Some thoughts on Raga Gorakh Kalyan
Rajan Parrikar
Gorakh Kalyan. After a day's worth of strolling in the mall here, I
could think of just one. I suspect John Campana has quite a few under
his sleeve and so does Ramesh Gangolli. So folks, please oblige. It
could be any composition - filmi-geet/bhajan/ghazal (that touchy subject
once again!:-)).
I wonder why an elegant Raga such as Gorakh Kalyan isn't exploited more
outside the realm of classical music. For the interested, here's the
aroha/avaroha:
S R M D n D S' : S n D M R n" R S
The pancham is omitted (some use it as a "kan-swar" - grace note) and the
nishad is komal. The vadi is shadaj and the nishad in the mandra-saptak
is pre-eminent (M....M R n" D" S.....).
My sentimental favourite is Jasraj's vilambit khayal in Ektal (Preetam
mori) and the drut in teental (Nek kripa). Closely followed by Rasiklal
Andharia's and Nazakat/Salamat Ali's versions.
Before I quit, the non-classical composition I recalled was set to music
by Hridaynath Mangeshkar, sung by Lata, in Marathi : "Mogaraa Fulalaa..."
Superb song that.
Rajan Parrikar
==============
Center for Microwave/Millimeter-Wave Computer-Aided Design
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Colorado at Boulder
E-mail: parr...@mimicad.colorado.edu
(O): 303-492-8719
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O FOR THE GOLDEN SANDS OF GOA!!
..AND THE GLORIOUS COLORADO ROCKIES!!
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Ramesh Gangolli
>Yesterday, someone asked me for some "non-classical" references in Raga
>Gorakh Kalyan. After a day's worth of strolling in the mall here, I
>could think of just one. I suspect John Campana has quite a few under
>his sleeve and so does Ramesh Gangolli. So folks, please oblige. It
>could be any composition - filmi-geet/bhajan/ghazal (that touchy subject
>once again!:-)).
>I wonder why an elegant Raga such as Gorakh Kalyan isn't exploited more
>outside the realm of classical music. For the interested, here's the
>aroha/avaroha:
>S R M D n D S' : S n D M R n" R S
>The pancham is omitted (some use it as a "kan-swar" - grace note) and the
>nishad is komal. The vadi is shadaj and the nishad in the mandra-saptak
>is pre-eminent (M....M R n" D" S.....).
Rajan, it is flattering to know that your faith is abiding; but alas, it is
misplaced. I know no film songs or bhajans that are set to this raaga (or
nearly in it) except the famous Meera bhajan "Hari tuma haro janaki bheer"
which is Patwardhan's book "Raaga Vidnyaana". Indeed my knowledge of film
music is very poor, not having had occasion to listen to much of it.
(Abroad most of my adult life, away from the saarvajanik blare, which
actually is effective in enriching one's knowledge of various ancillary
ways in which classical music is used in other genres)
I do have a few comments on Gorakh-Kalyaan however, and I hope some netters
will find them interesting.
Raga Gorakh-Kalyaan
This raaga, although clearly well-established for at least eighty years
(see the remarks below in this connection), is not as frequently performed
as I would like. I like the lovely mellow ambience that it brings about.
Musicians seem to expound this raaga in two different ways. The treatment
of pancham (P) is the main difference between them. Those who prefer P as a
grace note use it as just a touch in the descending phrase n D n PM; On the
other hand, those who express it clearly do so in various degrees, to some
extent depending upon the intent implicit in the composition. They will
express it clearly enough so that their desire to do so is unmistakable;
but the degree to which they stress it (e.g. by resting on it or repeatedly
expressing their use of it etc.) varies. {Anecdote : I remember that in a
practice session recently, a friend and I were singing this (in a friendly
jugalbandi form of practice), and I used the Pancham in a clearly
pronounced fashion, which caused my friend to raise his eyebrows in
surprise, since he had always been used to being sparing in its use.}
Although Rajan Parrikar's article gave the aroha and avaroha without the P,
all of the collections of compositions that I am aware of always include it
with the P (if they include this raaga at all).
Thus:
Patwardhan : Aroha: S R M D n S^; Avaroha: S^ n D P M R S.
