This is the first time in over last 5 years (or even more ) that I have not been to Goa for an year ! My November is invariably spent in Goa. The Covid pandemic this year has prevented my travels, official as well as leisure !
I have explored Goa , north to south , east to west. I am especially fond of Madgaon , Panjim and Mapusa. During 2000-2002 , I lived in Wilmington, North Carolina. I find a glaring similarity between the cities of Wilmington and Panjim-Vasco area especially in terms of geography where a river meets the sea.. a port .. an airport and the calm pace in life on the coast.
I must mention clearly here that visiting Goa once a year is a bliss and fun, staying there for too long may not be so !
Here are links to albums and blogs, I have written every November during my yearly sojourn to Goa and Surashree Kesarbai Kerkar Classical Music Festival.
Some songs are like a "Khyaal" of classical music .. they have a capacity to bring out huge novels and stories through their words and tunes. They make us visualize a story instantly... a story that runs like a movie in front of ones eyes !
This blog is about three such songs, one in English and one in Marathi .. and a related song in Konkani.. I am searching for songs in other languages with similar themes.
Jamaica Farewell in English and "नको वळून बघू माघारी" in Marathi have a kind of similar theme described from two sides, one on land and one on sea !! I had blogged about these two songs and their relationship earlier in 2018, that could be found here. (Jamaica Farewell - नको वळून बघू )
These two songs from two different languages depict a theme / story / " ख्याल" with a theme of missing a loved one at the shore while on sea. To me, a picture of Goa comes to mind instantly as the lover misses his "girl" as he is away on the sea and would not be back for many days. The Marathi song on the other hand describes the thoughts of the "little girl" left behind on shore by her lover !
That "Kingston" from Jamaica Farewell is definitely close to "राजापूर" of Konkan - Goa !
I want to add a third song to this theme, a song in Konkani - Marathi " माझे राणी " that is more positive where the lover arrives back searching for her "beloved" queen after a long .. They finally meet and the circle is complete !
-------- गीत : शांता शेळके संगीत : हृदयनाथ स्वर : लता , सुरेश वाडकर ----------
Original song from Film Mahananda
One more version in Konkani
नको वळून बघू माघारी
नको वळुन बघू माघारी जा रे खुशाल दर्यावरी
तुझ्या नि माझ्या प्रीतिची रे संगती घेऊन शिदोरी आठवणींची
तुझी लाडकी उनाड होडी बघुन समिंदर होइल वेडी आणि तयाला कवळायाला सारखी घेइल उडी त्या क्षणी याद तुला येऊन माझी जाशिल कळवळुनी
नाही सोबती तुझ्या संगती एकटाच तू दर्यावरती बघुन तुला रे येतिल वरती रत्‍नं सुंदर किती त्यामधे नाही तुझी राणी, पाहुनी होशिल खिन्‍न मनी
कशी खुळी ती आभाळातुनी नक्षत्रं ही तुला हेरूनी डोळे मोडुनि नाचुनी चमकुनी येतिल खाली जरी रे आठवेल रे झोपडीतली मिणमिणती चांदणी
-------- गीत : मो. ग. रांगणेकर संगीत : केशवराव भोळे स्वर : ज्योत्स्ना भोळे
----------
Jamaica Fairwell by Harry Belafonte
Down the way where the nights are gay And the sun shines daily on the mountain top I took a trip on a sailing ship And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way Won't be back for many a day My heart is down, my head is turning around I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town
Down the market you can hear Ladies cry out while on their heads they bear 'Akey' rice, salt fish are nice And the rum is fine any time of year
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way Won't be back for many a day My heart is down, my head is turning around I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town
Sounds of laughter everywhere And the dancing girls sway to and fro I must declare my heart is there Though I've been from Maine to Mexico
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way Won't be back for many a day My heart is down, my head is turning around I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town
The Hindustani classical music is like a flowing river, constantly
changing its form from the Dhrupad ,to Khayal of Amir Khusroo to Modern
day Khayal of Gharanas to Current mix of Khayal and light classical
blend. This transformation is ongoing for ages and the audience is the
determining factor that decides the further growth and transformation !
We all connoisseurs are just spectators and unbiased witness to this change and transformation !
The transformation of classicalness to massicalness was a forced transformation necessitated by the loss patronage by princely states of India, due to their fall after Indian Independence. In order to popularize music among larger population and gain patronage, festivals like Sawai Gandharva Mahotsav in 1950s , musicians initiated "marketing" tricks to attract
more audience and patrons for the Hindustani Classical Music ! Most of
these Classical Music festivals in India were started by musicians
themselves to make Classical Music more "accessible" and "popular" among
general masses. This was the first step in diluting or transforming the Classical form to a form that would be more appealing to mass audience. My earlier post on Classicalness to Massicalness in this regard is here.
