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Raaga Based Song of the Day: Aayi diwali, aayi diwali…. Raag Bhairavi, Tal Dadra Finally on the day of the Diwali today, 07 Nov 2018, I have the hundredth song in my Raaga Based Songs series. This song is from the 1944 movie Rattan that was an Abdul Rashid Kardar production that was directed by M Sadiq and starred Swaran Lata and Karan Dewan. Here is the story in brief to understand the song: Govind (Karan Dewan) and Gauri (Swaran Lata) are childhood friends and are in love. But both are from different castes and hence their marriage is not possible in those social times. One day Gauri is married off to a person who is much older to her, by keeping him in dark. Gauri is seen pining for Govind in this song. This is the ninth time I am taking up a song in this raaga. We have completed ninety-five days of Raaga Based Songs of the Day. Our first post in the series was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #1’ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1970 Shakti Samanta movie Pagla Kahin Ka: Tum mujhe youn bhula na paoge.  It is in Raag Jhinjhoti, Tal Kaherava. Our ninety-eighth post or the last post here was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #99‘ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi song from the 1963 Brij movie Ustadon Ke Ustad starring Praddep Kumar, Shakila, Ashok Kumar and Sheikh Mukhtar: Sau baar janam lenge sau baar fanaa honge. It is in Raag Kaushik Kanada, Tal Kaherava. This blog has a number of posts on Raaga based songs in Hindi movies titled similarly; for example: ‘The Best Raaga Based Songs in Hindi Movies – Raaga Jhinjhoti – Part I‘. In the last ninety-eight days of sharing Raaga based songs of the day, I have given you songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti, Gara, Bhimpalasi, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani, Bihag, Pahadi, Sarang, Pilu, Bhairavi, Khammaj, Charukesi, Kalyan or Yaman, Desh, Malgunji, Kirwani, Kedar, Bageshri, Megh Malhar, Bhupali, Ahir Bhairav, Malkaush, Mand, Adana, Kafi, Rageshri, Jaunpuri, Tilang, Janasammohini, Chayanat, Shuddha Kalyan, Gaur Sarang, Jogiya, Asavari, Maru Bihag, Durga, Lalit, Puria Dhanashri, Bhinna Sahdja, Sohani, Multani, Patdeep, Jaijaiwanti, Tilak Kamod, Hemant, Basant Mukhari, Gujri Todi, Kalavati, Hamir, Bhatiyar, Gawati, Shyam Kalyan, Gorakh Kalyan, Madhamat Sarang, Manj Khammaj, Darbari Kanada, Vibhas, Shankara, Bahar, Nand, Mian Ki Malhar and Jog; making it a total of 62 raagas. The raagas that have been repeated so far are Pahadi, the raaga of my home place in the Himalayas, Maru Bihag, Raag Kirwani, Jhinjhoti, Bhairavi, Gara, Basant Mukhari, Malkauns, Bhairavi, Mand, Sohani, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani and Adana. Today, I am giving you a song in Raag Bhairavi, the Queen of all Raagas for the ninth time. The song, as I said earlier, is from the 1944 movie Rattan, an Abdul Rashid Kardar production directed by M Sadiq, which starred Swaran Lata and Karan Dewan. The song Aayi Diwali, Aayi Diwali was penned by DN Madhok and composed by Naushad. The songs of the movie made Naushad so famous that he started charging Rupees 25000 per movie. This was about one third of the production cost of the movie at that time. It is another fact that Swaran Lata, in an interview with Pakistan Television, claimed that the composition of this song was done by DN Madhok himself. The songs of the movie also made both the female playback singers Zohrabai Ambalewali and Amirbai Karnataki very famous. Here is a list of songs of the movie; the last song (duet) was equally popular:

• “Akkhiyan Milake ” – Zohrabai Ambalawali
• “Rimjhim Barse Badarwa” – Zohrabai Ambalawali
• “Hindustan Ke Hum Hain” – Mohammad Rafi
• “Milke Bichhad Gayii Akkhiyan” – Amirbai Karnataki
• “Jab Tum Hi Chale Pardes Laga Kar Theis” -Karan Dewan
• “O janewale Balamwa” – Amirbai Karnataki and Shyam Kumar
• “Jab Tum Hi Chale Pardes Laga Kar Theis”
• “Pardesi Balma Baadal Aaya”
• “Sawan Ke Baadalo Unn Se Yeh Jaa Kaho”- Zohrabai Ambalewali and Karan Dewan

Zohrabai Ambalewali was from Ambala in Punjab. She was a classical singer of Hindustani Music trained under Ghulam Hussain Khan and Ustad Nasir Hussain Khan. Subsequently, she joined the Agra Gharana. She started singing at All India Radio at the age of 13.  Eventually she made her Hindi film debut as a playback singer with film Daku Ki Ladki (1933) with music by Pransukh Nayak. After initial years in Lahore-based film industry, she shifted to Bombay. As already mentioned, the movie Rattan’s songs made her famous. Some of the popular songs of Zohrabai Ambalewali are: Aankhon mein intezaar ki duniya liye huye (Caravan 1944), Ho meri baali umariya saanwariya (Nateeja 1947), Pardesi baalma saawan aaya (Rattan 1944), Rut rangeeli aayi chandini chhayi (Mirza Sahiban 1947), Shayad woh jaa rahe hain chhupkar meri nazar se (Mela 1948, Shakeel Badayuni), Suno ji pyaari kayaliya bole (Sanyasi 1945, also with Naushad), Udhan khatole pe udh jaayun (Anmol Ghadi 1946, Naushad), Ye raat phir na aayegi (with Rajkumari Dubey in Mahal 1949).

