Monday, Jan 14 2002
Kalyan (Page 1 of 2)
By Rajan P.
ParrikarRajan P. Parrikar is a recognized expert on
Indian Classical music and shares his knowledge freely with those interested in
the subject.
He has written a series of articles on Classical Indian Music
some of which have been archived on Sawf. Click here to read Rajan's earlier
articles. |
Rajan
P. Parrikar in the shade at Mobor, Goa (2001)
|
Namashkar.
In this conspectus we turn our attention to one of the foundational
blocks of the Hindustani melodic edifice - Raganga Raga Kalyan. It is
denominated variously by Yaman, Iman, Eman and Aiman. Although
the Raga is as old as the hills, its historical antecedents are not easy to pin
down. The fog of uncertainty concerning its origins has given rise
to many mythologies, such as the ipse dixit that assigns credit for its
conception to Amir
Khusro. In recent times several writers have reflected an awful lot of
moonshine off Mr. Khusro; a recent 'study' conducted at a 'leading'
American university has shown that he was the first man in the world to perform
surgery on the testicles of
the axolotl. This feature addresses Raga Kalyan's contemporary musical
structure and
performance practice.
The Raganga And The Raga
Raga Kalyan - we shall use the name interchangeably with Yaman - shares its
scale with
the 65th melakartA Raga of Carnatic music bearing the name Kalyani. The
reader is referred to the companion feature Kalyani by
Drs V.N. Muthukumar and M.V. Ramana for a considered Carnatic
perspective. In the Hindustani system, Kalyan represents a thAT,
a Raganga, and a Raga. Throughout the discussion, M
= shuddha and m = teevra madhyam.
What does one mean by the term Raganga (pronounced "rAgAnga")? The word is
a sandhi of rAga+anga
and signifies a collection of tonal gestures that have been abstracted from
a 'parent' Raga. For the most part the parent is drawn from the pool of 'basic'
Ragas. The Raganga has a life of its own and is seen
in full flower under the auspices of its parent Raga. It contributes
seed material to the derivates (prakArs) of the parent Raga and may also
provide
support to other varied melodic contexts. The Raganga is akin to a DNA
blueprint
containing the key 'instructions' for the melodic conduct of the entire class
of
Ragas under its jurisdiction. Alternatively, it may also be viewed as a
summary, a generalization
of melodic 'observations,' analogous to a generalized theory or a law
in science, which may then be brought to bear on particular configurations.
The "Raganga Raga" is, as should be apparent by now, the supplier parent.
It furnishes the building blocks for the Raganga and hence best embodies
it. For instance, Raga Bhairav is the Raganga Raga of the Bhairav anga.
In this instance, "Bhairav," a major Raga, is also used to denote one
of the ten extant thATs. An example of a Raganga
Raga that does not represent a thAT is Sarang.
< -- Pandit V.N. Bhatkhande
The Kalyan thAT, among the ten recognized by the great musician, composer,
theorist and scholar, Pandit Vishnu Narayan
Bhatkhande, takes for its
basis the following set: S R G m P D N.
Raga Kalyan
employs all of these seven swaras which makes it a sampoorNa jAti Raga. The
Raganga-vAchaka
swaras (the definitive tonal clusters) are:
1) S, N' D' N' R G R S
In this poorvAnga cluster the mere hint of N' R G
R S at
once suggests the onset of Kalyan. Notice the characteristic langhan (skipped)
shaDaj in the
Arohi movement.
2) G m P->(mG)R, S
A seminal tonal sentence; the ucchAraNa (intonation) of the P->R coupling,
mediated by a grace of the teevra madhyam and gandhAr, is crucial and
represents a key Raganga marker. The P->R
coupling also occurs in
Ragas Gaud Sarang and Chhaya but is distinguished by the ucchAraNa.