Master Krishnarao : Aroha: S R M P D n S^; Avaroha: S^ n D P M R S;
{ It is interesting that Master Krishnarao claims to have included in his
book Raaga Sangraha just those compositions that he learned from
Bhaaskarbuwa Bakhle. If that is so, then this raaga is at least that old in
practice. (but Bhatkhande's KPM does not have it.) Ever skeptical, about four
years ago, when I met Dilip Chandra Vedi, I gently introduced the subject
of Gorakh-Kalyaan. Recall that D.C Vedi took his training from
Bhaskarbuwa, hence my question had a definite purpose, namely that of
checking up on Master-ji. I remember that he confirmed that he was aware of
this raaga when he was learning the art. Thus the raaga is certainly not
very recent, although its popularity seems to be recent. It has always been
a puzzle to me why there are not more compositions in it. What has happened
to the omnipresent Sadaarang (either the genuine one or any of the others
who would vicariously seek to share in his immortality?) }
Balwantrai Bhatt : Same as in Patwardhan
Subbarao (Raganidhi): 1st type: Aroha: S R M D S^ Avaroha: S^ n D n D P M R S
2nd type: Same as in Patwardhan
(As I recall; I have not looked this up for this
article)
As to actual rendering : Many singers will almost completely omit P, using
at just a kanaswara (grace note) in coming down from D to M. This is
certainly the case in Jasraj's version and in Rasiklaal Andhaariaa's
version. On the other hand the famous composition "dhana dhana bhaaga jaage
more" has the pancham prominently notated in the text in both
Patwardhan and Mstr. Krishna's books (note however that the two versions
are quie different in terms of the way the sthaayee and the antaraa go);
moreover, the pancham is very
scrupulously NOT omitted by all the Agra singers that I have heard sing
this raaga. It is used only in downward tending paasages (avarohi varna),
but definitely not merely as a grace note. I have a recording of Lalith Rao
singing this composition as taught to her by Khaadim Hussain Khan, in which
this feature is clearlydisplayed. Yunus Hussain also knew this raaga and
used panham in his rendition; but, he said he did not like this raaga very
much. The singers of the Kiraanaa gharaanaa seem to treat the pancham more
sparingly. Thus, Gangubai Hangal, (a very particular woman when it comes to
soor-ka-lagaav) uses pancham sparingly, almost not at all, in her rendering
of "dhana dhana bhaaga jaage.."; on the other hand, the druta teentaal
composition she usually sings in this raaga "Sajanee piyaa moraa maanata
naahin" has the pancham clearly asserting itself in the very first phrase,
in the mukhda, which goes :
D |P M - R |M - M M | R M R S |~n ~D S
Sa |ja nee ee pi |yaa aa mo ra | maa aa na ta | na aa hin
x o
Her rendering treats P with a definitely-more-than-grace-note status. The
sum total of compositions in this raaga that I have been able to dig up is
9. The most common is our standby "dhana dhana bhaaga jaage..". A sadly
neglected raaga I feel.
Concluding teaser : where is the Kalyaan in Gorakh-Kalyaan?
--
Ramesh Gangolli (gang...@math.washington.edu)
Dept. of Mathematics GN-50
University of Washington
Seattle WA 98195.
Rajan Parrikar
<deleted>
>Concluding teaser : where is the Kalyaan in Gorakh-Kalyaan?
Uhhmmm.....I've been thinking about it since yesterday. I remember my
Guruji saying that a "Murchhana Tranform" :-) of G. Kalyan yields
the essence of Kalyaan Thaat. I haven't yet figured out how. Could
it be the relative shift to the komal nishad of the mandra saptak? Yet
I don't see how. And besides, even it were so, I see no justification
in appending Kalyan after Gorakh:-)
Rajan Parrikar
==============
email: parr...@mimicad.colorado.edu
parr...@spot.colorado.edu
ChristianAMR
https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.indian.classical/c/7M8RKzojH30/m/6fsHXAO8Bw0J
There is another one about a murchana giving a raag in Kalyan thaat , justified or not ....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7eULGoGmUE - Rashid Khan - " Eri mai aaj piya nahi aaye "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXPOGYNdZoc - PJasraj ~ Preet Mori Lag Rahi Tum Sang Mohan,vilambit,ektaal
~ Nek Kripa Kar Aaiye, drut, teentaal