Lets take up the lyricist DN Madhok at this stage. Just as Zohrabai Amablewali was one of the first generation of female playback singers, Dina Nath Madhok was amongst the first generation of lyricists (1930s to 1950s). Kidar Sharma and Kavi Pradeep were the others. So fine was his art that he earned himself the sobriquet of Mahakavi Madhok. He started his career with the 1932 movie Radhey Sham and ended up penning about 800 songs. In addition he wrote screenplays and directed about 17 films including Baghdad Ka Chor (1934), Mirza Sahiban (1939), Biwamangal (1954) and Naata (1955). Here are some of my favourite songs penned by him: Aa ja balmaa raat andheri dar laage and Mere mundere na bol (Suraiya in 1947 movie Parwana), Aayi diwali aayi diwali (Zohrabai Ambalewali in 1944 movie Rattan), Beimaan tore nainva nindiya na aaye (Lata Mangeshkar in 1951 movie Taraana), Ham aankh macholi khelenge (Noorjahan, Khandan 1942), Ishq ka dard sohana (Vatsala Kumthekar, Ishaara 1942), Jab tum hi chale pardes laga ke thes (Karan Dewan, Rattan 1944), Jhuthe hain sab sapne suhaane (Manju, Rattan 1944), Kaagaz ki meri naav aur duur kinaara hai (Mukesh Suraiya, Do Dil 1947), Khamosh nigaahen ye sunaati hain kahaani (SD Batish, Daasi 1944), Madhukar Shyam hamare chor, Nis din barsat nain hamaare and Rain gayi ab huaa savera (KL Saigal, Bhakt Surdas 1942), Madhur Madhur ga re manwa and Panchhi bawra (Khursheed, Bhakt Surdas 1942), Meri zindagi mein tum kyun aaye (Suraiya, Goonj 1952), Mohe mera bachpan laa de (With Shakeel Badayuni in Kajal 1948; song sung by Suraiya), More sainya ji ne bheji chunari (Zohrabai Ambalewali, Pehle Aap 1944), Mohabbat ne kaise diye hamako dhokhe (Lata Mangeshkar, Oot Pataang 1955), Naa thamate hain aansu naa rukte hain naale (Mohammad Rafi, Meena Bazaar 1950), Naino mein naina mat dalo, and Pardesi baalma baadal aaya (Zohrabai Ambalewali, Jeewan 1944), O jaanewale baalmwa laut ke aa (Shaam Kumar and Amirbai Karnataki, Rattan 1944), Panghat pe more Shyam bajaaye muraliya (CH Atma, Bilwamangal 1954), Rum jhum barse baadarva (Amirbai Karnataki, Rattan 1944), Sawan ke baadlo unase ye jaa kaho (Zohrabai Ambalewali, Rattan 1944), Taare wahin hain chand wahin hai (Lata Mangeshkar, Anmol Ratan 1950), Tuut gaye sab sapne mere (KL Saigal, Parwana 1947), and Wo din kahan gaye bataa (Lata Mangeshkar, Taraana 1951).

Naushad Ali, the composer, lived between 25 Dec 1919 to 05 May 2006. He won only one Filmfare Award, for the music and songs of the 1952 Vijay Bhatt movie Baiju Bawra. However, he could have won many including for Mughal-e-Azam. Eventually, he was conferred with the highest, that is, Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1982 and Padma Bhushan in 1992. He is credited with having brought in Raaga Based Songs in the movies and Baiju Bawra is a fine example of that. Various singers and lyricists (especially Shakeel Badayuni) looked up to him as a guide and mentor. For example, he encouraged Mukesh to have his distinctive style of singing rather than imitate KL Saigal. He launched the careers of quite a few of them such as Zohrabai Ambalewali and Uma Devi. As far as my favourite songs of Naushad are concerned, I have penned volumes in this blog on them. As an example, just go through: ‘The Best Of Old Hindi Songs – Rafi, Shakeel, Naushad and Dilip Kumar Together’.

Before we take up the song, lets learn a little about Abdul Rashid Kardar, the producer of this movie from where the song has been taken. He was the pioneer in establishing film industry in Bhati Gate, Lahore (later Pakistan). In 1924, the first silent film (11 years after Dadasaheb Phalke made his first silent movie: Raja Harishchandra), The Daughters of Today was released in Lahore at a time when the city only had nine operational cinema houses. Most of the films shown in theatres in Lahore were either made in Bombay or Calcutta, besides ones made in Hollywood or London. The Daughters of Today was the brain-child of GK Mehta, a former officer with the North-Western Railway, who had imported a camera into the country for this very project from London. He asked Kardar to assist him as an assistant director on the project and ended up giving Kardar his début role in his film as an actor. Muhammad Ismail, his friend and fellow calligraphist, accompanied Kardar in the making of the film. Kardar shifted to Calcutta in 1930 and after working in various production houses, he made his own Kardar Studios in 1940 (he shifted to Bombay in 1937) and started making films under the banner Kardar Productions. His 1946 film Shahjehan starred KL Saigal and the songs were by Majrooh (debut movie) and Naushad Ali. He worked with Naushad in a number of movies including the unforgettable Dil Diya Dard Liya starring Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman and Pran.

