Bhairavi

Discussions

Editorial

Forum

Music

Editorial	Music & Art	Humour	Science Fiction	Short Story
Children Story	Reflections	Book Review	Poetry	Prev Issue	Next Issue

Monday, April 29 2002

Bhairavi (Page 2 of 2)
By Rajan P. Parrikar

Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" -- >

On this page we address Bhairavi's manifestation in many other forms prevalent in Hindustani music.

Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" has put together an exclusive Bhairavi Baithak. In this extraordinary session, recorded in May 2002 at his home in Allahabad, he ranges over several compositions of varied design and genre, traditional and self-composed. To me this shall forever remain an act of overwhelming love and kindness on Jha-sahab's part especially in light of his fragile health at the time.

Several items in this pool have been published in Jha-sahab's 5th volume of Abhinava Geetanjali. The reader is advised that the delivery of the compositions is prototypic, not in the manner of a full concert-style rendition. The intention is solely to illustrate and illuminate the underlying features. The highlight of the session is Jha-sahab's adherence to the appropriate ucchAraNa and gestures characteristic of the form under consideration; pertinent remarks punctuate the proceedings.

Jha-sahab opens with a traditional Dhrupad in praise of Lord Shiva: bhasma anga Gori sanga -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_dhrupad.ram

Ramrang's own Khayal composition: Bhairavi Bhavani devi -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_khayal.ram

Switching tracks, Jha-sahab takes on the Dadra. The first is set to Dadra tAla: nainA lAge -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_dadra1.ram

The second is a Sindh Bhairavi Dadra set to Keherwa: nA jA balama pardeswA-

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_dadra2.ram

The next several items are based in the Thumri genre. Jha-sahab kicks off with a Thumri of the vilambit type, pausing to touch upon the antecedents of this class: rasiyA raina ga'i -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri1.ram

The older form of Thumri, the bandish-ki-Thumri, in Ramrang's own exquisite composition: mA'i re muraliyAN -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri2.ram

Next in line are two compositions, both bandish-ki-Thumris, of the legendary Thumri composer 'Lalan Piya.' Lalan Piya (c.1850-1927) was the nom de plume of Nandalal Sharma of Farrukhabad. In his book, Indian Music, Thakur Jaideva Singh writes: ...In the later half of the nineteenth century, a movement of composing thumaris on the pattern of gats of instrumental music like sitar or sarod had started. These thumaris were mostly of fast tempo. There were some good composers of this type of thumari. None, however, surpassed Lalan Piya in the composition of such thumaris...His compositions were of such svelte, rhythmic variations that it was difficult for a tabla accompanist to catch the sam. He composed hundreds of thumaris. They were all of bandish (well-set improvised) pattern and in medium or fast tempo. They were mostly on the pattern of gats (fast instrumental compositions) of sitar...Some texts of his thumaris are extraordinary from another point of view. For instance, some of his thumaris are 'onthabanda' i.e., none of the words of such a thumari is labial. Such thumaris are not merely padding of words. They have also beautiful poetic content...

Jha-sahab presents 'Lalan Piya' -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri3.ram

Ramrang pries open some gems of another famed composer, 'Kunwar Shyam' (see Jaipurwales: The Lost Treasure for more on 'Kunwar Shyam'): bATa chalata mori chunari -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri4.ram

A different build, this time set to Addha tAla: Nandlala DARo gulAla -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri5.ram

The next two Thumri selections are taken "madhyam se" (i.e. the tonic is shifted to the madhyam). First, Kunwar Shyam's composition: suno suno ji na DARo -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri6.ram

This "madhyam se" thumri is a composition of Jha-sahab's guru Bholanath Bhatt whose adopted colophon was "Das Shyam" (see A Tale of Two Malhars for more on Bholanath Bhatt): jina jAvi ji Aja ko'u -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_thumri7.ram

Ramrang negotiates yet another genre, the Tappa -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_tappa.ram

The Bhairavi Baithak concludes with a bhajan of Kabir: yA bidha mana ko -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_bhajan.ram

Jha-sahab takes leave with these parting remarks -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavi_message.ram

It is seldom recognized that Pandit Bhatkhande was a composer of great merit. Parveen Sultana amplifies on his famous Sadra: Bhavani dayAni -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/parveensultana.ram

