Ras ke bhare tore nain

 
Music: Jaidev
Voice: Hira Devi Mishra

Format: Geet/Thumri
Raag: Bhairavi
Language: Hindi - Brij Bhasha
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I chanced upon this while exploring the music of Monsoon Wedding. The film uses a slightly modernized version of the original composition, the original being at least a century old. It was earlier rendered by Jaidev for the film Gaman and that's the version I really, really love. It has given me many sleepless nights.

The singing by Hira Devi Mishra is seductive and dripping with shringar ras. She doesn't dwell on technique as this is a short piece (a song or a geet) for a film. She rather tries to bring out the original essence and the very rustic flavour of the composition. The poetry romances the luscious eyes of the beloved, urging him to return and entwine the love-sick maid in a warm embrace. She yearns to be held by him, to see him, and to get lost in his enchantingly beautiful eyes.

But more than the singing, I love Jaidev's music. He has taken a traditional thumri, which must have been rendered on a simple harmonium-tabla setting, and he has created a completely original mood and melody for it.

Beginning with the sensuous sound of the sitar, accompanied with a hint of melancholic sarangi, it moves to a beautiful piece on the keyboard. The recurring keyboard piece, along with the tabla, becomes the spine of the composition. It has a certain mystique to it and it seems to be telling a story, the story of the lovers. From this central piece arise the melancholic sarangi and the yearning flute, each drawing out the poignancy of the piece.

I find the music remarkable because I feel that though it is deeply rooted in traditions it is still quite contemporary. It seamlessly blends the rustic musical sensibilities with urban receptivity, like a picture of the countryside made to be exhibitioned at the city gallery, It tones down its garishness, focuses on the pathos, and creates something soft, serene and beautiful.

I don't know who wrote it. It was most probably originally recorded by Gauhar Jaan in 1910. Information on its origins are welcome, as are any other comments and suggestions.

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Lyrics:

Arey pathik giridhari su itni kahiyo ter
Brij jhar nayi radhika ab brij bhurat pher

Aaja sawariya tohe garva laga lu
Ras ke bhare tore nain… Sawariya…
Ras ke bhare tore nain…

Jehi chitawat tehi bas kari rakhat
Naahi padey man ka chain… Sawariya…
Naahi padey man ka chain…

Aaja sawariya tohe garva laga lu
Ras ke bhare tore nain…

Piya to maanat naahi

Voice: Pt. Bhimsen Joshi
Format: Thumri
Raag: Mishra Kaafi
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If I had to choose only one piece by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, it would be this. He sings it with so much feeling and with so much understanding. I love the quietness in his voice. It creates the mood but doesn’t intrude into one’s thoughts. One could silently sit by the window, in the evening, and think while he sings in the background and one would feel calmed by it.

The piece is based on raag Kaafi or more accurately on raag Mishra Kaafi, which is nearly the same as Kaafi. It bears distinct resemblance to Kala Ramnath's thumri in raag Kaafi that I posted earlier. Both seem to be evoking the same image of someone trying to pacify their lover. One’s despondence over lost love is beautifully portrayed by the notes of the raag. I had always heard more colourful renditions in the raag; songs of holi, songs of love; but these are quieter, melancholic pieces. I would now love to explore more shades of raag kaafi and see how the same set of swaras can create such myriad moods and melodies.

Here is a beautiful article which talks about raag Kaafi and its Carnatic counterpart, Kapi, and many shades and variations of the raag: ‘The many flavours of Kapi’ 

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Lyrics:

Ho… Piya…

Ab to piya to maanat naahi…
Kaun unan se manware…

Ho re… aiso nithur harjaai…
Preet purani jaanat naahi

Ab kaun unan se manware
PIya to maanat naahi…
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Translation:

Oh my love…

My love doesn’t heed me
Who shall pacify him...

So hard-hearted he has become...
He doesn’t remember our old love

Now who shall pacify him
My love doesn’t heed me...

Dr N Rajam - Thumri in Raag Bhairavi

Player: Dr N Rajam
Composition Format: Thumri
Raag: Bhairavi
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Continuing my romance with instrumental thumris, here is another exquisite piece by Dr Rajam. The piece is based in raag Bhairavi, which is soon becoming my favourite. 

I love the richness of this piece. It makes me feel like I am a courtier in a royal darbar and the music is echoing across the immense hall, and, perhaps, the prince is spellbound by the beauty of the player and the beauty of the music of course.

Kala Ramnath - Thumri in Raag Kaafi

Player: Kala Ramnath
Composition Format: Thumri
Raag: Kaafi
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Thumri is primarily a format of vocal composition. I have come to adore thumris, especially in the voice of Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. I could never imagine them being played on an instrument, and then I discovered a whole bunch of beautiful instrumental thumris. The possibilities in classical music really are endless!

This particular piece is breathtakingly beautiful. Like the one I shared earlier, this too evokes a beautiful sense of nostalgia. I, for one, always recede into my thoughts when I hear these two pieces.

What I really love about Kala Ramnath's playing is that she keeps all parts of the composition at just the right length. I especially like how she keeps her jhalas short; I don't like jhalas so much; they sound good in full-length raag performances but they needn't be part of all compositions. Long aalaps, short jhalas, that's how it should be. :)