M Sadiq, the director of the highly successful movie Rattan from where this song has been taken was born on 10 Mar 1910 in Lahore and died on 03 Oct 1971 in Lohore. He was a director, writer and producer. Some of the other movies that he directed are: Jeewan (1944), Dak Bangla (1947), Anmol Ratan (1950), Shabaab (1954), Chaudhvinh Ka Chand (1960), Full Moon (1961), Taj Mahal (1963), Bahu Begum (1967) and Noorjehan (1967).

Swaran Lata, the actress on whom this song is picturised, was born in a Siyal Khatri Sikh family in Rawalpindi. Her debut movie was the 1942 movie Awaaz. She married Nazir Ahmed, a famous actor, director and producer at that time. She converted to Islam at that time and assumed the name of Saeeda Bano. At the time of partition of India in 1947, she migrated to Pakistan with her husband after leaving everything they owned in Bombay. They started the Pakistani Film Industry from a scratch. By the time she shifted to Pakistan, in five years she had acted in as many as 16 Hindi movies. Her first movie in Pakistan was the 1948 movie Sachai. She was known as the Tragedy Queen much before Meena Kumari was so dubbed. This was mainly due to her emotional dialogue delivery. It is a delight to see her enact the song: Aayi Diwali Aayi Diwali. This song, as I told you, is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava. Raag Bhairavi is the basic raag of the Bhairavi Thaat. Bhairavi makes use of all the komal swars, Rishabh, Gandhar, Dhaivat, Nishad. When singing compositions in Bhairavi raag, the singers however take liberty to use all the 12 swars. Bhairavi raag is named after the shakti or feminine aspect of the cosmic life force, which is personified as a consort to Lord Shiva. Bhairavi is a powerful raag filled with devotion and compassion. Its Jati is Sampurna – Sampurna, which means all seven swar (heptatonic) both in Aaroha and Avaroha. I have already told you that in a concert Bhairavi is usually the concluding raaga since it is supposed to cure mistakes of the earlier performances. Hence, if a concert has started at night (which is usually the case), Bhairavi would be played in the wee hours of the morning. A pleasant sobering atmosphere full of love and piety is created with this raag and one feels so close to the Supreme. Its compositions include several Thumris, Bhajans, Ghazals, Songs etc. Since it is an ocean of immense possibilities the melodic combinations can include all the twelve notes with skill. I am not giving you again a list of songs composed in Raag Bhairavi as I have given this adequate number of times. As far as Tal Dadra is concerned, Tal Dadra derives its name from Dadra style of singing prevalent in Dadra. It is a six or three beat Tal: Clap, 2, 3, Wave, 2, 3; that is two vibhags of three matras each. The theka is: Dhaa Dhin Naa Dhaa Tin Naa I gave you a song in this Tal and Raag Bhimpalasi as m 3rd song in the series: Maine chand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi. After that I have given you several songs in the Tal such as: Tere sur aur mere geet (Bihag), Aaj ki raat piya dil na todo (Pahadi), Beqasi hadd se jab guzr jaay (Desh and Khammaj), Dukh bhare din beete re bhaiya (Megh Malhar), Kesariya Balma (Nand), Kuchh aur zamaana kehta hai (Gaur Sarang), Taqdeer ka fasaana (Desh), Bhooli hui yaadon (Kalyan), Benuravvat bewafa (Shankara), Jhumati chali hawa (Sohani), Dil Ke jharokhe mein (Shivaranjani), and Paan khaayo sainya hamaro (Kalyan). However, in the eight songs based on Raag Bhairavi that I have given you, there has never been one in this Tal; most of these have been in Tal Kaherava. Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last eighteen times we started learning about some of the leading personalities in Indian Classical Music or Shastriya Sangeet. The first one that we took up was Ustaad Asad Ali Khan, the finest Rudra Veena player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Hari Parsad Chaurasia, the greatest Bansuri player in the country. Then we talked about Ali Akbar Khan, the greatest Sarod player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Ravi Shankar, the greatest Sitar player in the world. Then we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Carnatic tradition): MS Subbulakshmi. Then, we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Hindustani tradition): Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Then, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. Then, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, a great Surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani Classical Music. Thereafter, we took up Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the grestest Santoor player in the country. Then we learnt a little more about Ustaad Alla Rakha Qureshi or simply Alla Rakha, the Tabla Maestro and father of Ustaad Zakir Hussain. Then we learnt about the master and one of the pioneers of fusion: Anand Shankar. Then we learnt about a Veena player who was also a great filmmaker: Sundaram Balachander. Then we learnt about Sarod Player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. And then we learnt about Ustaad Zakir Hussain, the Tabla maestro. Then we learnt about Sitar Player and Composer Anoushka Shankar. And then we covered vocalist Pandit Jasraj. We then covered violinist L Subramaniam followed by Sitarists Ustaad Vilayat Khan and Nikhil Banerjee. Tonight, we shall take up the great vocalist Kishori Amonkar. She lived between 10 Apr 1931 and 03 Apr 2017. She was a leading Indian vocalist of the Jaipur Gharana. She was a performer of the classical genre khyal and the light classical genres thumri and bhajan. Amonkar trained under her mother, classical singer Mogubai Kurdikar also from the Jaipur gharana, but she experimented with a variety of vocal styles in her career. Amonkar’s later work in light music reformed her classical singing and she modified her Jaipur gharana performance style by applying features from other gharanas. She has been both praised and criticized for pushing the boundaries of the Jaipur tradition. She was a romanticist and her approach prioritized emotional expression over tradition, so she often departed from the Jaipur gharana’s rhythmic, melodic, and structural traditions. Amonkar received several of India’s national awards and civilian honours, including the Padma Bhushan, in 1987, and Padma Vibhushan in 2002. She was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 1985 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for 2009. She was awarded the prestigious Dr. T. M. A. Pai Outstanding Konkani Award in 1991. In 2016, she was one of seven recipients of the M.S. Subbulakshmi Award for classical music. Returning to the song now. The song, as I told you, is from the 1944 M Sadiq movie Rattan that proved the genius of one of Hindi movies greatest music directors: Naushad Ali. He is the one who for the first time introduced Raaga based songs in Hindi movies. His selection of Bhairavi here is masterly: an atmosphere of total love and piety. M Sadiq has followed it up with the lamps and lamp-bearing female dancers. However, there is emptiness in the eyes of Swaran Lata when she asks who should he dance with since her consort (Karan Dewan) is not there. She mourns about life slipping by without them being together. The matching lyrics rendered by DN Madhok do touch your heart and would apply to anyone of us. Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy in Raag Bhairavi Tal Dadra, Zohrabai Ambalewali sing a composition of Naushad on the lyrics of DN Madhok in the 1944 M Sadiq movie Rattan (produced by AR Kardar) starring Swaran Lata and Karan Dewan: Aayi diwali, aayi diwali…..

