe dil qurbaan…

ऐ मेरे प्यारे वतन, ऐ मेरे बिछड़े चमन
तुझ पे दिल क़ुरबान
तू ही मेरी आरज़ू, तू ही मेरी आबरू
तू ही मेरी जान

(तेरे दामन से जो आए उन हवाओं को सलाम
चूम लूँ मैं उस ज़ुबाँ को जिसपे आए तेरा नाम ) – २
सबसे प्यारी सुबह तेरी
सबसे रंगीं तेरी शाम
तुझ पे दिल क़ुरबान …

(माँ का दिल बनके कभी सीने से लग जाता है तू
और कभी नन्हीं सी बेटी बन के याद आता है तू ) – २
जितना याद आता है मुझको
उतना तड़पाता है तू
तुझ पे दिल क़ुरबान …

(छोड़ कर तेरी ज़मीं को दूर आ पहुंचे हैं हम
फिर भी है ये ही तमन्ना तेरे ज़र्रों की क़सम ) – २
हम जहाँ पैदा हुए
उस जगह पे ही निकले दम
तुझ पे दिल क़ुरबान …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAdeqOrfzPA

When I was young, I hadn’t seen the movie. All throughout my life I was in love with this song, so much so that I didn’t want to see the movie lest it should wreck the atmosphere that I had personally built around the song. Finally, in Dec 2016, I picked up courage to see the movie. And, I was able to see what a beautiful movie Hemen had put together. They built up to the song very well and I thoroughly enjoyed it in the movie too.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions -Song #1

I have been giving you Raaga Based Songs of the Day (eg, ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #79‘) for the last nearly three months now. Many of you, who know your music well, have many a times pointed out that a particular song, though ostensibly close to one raaga has traces of other raagas or has deviated substantially from the chosen raaga. I have readily admitted that, pointing out that it is not the job of the film songs composers to stick to the purity of any raaga. Their job is to produce tunes that would be popular and would tug at the emotions of the listeners.

With that in mind, I am starting a new series today to give you songs that tug at your emotions even when they are not based on any raagas.

These are the songs that stay in the creases of your mind long after you last heard them, somewhat like the strains of the song of The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth.

I also feel that these are the songs that make you wonder whether the lyrics influenced you more or the composition or is it the composition that made you look at the beauty of the lyrics?

The first of these has been put together by lyricist Shailendra and composer Salil Chowdhury.

Shailendra (in the centre) with Salil Chowdhury to his right)

There are many who feel that Shailendra penned his best songs for Raj Kapoor movies and hence composed by Shankar Jaikishan. I am included in such people. However, his songs for Salil da are memorable indeed. This is one of them. At random I can think of their songs for 1958 Bimal Roy movie Madhumati and 1960 Bimal Roy movie Parakh, such as Aaja re pardesi, Dil tadap tadap ke keh raha hai, Toote huye khwabon ne, and O sajana barkha bahaar aayi.

This one has been sung by Talat Mehmood who perfected the tremor in his voice.

It is from the 1957 movie Ek Gaon Ki Kahani that starred Talat Mehmood, Mala Sinha and Abhi Bhattacharya.

To understand the song better here is the story-line:

Jaya (Mala Sinha) lives in a village called Chandangaon in India along with her widower dad, Gokul (IS Johar), who works for a living as a compounder, but calls himself a Homeopathic doctor and dispenses Arnica for all kinds of ailments, especially since there is no qualified doctor in the village. Since Jaya is or marriageable age, he has arranged her marriage with hard-of-hearing Shiv, the son of Dayashankar (Bipin Gupta), who is the President of the Gram Panchayat. Dayashankar is anxious to get Shiv married so that he can get some dowry from Gokul. The other suitor for Jaya is Ratan (Abhi Bhattacharya), whose mother would like her to re-marry her son as his wife, Maya (Nirupa Roy), is unable to conceive. Then a new doctor (Talat Mahmood as Talat) arrives in this village to look after the charitable dispensary. Things heat up when Dayashankar and Ratan’s mom (Lalita Pawar) find out that he may be Jaya’s new suitor. Hilarious chaos reigns when Maya assaults her cruel mother-in-law, and Ratan abducts Jaya from her marriage with Shiv.

Please enjoy: Raat ne kyaa kyaa khwab dikhaye….

रात ने क्या क्या ख्वाब दिखाये
रंग भरे सौ जाल बिछाये
आँखें खुली तो सपने टूटे
रह गये ग़म के काले साये
रात ने …

ओ … (हम ने तो चाहा भूल भी जायें
वो अफ़साना क्यों दोहोरायें ) – २
दिल रह रह के याद दिलाये
रात ने क्या क्या …

(दिल में दिल का ददर् छुपाये
चलो जहां क़िस्मत ले जाये ) – २
दुनिया परायी लोग पराये
रात ने क्या क्या …

A serious song in a comic movie? Well, the fact is that the song does tug at your emotions and leaves you with an emptiness that Talat must have felt when parting from Jaya.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #81

Raaga Based Song of the Day: O shama mujhe phoonk de ….
Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava

Mukesh, Shailendra, Raj Kapoor and Jaikishan

The favourite raag of Shankar Jaikishan again for the simple reason that there are dozens of beautiful songs composed by them in it and I haven’t given you anywhere close to enough. The 1962 movie Aashiq had something in common with the 1959 movie Anari in that both were directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Both being Raj Kapoor starrers had no surprises in lyricists, composers and music directors, and singers. The songs of the movie were penned by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra, composed by the greatest music duo in Hindi films: Shankar Jaikishan, and sung by Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar.

If you were wondering as to why I brought the coincidence of Hrishikesh Mukherjee being the director of both the movies whose songs in Raag Bhairavi I have given in quick succession, then here is the main reason:

Hrishikesh’s 1971 movie Anand was based on Raj Kapoor being sick and the fear that Hrishikesh would lose him. That’s why in the movie Anand Saigal is a Punjabi and his doctor Bhasker Banerjee, a Bengali.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Raj Kapoor had a very close friendship. The most talked about movie of Hrishikesh Mukherjee was the 1971 movie Anand starring Rajesh Khanna in the title role and Amitabh Bachchan as his doctor Bhaskar Banerjee. Anand’s character was inspired by Raj Kapoor who was sick then. So fond was Hrishikesh Mukherjee of Raj Kapoor that he was fearful of losing him then. He said Raj Kapoor used to call him Babumoshai as Anand’s character calls the doctor in the film. Hence, we know that Amitabh Bachchan’s Bhaskar Banerjee is based on Hrishikesh Mukherjee himself, keeping the Bengali identity as a clue, and Rajesh Khanna was Anand Saigal, a Punjabi, like Raj Kapoor. That was the extent of their friendship.

