Monday, Nov 4 2002
Short Takes: Bihag
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have been archived on Sawf.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 at Miramar in
Panjim (Goa, 2002)
Click on the picture to enlarge it
|
Namashkar and Shubh Deepavali (2002) to All.
In this installment of Short Takes, we train
our attention on Raga Bihag. After the customary inspection of the rAga's
internals, we shall set upon a lavish, scrumptious spread of Bihag confections
from both the
Hindustani and Carnatic paddhatis. We shall also survey a few sub-melodies
spawned by Bihag. Throughout this causerie, M=shuddha and m=teevra
madhyam.
Raga Bihag
"Bihag" (bihAg) is said to derive from "vihag" or "vihang" (Note: Raga
Vihang, the Marwa-thAT melody in currency among the Atrauli-Jaipur vocalists,
bears no resemblance to our subject du jour). Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande
has assigned it to the Bilawal thAT with good reason: an inquiry into its
structure betrays its Bilawal antecedents. Bihag has carved for itself an
independent swaroopa and garnered enough melodic heft to qualify for the cachet
of a Raganga Raga. In his widely-read work, Raga
Vigyan, Vinayakrao Patwardhan says that Bihag is a Kalyan-anga
rAga. The influential Indian classical musician is often known to talk through
his hat on
matters he is not equipped to address; he can be excused only on the grounds
that (to
paraphrase Sir Peter Medawar) "before deceiving others he has taken great pains
to deceive himself."
Let us now address the rAga-lakshaNAs. Raga Bihag is composed of all the
shuddha swaras and a soupçon of the teevra madhyam. Although elementary
lessons proscribe the rishab and dhaivat in Arohi prayogas these
swaras are nevertheless so manifestated subtly, their conduct in this
particular
setting in accord with the overall rAga-dharma (as Jha-sahab puts
it). Indeed, it will be seen later that most masters exploit the graces
of R and D in the Arohi sequence.
The Bihag of yore had scant regard for the teevra madhyam. An examination of
the compositions documented in Bhatkhande's Kramika
Pustaka Malika and Jha-sahab's Abhinava
Geetanjali shows m to be a 'gupt'
(hidden) swara in almost all instances. It occurs in the meeND from P to G or sometimes in
the shadow of P. The core lakshaNAs can be
stated without regard to m. In recent times,
however, the teevra madhyam has advanced in stature and the cluster P m G M G, with
its pointed reference to m has come to be
associated with Bihag.
S, N', N' S G M G-(R)-S
The poorvAnga activity originates on the mandra nishAd (the grAha swara).
Both G and N are
powerful, the vAdi and samvAdi swaras, respectively. The meeND-laden movement
represented by G-(R)-S is a crucial component of
Bihag's
signature: the elongation of G before the
declination to S, finessing over R
without its explicit acknowledgement. R is also
admitted in a more open, albeit weak, mode: G,
RS. The
G-(R)-S and the symmetric uttarAnga cluster,
N-(D)-P, play a crucial role in fortifying
Bihag's
character.
N' S G M G P, P->(m)G M G, P M G,
RS
Notice the langhan (skipping) of the M from
G to P. Sometimes
an alternative prayoga takes effect: S M G P.
The teevra madhyam comes into play in a 'soft' meeND from P to G (contrast this
intonation with the 'hard' meeND employed in Shuddha Kalyan). As indicated
earlier, m has now come to be accorded a more
visible role through P m G M G or P m P G M G.
[P] G M G, GMPD-G M G, P M G, RS
This movement, bridging the poorvAnga-uttarAnga regions, exhibits a
pronounced Bilawal influence. Of interest are the khaTkA on P (i.e. a quick PDPmP
pulse), designated by enclosing it within a square bracket, the D-G coupling, a Bilawal giveaway, and the tonal ribbon
containing another Bilawal germ, P M G, RS.
G M P N, N, S"
This uttarAnga launch is a Bihag signpost. Oftentimes the second instance
of nishAd is imparted a subtle grace of D, as in
P N (D)N (D)P . During elaboration the
occasional,
but striking, leap from M to N as in G M N-(D)-P
is also observed.