The real problem is that .. classical music is not for masses , it is for chosen
few. One cannot make it "popular" .. people (audience) have to get
mature , learned , patient and experience life as such (hence even get
older) to appreciate the "Bhaav" or "Ras" aspect of it. The
technicalities are taught in schools and gurukuls by teachers and gurus
simply to make the student / disciple , attain the ability to learn
classical music in his/her own way. It will and has never made a true
performer. A classical music performer truly starts "performing" at age
of around 35-40 if he has had good training for previous 10-20 years !
The patronage to true Classical music is by a select class ; mature and rich enough to appreciate the depth, dedication, nuance and philosophy of the performing artist. The "Classical Music Festival" music is one where a performer tries to gain popularity among "masses" , many a times by diluting the classicalness with light music , bhajans , songs etc .. This marketing has definitely helped in gaining popularity ,patronage and acceptance of the "classical" music among masses. In due course of time , this "popularization" might help in making certain percentage of these masses being attracted to the true classical form of music.
The true classical music form is now performed more in the "Chamber music" or "Chote-khani mahfils", where a classical performer presents more of the classical side than the massical side of his / her talim. I compare this to the two forms of cricket "Test Match Cricket" and the 20-20 version of the game. Both with their own forms and even complementing to the game as a whole. The "Classical Music Festival" type music could be compared to the ODI form of cricket ! A compromise between the two extremes !
Classical music is like a river that transforms every decade and generation over years. We are in a delicate phase of time where we are fortunate to enjoy the true maestros, the budding new talent, rebels as well as true traditionalists.
After 51 blog posts , mostly on Classical music , I had intended to give a pause and hence had written the final post of the season on Bilaskhani Todi - Bhairavi. The extended lockdown, however , pushed me back to blogging this post that was inspired by the bandishes set in Raag Pooriya Kalyan, all my favorites, have been lingering in my mind for over a week now. I have dealt two more raags in similar manner previously : Purvi- Paraj axis is here and Bageshree encroachment is here
Puriya Kalyan is a raag with two major raags amalgamated. Pooriya (Puriya) and Kalyan (Yaman). It does have different flavors with different bandishes , some giving a stress on Pooriya ang while others on Yaman, based on the "Bhaav" and "Ras" associated with that bandish.
There are technical and theoretical reasons for calling this raag as a variant of Poorva or of Yaman. Deepak Raja has dealt with this aspect in one of his posts here.
It has that Pancham added to Puriya that makes it close to Kalyan/Yaman. Also ,the Shuddha Dhaivat, separating it from Puriya Dhanaashree while the Shuddha Madhyam alone separates it from Purvi , which has both Madhyams !
Leaving aside the technical aspects, to me, Puriya Kalyan, seems a huge canvas where a Ras or a Bhaav could be elaborated based on the bandish's idea. It has that twilight mood for sure. The Komal Rishabh plays the critical role and is the pivot. Therefore , Puriya Kalyan has acquired a trade mark status of Kirana Gharana. ( like Multani and Komal Rishabh Asavari Todi )
The traditional bandish , "Aaj so bana ban"( आज सोबना बन ),and "Bahut din beete" ( बहुत दिन बीते ) tilt towards the romantic side dominated by Yaman. Pt Bhimsen Joshi has popularized Puriya Kalyan with these two traditional bandishes.
The first installment in the series on Pooriya Kalyan is set of two of my favorite bandishes rendered by Kaushiki, in a crisp fashion : "Hovan lagi Saanjh" ( होवन लागी सांझ ) and "Laakhon mein ek, chun-chun bulaave" ( लाखों में एक , चुन-चुन बुलावे )
Pt Jasraj presents the romantic (prem ras) and devotional(bhakti ras) side of Pooriya Kalyan through two bandishes, "aaj so bana ban" ( आज सोबना बन ) and "Din Raina kachu na suhaave" ( दिन रैना कछु ना सुहावे )
Young Sanjeev Abhyankar , molds himself in his guru, but in a crisper manner, while bearing the torch of Mewati gharana. Vilambit "aaj so bana ban"
Sanjeev Abhyankar sings drut bandish "Din Raina kachu na suhaave" ( one of my favorites )
The other drut bandish of Sanjeev Abhyankar, that is set to Puriya Dhanaashree , that too is one my favorites is "Shyam murari banavaari giridhaari" ( श्याम मुरारी बनवारी गिरिधारी )
( This may help readers differentiate between Puriya Dhanaashree and Puriya Kalyan )
And to complete this series, is the famous Puriya bandish of the Maestro, Sangit Martand Jasraj, that may help in identifying Puriya with Puriya Kalyan and Puriya Dhanashree / Purvi !