(Lata and Mukesh recording O shama mujhe phoonk de)

Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar, the singers of the duet that I am giving you, made some of the most enchanting duets in Raj Kapoor movies. I had a Facebook group called Dil Ki Nazar Se based on the title of their duet in 1959 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Anari. Some of the other are: Aa ab laut chalen, Dum bhar jo udhar moonh phere, and Aaja re ab mera dil pukaara.

We have completed eighty 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 eightieth post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #80‘ and the song was a Jagjit Kaur song from the 1964 Nazar movie Shagun starring Waheeda Rehman and her husband Kamalji: Tum apna ranj-o-gham apni pareshaani mujhe de do. 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 Darbari Kanada – Part II‘.

In the last eighty 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, Shankara, Bahar, Nand and Mian Ki Malhar; making it a total of 61 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, Bhairavi and Mand. Today, I am repeating Raaga Bhairavi again.

Today’s song has been sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh on the lyrics of Shailendra and composition by Shankar Jaikishan. As I said, it is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava. The song is picturised on Raj Kapoor and Padmini. A word about them at this stage:

Padmini with Raj Kapoor in 1960 in Radhu Karmakar movie Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai. Their relationship was the cause of many rumours.

Raj Kapoor acted with Nargis in as many as 17 movies, from 1947 movie Aag to 1956 movie Chori Chori. Once the Raj Kapoor-Nargis era got over, Raj Kapoor was looking for a replacement. During the shooting of Chori Chori in Madras, Raj and Padmini came close as she was working in the next studio. After that they met in Moscow where Raj Kapoor had gone to attend Karlovy Vary Award Function and she was there with her sister Ragini for a Youth Festival. After the sudden departure of Nargis from Moscow, when Raj Kapoor fell ill, it was Padmini who nursed him. Raj Kapoor told his friends that he made the 1960 movie Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai with Padmini to express his gratitude to her. Rumours started abounding that Raj Kapoor was besotted with her due to her ample physicial assets. A proof of that was that Raj Kapoor turned to display her sensuousness in the movies, something that he hadn’t done with Nargis; eg, the song Ho maine pyar kiya picturised on Padmini in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai was done in a swim suit and focussed on her cleavage and sexuality. Padmini was pregnant when she acted with Raj Kapoor in 1962 Hrishikesh Mukherjee Aashiq that was produced by Bunny Reuben and VK Dubey. There were rumours galore when she delivered in the 8th month of her marriage though most of these were later proved to be unfounded.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. Today onwards we shall learn about some of the leading personalities in Indian Classical Music or Shastriya Sangeet. The first one is Ustaad Asad Ali Khan.

You would recall when I told you about Veena and especially Rudra Veena (Please see ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #48‘ and ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #49‘). Even though Veena is the oldest of the Indian musical instruments, after it was replaced by Sitar, very few displayed interest in playing Veena. Ustaad Asad Ali Khan (01 December 1937 – 14 June 2011) was the best Rudra Veena player that we ever had. For his dedication and mastery of the instrument he was awarded Padma Bhushan three years before he died. In addition, as early as in 1977, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award.

Ustaad Asad Ali Khan belonged to a family of Veena players. He represented the Khandarbani Dhrupad style of the Jaipur Beenkar (Indore) gharana. Carsten Wicke (one of his students) in an obituary on his death wrote: “Whether as a musician, teacher, or human being – Khansahib’s biography was an example of how much alive the rudra veena can still be today. Nevertheless, the subtle sound of his veena and his lifelong dedication and self discipline often seemed like a memory from a long gone past already in his lifetime. Strict musical grammar combined with aesthetic refinement and artistic greatness were the wings on which the music flowed from his veena like a prayer. Although a devout Muslim it seemed completely natural to him to articulate his longing for God through the sounds of Hindu-based dhrupad music.”

Ustaad Asad Ali Khan He performed in many countries, including Australia, the United States, Afghanistan, and Italy and several other European countries, and conducted music courses in the United States. He criticised unwillingness in students in India to learn the Rudra Veena.

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava.

Raag Bhairavi is the basic raag of the Bhairavi Thaat. Bhairavi makes use of all the komal swars, Rishabh, Gandhar, Dhaivat, Nishad. When singing compositions in Bhairavi raag, the singers however take liberty to use all the 12 swars. Bhairavi raag is named after the Shakti or feminine aspect of the cosmic life force, which is personified as a consort to Lord Shiva. Bhairavi is a powerful raag filled with devotion and compassion. Its Jati is Sampurna – Sampurna, which means all seven swar (heptatonic) both in Aaroha and Avaroha. I have already told you that in a concert Bhairavi is usually the concluding raaga since it is supposed to cure mistakes of the earlier performances. Hence, if a concert has started at night (which is usually the case), Bhairavi would be played in the wee hours of the morning.

A pleasant sobering atmosphere full of love and piety is created with this raag and one feels so close to the Supreme. Its compositions include several Thumris, Bhajans, Ghazals, Songs etc. Since it is an ocean of immense possibilities the melodic combinations can include all the twelve notes with skill.

I am not giving you again a list of songs composed in Raag Bhairavi as I have already given you this elsewhere.

The song O shama mukhe phoonk de is from the 1962 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Aashiq starring Raj Kapoor, Nanda and Padmini. The team of Hasrat Jaipuri, Shailendra and Shankar Jaikishan created the following beautiful songs; this was of course, penned by Shailendra and has been a personal favourite since my college days. I have been fond of good Urdu poetry and Shailendra has used the metaphor of Shama and Parwana to bring out the contradiction in the situations of the lead actors in the dance.