आई दीवाली, आई दीवाली – २ दीपक संग नाचे पतंगा मैं किसके संग नाचूँ बताजा आई दीवाली, आई दीवाली … (बचपन जवानी संग नाचके चला गया अब नाचे जवानी बुढ़ापे संग वो दिन आ गया ) – २ अब नाचे जवानी बुढ़ापे संग वो दिन आ गया बिछड़े हुए साथी ज़रा आ मैं किसके संग नाचूं बताजा आई दीवाली, आई दीवाली … (किसको गुमान था वो दिन भी गुज़र जायेंगे और एक बार जाके वो फिर लौट के ना आयेंगे ) – २ बिछड़े हुए साथी ज़रा आ मैं किसके संग नाचूँ बताजा (आई दीवाली, आई दीवाली ) – २ दीपक संग नाचे पतंगा मैं किसके संग नाचूँ बताजा आई दीवाली, आई दीवाली …

https://youtu.be/rSRPU_yXOx4

https://youtu.be/rSRPU_yXOx

We have intended to learn about Raaga based music whilst we entertain ourselves with Raaga based songs. So, lets, once again, take stock of our collective learning so far:

1. On the first day we learnt about the Raaga system devised by Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, which is the prevalent system in Hindustani Classical Music and based on ten Thaats.
2. On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
3. On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
4. On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
5. On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
6. On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
7. On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
8. On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
9. On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
10. On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
11. On the eleventh day, we learnt about why Bhairavi is the first raag to be taught to beginners and also why it is the last in a performance.
12. On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
13. On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
14. On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
15. On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
16. On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
17. On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
18. On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
19. On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
20. On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
21. On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
22. On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
23. On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
24. On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
25. On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
26. On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
27. On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
28. On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
29. On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
30. On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
31. On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
32. On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
33. On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
34. On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
35. On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
36. On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
37. On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
38. On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
39. On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
40. On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
41. On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
42. On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
43. On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
44. On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
45. On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
46. On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
47. On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
48. On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
49. On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
50. On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
51. On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
52. On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
53. On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
54. On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
55. On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
56. On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
57. On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
58. On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
59. On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
60. On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
61. On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
62. On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
63. On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
64. On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
65. On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
66. On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
67. On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
68. On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
69. On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
70. On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
71. On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
72. On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
73. On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
74. On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
75. On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
76. On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
77. On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
78. On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
79. On the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.
80. On the eightieth day, we learnt about Tivra Tal.
81. On the eighty-first day, we learnt about the greatest Rudra Veena player ever: Ustaad Asad Ali Khan.
82. On the eighty-second day, we learnt about the greatest Bansuri player alive: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
83. On the eighty-third day, we learnt about the best Sarod player in the country: Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan.
84. On the eighty-fourth day, we learnt about the greatest Sitar player in the world: Pandit Ravi Shankar.
85. On the eighty-fifth day, we learnt about the greatest Indian vocalist of Carnatic tradition: MS Subbulakshmi.
86. On the eighty-sixth day, we not just learnt about the greatest vocalist of Hindustani tradition: Pandit Bhimsen Joshi but also learnt about Tal Hinch.
87. On the eighty-seventh day, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustaad Bismillah Khan.
88. On the eighty-eighth day, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, the greatest Surbahar player in India.
89. On the eighty-ninth day, we learnt about Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the greatest Santoor Player in the country.
90. On the ninetieth day, we learnt about Ustaad Alla Rakha, the Tabla maestro.
91. On the ninety-first day, we learnt about Anand Shankar, the great fusion musician from Bengal.
92. On the ninety-second day, we learnt about Sundaram Balachander, the great Veena player and film-maker.
93. On the ninety-third day, we learnt about Ustaad Amjad Ali Khan, the great Sarod player.
94. On the ninety-fourth day, we learnt about the Tabla maestro: Ustaad Zakir Hussain.
95. On the ninety-fifth day, we learnt about the Sitar player and Composer: Anoushka Shankar.
96. On the ninety-sixth day, we learnt about the Vocalist Pandit Jasraj.
97. On the ninety-seventh day, we learnt about the great violinist L Subramaniam.
98. On the ninety-eighth day, we learnt about one of the greatest sitarists: Ustaad Vilayat Khan.
99. On the ninety-ninth day, we learnt about another great sitarist: Nikhil Banerjee.
100. And today, on the hundredth day, we learnt about the great vocalist: Kioshori Amonkar.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed. Please stay tuned!

