It is monsoon time. A time of incessant rains, of cooler temperatures and of cloudy skies. It is also the time when the semi-arid northern gangetic plains start looking more like a tropical rainforest. Fascination with monsoons and the month of "saawan" has always been part of North Indian cultural context. It can be found in the miniature paintings that have survived, and folk songs are filled with innumerable references to clouds and rains. From Kalidasa's meghdoot to the latest Hindi film songs, this fascination has stayed unchanged over many millennia. Of course most visitors have usually found this Indian fascination with monsoons and rains somewhat inexplicable. And so did I initially. But having lived in the heat and dust of Delhi for so long, I think I no longer find it difficult to fathom the source of this poetic fixation with clouds. :-).
So let me devote this post to some rainy season ragas. Usually each raga has a time for playing e.g. evening, early morning, night etc. But the so-called seasonal ragas don't have a time of playing. Instead they have an appropriate season for playing, perhaps because the particular season was the inspiration for their composition. The main rainy season ragas I have come across are Megh, Megh Malhar and Miyan Ki Malhar. Most compositions in these ragas are full of feeling exuberence and activity, that I have come to associate with them. However there are many derivatives of these ragas, and here is one sung by the great Bhimsen Joshi himself. I don't need to say much about Bhimsen Joshi. He is probably the most popular and well know classical vocalist in India. He belongs to Kirana Gharana and Sawai Ghandarwa was his guru, though he is thought to have drawn inspiration from many other schools of music as well. This raga is called Chaya Malhar and this record has only the "drut" (fast tempo) Khayal part of the rendition.
Raga Chhaya Malhar by Bhimsen Joshi
Here is a Megh Malhar based song from Film Mother India
-->Dukh Bare din beete re bhaiya<-- a="">
The second raga that I list is not really a rainy season raga. So I am kind of cheating :-). The raga is called Brindavani Sarang. The Sarang family of ragas has a folksy lilt to it, and according to many it has been derived from Indian folk music tradition. This raga family is one of my favorite. And there are many compositions with the context of rains which are based on this raga, so my cheating can hopefully be overlooked. Here is a rendition of Brindavani Sarang from the Bismillah Khan. Bismillah Khan belonged to a long lineage of classical musicians. He is credited for bringing shehnai into the mainstream of classical music. Shehnai is an ancient instrument and its sound is considered auspicious. And that is probably the reason why it is also played in temples and during marriages throughout india. For some unfathomable reason, I tend to like shehnai much more than the other favorite Indian wind instrument, the bamboo flute. And Bismillah Khan is of course the god of shehnai. Listen to this and you will agree :-).
Raga Brindabani Sarang by Bismillah Khan
Here is a Raga Brindabani Sarang based song from Film Rani Roopmati
-->Aa Laut ke aaja mere meet<-- a="">
That completes my unsaid promise. As for the dedication. Let it be the rare visitor to this blog i.e. YOU. :-).
So let me devote this post to some rainy season ragas. Usually each raga has a time for playing e.g. evening, early morning, night etc. But the so-called seasonal ragas don't have a time of playing. Instead they have an appropriate season for playing, perhaps because the particular season was the inspiration for their composition. The main rainy season ragas I have come across are Megh, Megh Malhar and Miyan Ki Malhar. Most compositions in these ragas are full of feeling exuberence and activity, that I have come to associate with them. However there are many derivatives of these ragas, and here is one sung by the great Bhimsen Joshi himself. I don't need to say much about Bhimsen Joshi. He is probably the most popular and well know classical vocalist in India. He belongs to Kirana Gharana and Sawai Ghandarwa was his guru, though he is thought to have drawn inspiration from many other schools of music as well. This raga is called Chaya Malhar and this record has only the "drut" (fast tempo) Khayal part of the rendition.
Raga Chhaya Malhar by Bhimsen Joshi
Here is a Megh Malhar based song from Film Mother India
-->Dukh Bare din beete re bhaiya<-- a="">
The second raga that I list is not really a rainy season raga. So I am kind of cheating :-). The raga is called Brindavani Sarang. The Sarang family of ragas has a folksy lilt to it, and according to many it has been derived from Indian folk music tradition. This raga family is one of my favorite. And there are many compositions with the context of rains which are based on this raga, so my cheating can hopefully be overlooked. Here is a rendition of Brindavani Sarang from the Bismillah Khan. Bismillah Khan belonged to a long lineage of classical musicians. He is credited for bringing shehnai into the mainstream of classical music. Shehnai is an ancient instrument and its sound is considered auspicious. And that is probably the reason why it is also played in temples and during marriages throughout india. For some unfathomable reason, I tend to like shehnai much more than the other favorite Indian wind instrument, the bamboo flute. And Bismillah Khan is of course the god of shehnai. Listen to this and you will agree :-).
Raga Brindabani Sarang by Bismillah Khan
Here is a Raga Brindabani Sarang based song from Film Rani Roopmati
-->Aa Laut ke aaja mere meet<-- a="">
That completes my unsaid promise. As for the dedication. Let it be the rare visitor to this blog i.e. YOU. :-).