1	“Yeh To Kaho Kaun Ho Tum”	Mukesh
2	“Tum Jo Hamare Meet Na Hote”	Mukesh
3	“Mehtab Tera Chehra”	Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar
4	“Main Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka”	Mukesh
5	“Jhanan Jhan Jhanke Apni Payal”	Lata Mangeshkar
6	“Lo Aai Milan Ki Raat”	Lata Mangeshkar
7	“O Shama Mujhe Phoonk De”	Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar
8	“Tum Aaj Mere Sang Hans Lo”	Mukesh

When you listen to and watch the song, you are instantly taken in by the treatment that Shankar Jaikishan have given the song. It starts with a slow tempo and then it picks up and changes almost into a frenzy. Meanwhile the female dancers are swaying like flames of candles (Shama) trying to entrap the Parwana (in this case Raj Kapoor) who, like the proverbial Parwana, is only too eager to sacrifice himself in love. One of the reasons that I love the music duo of S-J is that they cause unmatcheable harmony between lyrics and notes and if then we have a director of the eminence of Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the entire sequence leaves you breathless. Finally, I have this to say about S-J’s music: in case of other composers, they merely compose, S-J take you along on a musical journey and when you arrive at the destination, in this case at minute 6:46, you feel close to having been on a roller coaster ride.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava: O shama mukhe phoon de ….

Mu : O shamaa mujhe phuu.nk de
Mai.n na mai.n rahuu.N tuu na tuu rahe
Yahii ishq kaa hai dastuur -2
La : Paravaane jaa hai ajab chalan
Yahaa.N jiite jii apanaa milan
Qismat ko nahii.n ma.njuur -2

Shaam se lekar roz sahar tak tere li_e mai.n saarii raat jalii
Maine to haay ye bhii na jaanaa kab din Duubaa kab raat Dhalii
Phir bhii hai.n milane se majabuur -2
Mu : O shamaa mujhe …

Patthar dil hai.n ye jagavaale jaane na ko_ii mere dil kii jalan -2
Jab se hai janamii pyaar kii duniyaa tujhako hai merii mujhe terii lagan
Tum bin ye duniyaa hai benuur -2
La : Paravaane jaa hai …

Mu : Haay rii qismat a.ndhii qismat dekh sakii naa terii-merii Kushii
La : Haay rii ulfat bebas ulfat ro ke thakii jal-jal ke marii
Do : Dil jo mile kisakaa thaa qasuur -2
Mu : O shamaa mujhe …
La : Paravaane jaa 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:

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.
On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
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.
On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
On the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.
On the eightieth day, we learnt about Tivra Tal.
And today, on the eighty-first day, we learnt about the greatest Rudra Veena player ever: Ustaad Asad Ali Khan.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #80

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Tum apna ranj-o-gham, apni pareshani mujhe de do ….
Raag Pahadi, Tal Dadra

Singer Jagjit Kaur and Music Director Khayyam

Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for Raag Pahadi, the raag of my place in the Himalayas and this is special to me because of all the three people who put it together: Sahir Ludhianvi, Khayyam and his wife Jagjit Kaur. The distance between Ludhiana (Sahir’s city) and the town of Rahon (where Khayyam was born) near Nawanshahr is only about 50 kms. I am much familiar with these places as a greater part of my childhood was spent in the village of Urapur (my maternal grandparents place), roughly 16 kms from Rahon and 34 Kms from Ludhiana.

Why should I be fond of Khayyam’s songs other than the place connection? Well, simple; he has Raag Pahadi as his favourite raag and many of his songs are composed in this. These include the film Noorie’s Chori chori koi aaye and the title song: Aaja re aaja re mere dilvar aaja. There is one more reason and that is that Mohammad Zahur Khayyam Hashmi decided to donate his entire wealth of about Rupees Ten Crores to the trust founded by him as KPJ Trust (K for Khayyam, P for their late son Pradeep (they lost him in 2012) and J for his wife Jagjit) to support budding artists and technicians in India.

Jagjit Kaur, his wife, belongs to a wealthy Punjabi zamindari family. Her marriage to Khayyam was an inter-caste wedding, looked down upon by her immediate society. She has sung only a few songs in Hindi movies and she has the distinction that all of these are memorable songs including the one I am giving now.

Sahir Ludhianvi, the lyricist of this song, was born in a Muslim Gujjar family in Karimpura village of Ludhiana in Punjab. He had to, at a very young age, witness his father being estranged from his mother, his mother Sardar Begum leaving his father and forfeiting all claims to his property, and his father making abortive attempts to get custody of him (Abdul Hayee was the name he was born with). Interestingly, many of Sahir’s songs reflect the condition of women in the society including the famous: Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko. Sahir got composer Khayyam his first Filmfare Award for the title song of 1976 movie Kabhi Kabhi, for which he received his second and last Filmfare Award as Music Director (after Taj Mahal in 1963).

We have completed seventy-nine 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-ninth post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #79‘ and the song was a Mukesh song from the 1959 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Anari starring Raj Kapoor and Nutan: Sab kuchh seekha hamne na seekhi hoshiyari. It is in Raag Bhairavi, 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 I‘.

In the last seventy-nine 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, Shankara, Bahar, Nand and Mian Ki Malhar; making it a total of 61 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, Bhairavi and Mand. Today, I am repeating Raaga Pahadi again.

Today’s song has been sung by Jagjit Kaur on the lyrics of Sahir Ludhianvi and composition by Khayyam. As I said, it is in Raag Pahadi, Tal Dadra.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. We have already taken up quite a few Tala or Taals or Tals. Today, we shall take up Tivra Tal. I have so far told you about Tal and its various characteristics and then taken up with you the following Tals: Kaherava, Dadra, Tintal, Dipchandi, Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani, Ektal, Rupak Tal and Jhaptal.

Tivra Tal, is also referred to as tivratal, teevra, or teevra Tal. It was a common 7-matra tal of Hindustani Music, used extensively in Dhrupad style of music.

Tivra is part of the pakhawaj (a North Indian version of Mridangam) tradition. This tradition did not have a single theka that I told you about, but instead used a series of simple accompaniment patterns known as thapi.

Tivra tal began to fall out of fashion as the Dhrupad fell out of fashion in the last century. Just as the Khayal replaced Dhrupad, Rupak Tal replaced Tivra.

The Clap and Wave arrangements are:

clap, 2, 3, wave, 2, clap, 2

And the Theka is:

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Pahadi, Tal Dadra.