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Sau baar janam lenge….
Raag Kaushik Kanada, Tal Kaherava

The ninety-ninth song; one more to go before I reach hundred. The average length of these blogs is about four thousand words – the amount in which average bloggers write about eight to ten posts. Each one of these is a product of hours (if not days) of research and gives you compendium of information that you would cherish.

This song is from the 1963 movie Ustadon Ke Ustad directed by Brij and starring Pradeep Kumar and Shakeela. Recently, I gave you a song: Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye that was penned by Asad Bhopali for the 1963 movie Parasmani. Well, this song too has been penned by him and composed by Ravi. It was sung by Mohammad Rafi.

Lets look at the story-line to see how the song cane about in the movie:

Pradeep Kumar plays Dinesh, a poor engineer in love with a rich woman Nita (Shakila). He is apprehended by the police after they suspect him of being a bank robber. In the police cell he meets dacoit Mangal Singh (Sheikh Mukhtar). The latter plans an escape so as to sell Dinesh to a violent gang.

After their escape Dinesh tells Mangal that not just police he is in trouble with a vindictive gang of thieves hell bent on killing him for having identified Rita (Helen), the dancer, who was involved in a theft. This makes Mangal think of a plan to sell Dinesh to the gang leader for a bigger sum of money.

Mangal’s plan fails. Saaya (Ashok Kumar) follows Mangal’s people to a hiding place where Dinesh is locked up. After his escape from dacoit Mangal, Dinesh makes another escape attempt from the hideout, this time with attempted suicide near a waterfall. This is where Nita comes searching for him and he feigns being a ghost. This is where this lovely song is sung as a mystery song.

The story takes another twist when Saaya (everyone thought he was a police officer in disguise) betrays Dinesh. Nita is still searching for Dinesh and Mangal assists her by becoming her brother. The story takes some more twists and turns and has a happy ending when the lovers are united and the bad man Saaya (Ashok Kumar) is killed. Rita (Helen) is killed too.

This is the first time I am taking up a song in this raaga.

We have completed ninety-five days of Raaga Based Songs of the Day. Our first post in the series was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #1’ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1970 Shakti Samanta movie Pagla Kahin Ka: Tum mujhe youn bhula na paoge.  It is in Raag Jhinjhoti, Tal Kaherava.

Our ninety-eighth post or the last post here was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #98‘ and the song was a Yesudas and Hemlata song from the 1976 Basu Chatterjee movie Chitchor starring Amol Palekar, Zarina Wahab and Vijayendra: Tu jo mere sur mein sur mila le. It is also in Raag Pilu Tal Kaherava.

This blog has a number of posts on Raaga based songs in Hindi movies titled similarly; for example: ‘The Best Raaga Based Songs in Hindi Movies – Raaga Jaijaivanti‘.

In the last ninety-eight days of sharing Raaga based songs of the day, I have given you songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti, Gara, Bhimpalasi, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani, Bihag, Pahadi, Sarang, Pilu, Bhairavi, Khammaj, Charukesi, Kalyan or Yaman, Desh, Malgunji, Kirwani, Kedar, Bageshri, Megh Malhar, Bhupali, Ahir Bhairav, Malkaush, Mand, Adana, Kafi, Rageshri, Jaunpuri, Tilang, Janasammohini, Chayanat, Shuddha Kalyan, Gaur Sarang, Jogiya, Asavari, Maru Bihag, Durga, Lalit, Puria Dhanashri, Bhinna Sahdja, Sohani, Multani, Patdeep, Jaijaiwanti, Tilak Kamod, Hemant, Basant Mukhari, Gujri Todi, Kalavati, Hamir, Bhatiyar, Gawati, Shyam Kalyan, Gorakh Kalyan, Madhamat Sarang, Manj Khammaj, Darbari Kanada, Vibhas, Shankara, Bahar, Nand, Mian Ki Malhar and Jog; making it a total of 62 raagas. The raagas that have been repeated so far are Pahadi, the raaga of my home place in the Himalayas, Maru Bihag, Raag Kirwani, Jhinjhoti, Bhairavi, Gara, Basant Mukhari, Malkauns, Bhairavi, Mand, Sohani, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani and Adana. Today, I am giving you a new Raag Kaushik Kanada for the first time.