P N, N, S", S" N, DP
The paradoxical role played by R and D should be evident by now: both are weak swaras yet
essential to the Bihag spirit. Recall the symmetry of the G-(R)-S and N-(D)-P
clusters with D and R forming exact
counterparts in the manner of their ucchAraNa.
< -- Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang"
This completes our overview. Clearly, there are important gaps to be filled
for which the reader is referred to Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang"'s
penetrating exegesis in Volume 4 of Abhinava
Geetanjali, where he
takes Bihag apart swara-by-swara and then reconstitutes it. We are fortunate
to have him in our midst with his inspirited commentary (recorded over the
telephone). It is fitting that he concludes the lection with a recitation of
the moving bhajan of "Khaalas":
nAma japana kyoN chhoDa diyA ?
krodha na chhoDA lobha na chhoDA
satya vachana kyoN chhoDa diyA ?
Ramrang holds forth on Raga Bihag -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/jha_bihagspeak.ram
We inaugurate the banquet with Chitragupta's elegant composition from
HUM MATWALE
NAUJAWAN (1961). The composer revelled in painting popular hues of serious
rAgas, as this Mukesh beauty reveals: banke chakori gori -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/mukesh_banke.ram
Vasant Desai and Lata Mangeshkar combine in this all-time masterpiece from
GOONJ UTHI SHEHNAI (1958): tere sur aur mere geeta -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/lata_teresur.ram
Turning the clock back, K.L. Saigal sings for Naushad in SHAHJEHAN (1946).
Saigal-sahab is pure ear candy (to say the blindingly obvious): ai
dil-e-beqarAr jhoom -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/saigal_aidile.ram
Naushad (standing) with lyricist Shakeel Badayuni --
>
Another great composer of yesteryear, Anil Biswas, philanders with both
Bihag and Hameer in MILAN (1946). Parul Ghosh: suhAni beriyA beeti jAy
-
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/parulghosh_suhani.ram
Jaidev recruits Yesudas in his splendidly-arranged composition in ALAAP
(1977): ko'i gAtA maiN so jAtA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/yesudas_koigata.ram
Composer Kanu Roy wasn't prolific in his output but whatever
issued forth from his beautiful mind has been worth preserving. In GRIHA
PRAVESH (1980), Bhupinder is paired with a godawful Sulakshana Pandit:
boliye
surilee boliyAN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/bhupindersulu_boliye.ram
It is unusual for 'Gantapaswini' Mogubai Kurdikar to be seen in these
'light' corridors. We have here an old 1940s recording based successively in
Ragas Bihag and Bahar. Madhukar Rajasthani's verse is set to tune by Snehal
Bhatkar: phir Ayi lauT bahAr
-
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/mogubai_bihagbahar.ram
< -- Mogubai Kurdikar
Our 'light' section fades out with a Natyageeta from SVAYAMVAR, brilliantly
handled by Kumar Gandharva: mama AtmA gamalA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/kumar_mamaatma.ram
We now repair to the classical theatre. Bihag has scores of compositions
placed in its service across every genre. The selection here is representative
of the
very best and much of it remains unpublished.
Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" right away scythes to the core of Bihag with a
fetching Jhaptala-based composition, and in the clip following, dwells on its
sAhitya:
navaneeta bhAve
nA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/jha_bihag_vil.ram
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/jha_bihag_sahitya.ram
The Dagars specialize in Dhrupad music. They also specialize in talking a
great deal of balderdash, a trait they seem to have handed down to their
pupils.
It has become fashionable in some small circles (especially in Europe and
America, and now in India) to glorify Dhrupad and simultaneously deride Khayal.
The
protagonists have all the zeal of freshly-circumcized converts and try very
hard (but alas,
fail) to sound more intelligent than they really are. I have often put the
condescending nod punctuated by a set of smirks to good profit in these
situations.
Moving along, we warm up to the younger Dagar brothers, N. Zahiruddin and N.