I am not giving you again a list of songs composed in Raag Pahadi as I have already given you this elsewhere.

The song Tum apna ranj-o-gham, apni pareshani mujhe de do is from the 1964 Nazar movie Sahgun starring Waheeda Rehman and her husband Kamaljit. Some part of the movie was shot in Nainital where I was scheduled to go this September for a holiday; but, for the sad demise of my mother. I enjoy another two songs from the movie: Parbaton ke pedon par shaam ka basera hai (Also in Raag Pahadi sung by Mohammad Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur) and Tum chali jayogi parchhaayian reh jaayengi sung by Mohammad Rafi.

Please enjoy in Raag Pahadi, Tal Dadra: Tum apna ranj-o-gham, apni pareshani mujhe de do ….

Tum apanaa ra.nj-o-Gam, apanI pareshaanI mujhe de do
Tumhe.n Gam kii qasam, is dil kI vIrAnI mujhe de do (?)

Ye maanaa mai.n kisii qaabil nahii.n huu.N in nigaaho.n me.n – 2
Buraa kyaa hai agar, ye dukh ye hairaanI mujhe de do
Tum apanaa …

Mai.n dekhuu.N to sahii, duniyaa tumhe.n kaise sataatI hai – 2
KoI din ke liye, apanI nigahabaanI mujhe de do
Tum apanaa …

Vo dil jo maine maa.ngaa thaa magar gairo.n ne paayaa – 2
Ba.DI inaayat hai agar, usakI pashemaanI mujhe de do
Tum apanaa …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8Yr1OOeOT8

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:

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.
On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
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.
On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
On the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.
And today, on the eightieth day, we learnt about Tivra Tal.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #79

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Sab kuchh seekha hamane na seekhi hoshiyari ….
Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava

Shailendra, Jaikishan, Shankar and Mukesh

Ladies and gentlemen, tonight I give you, as promised earlier, pièce de résistance of a song in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava. As you can make out in the accompanying picture, this is from the team of Lyricist Shailendra, Music Duo Shankar Jaikishan and Singer Mukesh. First about Jaikishan. Raag Bhairavi was his favourite raaga to compose songs in. He was so fond of composing in this raag that many of S-J’s movies had more than one song composed in Bhairavi; indeed, many had four to five songs in the same raag. The song I am taking up today is from the 1959 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Anari. In addition to this song in Raag Bhairavi sung by Mukesh, there was another beautiful number in the same raag in the movie, sung by Lata Mangeshkar: Tera jaana dil ke armaano ka lut jaana.

Now about Lyricist Shailendra (Please see: ‘The Best Song Of Shailendra, The Lyricist Beyond Compare – Part I‘ and ‘The Best Song Of Shailendra, The Lyricist Beyond Compare – Part II‘). When the Filmfare award for best lyricist was introduced, Shailendra was the first one to win it in 1958, for his Yahudi song: Yeh mera deewanapan hai. Next year, he again won the same award for this song. Finally, he won it in 1968 for his Brahmachari song: Main gaayun tum so jao. His songs often had that deep meaning attribute that was best seen in the songs of the movie that he produced: Teesri Kasam (songs such as: Sajan re jhoot mat bolo khuda ke paas jaana hai), Duniya banane waale kya tere man mein samaayi, and Sajanva bairi ho gaye hamaar). The failure of this movie led to his death, at a very young age of 43 years on 14 Dec 1966 and we lost one of the best lyricists in Hindi films.

As far as singer Mukesh Chand Mathur is concerned, he was best known as the singing voice of actor Raj Kapoor though he sang for Manoj Kumar, Sunil Dutt, and even Dilip Kumar, amongst others. This song is a remarkably unique song as seen in the picture; it won Filmfare Awards for all three associated with the making of the song: Lyricist Shailendra, Composer Shankar Jaikishan and Singer Mukesh. Mukesh won Filmfare Awards for Best Singer four times: three times for songs composed by Shankar Jaikishan (the other two times for singing for Manoj Kumar) and once with Khayyam in the title song of Kabhi KabhiThe song was selected by me as my profile song as it best describes my own feelings.

We have completed seventy-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 seventy-eighth post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #78’ and the song was a Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1971 Sunil Dutt movie Reshma Aur Shera starring Sunil Dutt and Waheeda Rehman: Tu chanda main chandani. It is in Raag Mand, 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 Bhimpalasi – Part II‘.

In the last seventy-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, 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, Shankara, Bahar, Nand and Mian Ki Malhar; making it a total of 61 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, Bhairavi and Mand. Today, I am repeating Raaga Bhairavi again.

The title songs of Raj Kapoor movies were generally in Raag Bhairavi

Today’s song has been sung by Mukesh on the lyrics of Shailendra and composition by Shankar Jaikishan. As I said, it is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava. Finally, lets talk a bit about title songs of Raj Kapoor movies. Raj Kapoor was famous for giving us a song containing the title of the movie that he acted in. Hence, there was a song: Awara hoon from 1951 movie Awara. This song became an international hit and was also in Raag Bhairavi. Then there was Barsaat mein hamase mile tum sajan from 1949 movie Barsaat, also in Raag Bhairavi. The song we are taking up tonight is from 1959 movie Anari and has the title of the movie in the mukhada. It also is in Raag Bhairavi. Even the song Satyam Shivam Sundaram had the title of the 1978 movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram in it, though composed in Darbari Kanada by Laxmikant Pyarelal after Jaikishan was no more. The song Mera naam Raju gharana anaam had the name of the 1960 movie Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai and was also in Raag Bhairavi. One can safely conclude that it was more of a rule than exception.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. We have already taken up quite a few Tala or Taals or Tals. Today, we shall take up Ektal. We took up a song in this tal on the 47th day: Man Mohana bade jhuthe. It was in Raag Jaijaivanti. The 1956 movie Basant Bahar’s best song Ketaki, gulab, juhi, champak ban phule was also in Ektal.

Ektal is a very popular tal. It is common in classical music such as the khayal, and semiclassical forms such as Rabindra Sangeet.

It has a simple structure: 12 matras divided into of six vibhags of two matras each. Its clapping arrangement is clap, tap, wave, tap, clap, tap, wave, tap, clap, tap, clap ,tap.