"Ab Thare bin kaun meri raakhe laaj" ( अब थारे बिन कुनाहू मोरी राखे लाज )
{ Here is a quick compendium to understand differences : Puriya: S r G M^ D N Puriya-Dhanashree: S r G M^ P d N Poorvi: S r G M M^ P d N Puriya-Kalyan/Purva: S r G M^ P D N }
The most popular Puriya Kalyan bandishes by the most popular Kirana Gharana stalwart Pt Bhimsen Joshi .. aaj so bana ban , bahut din beete in his own style, a trade mark of Kirana Gharana
A natya geet from famous Sangeet Natak "Katyar Kaaljaat Ghusli" set to Pooriya Kalyan by Abhisheki buwa.
And here is the finale , the one concert recorded live in Dharwad, that has full Puriya Kalyan by my favorite female singer , singing my favorite bandishes !
Puriya Kalyan in following video starts at 30.30 minutes
Here is link to my playlist for Puriya Kalyan on YouTube
One can easily guess that Kaushiki Chakravarty is my favorite among the young female singers especially for her renditions of bandishes in Jog and Puriya Kalyan.
This blog post is dedicated to her .. she IS truly "Laakhon mein ek" ( लाखों में एक )
होवन लागी सांझ
अब तो याद करो
प्रभु का नाम
ध्यान धरे मोरे मनवा
करिए तिनको सलाम
सभी गुनिजन मिल
गाओ बजाओ
आनंद मनाओ
अब मोरी सुध लीजो करतार
अब मोरी सुन लीजो करतार
भव भय भंजन अलख निरंजन
जग के पालन हार
लाखों में एक चुन-चुन बुलावे जो जावे , बहोरी ना आवे लाखों में एक परवरदिगार अपने प्यारों को हाफ़िज़ सुख नींद सुलावे !
Hindustani or Indian Classical Music never fails to fascinate. Whether its a seasoned connoisseur or someone listening to it for first time.It invokes some kind of "Bhaav" or some kind of "Vichar" (thought).. some kind of "Khayal" !
The uniqueness of this music is that it has that subjective feeling to each and every individual evoking "Thoughts" / "Moods" and thats the beauty of it. Every individual interprets it based on his/her "nature" with some definitive common ness that unites it to render a certain mood based on the time of day or season !
I have now and then experienced this fascinating phenomenon !
The preface to this final blog post of the season, are the following three previous blog posts, related to Khayal , Bandishes and Raagdaari.(all posted in 2017)
As a connoisseur of "Khyaal" gayaki , one realizes how Khyaal
represents a composite intervening of various artistic forms of India.
It truly expresses in musical form , complex interpretations of poetry,
melody , rhythm , philosophy and even science of sound to provide a
complete entertainment to mind and soul. 95% of the Indian Classical
Music or Hindustani Classical Music is in form of Khyaal , presenting
the raagdari through bandishes, sadras, thumris , bhajans and gazals. Khyaal
truly represents the culture and philosophy of the Indian Sub-continent
and the concept of "Sangeet" ( music , dance and poetry )
Raagdaari is a way of elaborating and expressing a raag through Khyaal.
Which in turn uses a Bandish, set in a particular tune/melody (धून) and
rhythmic pattern (ताल) to express one or more of the multiple facets of a
particular raag. One of the most glaring misconception about Indian or Hindustani
Classical Music stems from its nomenclature. In Indian languages,
classical music is referred to as "Shastriya" (शास्त्रिय संगीत) that
literally translates to "Scientific" music. There lies the root cause of
the misconceptions .. a misnomer as Scientific (shastriya) instead of
being called "Abhijaat" (अभिजात) that correctly translates to
"Classical" in real sense.
One of the first raags that attracted me to Indian Classical Music was
the Todi. There is something soothing in the scale of Todi. The
predominant Bhaav or Ras ( भाव - रस ) of Todi is that of submission to
supreme power and enlightenment attained through the path of knowledge (
ज्ञान-मार्ग ). Bhairavi on the other hand has a predominant Bhaav or Ras of pure love
and devotion, submission through faith ( भक्ति -मार्ग ). This
classification is generic and may have some rare exceptions through
specific bandishes.
One of the most poignant and rare raag of Indian Classical Music is
called Bilaskhani Todi , which in one way is a perfect combination of
Bhairavi and Todi. It is a type of Todi that has the Bhairavi raagang or
is set to gait and scale of Thaat Bhairavi. Bilaskhani Todi or
Bilaskhani , is a Todi that sounds like Bhairavi. Hence Bhairavi and
Bilaskhani Todi are siblings in a way !
Bilaskhani is extremely difficult to sing and there is a legend behind
its creation : Bilas Khan was was one of the four sons of the legendary
Dhrupad singer Miyan Tansen. Tansen thought poorly about the musical
abilities of Bilas Khan and had almost disowned him !