Faiyazuddin Dagar -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/dagars_bihag.ram
Tansen Pande (1908-1963) was born Husainuddin Khan Dagar, the fourth son
of Alla Bande Khan. He later embraced the Dharma of his forebears who
were Pandes before their forced conversion to Islam. Tansen Pande belongs to
that rare breed of musicians given to wholesale dealing in Raga (the rest are
retailers). We have two cuts of his magnificent AlAp -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/tp_bihag_alap1.ram
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/tp_bihag_alap2.ram
Pandit Bhatkhande's Dhamar composition finds a proponent in K.G. Ginde. The
discerning reader may wish to pause and estimate the proportion of m here: jobana madamAti -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/ginde_bihag.ram
The precision and nuance of swara purveyed by Kumar Gandharva are
breathtaking. The compositions are his very own: the vilambit, yeh morA
mana, and the druta, yeh kA murjhAyo re. The sam in the latter
falls on the key D-G sangati -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/kumar_bihag.ram
Sharatchandra Arolkar preserves the established Gwalior values with a
traditional vilambit Khayal, pari ho pAya pAre more, set in Tilwada
tAla, and tops it off with a druta, hamare gusaiyyAN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/arolkar_bihag.ram
Reprising the composition is Krishnarao Shankar Pandit
who pauses at around 0:26 to recount Haddu Khan's taunt ("tum
kaDi-bhAt khAnewAle kyA gA'oge?") -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/krsp_bihag.ram
Vasantrao Deshpande -- >
Vasantrao Deshpande's Bihag is of the highest calibre. The traditional
vilambit composition has been documented by Bhatkhande: ho mA dhana-dhana
re -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/vasantrao_bihag_vil.ram
The druta cheez was composed by Vasantrao's dear friend Kumar Gandharva:
nA chheDo nA chheDo nA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/vasantrao_bihag_druta.ram
Sadarang's Khayal - kaise sukha sove - is synonymous with Bihag and
is
presented in dheemA Teentala by Bhimsen. He tops it off with another
chestnut, laTa urjhe. Notice the dalliance with the komal nishAd at
4:30 -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/bhimsen_bihag.ram
< -- Ganpatbuwa Behre
(1890-1965)
Ganpat Ramchandra Behre (1890-1965), a Kirana voice from the past, was a
direct disciple of Abdul Karim Khan. Behrebuwa also had for his gurus other
luminaries such as Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale, Vazebuwa and Rajab Ali Khan. The clip
opens with a propulsive tAna bearing the unmistakable stamp of his last-named
guru. The compositions are familiar: kaise sukha sove and bAje
re mori pAyala -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/behrebuwa_bihag.ram
Nivruttibuwa Sarnaik tempered his Atrauli-Jaipur training with decisive
input from Rajab Ali Khan. The composition we have heard before (from
Vasantrao): ho mA dhana-dhana re -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/sarnaik_bihag.ram
Even amid the world-class Bihags on display here, this Amir Khan offering
stands apart as a celestial experience, although it is partly contaminated by
atrocious
harmonium sangat (most likely, Jnan Prakash Ghosh). Sadarang's vilambit is
followed by the druta, Ali ri albeli, a rejiggered version of an old
cheez, presented in Teentala with a quaint choice for the sam (tAr rishab) -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/amirkhan_bihag.ram
The Ektala-bound canonical version of Ali ri albeli, is beautifully
executed by Basavraj Rajguru in this radio recording -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/rajguru_bihag.ram
Mushtaq Hussain Khan -- >
The Rampur-Sahawan position on Bihag is established in the following two
items.
Mushtaq Hussain Khan -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/mhk_bihag.ram
Nissar Hussain Khan dispenses the well-known Tarana. Notice the unabashed
P D N S" prayoga at, for instance, 0:16 -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/nhk_bihagtarana.ram
The voice of Agra, Khadim Hussain Khan -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/khk_bihag.ram
On a good day, Banditji has the capacity to turn in a compelling Bihag.