It is this manner of subtlety and sophistication of approach to swara
that elevates Indian music to a level unmatched and unattained by any
other civilization on the planet. Let us pause and digest this assertion
with a brilliant demonstration by Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" wherein he
draws attention to the three different forms of tonal conduct involving the
P->R sangati -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/jha_panchamrishabspeak.ram
Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" at
the author's place in Goa (2001) -- >
3) m D N D P
The bridge between poorvAnga and uttarAnga movements.
4) S" N D N D P
This avarohAtmaka phrase in the uttarAnga completes the Raganga
abstract.
Raganga Kalyan is verily the mother lode of several 'big' Ragas, its
cornucopian range allowing for melodies to flow naturally from or through
an ad hoc variation on its kernel. A sufficiently
reflective and insightful musician should to be able to 'derive'
the resulting linkages. For instance, the chalan of Ragas Bhoop and Shuddha
Kalyan may be inferred from the Raganga. It is important to note that
the historical development may not have followed this sequence
and that a Raga may predate its Raganga. Nevertheless the
Raganga viewpoint provides a powerful unifying framework attending the
thought processes that have counseled the musician's mind
through the ages.
Some additional details pertaining to Raga Yaman, the flagship Raga
of Raganga Kalyan, bear scrutiny. The presence
of several nyAsa sthAnas - S, R, G, P, N -
is indicative of its expansive melodic space. The teevra madhyam
is often elongated during the elaboration portion of the performance.
Only the dhaivat gets the cold shoulder since a nyAsa on that swara is
potentially damaging to
the Raga spirit. Some of the launch phrases for the antarA are now outlined:
G m D S"
m D N S"
P P S"
P (m)G P P N D S"
The skipping of the shaDaj and pancham in Arohi movements - N' R G
and m D N - lends Yaman a distinct locus.
Some musicians (typically
non-Indians) tend to view these two clusters as symmetric on account of their
prima facie
intervallic likeness. Considering the Raga structure solely in terms
of intervals is a seriously flawed enterprise and completely misses its
essence. No Indian musician
worth his salt thinks in terms of intervals. Apropos of the above clusters,
the vital point is that R is a nyAsa bahutva
swara in both the
Arohi and avarohi directions whereas D is not
accorded that role.
The langhan alpatva of the S and P is sometimes observed in avarohi
movements as well. To wit, R" N D m G R.
Although the skipping
of S and P is sui
generis to Yaman's normative
behavior, the inclusion of Arohi S and P is
not verboten. A deliberate construct such as
S R G m or m P D N is occasionally
inserted in bandishes
and tAns (as some of the clips will later attest).
Another striking feature observed in Yaman during its elaboration is the wide
leaps
across G-N and N-G, m-N
and N-m.
Putting together the pieces in the foregoing discussion, a sample chalan
is formulated:
S, (N')D' N' R G(nyAsa), R S, G m D
N(nyAsa),
S" N D N D P(nyAsa), m (G)R G(nyAsa), G m P->(mG)R(nyAsa), G R
S
This completes the introduction to the lakshaNAs of Raga Yaman. It is
not possible to chronicle every auxiliary gesture employed. A careful hearing
of the clips is urged so that the key ideas are settled and assimilated in the
mind. Kalyan is so
pervasive that there is essentially no divergence in its behavior
across Gharana boundaries. The differences, when they
are observed, are more of proportion of particular melodic gestures rather than
of principle.
The inclusion of the shuddha madhyam M in
Raga Yaman gives
rise to the irrationally-named Raga Yaman Kalyan (sometimes also called Jaimini
Kalyan). This nomenclature is widespread but not universally accepted and one
comes
across the occasional musician partaking in the shuddha madhyam under the
'Yaman'
label. The nature of M in Yaman is not unlike
that
of a vivAdi swara; soft and judicious use occasions moments of great delight.