I have already given you the story of the movie and where exactly the song fits into the plot. Let me just add that this plot was found by audiences as of riveting interest and the movie is still remembered as highly watchable. Here is the list of songs in the movie:

1	“Sau Baar Janam Lenge Sau Baar Fanah”	Mohammed Rafi
2	“Milte Hi Nazar Tumse Ham Ho Gaye Diwane”	Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi and Manna Dey
3	“Hasino Se To Bas Sahab Salamat Dur Ki Achhi”	Mohammed Rafi
4	“Mainne Kahaa Thaa Aanaa Sunday Ko, Sunday Ko”	Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi
5	“Raat Chup Hai Chandni Madhosh Hai Muskura Bhi Do”	Asha Bhosle, Ravi
6	“Mere Dil Ko Jiski Talash Thi Maine Vo Sitamghar Pa Liya”	Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi

All these songs were penned by Asad Bhopali. He was born as Asadullah Khan on 10 Jul 1921 in Bhopal.

Asad Bhopali wrote two songs for Fazli Brothers’ Duniya (1949): Rona hai to chupke chupke (sung by Mohammad Rafi) and Armaan lute, dil toot gaya (sung by Suraiyya). The next year, he wrote songs for a couple of films; these songs were sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum. Bhopali’s big break was BR Chopra’s Afsana (1951), for which he wrote 5 songs.

One of his early songs that really made him famous was ‘Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye’ for the 1963 movie Parasmani (the debut movie of Laxmikant Pyarelal) (Please see: ‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions #36‘).

He received his only Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist very late for the 1989 movie Maine Pyar Kiya’s song: Dil deewana bin sajna ke maane na.

I am fond of Music Director Ravi Shankar Sharma or simply Ravi, not just because he is my namesake. First of all, he was the discovery of my favourite Hemant Kumar. Together with Kalyanji, he was assistant to Hemant da in the 1954 movie Naagin. The film included thirteen tracks, including the hit ‘Man Dole Mera Tan Dole’, whose ‘Been Music’ was performed by Kalyanji on clavioline and by Ravi on harmonium. I am also fond of Ravi for having got two of the three Filmfare Awards for Best Lyricist: Chaudhvin ka chand ho and Husn waale tera jawaab nahin. The instrument Sitar figured in many of Ravi’s songs, just like the one that I have selected for you tonight. Ravi was known for bringing poignancy of some of his songs to the fore through his excellent compositions. The song that comes to mind is Shakeel Badayuni’s Do Badan song picturised on Asha Parekh and sung by Lata Mangeshkar: Lo aa gayi unaki yaad woh nahin aaye.

Asad Bhopali and Ravi came together for the 1962 Nisar Ahmad Ansari movie Tower House starring Ajit and Shakila. The movie had very good songs:

1. Ai mere dil-e-nadaan tu gham se na ghabrana.
2. Main khushnaseeb hoon mujhako kisi ka pyar mila.
3. Aaj ki raat andhera bhi hai tanhai bhi.
4. Mausam hai jawan noor mein dube hain nazaare.
5. Ye sitam kya hai hamako bana kar deewana chale.
6. Zara bach ke shikari shikar karna.

And then there was this movie whose songs list I have already given you.

Surprisingly, for someone who learnt music mostly by himself Ravi was well rooted in raagas. His favourite raaga appears to be Bhopali or Bhupali. In the 1963 BR Chopra movie Ravi had two out of the seven songs composed in this raaga: Ye hawa ye fiza, and Tujhako mera pyar pukaare. One of the best songs in Raag Kedar: Darshan do Ghanshyam has also been composed by Ravi. Nobody can ever forget his Chaudhvinh ka chand ho in Raag Pahadi and Ye raatein ye mausam nadi ka kinara in Raag Kirwani.

This song, as I told you, is in Raag Kaushik Kanada, Tal Kaherava.

Raag Kaushik/Kaushi/Kausi Kanada belongs to the Asawari thaat. Its Jati is Shadhav – Sampurna Vakra, which means it is hexatatonic (six notes or swar) in Aaroha (ascending) with Re (Rishab) and Pa (Pancham) varjay. All seven swar (heptatonic) in Avroha (descending). Gandhar, Dhaivat and Nishad are Komal. Rest all swar are Shuddha. The raaga is well suited for the third prahar of the night (Midnight to 3 AM).

Other than this song there are no notable songs in Hindi movies composed in Kaushik or simply Kaushi/Kausi Kanada.

I have, at various places earlier, told you about the Kaherava Tal and hence don’t feel the need to repeat it here.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last sixteen times we started learning about some of the leading personalities in Indian Classical Music or Shastriya Sangeet. The first one that we took up was Ustaad Asad Ali Khan, the finest Rudra Veena player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Hari Parsad Chaurasia, the greatest Bansuri player in the country. Then we talked about Ali Akbar Khan, the greatest Sarod player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Ravi Shankar, the greatest Sitar player in the world. Then we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Carnatic tradition): MS Subbulakshmi. Then, we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Hindustani tradition): Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Then, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. Then, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, a great Surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani Classical Music. Thereafter, we took up Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the grestest Santoor player in the country. Then we learnt a little more about Ustaad Alla Rakha Qureshi or simply Alla Rakha, the Tabla Maestro and father of Ustaad Zakir Hussain. Then we learnt about the master and one of the pioneers of fusion: Anand Shankar. Then we learnt about a Veena player who was also a great filmmaker: Sundaram Balachander. Then we learnt about Sarod Player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. And then we learnt about Ustaad Zakir Hussain, the Tabla maestro. Then we learnt about Sitar Player and Composer Anoushka Shankar. And then we covered vocalist Pandit Jasraj in the last post. We then covered violinist L Subramaniam. And finally we learnt about Sitarist: Ustaad Vilayat Khan.