At the funeral of Tansen , grief of Bilas Khan made him sing a Todi that
was filled with emotions of pathos and pain. The legend has it that the
poignancy of this rendition brought life back to Tansen and his eyes
flickered for a moment ! Such was the power of this rendition of Todi by
Bilas Khan .. we call this BilasKhani Todi of modern days that belongs
theoretically to the "Bhairavi Thaat". Here is a link to my playlist for Bilaskhani Todi on youtube
Some of my favorite renditions of Bilaskhani Todi available on youtube are following:
Aarti Ankalikar sings "Jagadambika Ambika" and "Araj mori suno re dayala"
जगदम्बिका अम्बिका
अरज मोरी सुनो रे दयाला
Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande sings "Koi aan milao kuwar shyam"
कोई आन मिलाओ कुंहर श्याम, करुणा कर माधव सुख विराम
त्यज रे अभिमान जान गुणीयन को, कौन जाने कब मिटे जाए साथ तन की
Pt Ajit Kadkade a trademark composition in Bilaskhani Todi in Marathi, one of my favorites .. "Sajal Nayan"
सजल नयन नित धार बरसती ...
With the roots of "Khayal" or "Khyaal" gayaki in Gwalior gharana, which is called complete eigthfold (ashtang pradhan), other styles or gharanans have predominant and specialized in certain aspects of this "Ashtang gayaki" .. Agra gharana retaining its roots to Dhrupad style mixed with laykaari Kirana (Kairana) gharana with a kind of bhakti ras mixed with romance..taans, khatkas and murkis stressing the acuteness of a "sur" bringing Carnatic influence. Mewati gharana with the predominant vaishnav "bhakti ras" and a surrender to the forms of Vishnu Banaras gharana has its predominant Shaiv form of "bhakti ras" dedicated to the almighty "Bhairaon" mixed with the lightness of music in form of romance and virah Patiala gharana with the free flow of romance , wilderness and grandiose of music and stress on sargams and long taans sometimes spanning all three octaves . Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, in true sense is one of the oldest with roots in all three Dhrupad gharanas and has evolved through the Dhrupad bandishes brought through "Haveli Sangeet". Vid Shruti Sadolikar represents that Old Classical Jaipur style. Here is my post related to it , from the symposium on Jaipur Gharana held at Goa in 2019 and related youtube links to the symposium recordings
It is quite natural that these styles will attract individuals based on their nature and disposition. Also some styles would suit certain kind of mood , time and season ! I am however not much inclined to mixing two / three styles in one rendition like some kind of potpourri, though such experiments are becoming quite common and routine currently. This might be one reason of losing the "classical ness" of the Khayal singing !
Jayateerth Mewundi sings Bilaskhani Todi and Bhairavi
बाजे नीके घुन्गरिया ..
If I had to choose one raag to represent North-Indian classical music that could be labeled as grandiose and truly represents "big raag league" , I would name Raag Multani. The longing, the dry summer of Multan (North India,now part of Pakistan) and the scorching heat of late afternoon, bringing out the soft side of human heart, the wait for the twilight breeze, the surrender through musical notes that pours out a "Karun ras" is what Multaani represents.
For the seekers (mumukshu) Multani brightens the path. For the philosophers it illuminates the thought. For the audience and performers, it opens minds showering the eternal happiness and hope, "Sat-Chit-Anand"(सत-चित-आनंद ) . A true entertainment to mind and soul. रञ्जयति इति रागः
Multani is close to my heart.It has the power to touch minds and souls instantly in its rendering, taking the listener to deep thinking, the true strength of Hindustani Classical Music in real sense. Multani has done the magic on me many a times and has brought me in touch with my inner self. Most connoisseurs have experienced the intense power of Multani,eliciting various "Bhaav and Ras" from Bhakti - Love - Separation-Longing- Karuna- Surrender to deep thought, reflexively turning their eyes wet (including yours truly) !!
Here is a starter by Kumar Mardur to get the Multani party started ! Shear power and intensity of Multani demonstrated by a talented vocalist.
The notes of Todi and Multani are same in terms of theory hence it is part of Thaat Todi, but Multani is no way near Todi in rendering. The Rishabh and Dhaivat in avaroha (descend), that is sharper, the attack on Rishabh is also from the sharper side of Gandhar. This also gives a "aabhas" of sharper Madhyam is what makes this raag unique. It is believed that Multani is a raag that can be learned only through "Guru-mukh" .. in truly aural tradition. It cannot really be "taught", it has to be "learned" by the disciple. Hence, in my view, rendering of Multani demonstrates the real character and talent of a disciple.
Vocalists from Kirana gharana, perform it as their trade mark. Patiala gharana Multani is something that connoisseurs long for, especially from a veteran vocalists. The bandishes of Multani are truly classical, they are NO songs for consumption of "popular" music. Philosophy and deep thought flows through each of these classic bandishes be it of Bhakti ras, Virah or romance.