< -- l-r: Pandit V.N. Bhatkhande, Shankarrao Karnad, Bhalchandra Sukthankar, Brijkishan Koul, Rai Umanath Bali

Bhairavi's looming presence in the Indian's mental world is in no small measure due to its nexus with the land's religious and spiritual repertoire. No bhajani baithak can be complete without a generous dose of Bhairavi. Sample an early Bhimsen Joshi rendering this arresting Hari bhajan: jo bhaje Hari ko sadA -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/bhimsen.ram

Bhimsen Joshi -- >

Bhairavi lends itself well to brisk bandishes characterized by tautness of design. Exemplifying this type of composition is a bandish of Tassaduq Hussain Khan "Vinodpiya" (1879-1940) rendered by Jitendra Abhisheki: pAyaliyAN bAje re -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/abhisheki.ram

Of similar vintage is this old, well-worn cheez rendered by Shaila Datar: dekho mori chuRiyAN -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/shailadatar.ram

The American Khayal singer, Shri Warren Senders, has earned for himself the sobriquet "Bostonbuwa." In this recording of a Mumbai mehfil, Bostonbuwa unleashes a Tarana -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/warrensenders.ram

From Tarana it is a hop and skip to Tappa for which Bhairavi is a happy and fertile ground. First, the Rampur-Sahaswan buzurg, Mushtaq Hussain Khan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/mhk.ram

< -- Mushtaq Hussain Khan

Among the current crop, Malini Rajurkar is the reigning Tappa specialist -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/rajurkar.ram

The Tappa genre was very dear to the Gwalior elders. Three marvelous instances of Krishnarao Shankar Pandit are attached. The first is a younger KRSP at the peak of his powers -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/krsp0.ram

Krishnarao Shankar Pandit -- >

The next two are unpublished items of a later KRSP -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/krsp1a.ram

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/krsp1b.ram

The nangA Emperor Ali Akbar Khan recently spent quality time pissin' & partyin' in his San Rafael swamp on the occasion of his 80th birthday (Happy Birthday, Alu! Pssssst, time to now dispatch you to the knackers). Mr Alubhai has let the grass grow under his sarod for years (it is now perhaps longer than the hair coming out of his ears). Long ago, before he went to the winds, Alumeister had the capacity for a good Bhairavi. Here we must make do with a ho-hum effort -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/alumeister.ram

< -- Bismillah Khan with his brother Shamsuddin

The swarasmith par excellence, perhaps the greatest Hindustani instrumentalist of the past 50 years, Bismillah Khan, reminds us of the good, festive times in India -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/bismillah.ram

Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan never quite got the recognition he deserved as a sitar player of high class. He breaks a few squares here with intriguing Sindhu Bhairavi-esque variations -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/ahjk.ram

Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan -- >

I have never found myself listening to harmonium solos for over 3 minutes but Govindrao Tembe is not your regular harmonium player. Govindrao's abilities cut a wide swathe of artistic activity: author, playwright, actor, composer and musician. His wizardry on the harmonium was admired even by the likes of Alladiya Khansaheb and Kesarbai Kerkar. This scratchy 78 rpm suggests why -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/govindraotembe.ram

< -- Govindrao Tembe

We now turn to the Thumri anga material. At the head of the line is Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. This rare, unpublished instance finds him engaged in an informal session, displaying the Bhairavi bag of tricks -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/bgak_demo.ram

Bade Ghulam Ali Khan with family -- >

This classic BGAK recording is more familiar: nainA more tarase -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/bgak.ram

Rasoolan Bai's severely enchanting manner enthralls. Notice the Thumri-induced shuddha nishAd mentioned earlier by Jha-sahab -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/rasoolan.ram

< -- Vasantrao Deshpande

A bandish-ki-Thumri, courtesy Vasantrao Deshpande -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/vasantrao.ram

Abdul Karim Khan's jamunA ke teer is among the national treasures -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/akk.ram

Abdul Karim Khan in a mehfil -- >

A promising student of Omkarnath Thakur and Balkrishnabuwa Kapileshwari (Abdul Karim Khan's direct disciple), Yeshwantrai Purohit's was a life cut short. His manner exudes vestiges of Abdul Karim Khan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/ypurohit.ram

Kesarbai's old recording in Raga Bhairavi represents India on the music carried aboard the Voyager spacecraft that is now coasting in the desolate vastness of interstellar space. It is a breathtaking performance: jAta kahAN ho -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kesarbai_jaatkahaan.ram

< -- Kesarbai Kerkar

Mallikarjun Mansur takes off his high brow hat for a change -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/mansur.ram

Mallikarjun Mansur in a mehfil -- >

The piece de resistance of the Thumri round - a recording of Anjanibai Malpekar administering tAleem to Begum Akhtar!