It is most associated with the khayal style of singing. A particular movement known as bada kheyal or vilambit kheyal is performed almost exclusively in very slow ektal. However, ektal is also performed in fast khayal as well.

The name “ektal” literally means “one-clap”. How the name came is a mystery since it has four claps:

clap, 2, wave, 2, clap, 2, wave, 2, clap, 2, clap, 2

The Theka is:

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava.

Raag Bhairavi is the basic raag of the Bhairavi Thaat. Bhairavi makes use of all the komal swars, Rishabh, Gandhar, Dhaivat, Nishad. When singing compositions in Bhairavi raag, the singers however take liberty to use all the 12 swars. Bhairavi raag is named after the shakti or feminine aspect of the cosmic life force, which is personified as a consort to Lord Shiva. Bhairavi is a powerful raag filled with devotion and compassion. Its Jati is Sampurna – Sampurna, which means all seven swar (heptatonic) both in Aaroha and Avaroha. I have already told you that in a concert Bhairavi is usually the concluding raaga since it is supposed to cure mistakes of the earlier performances. Hence, if a concert has started at night (which is usually the case), Bhairavi would be played in the wee hours of the morning.

I am not giving you again a list of songs composed in Raag Bhairavi as I have already given you this elsewhere.

The song Sab kuchh seekha hamane na seekhi hoshiyari is from the 1959 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Anari starring Raj Kapoor and Nutan. It received five Filmfare awards, three for this song: Lyricist, Singer and Composer. The others were: Actor Raj Kapoor and Supporting Actress Lalita Pawar.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava: Sab kuchh seekha hamane na seekhi hoshiyari…….

Sab kuchh siikhaa hamane naa siikhii hoshiyaarii
Sach hai duniyaavaalo.n ki ham hai.n anaa.Dii

Duniyaa ne kitanaa samajhaayaa
Kaun hai apanaa kaun paraayaa
Phir bhii dil kii choT chhupaa kar
Hamane aapakaa dil bahalaayaa
Khud pe mar miTane kii ye zid thii hamaarii (2)
Sach hai duniyaavaalo.n ki ham hai.n anaa.Dii

Asalii nakalii chehare dekhe
Dil pe sau sau pahare dekhe
Mere dukhate dil se puuchho
Kyaa kyaa khvaab sunahare dekhe
TuuTaa jis taare pe nazar thii hamaarii (2)
Sach hai duniyaavaalo.n ki ham hai.n anaa.Dii

Dil kaa chaman uja.Date dekhaa
Pyaara kaa ra.nga utarate dekhaa
Hamane har jiine vaale ko
Dhan daulat pe marate dekhaa
Dil pe marane vaale mare.nge bhikhaarii (2)
Sach hai duniyaavaalo.n ki ham hai.n anaa.Dii

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLZoBJxlQBA

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:

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.
On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
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.
On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
And today, on the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #78

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Tu chanda main chandani ….
Raag Mand, Tal Dadra

Ladies and gentlemen, tonight’s song is special on several counts. Here are some of them in no particular order. The first reason is the composer Jaidev. He did it to Sunil Dutt and Waheeda Rehman in the 1963 movie Mujhe Jeene Do with the song: Raat bhi hai kuchh bheegi bheegi. Eight years later, he did it again in the 1971 movie Reshma Aur Shera with this song.

The second reason is the singing in Raag Mand by Lata Mangeshkar. She is my favourite female singer and she simply floored me with her singing as she did in the 1999 movie Lekin’s song in the same raaga and tal that I gave you earlier: Kesariya balma (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #24‘). The third are the histrionics of Sunil Dutt and Waheeda. Eight years ago they did it in Moni Bhattacharjee’s Mujhe Jeene Do. Here they are back with Reshma Aur Shera, a movie produced and directed by Sunil Dutt.

One of the more significant reasons is known to my close friends, which is my number one theme in songs: Chand. In my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne (actually its predecessor Dil Ki Nazar Se), the very first Fest theme was Chand (Please see: ‘Hindi Songs And The Importance Of Chand‘). Indeed, Sunil Dutt is picturised with Madhubala in a fantasy scene of mine (Boat in a lake on a full moon light) in a song put together by lyricist Shailendra, composer SD Burman and singers Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle: Chand sa mukhada kyun shrmaaya.

We have completed seventy-seven 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-seventh post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #77‘ and the song was a Vani Jairam song from the 1971 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Guddi starring Jaya Bahaduri in the title role and Dharmendra: Bole re papihara, papihara. It is in Raag Mian Ki Malhar, 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 Bhimpalasi – Part I‘.

In the last seventy-seven 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, Shankara, Bahar, Nand and Mian Ki Malhar; making it a total of 61 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 repeating Raaga Mand.

Today’s song has been sung by Lata Mangeshkar on the lyrics of Balkavi Bairagi and composition by Jaidev. As I said, it is in Raag Mand, Tal Kaherava. Finally, lets talk a bit about Balkavi Bairagi, poet, writer, and lyricist. He was born in village Rampur in Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh. Besides this song, he has another to his credit, also composed by Jaidev: Mujhako bhi Radha bana le Nandlal for the 1984 movie Ankahee.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. We have already taken up quite a few Tala or Taals or Tals. Today, we shall take up Jhaptal. We haven’t taken up a single song in this tal but we shall do so shortly.

Jhaptal is one of the most common talas in Hindustani music after Tintal or Teental. It is a ten beat tal. These ten beats are arranged in four vibhags comprising clap, clap, wave, clap respectively. Jhaptal is used in a variety of classical and semiclassical settings. It may be found in the Khayal, Tarana, Bhajan, and Rabindra Sangeet, all of which we have learnt earlier. Series of Claps and Waves are: clap, 2, clap, 2, 3, wave, 2, clap, 2, 3. The Theka is:

Some of the songs with Jhaptal are: Awaz deke hamen na bulaao (Raag Shivaranjani), Aansu bhari hain ye jeevan ki raahen (Raag Kalyan), Bhaye bhanjana (Raag Mian Ki Malhar), Chali re chali re main to des praaye (Raag Tilak Kamod), Ghayal hiraniya (Raag Tilak Kamod), Masoom chehra (Raag Bhimpalasi), Pyara hamara munna (Raag Brindavani Sarang), Savere ka suraj tumhaare liye hai (Raag Kalyan), Sharaabi sharaabi ye sawan ka mausam (Raag Gaur Malhar), Sudh bisar gayi ajaa (Raag Hemant), Tumhen zindagi ke ujaale mubarak (Raag Darbari Kanada), and Zamaane ka dastoor hai ye puraana (Raag Kalyan).