Sawai Gandharva Music festival of Pune typically starts around 3pm every day during December. One gets to hear lots of Multanis and Bhimpalases by young upcoming artists, as they open the day's concert every day for 5 days of festival. I have heard many such live Multanis but the one live Multani rendition I treasure the most is that of Ut Mubarak Ali Khan of Kirana gharana along with this shagird Arshad Ali on Sunday, Jan 4th , 2015. A thing that I can say about that performance is that, it had that truly classical feel of listening to Ut Bade Gulam Ali Khan saheb, Ut Amir Khan Saheb mixed with the classical Kirana style of badhat with each note. A mix of Patiala, Indore and Kirana in one of the divine mix. Unfortunately I do not have this recording but here is my blog post from that day !
My playlist of Multani on youtube is huge. Here is the link to it... Posting some of my favorite renderings from the Multani playlist for this "Multani Party"
First , my favorite young upcoming classical vocalist ,Kumar Mardur Sings "Nainan mein aan baan" , a classic Kirana Gharana bandish
नैनन में आनबान,कौन सी परी रे
निसदिन सोवत पलक न खोलत
जब देखो मुख श्याम सी पारी रे
Kaushiki sings Multani in the tradition of Patiala-Kasur
कवन देस गये
दूरगा के संग रितु मानी रे
और न जानू अब लुग गई
प्रीत कदर ना जानी रे
Indrani Mukherjee sings Multani in a Kirana-Rampur Sahaswan style
Sanhita Nandi gives an intense rendering set to Jhumra taal ,in a style that has mix of Indore and Kirana style
Anuradha Kuber Sings Multani in Bhendi Bazar Gharana style
तुम बिन मानत नाही जियरा मोरा
नैना नीर झरत
दरस की आस कासे कहूँ अब
Pt Ajay Chakravarti sings Multani in truly Patiala-Kasur style
जीवन नैय्या डोले
Pt Venkatesh Kumar sings Multani in a Kirana+Gwaliar+Patiala style
सुन्दर सुरजनवा साईं रे
निसदिन तुम्हारो ध्यान धरत है
आन मिलो रब साईं रे
Veena Sahastrabuddhe , traditional Multani bandishes in Gwaliar style
गोकुल गाँव का छोरा
नैनन में आनबान
Ut Amir Khan saheb sings Multani in Jhumra taal
हे सुरजनवा
बलमा मोरे तुमसो लागली प्रीत
Pt Jayteerth Mevundi sings traditional bandishes of Kirana Gharana
गोकुल गाँव का छोरा
कंगन मुन्दरिया मोरी
नैनन में आनबान
Pt Prabhakar Karekar sings Multani Agra Style
तुम बिन मनात नाही जियरा मोरा
कौन देस गवन किन्हो चीत जाये बसे
Ut Bade Gulam Ali Khan saheb sings his trade mark Multani
( old recording hence poor recording quality is regretted but still one can experience those sparks of brilliance )
कवन देस गये
दूर गा के संग रितु मानी रे
और जन दुर्जन लोग बसत है
सुन री मोरी आली
और न जानू अब लुग गई
प्रीत कदर ना जानी रे
इतनी अरज मोरी उन से कहियो
तू दुर्गा मैं दुर्गानी रे
Kaushiki , the darling of Patiala gharana sings the classic patiala bandishes along with the traditional bandishes in Multani .. दुर्गा के संग .. ( one of my favorites )
One of the Multanis from playlist is of Ut Mashkor Ali Khan recorded in a private mehfil in California.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note
about Multan,Pakistan: The Moolasthana (Multan) is now in Pakistan and
has been famous since ages,for Saints and Shrines. The Aditya Surya
Temple was one of the four Sun Temples build by Hindu King in 7th
Century, was repeatedly attacked by Muslims and then rebuilt by Hindus
for nearly 500 years. It finally lost its original identity when the
Ismaili ruler replaced the Sun Temple with a mosque.
तारवा गिनत- गिनत मै को रैन गवाई
ऐसी प्रीत तुम कब हूँ ना किन्ही
सुरजनवा बलमा प्यारे ...
सदारंग कल ना परत मोहे तोरे बिना
भई हूँ मैं दीवानी
Vid Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande sings extended , but crisp vilambit "hey narhar narayan" followed by "Taarvaa ginat-ginat mai ko raien gavaai".
My morning starts frequently with this "नरहर नारायण" and "तारवा गिनत-गिनत" Vibhaas of Bhairav thaat by Vid Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande and then by Pt Madhup Mudgal , especially during these lock-downs due to Corona virus pandemic. Many a times these days, when the situation of "kal naa parat" is readily experienced, the drut bandish lingers in mind all day long !
Vibhaas of Bhairav thaat has been the "Raag of Lockdown" for me ... It has that mix of solitude, one-ness, depth, sorrow, longing and hope that characterizes my experience during these challenging times.