Tonight, we shall take up another great sitarist: Nikhil Banerjee. He was born on 14 Oct 1931 in Calcutta. His father, Jitendranath Banerjee, was an amateur sitarist and Banerjee was fascinated by his father’s playing. Initially, his father didn’t encourage Nikhil becoming a sitarist but relented when he was five. The initial training of the young child was at the hands of his father. He became a child prodigy. He won an all-India sitar competition and became the youngest musician employed by All India Radio at the age of nine. Around 1946 Nikhil Banerjee met the great khyal singer Amir Khan through the master’s teaching of Nikhil Banerjee’s sister, and his enthusiasm for his music was reinforced by hearing him in concert a couple of years later.

In 1947 Banerjee met Ustad Allauddin Khan, who was to become his main guru along with his son, Ali Akbar Khan. Both were sarod players. Banerjee went to Allauddin Khan’s concerts and was desperate to have him as his teacher. Allauddin Khan did not want to take on more students, but changed his mind after listening to one of Banerjee’s radio broadcasts. Allauddin Khan was Banerjee’s main teacher, after he left Maihar he also learned from Ali Akbar Khan, the son of Allaudin Khan, for many years.

Ustad Allauddin Khan passed on to Nikhil not only playing technique but the musical knowledge and approach of the Maihar gharana. After Maihar, Banerjee embarked on a concert career that was to take him to all corners of the world and last right up to his untimely death on 27 Jan 1986. All through his life he kept taking lessons from Ustad Allauddin Khan and his children, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Smt. Annapurna Devi. Perhaps reflecting his early upbringing, he always remained a humble musician, and was content with much less limelight than a player of his stature could have vied for. Even so, in 1968, he was decorated with the Padma Shri, and in 1974 received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

Today, he is commonly regarded as one of the greatest sitarists of the 20th century and is often spoken of as being on a level with the other two masters Ravi Shankar and Vilayat Khan.

Returning to the song now. The song, as I told you, is from the 1963 Brij movie Ustadon Ke Ustad. It is a soft melody in Raag Kaushik or Kaushi/Kausi Kanada that lends to the song a certain enigma that goes well with the vapour that rises from the water-fall. In that respect the song is in line with – though with better lyrics and picturisation – than such songs as Gumnaam hai koi.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy in Raag Kaushik Kanada Tal Kaherava, Moahammad Rafi sing a composition of Ravi on the lyrics of Asad Bhopali in the 1963 Brij movie Ustadon Ke Ustad starring Pradeep Kumar, Shakila, Ashok Kumar and Sheikh Mukhtar: Sau baar janam lenge, sau baar fana honge…..

सौ बार जनम लेंगे, सौ बार फ़ना होंगे
ऐ जान-ए-वफ़ा फिर भी, हम तुम न जुदा होंगे

क़िस्मत हमे मिलने से, रोकेगी भला कब तक
इन प्यार की राहों में, भटकेगी वफ़ा कब तक
क़दमों के निशाँ खुद ही, मंज़िल का पता होंगे

ये कैसी उदासी है, जो हुस्न पे छाई है
हम दूर नहीं तुम से, कहने को जुदाई है
अरमान भरे दो दिल, फिर एक जगह होंगे

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTprvBjARLY

We have intended to learn about Raaga based music whilst we entertain ourselves with Raaga based songs. So, lets, once again, take stock of our collective learning so far:

1. On the first day we learnt about the Raaga system devised by Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, which is the prevalent system in Hindustani Classical Music and based on ten Thaats.
2. On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
3. On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
4. On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
5. On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
6. On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
7. On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
8. On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
9. On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
10. On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
11. On the eleventh day, we learnt about why Bhairavi is the first raag to be taught to beginners and also why it is the last in a performance.
12. On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
13. On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
14. On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
15. On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
16. On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
17. On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
18. On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
19. On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
20. On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
21. On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
22. On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
23. On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
24. On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
25. On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
26. On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
27. On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
28. On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
29. On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
30. On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
31. On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
32. On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
33. On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
34. On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
35. On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
36. On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
37. On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
38. On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
39. On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
40. On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
41. On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
42. On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
43. On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
44. On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
45. On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
46. On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
47. On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
48. On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
49. On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
50. On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
51. On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
52. On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
53. On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
54. On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
55. On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
56. On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
57. On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
58. On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
59. On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
60. On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
61. On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
    
62. On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
63. On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
64. On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
65. On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
66. On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
67. On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
68. On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
69. On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
70. On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
71. On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
72. On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
73. On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
74. On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
75. On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
76. On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
77. On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
78. On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
    