< -- Begum Akhtar with her disciple Shanti Hiranand

Anjanibai Malpekar (1883-1974) from Goa (not to be confused with the Agra vocalist, Anjanibai Lolienkar, also from Goa), trained under Nazir Khan, one of the founders of the Bhendibazar Gharana (the others being Chajju Khan and Khadim Hussain Khan). Anjanibai was famous in her time for both for her musical gifts and her uncommon beauty. Kishori Amonkar, currently the greatest living Hindustani musician, had the privilege of being taught for a while by Anjanibai. In Between Two Tanpuras, Vamanrao Deshpande has this passage in his essay on Kishori:
"...Another of Kishori's gurus was Anjanibai Malpekar. Anjanibai loved Kishori dearly, especially because of her great musical talent. She often said to Kishori, "In you, your mother has given birth to a real gem. Go and tell your mother that I said this." Tonal sensitivity was something Kishori was born with. But she goes to great lengths to admit that her enchanting glide (meend) was taught to her by Anjanibai..."

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/malpekar_akhtar.ram

Anjanibai Malpekar -- >

The senior Dagar brothers, N. Moinuddin and N. Aminuddin -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/dagars.ram

Meerabai's entreaty in mat jA jogi is renewed by Omkarnath Thakur, in what is surely among the most moving and memorable Bhairavis -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/ot.ram

< -- Omkarnath Thakur

We rein in these peregrinations with the celebrated lament that has become synonymous with Bhairavi. Wajid Ali Shah, engulfed in wrenching grief, famously cried bAbul morA naihara chhoTo jAy (see Appendix for the story). Scores of musicians have registered their versions keeping alive the memory of Wajid Ali's acute distress. Of these we have plucked the finest and all but one are unpublished.

Khadim Hussain Khan -- >

Khadim Hussain Khan of Agra -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/khk.ram

Siddeshwari Devi -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/siddeshwaridevi.ram

< -- Siddeshwari Devi

Kesarbai Kerkar -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kesarbai_babulmora.ram

Kishori Amonkar -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kishori.ram

'Aftab-e-Mousiqui' Faiyyaz Hussain Khan -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/fhk.ram

Our odyssey concludes with that supreme Bhairavi rendition of our age, among the finest pieces of recorded music in human history. K.L. Saigal's performance has earned the imprimatur and unvarnished admiration of the greatest classical masters, and it has for decades seized the imagination of every lay Indian. This recording from STREET SINGER (1938) is one of the reasons why, in Bertrand Russell's words, "the human race is worth preserving." Upon Saigal-sahab's bAbul morA no human voice can improve -

http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/saigal_babulmora.ram

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to bring to you these set of notes. Men like Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, with their telescopic vision, capacity for sAdhanA, keen intellect and ability for synthesis, come by only rarely. Between these instances of very great men are longer periods where humbler hands must remain ceaselessly at work nurturing and keeping the flame of Raga burning. And so, "to these serving hands mine also shall belong."

Acknowledgements

I am indebted to Romesh Aeri for his steady support and for allowing me unrestricted access to his vast collection. The assistance of Ashok Ambardar and Ajay Nerurkar has been both valuable and critical. Sir Vish Krishnan is peerless in his knowledge and prehensile understanding of the diverse genres in India's music mosaic. The challenge for me was to pare the enormous amount of material he repeatedly placed at my door.

Special thanks to Prashanth Sharangapani, Ajit Akolkar, Guri Singh, V.N. Muthukumar and Shubha Mudgal. Dhananjay Naniwadekar supplied an important recording for this feature.

This effort would not have gone beyond a couple of installments had it not been for Anita Thakur's unswerving dedication to the cause. She has worked on each of these pages herself with affection and care. I cannot thank her enough.

Photo Credits

Almost all the photos in these features we have scanned ourselves. About 3-4 pictures have been borrowed from other websites such as www.chembur.com and www.naqikhan.com. We would be happy to acknowledge the odd instance where we may have inadvertently failed to assign credit if it is brought to our attention.