Its
frequency of occurrence and swara-lagAv are matters of individual and stylistic
taste with allowance of latitude on this score. Its manner of
approach is, however, uniformly implemented, for the underlying
aesthetic seems to have been appreciated all over. But for the shuddha
madhyam-laden tonal construct in the poorvAnga the rest of the
structural contours of Yaman Kalyan are congruent with Yaman. The
distinguishing phrase assumes the following form (or a minor variation
of it):
N' R G, m G R G, M G R S
The shuddha madhyam does not have an independent existence. It is either
sandwiched between the gandhArs - G, M G - or is
imparted a kaN of gandhAr - (G)M G R S.
In particular, a direct approach from the pancham is to be shunned (P M G - not!).
Occasionally, and especially in the lighter genres, the chromatic slide
m M is heard.
These ideas are encapsulated superbly in an
exposition by Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" pinched off the telephone
line. Such is Jha-sahab's sweep and precision that once he is done speaking on
a Raga virtually nothing
more needs to be said on the subject -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/jha_kalyanspeak.ram
As the preeminent night-time Raga, Yaman embodies considerable
gravitas. No other Raga has cut so wide a swathe across all genres of
music and no other Raga has purchased so viselike a hold on the Indian's
thoughts and feelings. Every child embarking on a preliminary
study of classical music brings with her a working familiarity of
Kalyan obtained through folk and other sources. Yaman has come to
be acknowledged as the touchstone among classical musicians in
calibrating a peer's quality and depth, its mastery deemed a sine qua non
for any serious student. The magnitude and extent of Yaman's
reach impel us to offer here a substantial listening experience both in
the realm of the 'light' and the classical. In the posse of clips that
follows, the Yaman and
Yaman Kalyan instances are commingled.
Yaman - The 'Lighter' Side
That Yaman has seduced every creative mind of the post-recording era
generation is evident from the enormous volume of documented work. Here,
we must content ourselves with only a modest slice of that output.
Not every 'light' composition will align with Yaman according to
Hoyle, but some important, and sometimes surprising, gesture
will be manifested in each of the adduced clips. To the
non-Indian readers, this will be an object lesson in driving
home the nexus between classical and 'light' music.
We open with an invocation to Ganesha, an Arati in Marathi,
written by the 17th century saint Swami Samarth Ramdas. Hridaynath
Mangeshkar's tune and Lata's voice come together in a melody that is
immensely loved in Goa and Maharashtra: sukha kartA dukha hartA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_ganapatiaarti.ram
< -- Vasantrao Deshpande
Another prArthanA to Ganesha, again in Marathi. Vasantrao Deshpande
is joined by Anuradha Paudwal: prathama tulA vandito -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/vasantrao_prathamatula.ram
M.S. Subbulakshmi's ethereal voice illuminates the chant,
vande padmakarAm -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/mss_vande.ram
Lata Mangeshkar -- >
Kalyan is Lata and Lata is Kalyan. Not even the classical masters can
hope to hold a candle to the magic she conjures in Yaman.
These verses from the Bhagavad Geeta are set to music by Hridaynath -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_bhagvadgeeta.ram
Another bhakti rasa assay, this time from the Gurbani. The transcendent
words of the 3rd Guru, Amardas, are set to music by the Singh brothers: mila
mere preetamA jiyo -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_gurbani.ram
Tulsidas's feelings for Shri Rama are famously expressed in his
Shri Ramanchandra krupAlu bhajamana -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_shreerama.ram
Meerabai's bhajan, Hridaynath's tune: keNu sanga -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_kenusanga.ram
From BHABHI KI CHOODIYAAN (1961), a luscious Yaman-based
beauty set to music by Sudhir Phadke: lau lagAti -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_laulagati.ram
The next two corkers were conceived in the highly discriminating
mind of Madan Mohan. From BAHAANA (1960), jA re badarA bairi jA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_jarebadaraa.ram
Film: ANPADH (1962), jiyA le gayo -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_jiyalegayo.ram
Ghalib's exceptional ability with verse more than meets its match
in Lata in this memorable composition set to music by Faiyaaz
Shauqat: har eka bAta pe -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_harekbaatpe.ram
Vasant Desai's gentle communion with swara finds an ally in Lata's
equally gentle treatment of swara. From ARDHAANGINI (1959),
baDe bhole ho -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_badebholeho.ram
Film: SHOKHIYAAN (1951), Music: Jamal Sen: supnA bana sAjana Aye -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_supnabana.ram
Film: SUNHERE QADAM (1966), Music: Bulo C. Rani: mAngne se -
< -- Roshan
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_mangne.ram
Film: PAKEEZAH (1971), Music: Ghulam Mohammad: mausam hai -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_mausamhai.ram
Film: SATI SAVITRI (1964), Music: Laxmikant-Pyarelal: jeevana Dor -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_jeevandor.ram
Ragas Yaman, Bhairavi and Pahadi have been mined extensively
by the Hindi film composers. The tunesmith Roshan, in particular, shared a
very special
relationship with Yaman. Roshan and Madan Mohan were, in
some sense, musical twins: in their shared penchant for conceiving
melodies that blended intimately with the lyric, in their drawing
on India's classical music and traditional bandishes, and in
their attention to the design of the interludes, they seemed
to be cut from the same cloth. Both
remained in a state of creative ferment throughout their relatively
short lives. Roshan's genius came to full flower in Yaman as witness
some of the extraordinary compositions that follow.