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Mand, Tal Kaherava.

Raag Mand belongs to Bilawal Thaat. The other raagas belonging to this thaat are: Deskar, Hamsadhwani, and Bihag. In Bhatkhande’s system, the most basic Thaat is Bilawal. Raag Bilawal occurs in Sri Guru Granth Sahib exactly half way through, that is, it is the 16th raaga out of 31 raagas in SGGS. It occurs from page 795 to 859. In an Akhand Paath (unbroken recital), it normally occurs on the next day morning and hence it is easy to conclude that it is an early morning raaga.

Being the most basic Thaat, Bilawal is used as a reference Thaat for all other thaats. A thaat must have seven notes (swar) out of a total of twelve notes (seven shuddha, four komal (Re, Ga, Dha, Ni) and one teevra (Ma) placed in an ascending order. Hence, a thaat has only aaroha. It would be easy to visualise that thaats by themselves are not sung but the raagas belonging to them are sung. I have already told you that thaats are named after the popular raaga of that thaat; eg, Bhairavi is a thaat named after the raag Bhairavi.

One reason for Bilawal being the basic thaat is because all the swars in the thaat are shuddha, ie, in their natural scale. One never hears of Bilawal raaga these days except in SGGS. However, a variation of the raag called Alhaiya Bilawal is very common.

Raag Mand, belonging to Bilawal Thaat has all shuddha swar too. Its Jati is is Sampurna-Sampurna (Vakra). The best part of the raaga is that it is a light melody that sounds very natural (shuddha swar) but is rendered with great difficulty. No bandishes like bada-khayaals are rendered in this raaga. It is aptly suited for bhajans and ghazals. The basic format belongs to the folk tune of Rajasthan, which is the sung during festive occasions like birthdays, and marriages.

In the 1991 movie Lekin, a song in Raag Mand, Tal Dadra was sung by Lata Mangeshkar, my favourite female singer in the movies, ie, Kesariya baalma. Indeed, if you look at the list of songs in Raag Mand, you would see that most of these have been sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Here is a representative list:

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

Kise Karta Moorakh
Mushqil Hai Bahut Muhkil
Bachpan Ki Mohabbat
Dekh Liya Main Ne
Jo Main Janati
Bala Main Bairagan
Do Dil TooteAb To Hai Tumse
Thade Rahiyo
Aaj Sach Hua
Kesariya Balamaa
Aao gori Aao Shyama

Achhuut Kanya
Mahal
Baiju Bawara
Deedar
Shabab
Meera
Heer RanjhaAbhimaan
Pakeezah
Swarg Narak
Lekin
Tansen

Ashok Kumar
Lata
Lata
Lata, Rafi
Lata
Vani Jayaram
LataLata
Lata
Lata
Lata
Khursheed

The song Tu chanda main chandani is from the 1971 Sunil Dutt movie Reshma Aur Shera starring Sunil Dutt and Waheeda Rehman. It was well received by the critics internationally and was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 22nd Berlin International Film Festival. It was selected as the Indian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 44th Academy Awards but was not accepted as a nominee.

Please enjoy in Raag Mand, Tal Kaherava: Tu chanda main chandani…….

Tuu cha.ndaa mai.n chaa.ndanii, tuu taruvar mai.n shaakh re
Tuu baadal mai.n bijurii, tuu pa.nchhii mai.n paat re

Naa sarovar, naa baava.Dii, naa koI Tha.nDii chhaa.nv
Naa koyal, naa papiiharaa, aisaa meraa gaa.nv re
Kahaa.N bujhe tan kii tapan, o saiyaa.n siramol
Cha.ndra-kiran to chho.D kar, jaae kahaa.N chakor
Jaag uThii hai saa.nvare, merii kuaa.nrii pyaas re
(Piyaa) a.ngaare bhii lagane lage aaj mujhe madhumaas re

Tujhe aa.nchal mai.n rakhuu.Ngii o saa.nvare
Kaalii alako.n se baa.Ndhuu.Ngii ye paa.nv re
Chal baiyaa.N vo Daaluu.n kii chhuuTe nahii.n
Meraa sapanaa saajan ab TuuTe nahii.n
Me.nhadii rachii hatheliyaa.N, mere kaajar-vaale nain re
(Piyaa) pal pal tujhe pukaarate, ho ho kar bechain re

O mere saavan saajan, o mere si.nduur
Saajan sa.ng sajanii banii, mausam sa.ng mayuur
Chaar pahar kii chaa.ndanii, mere sa.ng biThaa
Apane haatho.n se piyaa mujhe laal chunar u.Dhaa
Kesariyaa dharatii lage, ambar laalam-laal re
A.ng lagaa kar saahib re, kar de mujhe nihaal re

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:

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.
On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
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.
On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
And today, on the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #77

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Bole re papihara, papihara ….
Raag Mian Ki Malhar, Tal Kaherava

Vasant Desai with Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Vani Jairam and others in the recording studio (Pic courtesy: Hamara Photos)

Having raaga based songs of the day, without these two Vs – that is Vani Jairam and Vasant Desai – sounds a bit out of place. They featured together in the 1971 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Guddi that starred Jaya Bahaduri in the title role with Dharmendra as film-star Dharmendra that she was fascinated by as any young girl of her age. The song was penned by Gulzar.

First, a word about Vani Jairam. Vani Jairam or Jayaram is known as the Meera of modern India. In her four and half decades of singing career she has recorded more than 10000 songs in over 1000 Indian movies including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malyalam, Maratha, Odiya, Bengali and Gujarati. She has been awarded the National Award for Best Female Playback Singer three times and has won two Filmfare Awrads: One for Best Female Playback Singer in 1980 (for Meera’s song Mere to Giridhar Gopal composed by Pandit Ravi Shankar in Raag Khammaj, Tal Dadra/Hinch) and one in 2013, the South India Filmfare Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Vasant Desai lived between 9th June 1912 and 22 Dec 1975. Everyone has heard his song: Ai malik tere bande ham penned by Bharat Vyas for the 1953 V Shantaram movie Do Aankhen Barha Haath. I have already given you a song from his 1959 Vijay Bhatt movie Goonj Uthi Shehnai: Tere sur aur mere geet (Raag Bihag, Tal Dadra). He also composed for 1955 V Shantaram movie Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje and a number of other movies.