अरुपास पाहे रूपी
तोच भाग्यवंत
निसर्गात भरून राहे
अनादी अनंत
To me , Raag Vibhaas has always appealed as a deep morning thought , an
enlightenment that makes one explore and persist in spite of all the
tribulations.. it has that perfect blend of grandiose, poise and
thoughtfulness of primordial Bhairav along with the pensive touch of
Marwa. The Yang and Yin of life !
The picture that comes to mind while listening to Raag Vibhaas (Bhairav thaat) is that of the horizon on a seashore just before the sunrise..early morning golden hour just before the dawn !
I like to listen to Bhairav thaat Vibhaas early in the morning, around 4am and sometimes the Marwa Thaat Vibhaas very late at night in solitude
( Pt Madhup Moudgal - Bhairav Thaat Vibhaas : Taarwa Ginat Ginat mai to raein )
( Kishori Amonkar - Marwa Thaat Vibhaas : Hey Narahari Narayan and Meet Piharava Mora re )
In my musings on music, I realize that the haunting melodies of Vibhaas are the
worldly equivalent of the "Universal Bhairav".. appeals emotionally to
human mind and soul more than the Brain !
Jog and Multani are two of my favorites of Raags of Hindustani Classical Music / Indian Classical Music. I have a special predilection to Raag Jog. To me , raag Jog represents perfectly, what a Khayal is supposed to be
... Raag Jog is a perfect blend of raags ( Khamaj and Kafi ) that creates a "bhaav
and ras" conducive to meditative , soulful and entertaining tunes ... it
fits well to the definition of a raag as described in scriptures and
literature .. रञ्जयति इति रागः .. an entertainment to mind and soul !
Raag Jog , may have initially meant Yog or union , when it was created
and envisioned. The one reasoning to it could be that it is a classic
mix of Khamaj and Kafi. A pentatonic tune attributed to Kafi thaat in
Bhatkande's classification.
The credit for Raag Jog is attributed to Haji Sujan Khan ( Sujan Singh
of Akbar Darbar ). This raag is a specialty of Agra Gharana but is in
vogue and popularity with almost all gharanas including the Dhrupadiyas,
vocalists and instrumentalists alike.
It provides a perfect "union" of entertainment and philosophy , a union
of two raags (khamaj and kafi) , that are supposed to be part of
semi-classical or light classical music, to produce a brilliant
pentatonic serious but pleasant , soulful and meditative melody of Jog. Here , Pt Jasraj takes us through the journey of Raag Jog .. from Dhrupad Style rendition to Khayaal with "murchanaa" giving a feel of Raag Vrindavani Sarang , Kedar and Gujari Todi ! This shows the versatility of the pentatonic raag Jog that brings into it all eight "Prahars" encapsulating raags associated with morning to midnight ! Here is my playlist of Raag Jog on Youtube that has most of my favorites
Pt Ajay Chakravarti's Jog is one of the soulful Jog renditions that I like to listen :
The bandish goes as :
धन जोबन नहीं नाम संजोग,
कहत मुनि ज्ञानी करत सब
अपनी - अपनी करनी का भोग
आये हसे सब जाये तो रोये
यूँ ही भुगत सब लोग .. धन जोबन नहीं नाम संजोग
Pt Madhup Moudgal's short rendition of Raag Jog too is my favorite : the bandish goes as
बनरा बनी आयो , ब्याह बनरी को
शुभ घडी ,शुभ दिन , शुभ महूरत मनाओ
I am guessing that this old bandish might have given inspiration to Ut Fayyaj Hussain Khan (प्रेम पिया ) to compose an impromptu bandish in Raag Jog, on occasion of his daughter's marriage ( or it may be even other way around, but both bandishes have than common theme of marriage, union , yog/jog and of happiness of it ) ... now kind of a signature of Raag Jog : "Saajan more ghar aaye "
साजन मोरे घर आये
मन अतिसुख पावे
मंगल गावो शौक पुरावो
प्रेम पिया हम पाए
Raag Jog is my favorite and the joy it gives my soul is immense. The bandishes mentioned above are some of my favorites. I would say that I fell in love with Hindustani Classical Music after listening to Raag Purvi ( Thaat Purvi) and gradually moved from Multani to Bhairav to other raags eventually reaching Raag Jog..
Raag Jog has given me that "ठेहराव" "Theharaav" (pause) .. It has everything that pleases my soul and my mind through music.
Here is a recent addition to my favorite playlist .. a poignant rendition of raag Jog by the Ustad-Shagird duo from Lahore (Pakistan) .. through two beautiful bandishes !
ओ बलमा .. कब घर आओगे , मध जोबत मोरा बीता जाए .. बेगर दरस दिखा जा
साजन कासे कहूँ .. अपने मन के बतियाँ .. बिन तुम्हरे जागी मैं !
“Maha-Shiv Raatri” (महाशिवरात्री) is a festival celebrating the
union of Lord Shiv and Parvati. It is supposed to be the darkest night of the year. It is believed that the Earth came into existence on this day with a big bang !
