Monday, May 13 2002
Bhairavi (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some of which have been archived on Sawf.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 (1989)
|
Namashkar.
Our voyages in the ocean of Raga have connected us with worlds
both familiar and alien. We now stand in sight of what shall mark our
terminus ad quem - Raga Bhairavi. A synoptic account of this melody,
universally prescribed for ringing down the curtain on a Hindustani mehfil,
makes
for the final chapter of these chronicles.
The word "Bhairavi" derives from one of the eight forms of the Devi,
born in the burial grounds. So fanatically loved and widely embraced
is Raga Bhairavi that its elemental imprint is firmly fixed in the mind
of even the untutored Indian rasika. Bhairavi is also one
of the ten fundamental Hindustani thATs proposed by the great
sangeetaggya Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. Its swara-set
hews to the 8th Carnatic melakartA, Hanumatodi (M=shuddha and m=teevra
madhyam):
S r g M P d n.
Although Bhairavi is a major league Raga, it stands apart from other
Ragas of like stature in one important way: its use of all 12
swaras, a signal feature of the Bhairavi praxis. The five vivAdi
swaras that are not members of the original set are implemented
judiciously, without injury to the basic Raga-swaroopa. In this
latter form the melody so instantiated is often termed "Mishra
Bhairavi." Dhrupad and Dhamar compositions abound in Bhairavi.
Khayal treatment is usually dispensed through druta compositions. Bhairavi
finds extensive application in auxiliary genres such as Tarana, Tappa and
Thumri. Vilambit Khayal presentations are extremely rare
although such compositions have been conceived (eg. S.N. Ratanjankar).
Outside the Classical realm proper, it is well-nigh impossible to tread
without frequent run-ins with Bhairavi: it thickly inhabits every
conceivable Indian musical form - Bhajan, Geet, Ghazal, Qawwali, Natyasangeet,
Rabby Shongeet and so on.
The central Bhairavi themes will be first sketched followed
by a brief
discussion of the normative variations. Clearly, much
detail will be left unwritten. The curious student will have opportunities
aplenty to partake of the minutiae at the accompanying audio banquet.
The driving phrases of the poorvAnga are:
S n' S r g M [g] r S
The square brackets on the gandhAr denote a shake of that swara
that is sui generis to Bhairavi. This cluster, if properly intoned, at once
precipitates the essence of Bhairavi.
g M d P, d P M P (M)g, M (g)r
S
The rishab and/or the pancham are often skipped in Arohi
prayogas, viz.,
n' S g M d P
The uttarAnga forays are launched via:
g M d n S"
This cluster is very Malkauns-like. Since Bhairavi is a sampoorNa Raga,
straight ("sapAT") runs of the S r g M P d n
S" kind
are frequently admitted. A more complete sentence is:
g M d n S", d n S" r" n S" (n)d P
Stitching together these elemental patches, a chalan of the
'shuddha' swaroopa of Bhairavi is formulated:
S n S g M d P, (M)g M P d M P (M)g, d' n'
S r [g] r S
g M d n S", S" r" n S" (n)d P, d P M P (M)g, S r g M,
(g)r S
The typical modus operandi for each the five vivAdi swaras is now
outlined.
Shuddha rishab:
Arohi: S, d' n' S R [g] r S
Avarohi: P, d P M P (M)g R g, r S
This vivAdi R is frequently invoked.
Shuddha dhaivat: g M P d P, D n d P
Teevra madhyam: P d M P (M)g, g M m g r
S
Shuddha nishAd: S, r N' S, d' n' S r [g] r
S r N' S
Shuddha gandhAr: S r g M, M G M, S r G r
S
The shuddha gandhAr is the odd one out and does not lend itself to
as good a fit in the aesthetic landscape of Bhairavi.
The nyAsa swaras are S, g and P; in addition, M and
d are often
sought for elongation. As to the vAdi no consensus prevails.
Traditionally, M has been considered for the
role but in
recent times the accent has shifted to other swaras. For instance,
Jha-sahab argues in his classic volumes of Abhinava
Geetanjali that d and G are the vAdi and samvAdi, respectively. These
differences in outlook and interpretation notwithstanding, there
is no mistaking the core of Bhairavi.
A variation known as Sindhu Bhairavi retains all the mannerisms
of the parent Bhairavi with the rishab augmented to its shuddha
shade. These days Sindhu Bhairavi is sung with both the rishabs
and both the dhaivats. Then there are other variants such as Jangla
Bhairavi, Kasuri Bhairavi and such like. These are relatively minor
offshoots originating from the Bhairavi stem; I prefer to locate them all
under the "Mishra Bhairavi" rubric.
This just about completes the prolegomenon concerning Bhairavi's
internal matters. The Raga affords a wide compass for rumination
and numerous melodic templates with which to direct and develop
its motif have evolved.
Obiter dictum: The profoundly significant
Raga Bilaskhani Todi
is carved out of swaras from the Bhairavi campus. The kinship ends
there, for Bilaskhani Todi is a horse of an entirely different
colour with its special prayogas, its Todi-anga ucchAraNa and
its meeNDs. A step into Bhairavi territory may deal the kiss of death
to Bilaskhani.
Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" --
>
In its width and penetration the work of Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang"
is the only one in recent times that approaches the standards established
by Pandit Bhatkhande (see Appendix). Jha-sahab,
who regards Bhatkhande as his param-guru, has critically extended the
Chaturpandit's
ideas through his masterful inquiry into the nature of Raga. Jha-sahab's
Raganubhava
is an accretion of decades of reflection and play. Mere tAleem cannot
get you there. A musician with a superb tAleem and not much else is little
more than a well-trained dog. This point cannot be underscored enough,
for the Hindustani firmament is littered with the droppings of these
"lakeer-ke-faqeer" chumps, these viveka-atrophied baboons.
Jha-sahab's parley opens with a demonstration of the vivAdi
swaras. He then turns to the Ragavachaka prayogas. There is also a
discussion of Bilaskhani Todi vis-a-vis Bhairavi. This discussion was gleaned
on the telephone line. Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jha_bhairavispeak.ram
Bhairavi has been cultivated extravagantly by the Hindi film music
composers. Many of the lasting creations of the 20th C have their roots
in this Raga. The distinction between 'light' and
'classical' is largely moot in the case of Bhairavi since a good Bhairavi
rendition is seen as "Bhairavi" without regard to genre or source.
Indeed, as will be apparent soon, the greatest Bhairavi on record
issued not under the auspices of the Classical world but through
the artistry of a musical genius firmly wedded to the popular
imagination. The banquet we are about to sink our teeth into
contains many inviting items, but bear in mind that it represents
a tiny sample of the Bhairavi goodies extant.
From this point on, I intend to practice severe economy of word
and chime in only when, and if, necessary (if I can help it).
We begin with an invocation to that abiding symbol of learning,
Goddess Saraswati. The text is a traditional description of the
devi. The tune was developed by Allaudin Khan and adapted
in the movie ALAAP (1977) by the great composer Jaidev. Lata
Mangeshkar is assisted by Dilraj Kaur: Mata Saraswati Sharada -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_matasaraswati.ram
< -- K.L. Saigal
There has not been a greater exponent of Bhairavi than K. L. Saigal
and this is not an opinion. It is in the fitness of things that we steal
some moments with Saigal-sahab.
This stunning number from MY SISTER (1944) was composed
by Pankaj Mullick: Aie kAtib-e-taqdeer -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/saigal_aikaatib.ram
Every Bhairavi that Saigal touched turned to gold. Soordas's
famous bhajan, for instance, from BHAKTA SOORDAS (1942),
set to music by Gyan Dutt: Madhukara Shyam hamAre chor -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/saigal_madhukar.ram
With this song on your lips, your small-beer tale of a life can
acquire the sheen of an epic at dinner parties. Composer Naushad's pulls
in an all-time pleaser for SHAHJEHAN (1946) -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/saigal_jabdil.ram
These Saigal numbers reveal his mastery of Bhairavi and his
incomparable flair for joining melody to word.
From KISMAT (1943), composer Anil Biswas, singer Amirbai
Karnataki: ab tere sivA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/amirbai_abteresiva.ram
Lata Mangeshkar -- >
A quick flavour of the creative ferment in Bhairavi can be had
by examining Lata Mangeshkar's oeuvre. The gems culled
are spread over many eminent composers of yesteryear.
From DULARI (1949), composer Naushad: aie dil tujhe -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_aidil.ram
It was fresh then and it is fresh now. The classic from GOONJ UTHI
SHEHNAI (1959) composed by Vasant Desai: dil kA khilonA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_dilka.ram
Master composer Madan Mohan, film DEKH KABEERA
ROYA (1957): tu pyAr kare -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_tupyar.ram
Chitragupta's tune in MAIN CHUP RAHUNGI (1962): tumhi ho mAtA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_tumhihomata.ram
A Ravi Shankar beauty from ANURADHA (1960): sANware sANware -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_sanware.ram
S.D. Burman in TERE MERE SAPNE (1971): jaise Radha ne -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_jaiseradha.ram
It is fashionable among Americans to talk in earnest
about the "complexity and beauty" of African drumming or the
"intoxicating beauty" of Gammelan or this and that and the
other. The 'savage' has suddenly turned noble. Long before the
advent of these childish Western fads, the brilliant Indian duo of
Shankar-Jaikishan scoured the world's musical hotbeds incorporating
into their work the best from all lands while staying true to their Indian
soul. For instance, their adaptation of this number of the legendary
Arab chanteuse, Asmahan (1918-1944)...