This rendition at the Kesarbai Kerkar Samaroh held in Panjim, Goa, in the
1980s, is offered primarily for the delectable composition of 'Kunwar Shyam':
dekho more ranga meN bhigoye DAri -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/banditji_bihag.ram
An unpublished mehfil of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan singing his own composition -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/bgak_bihag_druta.ram
The next three are instrumental selections. First, Allauddin Khan scratches
the violin at warp speed -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/allauddin_bihag.ram
< -- Allauddin Khan
Ravi Shankar's LP recording where he is accompanied by the greatest Tabla
master of the 20th C, Ahmedjan 'Thirakhwa,' has long been a sentimental
favourite. Thirakhwa provides an object lesson in the art of accompaniment: he
has no urge to commandeer the proceedings and is content to play a subordinate
role, wholly
in communion with, and in service of, the music. Always. This simple lesson
the likes of Mr. Zakir Hussain (voted "San Anselmo's Sexiest Man" in the "over
45
and under 5ft 5in" category) and other contemporary stage bullies (like that
fathead Swapan what's-his-last name?) have failed to learn.
Ravi Shankar -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/rs_bihag.ram
The swarasmith extraordinaire, Bismillah Khan -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/bismillah_bihag.ram
The Hindustani Bihag has found favour with Carnatic musicians. The Carnatic
adaptations are seen to have a pronounced komal nishAd and phrases such as
RGMP. Whereas in the Hindustani system, the komal
nishAd finds prominence in a variant of Bihag known as Bihagda.
I understand that Gopalkrishna Bharati was perhaps the first Carnatician to
compose in Bihag. S. Ramanathan sings his itu tAnO tillai -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/sr_itutano.ram
Another Bharati composition, this time by K.V. Narayanaswamy: irakkam
varAmal -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/kvn_irakkam.ram
K.V. Narayanaswamy strikes again, with a composition of Swati Tirunal. This
rendition bears the most likeness to Hindustani Bihag: sAramaina -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/kvn_saramaina.ram
K.V. Narayanaswamy -- >
Patnam Subramania Iyer's composition is presented by Ramnad Krishnan. He is
accompanied by T. Vishwanathan: samayam ide -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/rk_samayamide.ram
We drop the curtain on the Bihag tableau with a beautiful Veena item of S.
Balachander playing Tirupati Narayanaswamy's vagalAdi -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/sb_vagaladi.ram
I thank Dr. V.N. Muthukumar for his help in assembling this Carnatic
montage.
The remainder of our session figures a flyby tour of Bihag variants, either
joD rAgas (hybrids) or composites built on a Bihag substrate.
Raga Chhaya Bihag
This rAga, traditionally heard under the aegis of Agra Gharana, obtains by
infusing an element of Raga Chhaya - in particular the P->R arc - into the Bihag flow. Jha-sahab sketches
his beautiful composition and then, in the clip following, explains the textual
context: bAri nihAri chhAyA chandra ki -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/jha_chhayabihag_vil.ram
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/jha_chhayabihag_sahitya.ram
Raga Chandni Bihag
This uncommon variant is realized through a chalan bheda on the parent
melody. Both the teevra madhyam and komal nishAd are introduced in striking
tonal formulations. The chalan, as given by Jha-sahab in Volume 3 of his
aforementioned work, assumes the following form:
S N' S G M G, G M P D n [S"] n D P
D N S" N->P, m P D n S" n D P, G M G
Ramrang sketches an old composition handed down to him by his guru,
Bholanath Bhatt, who in turn received it from the Sarangi maestro Bundu Khan.
As Jha-sahab explains in the second clip, this rAga and bandish have
traditionally been the preserve of the Rampur vocalists: Aja Ananda mukha
chandra -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/jha_chandnibihagspeak.ram
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/jha_chandnibihag.ram
Obiter dictum: On the Legacy album
published
by Mr. Alubhai (voted "San Rafael's Sexiest Man" in the "over 80 and under 1
foot" category), Asha Bhonsle sings the same text in Raga Shankara Karan. It
is interesting to compare the movements therein with the Chandni Bihag
rendition
of Jha-sahab above.