This also is the point of change of season
from spring to early summer. The day is celebrated with fasting, savoring some special kind of foods .. typically with delicacies like "Sabudana Khichadi" , Cucumber, sweet yogurt, sugar cane juice and Wood apple, known as Kavath ( कवठ) in Marathi language. Along with the sweet delicacies (that help in reducing the stress of the change in season ) its a tradition to savor some Bhaang (भांग) aka Cannabis , in a special preparation called Thandaai (थंडाई ) !! This is a special night for people who have dedicated their lives on spiritual paths.
The festival has a special meaning for Shaivaites – the devotees of
lord Shiva.
All night, people celebrate with music , worshiping lord Shiv and Parvati. That brings us to the main title and motivation behind writing this blog post. Raag Bhairav is believed to be the Primordial Sound .. divine and infinite. It represents Lord Shiva in musical form. As per Ut Vilayat Khan , all the “male” raags are essentially
types of Bhairavs , namely.. Hindol, Megh, Malkauns, Shree and Shankara. Bhairav is thus a Primordial sound , root of all the male raags in Hindustani Classical music .. divine and infinite !
भैरव आदी-अनंत राग
Two must read posts regarding Raag Bhairav and Raag Shankara that I like and are kind of primer to understanding and appreciating the "Bhairav raagaang" , the subtle variations that give rise to different raags and the basic structure of Raag Shankara are by Rajan Parrikar. The go to guy for understanding the nuances and aesthetics of Indian Classical Music !
Aurangabad was on my bucket list for very long. All these years, somehow, I had missed it for one reason or the other! The primary attractions for me were not the traditional tourist attractions of Ajantha and Ellora but Khuldabad, Daulatabad, PanChakki, Bibi-ka-Makbara, Aurangabad Caves.
Aurangabad is a very fast growing city in northern Maharashtra, located in Marathwada region. Initially promoted as tourist attraction ( Ajantha and Ellora mainly), now it is a major industrial city with CIDCO, MIDCs having focussed on pharmaceutical industry, manufacturing and brewing being major revenue generators.
Where to Stay :
Numerous options of Hotels from 0 star to 5 stars are available,including the famous Zostel for backpackers and younger crowd.
Khuldabad
The main attraction at Khuldabad is the tomb of Badshah Aurangzeb , who I consider as one of the most successful Mughal rulers. Though villianized by the biased historians, he could be labeled as one of the rulers who ruled "Akhand Bharat". He spent around last 27-30 years of his life in the area (Aurangabad) and found it extremely safe and beautiful ( better than Agra-the traditional seat of Mughals ). He considered Daulatabad (Devgiri) as "Heaven on Earth" ( जन्नत -ए - जहाँ ) .
As per his wish , he was buried after death, near the tomb of his philosophical guide, the sufi saint- Hazrat Khwaja Makhdum Syed Shah Zainuddin Dawood Hussain Shirazi. This sufi saint lived almost 300 years before the reign of Aurangzeb but had a lasting influence on the Alamgeer with his philosophical teachings. Many travelers and independent historians from West, described Aurangzeb as a "pios religious ruler" while the history in some parts of India describes him as a "Bigot" and fanatic Muslim ruler.
In my personal opinion, after having read many factual evidence based history notings, the positive part of Aurangzeb's life was his disciplined leadership that did not tolerate corruption. He was a principled leader who worked like a selfless "CEO" of company ( mughal empire ). He definitely had his leaning towards his philosophy and religion ( just like any other ruler ) but was one of the most successful mughal , who ruled major part of Indian sub-continent during his tenure. His empire was biggest and lasted longer (without any successful revolt) than by any Mughal. The positive aspects of his leadership need to be definitely appreciated without any grudge.
The invincible fort , that was never captured by anyone in a war ! Daulatabad ( Abode of Wealth ) remained with Mughals for very long period after it was named so and existed since "Yadav period" as Devgiri ( Hill of Gods )
It has wonderful history and one of the attractions for me was that this fort was the meeting place of Sant Eknath and his guru Janardan swami ( who was then the Killedar-care taker of fort of Devgiri )
The Fort has long and splendid history starting from the Yadav era of 400AD to the famous Khilji who planned to transfer his capital to Daulatabad from Delhi and gave up the plan few days after the move. Shah Jahan had visited the fort and was under the then viceroy of mughal empire, his son -Aurangzeb, who was posted in the Deccan region.
PanChakki (Water Mill)
Situated at a 15min driving distance from the main city of Aurangabad, PanChakki ( Water mill ) is a natural and engineering wonder, built in 1700+ AD, that used power of water flowing from a distance of 6+ kms to grind grains and make flour for the travellers and orphan dwellers at a Dargah.
Bibi-Ka-Makbara
Described as "Mini-Taj Mahal" or Taj of South India ( Deccan), it is one of the splendid monuments I have ever seen. Built by the son of Aurangzeb, Prince Azam Shah ( at the instructions of Father ) in memory of his mother Rabia-ul-Durrani or Dilras Banu Begum, as her mausoleum.