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/asmahan.ram
...for the runaway superhit from AWARA (1951): ghar AyA merA pardesi
-
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_gharaayaa.ram
< -- l-r: Jaikishan, Shankar, Lata, Talat Mehmood
Shankar-Jaikishan's inordinate fondness for Bhairavi and their
unshakeable faith in Lata's divine artistry stood at the cradle of
many of our national chants. These five corkers are all rooted
in the soil of the land:
PATITA (1953), kisi ne apnA banA ke -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_kisine.ram
MAYUR PANKH (1954), kushiyoNke chAnd -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_khushiyonke.ram
SEEMA (1955), suno chhoTi si -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_sunochhoti.ram
This number from BASANT BAHAR (1956) is also famous for
Pannalal Ghosh's Bansuri interludes: maiN piyA teri-
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_mainpiya.ram
l-r: Anil Biswas, Lata Mangeshkar, Pannalal Ghosh -- >
DIL APNA AUR PREET PARAYI (1960), dil apnA aur -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_dilapna.ram
Enter Mohammad Rafi. From Naushad's workshop, this sparkling
number was forged for MELA (1948): yeh zindagi ke mele -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/rafi_yehzindagi.ram
Some years ago, a vast and shameless Bong conspiracy to wangle a brilliant
Goan composer as one of their own was exposed. The man in question
was N. Datta (Datta Naik) who teamed with Sahir Ludhianvi to give us many
unforgettable numbers. From DHOOL KA PHOOL (1959),
in Mohammad Rafi's voice: tu Hindu banegA nA Musalman banegA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/rafi_tuhindu.ram
< -- The Mahatma
Mahatma Gandhi's life is celebrated in song, the handiwork of
poet Rajinder Kishan, music composers Husanlal-Bhagatram,
and Mohammad Rafi: suno suno aie duniyAwAloN Bapu ki yeh
amar kahAni -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/rafi_bapuki.ram
Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammad
Rafi -- >
Lata and Mohammad Rafi in a soft and gentle Khayyam composition
from SHOLA AUR SHABNAM (1961): jeet hi lenge -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/latarafi_jeethi.ram
Composer Roshan's turn. From DEVAR (1966), this is Mukesh's
sole entry: AyA hai mujhe phir yAd -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/mukesh_aayaa.ram
Ladies, time to pull out your hankies. Talat-bhai, the quivering doyen of
the ronaa-dhonaa brigade, is here. From DAGH (1952), composers
Shankar-Jaikishan: aie mere dil kahiN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/talat_aimere.ram
O.P. Nayyar goes balle balle, that unappetising ritual invented by
uncouth Punju primates and known today as Bhangra. Asha Bhonsle
and Shamshad Begum deliver for NAYA DAUR (1957): reshmi salvAr kuRtA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/ashashamshad_reshmi.ram
Pt. Kishore Kumar's garden has a few Bhairavi lilies blooming. Such as
the riveting masterpiece from AMAR PREM (1971) conceived by
R.D. Burman: chingAri ko'i bhaDke -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kishore_chingari.ram
< -- Pt.
Kishore Kumar giving taleem to Lata Mangeshkar
S.D. Burman cajoles Panditji into nibbling at a few vivAdi swaras
in GAMBLER (1971): dil Aja -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kishore_dilaaj.ram
The closest the great man ever got to pure Bhairavi was in
BEMISAL (1982) under R.D. Burman: kisi bAta par maiN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kishore_kisibat.ram
That completes our Hindi film-based round. We next turn to melodies in
other languages.
Dnyaneshwar's transcendental words in this Pasayadan are set
to music by Hridaynath Mangeshkar and recited by Lata -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/lata_pasayadan.ram
Marathi Natyasangeet has liberally drawn on Bhairavi. The famous
musician-actress of yesteryear, Jyotsnatai Bhole, in the drama
KULAVADHU (1942), music for which was composed by Master
Krishnarao: bolA amrutabolA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/jyotsnabhole_bola.ram
Jyotsna Bhole -- >
Jyotsnatai was born Durga Kelekar in a tiny village in Goa, younger
sister of Girijabai Kelekar (Abhisheki's first guru). I am often asked
about the suffixes "tai" and "bai" used on names of Maharashtrian
and Goan women. Research has shown that they are intimately tied
to the woman's biological cycle: "tai" is assumed at the crack of
puberty and it automatically turns to "bai" at the conclusion of
menopause. For the woman over 60 who pretends to be the
self-righteous virgin - we call her "Lata-didi."
The drama SANYASTA KHADGA (1931) written by the great
Indian nationalist and freedom fighter, Veer Savarkar, features
Dinanath Mangeshkar's arresting Bhairavi: sukatAtachi jagi yA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/dinanath_sukata.ram
< -- 'Veer' Savarkar
The Marathi musical EKACH PYALA (1919) is pregnant with
memorable tunes. Kumar Gandharva plies one such: prabhuaji
gamalA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/kumar_prabhuaji.ram
Kumar Gandharva -- >
Over to the Department of Kannada. Basavanna's vacanA is
tuned and rendered by Basavraj Rajguru: chakorange chandramana -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/rajguru.ram
Rabindranath Tagore is represented through his famous
mor beenA delivered here by Debabrata Biswas -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/biswas_morbeena.ram
We round off this section with a clip of Greek Rembetika singing
to the scale of Bhairavi -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhairavi/greeksong.ram
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