| PREVIOUS WEEK OF 13th Feb |
| PREVIOUS WEEK OF 27th Feb |
| Bow to the King, Yaman |
| We had three episodes of Bhariravi, the ragini with all komal notes, it is appropriate to take up Yaman, the King. This raag has all the Shuddha notes, except Madhyam, which is Teevra. Between Bhairavi and Yaman, we cover all 12 notes. Yaman is the real king. Years ago, I had written a short blog on Yaman. I will reproduce it here in Marathi as well as English माझं एक स्वप्न आहे. ते पूर्वी खूप वेळा साकार झालं आहे, पण तरीही अजूनही ते स्वप्न आहेच कारण आता ते साकार व्हायची शक्यता कमीच आहे. पावसाळ्याचे दिवस असावेत. साधारण गुरु पौर्णिमेच्या वेळेचे. साडे नऊचा प्रोग्रॅम. जेवण करून आरामात सगळे लोक यावेत. सभागृहाच्या दारावरच कोणीतरी अत्तरदाणी घेऊन उभं असावं. पानाचं तबक फिरत असावं. त्यात पान, सुपारी, कात, लवंग आणि चुना. बास. आमच्या लहानपणी तंबाखू त्यात नसायची. ती डबी मोठे लोक आपापली ठेवायचे. मी अत्तरही लावून घेत नाही, किंवा पानही खात नाही. अजूनसुद्धा. पण अत्तरदाणी आणि तबक असल्याशिवाय कार्यक्रम होतो हेच पटू शकत नाही. कोणीतरी तब्येतीत गाणारा गायक/गायिका असावी. तबल्यावर सुंदर ठेका देणारा, नेहेमीचा तबलजी. आणि ट्रबलजी नव्हे! संयत साथीची संवादिनी. छोटा विस्तार करून, विलंबित एकतालातली बंदिश चालू व्हावी. एक सुंदर तुकडा घेऊन तबलजीने सम द्यावी. आणि शांतपणे यमन चालू व्हावा. आमच्या लहानपणी हे कित्येक वेळा अनुभवलं आहे. पण आता तो माहौल नाही. कोरोना आत्ता आहे, पण तो जाईल. परंतु त्याही आधी सेक्युरिटी मुळे रात्रीचे कार्यक्रम बंद झाले. अजूनही उत्तम गायक/गायिका आहेत. ट्रबलजींचा सुकाळ असला तरीही अस्सल, तयार तबलजी पण आहेत (त्यांची कितीही उत्तम तयारी असली तरी ते सुंदर, डौलदार ठेका धरतात), संयत साथ करणारे संवादिनी वादक पण आहेत. पण माहौल नाही, आणि त्यात त्यांचा काही दोष नाही. कालाय तस्मै नमः I have a dream. I have lived through it many, many times in the past. But since it is kind of hard to do it again, I keep dreaming. It would be rainy season. About Guru Pournima time. Guru Pournima program would be starting at 9.30 PM. Folks would trickle into the program hall. Someone would be standing at the entrance with Attardani (अत्तरदाणी, sorry cannot translate). Paan would be available right there in the Tabak (तबक, sorry cannot translate this either) Folks would make their own Paan in their own style. On stage, there would be a Bujurg artist. Tabla would be by equally bujurg, the one who would give beautiful theka (Tabalji, not Troubleji). Harmonium accompaniment would be just enough, not too loud, not too soft, not distracting, just right. A little raag vistaar, and then a nice, slow Yaman bandish would unfurl in Vilambit Ektaal. These days security issues have popped up. No more all nighters. कालाय तस्मै नमः Oh well, those days are gone, and we are here reminiscing about Yaman. No matter what the King is King. Famous song Kuhu Kudu Bole Koyaliya has several ragas, the last stanza is in Yaman. So we begin with that stanza directly. We then move to Bahadur Shah Jafar’s famous Lagta Nahi Hain Jee Mera, sung by Habib Wali Mohammad, a bujurg from yesteryears. Note that he sings in A# or Kali 5, which is considered lower pitch for male singers. However most of the Carnatic male singers sing in A# even today. Lata’s tribute to KL Saigal! We pick up Main Kya Janu, in Lataji’s voice, which is a tribute to Kundan Lal Saigal. With Yaman, one must talk about Jab Deep Jale Ana. A classic Yaman song. But we listen to Pandit Yeshudas singing live! He has sung it in Carnatic style, with violin, mrudungam and Ghatam. This is simply outstanding. And as mentioned before, he sings in A#. We have two songs, which aren’t live. Chandan Sa Badan and Chhupa Lo Yu Dil Me Pyar Mera. Both songs are very nice, peaceful and without loud orchestration. Our last Bollywood song is from movie Subah, but this is a live rendition by Lataji on Mumbai Doordarshan. Finally, in the Natya Geet section, we have the doyen, Pandit Kumar Gandharv, singing the song made famous by Bal Gandharv, Naath Ha Maza. Note the taal, a 16 beat taal known as Gandharv Theka. |
| CURRENT WEEK OF 13th March |
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