Film: RAGRANG (1952), a take on the very popular classical
cheez, eri Ali piyA bina sakhi. The words of the mukhDA are attributed
to Meerabai. Lata delivers admirably -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/lata_eriaali.ram
A hauntingly beautiful composition from MAMTA (1966), distinguished
by Lata's intensity of feeling -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/latahemant_chhupalo.ram
In this immortal composition, with its celebrated sarod and flute
interludes,
Roshan draws inspiration from a famous old Yaman Kalyan bandish, manA tu
kAhe nA dheera
dharata aba, words of which are attributed to Tulsidas. Sahir Ludhianvi's
mukhDA
reflects Tulsi's sentiment in the movie CHITRALEKHA (1964). Mohammad Rafi:
mana re tu kAhe nA dheera dhare -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/rafi_manare.ram
Roshan and Sahir combine again in the following three classics.
Mohammad Rafi in BARSAT KI RAAT (1960): zindagi bhar nahiN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/rafi_zindagibhar.ram
Asha Bhonsle's tour de force in the qawwali from DIL HI TO HAI (1963):
nigAheN milAne ko ji chAhatA hai -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/asha_nigahen.ram
Film: BABAR (1960), Voice: Sudha Malhotra: salAm-e-hasrat -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/sudha_salaamehasrat.ram
We change tracks now. Bhimsen Joshi is joined by Vasantrao
Deshpande in this abhanga set to music by Ram Kadam: tALa bole -
Govindrao Tembe -- >
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/bhimsen_taalbole.ram
Bhimsen Joshi in yet another bout of bhakti, in this magnificent
creation of the bel esprit Govindrao Tembe. On the first
occurrence of Atmaranga rangale, the searing
streak in Bhimsen's voice is palpable: mana ho Ramarangi rangale -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/bhimsen_ramaranga.ram
< -- Bhimsen Joshi
Two of Goa's finest creative minds collaborate in the next enterprise: the
poet laureate B.B. Borkar and the musician-composer
par excellence Jitendra Abhisheki: kashi tuzha -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/abhisheki_kashituzha.ram
Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale's enduring tune is given deft treatment by Kumar
Gandharva in a Natyageeta from SWAYAMVAR: nAtha hA mAzhA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/kumar_nathaha.ram
Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale -- >
This Natyageeta from SAUBHADRA brings sweet childhood memories
as I recall my father's superb renditions in his role as Narada. Sharad
Zambekar: Radhadhara madhu milinda -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/zambekar_radhadhara.ram
Asha's recital of Sant Dnyaneshwar's poetry, set to music by
Hridaynath, is so glorious as to give one pause before conceding
the Yaman dominion to Lata: kAnaDA-o-Vitthalu -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/asha_kanadaovitthalu.ram
An evergreen hit from K.L. Saigal is inspired by the Kalyan spirit.