We have completed seventy-six 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-sixth post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #76‘ and the song was a Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1966 Raj Khosla movie Mera Saya starring Sunil Dutt and Sadhana: Tu jahan jahan chalega mera saya saath hoga. It is in Raag Nand, 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 III‘.

In the last seventy-six 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, Shankara, Bahar and Nand; making it a total of 60 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 Mian Ki Malhar. That makes it a total of 61 raagas so far.

Today’s song has been sung by Vani Jairam on the lyrics of Gulzar and composition by Vasant Desai. As I said, it is in Raag Mian Ki Malhar, Tal Kaherava. Finally, lets talk a bit about Gulzar, the most versatile Lyricist that we have had in Hindi films: He has been poet, lyricist, director, dialogue, story and screen-play writer. He was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award — the highest award in Indian cinema. He has won several Indian National Film Awards, 20 Filmfare Awards, one Academy Award and one Grammy Award.

Shall we go head-long into the song? No, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. We have already taken up the list of Hindustani Classical Music Festivals in India and Abroad. Today, we shall take up the list of Carnatic Classical Music Festivals in India and Abroad.

So, today, you are really interested in Indian Classical Music and would like to attend a festival near your place. Here is a list of festivals that are held in India for Carnatic Classical Music (Source: Wikipedia):

Sl. No.	Festival Name	Ist Yr	Country	State	City
1.	Tyagaraja Aradhana	1846	India	Tamilnadu	Thiruvaiyaru
2.	Chembai Sangeetholsavam	1910	India	Kerala	Guruvayur
3.	Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh	1920	India	U.P.	Varanasi
4.	Madras Music Season	1927	India	Tamilnadu	Chennai
5.	Kalasagaram Annual Cultural Festival	1967	India	A.P.	Secunderabad
6.	Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival	1978	USA	Ohio	Cleveland
7.	Parampara Series – Andhri	1997	India	Telengana	Hyderabad
8.	Swathi (Navarathri) Sangeethotsavam		India	Kerala	Thiruvanthapuram
9.	Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru	2005	India	Tamilnadu	Chennai
10.	Theerthapada Sangeethotsavam	1988	India	Kerala	Thiruvanthapuram

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Mian Ki Malhar, Tal Kaherava.

Raag Mian Ki Malhar is a variation of Raag Malhar that belongs to Kafi Thaat. Earlier, I had given you a song in Raag Megh Malhar: Dukh bhare din beete re (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #20‘). Its Jati is Shadhav – Audhav. Mian Ki Malhar is a variation introduced by Mian Tansen (one of the ratnas in the court of the Emperor Akbar), which follows the swaras: S R g m P D n N. Though Mian Ki Malhar and Raga Bahar have the same tone material, the melodic movements in Mian Ki Malhar are rather serious and slow, moving more in the lower tetra-chord, whereas movements in Bahar are more sprightly and centre around the high Sa. Bhatkhande describes this raag as a mixture of Malhar and Kanada. This melody is associated with torrential rain and can thus be sung during rains at any time.

Some other songs composed in Raag Mian Ki Malhar are: Baadal ghumad bhar aaye (Tal Tintal), Bhaye bhanjana…darasa tere maange main tera pujari (Tal Jhaptal), Karo sab nichhavar (Tal Jhaptal), Na na barso baadal (Tal Kaherava), Nach mere mora zara nach (Tal Dadra), and Nach re mayur (Tal Kaherava).

The song Bole re papihara, papihara is from the 1971 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Guddi starring Jaya Bahaduri and Dharmendra. It was later remade in Tamil as Cinema Paithiyam (1975) starring Jayachitra and Kamal Haasan.

All three songs of the movie were sung by Vani Jairam. Besides the song that I am giving you, the other two are: Hari bin kaise jiyun, and Hamako man ki shakti dena.

Please enjoy in Raag Mian Ki Malhar, Tal Kaherava: Bole re papihara, papihara…….

Bole re papiiharaa papiiharaa
Nit ghan barase, nit man pyaasaa
Nit man pyaasaa, nit man tarase
Bole re…

Palako.n par ik buu.Nd sajaae
BaiThii huu.N saavan le jaae
Jaae pii ke des me.n barase
Nit man pyaasaa, nit man tarase
Bole re…

Saavan jo sa.ndesaa laae
Merii aa.Nkh pe motii chhaae
Jaae mile baabul ke ghar se
Nit man pyaasaa, nit man tarase
Bole re…

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:

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.
On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
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.
On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
And today, on the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #76

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Tu jahan jahan chalega mera saya saath hoga ….
Raag Nand, Tal Kaherava

Lata Mangeshkar flanked by Laxmikant Pyarelal with Sadhana and Raj Khosla on the right (Pic courtesy: Learning and Creativity)

Some of Lata Mangeshkar’s best songs are picturised on Sadhana. These include: O sajana barkha bahar aayi, Mere mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam, Nainon mein badra chhaye, Lag jaa gale ke phir, Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim and Tera mera pyaar amar phir kyun mujhako lagata hai dar. Many of these have been composed by Lata ji’s “Madan bhaiyya”, ie, Madan Mohan. Many of these are from Raj Khosla movies; he made a triology of suspense movies starring Sadhana: Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saya and Anita. This one is from his 1966 movie Mera Saya, the title song of the movie. Sadhana had Sunil Dutt opposite her in the movie.

We have completed seventy-five 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-fifth post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #75‘ and the song was a Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1961 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Chhaya starring Sunil Dutt, Asha Parekh and Nirupa Roy: Chham chham nachat aayi bahar. It is in Raag Bahar, Tal Tintal, Punjabi Theka, 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 seventy-five 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, Shankara and Bahar; making it a total of 59 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 Nand. That makes it a total of 60 raagas so far.

Today’s song has been sung by Lata Mangeshkar on the lyrics of Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and composition by Madan Mohan. As I said, it is in Raag Nand, Tal Kaherava.

However, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. Today, we shall learn about list of Hindustani Classical Music Festivals in India and Abroad.