Raga Savani (Bihag-anga)
This type of Savani derives from a chalan bheda on Bihag: the teevra madhyam
is banished, the value of N is diminished, and
special sangatis are introduced. Some musicians use the dhaivat sparingly,
others (notably from the Atrauli-Jaipur tribe) ply it with deliberate piquancy.
Among
the special artifacts are the S-P' and the S"-P sangatis, and the M P
G cluster. Since N is weak, the P-S"-P
coupling oftentimes determines the trajectory to the shaDaj. We adduce
four renditions (all set in Jhaptala) and invite readers to bring their own
measure.
Ramrang sings his own composition in this old radio recording: deva
Mahadeva -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/jha_savani.ram
Bhatkhande has documented the old composition presented by Kumar
Gandharva: jAne akala saba -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/kumar_savani.ram
Take stock of the dhaivat via G M D, D M P
G in the Atrauli-Jaipur treatment. Mogubai Kurdikar sings Alladiya
Khan's dearly-loved composition: deva deva satsanga -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/mogubai_savani.ram
< -- Mallikarjun Mansur and his wife
Gangamma
The selfsame bandish is plied by Mallikarjun Mansur in an inspired 1980
mehfil in Mumbai. At around 3:21, he pauses to inform that "this is [my guru]
Manji Khansahab's gAyaki" -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/mansur_savani.ram
Raga Hem Bihag
This is a conception of Allauddin Khan of Maihar. The choice of label is
misleading: the rAga is a hybrid formed with strands of Hemant woven into the
Bihag fabric and laced with special sanchAris. The "Hem" here presumably
derives from Hemant, certainly not from the well-known Raga Hem/Hem Kalyan.
(Jha-sahab has documented a different Hem Bihag - one fashioned from Hem and
Bihag.)
Alu's AlAp -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/alu_hembihag.ram
Nikhil Banerjee -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/nb_hembihag.ram
A subtle difference or two in the above interpretations of Hem Bihag
may provoke the careful, discriminating listener.
Raga Manjari Bihag
This specialty item of the Atrauli-Khurja musicians obtains through
a chalan bheda on the parent Bihag. It contains all shuddha swaras and
has some resemblance to PatBihag. A special strand M P
G SR, S involving a deergha rishab stands out. Two compositions are
presented of
which the druta is a creation of Azmat Hussain Khan whose colophon "Dilrang"
can be heard in the antarA.
Aslam Hussain Khan -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/ahk_manjaribihag.ram
Raga Swanandi
We owe this fascinating melody to Jagannathbuwa Purohit "Gunidas." It draws
upon three rAgas, namely, Bihag, Bhinna Shadaj and Bhatiyar (try isolating
the respective strands). Incidently, Allauddin Khan's Hem Bihag and Gunidas's
Swanandi
start out with similar raw material but then evolve along different lines
in accordance with the imperatives of their respective creators. Gunidas's
vision
was reified in his definitive composition, presented here by his pupil C.R.
Vyas: jiyarA mAnata nAhiN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/crvyas_swanandi.ram
Jagannathbuwa Purohit "Gunidas" -- >
Raga Gagan Vihang
This baby of Dinkar Kaikini, erected on a Bihag substrate, is spiced with
chhAyAs of Savani and Nand and
fortified with special sangatis. Kaikini's composition
is charming but his constipated voice-production makes you wonder if someone is
turning his family jewels on the lathe: sarasa sugandha Ali -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bihag/kaikini_gaganvihang.ram
Several other prakArs of Bihag have been addressed in the earlier features:
Bihagda and Pat Bihag, in Two Variants of Raga Bihag
Nat Bihag, in Cracked Open - The Nats!
Shankara Bihag, in Shankara - Lord of Ragas
MaruBihag, in An
Evening with Raga MaruBihag
Acknowledgements
My thanks to Romesh Aeri, Ashok Ambardar, Vish Krishnan, V.N. Muthukumar and
Nachiketa Sharma. Anita Thakur is the soul and the motive force behind this
set of articles.
 View
and Post comment on this article
The contents of the article are Copyright © of the author and may not be
reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the author.
|