Film: ZINDAGI (1940), Music: Pankaj Mullick: maiN kyA jAnu -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/saigal_mainkyajanu.ram
K.L. Saigal in TANSEN (1943), Music: Khemchand Prakash: diyA jalA'o -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/saigal_diya.ram
< -- Mohammad Rafi, Lata
Mangeshkar and Mukesh
The transparent sincerity in Mukesh's voice has deposited quite a few
Yaman-based compositions permanently into the public memory bank.
This bhajan composed by Lacchiram, for instance: chhoDa jhamela jhooThe
jaga kA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/mukesh_chhodjhamela.ram
Madan Mohan's gem from SANJOG (1961): bhooli hui yAdoN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/mukesh_bhoolihui.ram
Who hasn't heard of this jeremiad from PARVARISH (1958), tuned by Dattaram?
Aansoo bhari haiN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/mukesh_aansoobhari.ram
Every college Romeo has at some stage allowed himself the fantasy of
wooing a babe with this well-worn number from SARASWATICHANDRA (1968),
under Kalyanji-Anandji's baton: chandana sA badana -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/mukesh_chandansabadan.ram
Mukesh finds some more romance in this Sardar Malik classic from
SARANGA (1960): sArangA teri yAda meN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/mukesh_saranga.ram
Pt. Kishore Kumar of Khandwa -- >
We now turn to the suzerain from Khandwa, Pandit Kishore Kumar.
Panditji's first offering is a canonical Khandwa cheez from ANURODH (1977)
composed by Laxmikant- Pyarelal: Aapke anurodh pe -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/kishore_aapke.ram
Panditji now gives a dhrupad-anga treatment to this Sadra in Jhaptala,
composed by the Punjabi ruffian O.P. Nayyar in EK BAAR MUSKURA DO (1972):
savere kA sooraj -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/kishore_saverekasooraj.ram
Panditji coos wistfully in this cheez specially procured here
from the Khandwa bag of tricks. Hemant Kumar is the composer in
KHAMOSHI (1969): woh shyAm kuch ajeeba thhi -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/kishore_wohshyam.ram
In the final contribution of this God-in-human-clothing, Panditji, for
a change, presents a 'light' composition. Anu Malik's tune in
AAPAS KI BAAT (1982): terA chehrA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/kishore_terachehra.ram
Ghalib's classic Ghazal is tuned by Ghulam Mohammad in this
Suraiyya number from MIRZA GHALIB (1954): nuktAcheeN ha gHam-e-dil -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/suraiyya_nuktacheen.ram
Another superb Ghazal of Ahmad Faraz delivered by the richly gifted
Mehdi Hasan: ranjish hi sahi -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/mehdihasan_ranjishhi.ram
The Pakistani songstress Farida Khanoum's stentorian voice takes
charge: woh mujhse -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/faridakhanoum_wohmujhse.ram
Only rarely did Laxmikant-Pyarelal surpass themselves, one such instance
being the movie PARASMANI (1963): woh jaba yAda Aaye -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/latarafi_wohjabyaad.ram
Ravindra Jain's handsome tune in CHITCHOR (1976) was a rage following
its release. K.J. Yesudas: jaba deep jale AanA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/yesudas_jabdeepjale.ram
We wind down the Ya'mania' with a couple of Shankar-Jaikishan
compositions. Their folksy number in TEESRI KASAM (1966)
was its time the national chant. A rollicking Asha rises to the
occasion: pAn khAye saiyyAN humAro -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/asha_paankhaye.ram
In LAL PATTHAR (1971) we watch in despair as Manna Dey comes a cropper. It
hurts to
see an adult man whipped so badly by a girl but the pain is instantly
diminished by the
realization that the male in question is a Bong. Those Manna Dey tAns are
indistinguishable
from the first cries of a freshly baked baby as it tries to cope with life
outside the amnion: re mana sur meN gA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/kalyan/ashamanna_remana.ram
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