So, now, you are really interested in Indian Classical Music and would like to attend a festival near your place. Here is a list of festivals that are held in India for Hindustani Classical Music (Source: Wikipedia):

Sl. No.	Festival Name	Ist Yr	Country	State	City
1.	Rajarani Music Festival (Annual Event)		India	Odisha	Bhubaneswar
2.	Qutub Festival		India	Delhi	New Delhi
3.	Karikan Parameshwari moonlight Sangeeta Festival		India	Karnataka	Honnavar
4.	Gunidaas Sangeet Samaroh		India	Maharashtra	Mumbai
5.	Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan	1875	India	Punjab	Jalandhar
6.	Tansen Samaroh	1950s	India	M.P.	Gwalior
7.	Swami Haridas Sangeet Sammelan	1952	India	Maharashtra	Mumbai
8.	Dover Lane Music Conference	1952	India	West Bengal	Kolkata
9.	Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival	1953	India	Maharashtra	Pune
10.	Uttarpada Sangeet Chakra	1955	India	West Bengal	Uttarpada
11.	Sabrang Utsav	1968	India	Delhi	Delhi
12.	ITC SRA Sangeet Sammelan	1971	India	Various	Various
13.	Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroh	1972	India	A.P.	Hyderabad
14.	Saptak Festival of Music	1980	India	Gujarat	Ahmedabad
15.	Ganga Mahotsava	1985	India	Various	Varanasi
16.	Nila Festival, Kerala Kalamandalam	1986	India	Kerala	Cheruthuruthy
17.	Pandit Chatur Lal Festival	1990	India	New Delhi	Delhi
18.	Sangeet Martand Ustad Chand Khan Music Festival	1992	India	New Delhi	Delhi
19.	Virasat	1995	India	Various	Various
20.	Ruhaniyat – The All India Sufi & Mystic Music Festival	2001	India	Various	Mumbai/Various
21.	Jahan-e-Khusrau	2001	India	New Delhi	Delhi
22.	Sitar in Petersburg	2008	Russia	NW District	St. Petersburg
23.	SwaraZankar Music Festival	2009	India	Maharashtra	Pune
24.	Riwaayat	2010	India	A.P.	Hyderabad
25.	Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival	2010	India	U.P.	Lucknow
26.	Citi-NCPA Aadi Anant Festival	2010	India	Maharashtra	Mumbai
27.	Chaturprahar	2011	India	Maharashtra	Mumbai
28.	Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival, Hyderabad	2012	India	A.P.	Hyderabad
29.	Swara Samrat Festival (One time event)	2013	India	West Bengal	Kolkata
30.	Tihai, Shatatantri Media September 18-20	2014	USA	San Francisco	California

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Nand, Tal Kaherava.

Raag Nand belongs to Kalyan Thaat. Its Jati is Shadhav – Sampurna Vakra (Rishabh Varjya in Aaroha, Both Madhyams. Rest all Shuddha Swaras). Raag Nand is also known as Anandi, Anandi Kalyan or Nand Kalyan. This melody impresses instantly and without any difficulty creates its own unique mood. It is to be performed during the second prahar of the night, ie, 9 PM to Midnight.

I do not know of any other song composed in Raag Nand.

The song Tu jahan jahan chalega mera saya saath hoga is from the 1966 Raj Khosla movie Mera Saya starring Sunil Dutt and Sadhana. The film was inspired by Marathi film called Pathlaag (Chase) but Mera Saaya was remake of Tamil film Idhaya Kamalam.

The movie had beautiful songs penned by Raj Mehdi Ali Khan and composed by Madan Mohan. Besides this, the movie had others:

1	“Jhumka Gira Re”	Asha Bhosle	03:29
2	“Aap Ke Pahloo Mein”	Mohammed Rafi	03:32
3	“Mera Saaya Saath”	Lata Mangeshkar	06:02
4	“Nainon Mein Badra”	Lata Mangeshkar	03:34
5	“Nainon Wali Ne”	Asha Bhosle	02:56
6	“Mera Saaya Saath – 2”	Lata Mangeshkar	04:21

Please enjoy in Raag Nand, Tal Kaherava: Tu jahan jahan chalega, mera saya saath hoga…….

Tuu jahaa.N jahaa.N chalegaa, meraa saayaa, saath hogaa
Meraa saayaa, meraa saayaa

Kabhii mujhako yaad karake, jo bahe.nge tere aa.Nsuu
To vahii.n pe rok le.nge, unhe.n aake mere aa.Nsuu
Tuu jidhar kaa rukh karegaa, meraa saayaa, saath hogaa …

Tuu agar udaas hogaa, to udaas huu.Ngii mai.n bhii
Nazar aauu.N yaa naa aauu.N, tere paas huu.Ngii mai.n bhii
Tuu kahii.n bhii jaa rahegaa, meraa saayaa, saath hogaa …

Mai.n agar bichha.D bhii jaauu.N, kabhii meraa Gam na karanaa
Meraa pyaar yaad karake, kabhii aa.Nkh nam na karanaa
Tuu jo mu.Dake dekh legaa, meraa saayaa, saath hogaa …

Meraa Gam rahaa hai shaamil, tere dukh me.n, tere Gam me.n
Mere pyaar ne diyaa hai, teraa saath har janam me.n
Tuu koI janam bhii legaa, meraa saayaa saath hogaa …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9ENm1Frqxc

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:

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.
On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
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.
On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
And today, on the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

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:

“Through small video clip lessons where you can actually view and listen as if face to face how to sing & play. Also complete notations and explanations are given.There is no substitute to a good teacher or coach (a guru) near you. These lessons will help if you can not find any music teacher or coach near you.

If you want to learn Indian Music in any form – Classical or light e.g. Raag or Ghazal/film songs, it is important to learn basics of Indian Hindustani Classical Music in a systematic way through Sa Re Ga Ma Pa … and Raag. Our lessons at Sharda will help you to learn from beginning for beginners and advanced for those who have already learned in easy to follow step by step lessons. These lessons are for all ages. More and more lessons are added every month.

With Free lessons there will be Premium Lessons for which you will need to pay just $5 per month or less to view ALL Premium lessons for Vocal and Sitar both. This is just to cover the costs. There are more discounted Membership Options.”

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:

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2.
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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:

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.
On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
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.
On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
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!

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