In my personal opinion , this monument is BETTER than Taj because of following reasons :
1) It is pure mughal architecture with the trade mark symmetry every where in carvings and decoration. Taj does not have pure mughal architecture, but is a mix of mughal and hindu(rajput) architecture. The reason being that Taj was built on a pre-existing monument that was built by a Rajput King ( a Vishnu mandir called Tejo Mahal ). The evidence of mix of hindu-rajput-mughal architecture is clearly visible on Taj everywhere !
2) It was built from scratch by craftmen using marbel and local mud-sand and composite. ( Unlike Taj that was constructed on a pre-existing monument built as a temple by Hindu-Rajput king in Hindu architectural style )
3) The one striking thing that I noticed here at Bibi-Ka-Makbara was that , the names and tombs of craftsmen who built the monument are seen in front of this huge monument!!
Aurangabad Caves
The other attraction in Aurangabad, that could be labelled as a "glance into Ajanta and Ellora caves" are the Aurangabad caves situated at the outskirts of city. The road to the caves is through the campus of Aurangabad University ( Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University ).
The best part of 300+ step climb to these caves is the splendid view of the city of Aurangabad and the Bibi-Ka-Makbara
What to eat ?
There are multiple veg, non-veg options in Aurangabad. One nice traditional restaurant I would recommend is "Shidori" in the Samarth Nagar area opposite to IMA.
Tea and paan stalls are common. One can enjoy quite inexpensive but tasty food and paan. The world famous "Old Tara Paan Center" is located in old city.
Multiple types of paans and quite inexpensive as compared to Pune and Bombay. In my personal opinion, this place is quite over-rated but is famous as Aurangabad destination..
Quality paans can be enjoyed at numerous paan shops in city, though.
And now the most important things visible on the road trip .... The cats I met during my Aurangabad trip
This was one of my best trips in recent times , planned quickly and enjoyed thoroughly ! Also , it was one of the most awaited trip that was in the bucket list for long time along with Paithan. I kept Ajantha and Ellora away purposefully and would be planning a 3-4 day trip to these two "archeological" places separately. A good start to year 2020 !
Paithan ( पैठण )had been on my bucket list for long. It has a glorious past and culture. Often referred to as Dakshin Kashi ( दक्षिण काशी ),the area on the banks of Godavari was once a seat of religious learning , buzzing with business and trade. Famous particularly for the fine "Paithani" silk and sarees. In-spite of visiting many other places in India, somehow , I had missed visiting Paithan all these years. One reason for this miss could be the off road location of Paithan. It is connected only with Aurangabad by good road. 50 kms south of Aurangabad , it takes around an hour to travel to Paithan. My interest in visiting Paithan was for my liking for philosophy and writings on Sant Eknath maharaj , one of the greatest saints, who lived at this holy place. The other attraction was to see the "Jaikwadi Dam" also known as Nath Sagar. A bird santuary is also located nearby.
In my one day trip to Paithan, I spent time visiting the places I had prioritized earlier in the itenerary: 1) Sant Eknath Samadhi
2) Nath vada / Nath Mandir
3) Nag Ghat and temples around
4) Anand Bhuvan
5) Nath Sagar ( Jaikwadi Dam )
6) Dnyaneshwar Udyan
I
must state regretfully that the condition of roads (if one can call
them so) in the town is pathetic. The overall state of cleanliness and
sanitation is poor.
Where to stay : My recommendation is to stay in Aurangabad and travel early morning to Paithan , returning back by late night. There are some hotels , Yatri niwas , Bhakt niwas and lodges in the town , but they are not up to the standard. Paithan is a small town, commuting by auto-rickshaw to various places of interests is recommended. If traveling by four wheeler, use a SUV as most of the roads "off-roads" with lots of stones and mud. Spare tyre is recommended !
What to eat : I would recommend an awesome place near ST stand called Shree Ganesh Udpi Upahar Gruha for breakfast. Pooja Paan Mandir is located opposite to it, that serves good paan. There are many other paan stores on the road and they serve really good paan at moderate price. There are local restaurants around ST stand and the famous dishes here are Jilebi and Bhajji !
A good quality restaurant I discovered ( courtesy my auto rickshaw driver ) was HarshShree Food Corner that serves excellent quality food in clean environment. ( I had nice dinner here .. Jwari Bhakri and Vanga Bharit )
Overall impression of Paithan: I would call Paithan as a town that has lost its past glory. Now just a place ruined , sidelined ( due to lack of road access ) in a dilapidated state. Definitely worth a visit once , to experience this fallen glory, but not worth staying !
Here are three photos of Jayakwadi Dam ( Nath Sagar ) taken at twilight hours in a very limited light, with a mobile phone camera ..
