Raagdaari , Raag Sangit and Khyaal : Part 2 - Todi , Bhairavi and Bilaskhani Todi

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. Also Todi seems to be more serious than the lighter Bhairavi. Both of them have an intense spell on listener, and rarely fail to touch the innermost layer of heart and soul.

If one observes majority of bhajans and religious recitations , typically , bhajans and bandishes of "भक्ती मार्ग " are aptly set in Bhairavi while that of "ज्ञान मार्ग" are set in Todi .. and that is the perfect difference between Bhairavi and Todi !
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".
To me this story of Bilas Khan and Bilaskhani Todi invariably points to one of the most celebrated song / bhavgeet in Marathi, written by Shri Shantaram Naandgaavkar ,apt music composed by Shri Ashok Patki  and sung by Pt Ajit Kadkade .. Sajal Nayan nit dhaar barasati ( सजल नयन नित धार बरसती ) .. this truly brings out the emotions of Bilas Khan and is filled with the right kind of mix of Bhairavi and Todi to bring about that pathos and poignancy .. Whenever I hear this song , the picture that comes to my mind is that of Bilas Khan singing ,sitting near the remains of Tansen !

सजल नयन नित धार बरसती
भावगंध त्या जळी मिसळती

वीणेचे स्वर अबोल झाले
गीतामधले काव्य ही सरले
मुक्या मनाचे मुकेच आठव
मूक दीपज्योतीसम जळती

चंद्र चांदणे सरले आता
निरस जाहली जीवनगाथा
त्या भेटीतील अमृतधारा
तुझ्याविना विषधारा होती

थकले पैंजण चरणही थकले
वृन्दावनीचे मोहन सरले
तुझ्या स्मृतींची फुले प्रेमले
अजुन उखाणे मला घालिती

Link to the original sound track on YouTube  ( mixed with artifact video)

A rendition of the same song by a young singer Ketan Godbole. One of my favorites on YouTube