79. On the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.
    
80. On the eightieth day, we learnt about Tivra Tal.
81. On the eighty-first day, we learnt about the greatest Rudra Veena player ever: Ustaad Asad Ali Khan.
82. On the eighty-second day, we learnt about the greatest Bansuri player alive: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
83. On the eighty-third day, we learnt about the best Sarod player in the country: Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan.
84. On the eighty-fourth day, we learnt about the greatest Sitar player in the world: Pandit Ravi Shankar.
85. On the eighty-fifth day, we learnt about the greatest Indian vocalist of Carnatic tradition: MS Subbulakshmi.
86. On the eighty-sixth day, we not just learnt about the greatest vocalist of Hindustani tradition: Pandit Bhimsen Joshi but also learnt about Tal Hinch.
87. On the eighty-seventh day, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustaad Bismillah Khan.
88. On the eighty-eighth day, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, the greatest Surbahar player in India.
89. On the eighty-ninth day, we learnt about Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the greatest Santoor Player in the country.
90. On the ninetieth day, we learnt about Ustaad Alla Rakha, the Tabla maestro.
91. On the ninety-first day, we learnt about Anand Shankar, the great fusion musician from Bengal.
92. On the ninety-second day, we learnt about Sundaram Balachander, the great Veena player and film-maker.
93. On the ninety-third day, we learnt about Ustaad Amjad Ali Khan, the great Sarod player.
94. On the ninety-fourth day, we learnt about the Tabla maestro: Ustaad Zakir Hussain.
95. On the ninety-fifth day, we learnt about the Sitar player and Composer: Anoushka Shankar.
96. On the ninety-sixth day, we learnt about the Vocalist Pandit Jasraj.
97. On the ninety-seventh day, we learnt about the great violinist L Subramaniam.
98. On the ninety-eighth day, we learnt about one of the greatest sitarists: Ustaad Vilayat Khan.
99. And today, on the ninety-ninth day, we learnt about another great sitarist: Nikhil Banerjee.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Dil se re….
Raag Jog, Tal Kaherava

Today, we turn to living-legend and genius AR Rahman, the winner of more Filmfare Awards (Ten) than any other Music Director in history. Even though I have posted a song by him Tu hi re in my other songs series (Please see: ‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions #22‘) I haven’t given you any of his songs in the present series on Raaga Based Songs.

After this post, I have just two to go before I finish a hundred posts in the present series before Diwali.

If the earlier AR Rahman song was from a Mani Ratnam movie Bombay, this song is from another Mani Ratnam film: the 1998 movie Dil Se in which for the production Ram Gopal Verma and Shekhar Kapur joined hands with Mani Ratnam. It was penned by Gulzar, composed by AR Rahman and sung by AR Rahman, Anuradha Sriram, Anupama & Febi Mani. Pink Floyd bass guitarist Guy Pratt played bass in this song.

This is the first time I am taking up a song in this raaga.

We have completed ninety-five days of Raaga Based Songs of the Day. Our first post in the series was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #1’ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1970 Shakti Samanta movie Pagla Kahin Ka: Tum mujhe youn bhula na paoge.  It is in Raag Jhinjhoti, Tal Kaherava.

Our ninety-seventh post or the last post here was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #97‘ and the song was a Yesudas and Hemlata song from the 1976 Basu Chatterjee movie Chitchor starring Amol Palekar, Zarina Wahab and Vijayendra: Tu jo mere sur mein sur mila le. It is also in Raag Pilu Tal Kaherava.

This blog has a number of posts on Raaga based songs in Hindi movies titled similarly; for example: ‘The Best Raaga Based Songs in Hindi Movies – Raaga Darbari Kanada – Part III‘.

In the last ninety-seven days of sharing Raaga based songs of the day, I have given you songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti, Gara, Bhimpalasi, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani, Bihag, Pahadi, Sarang, Pilu, Bhairavi, Khammaj, Charukesi, Kalyan or Yaman, Desh, Malgunji, Kirwani, Kedar, Bageshri, Megh Malhar, Bhupali, Ahir Bhairav, Malkaush, Mand, Adana, Kafi, Rageshri, Jaunpuri, Tilang, Janasammohini, Chayanat, Shuddha Kalyan, Gaur Sarang, Jogiya, Asavari, Maru Bihag, Durga, Lalit, Puria Dhanashri, Bhinna Sahdja, Sohani, Multani, Patdeep, Jaijaiwanti, Tilak Kamod, Hemant, Basant Mukhari, Gujri Todi, Kalavati, Hamir, Bhatiyar, Gawati, Shyam Kalyan, Gorakh Kalyan, Madhamat Sarang, Manj Khammaj, Darbari Kanada, Vibhas, Shankara, Bahar, Nand and Mian Ki Malhar; making it a total of 61 raagas. The raagas that have been repeated so far are Pahadi, the raaga of my home place in the Himalayas, Maru Bihag, Raag Kirwani, Jhinjhoti, Bhairavi, Gara, Basant Mukhari, Malkauns, Bhairavi, Mand, Sohani, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani and Adana. Today, I am giving you a new Raag Jog for the first time.

Today’s song is from the 1998 film Dil Se that was produced (together with Ram Gopal Verma and Shekhar Kapur) and directed by Mani Ratnam and also written by him together with Tigmanshu Dhulia. The film starred Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala and Preity Zinta.

The movie won AR Rahman one of his ten Filmfare Awards and Gulzar one of his twenty Filmfare Awards (of course for the song Chaiya Chaiya (for which Sukhwinder Singh won the Best Male Playback Singer Award. The movie won two National Awards and Six Filmfare Awards including one for Preity Zinta for Best Female Debut.

Lets understand the story-line to see where the song fits in the movie:

Shahrukh Khan plays Amarkant Varma, a programme executive for All India Radio. Whilst covering festivities in Assam, Amar has a chance encounter with Meghna (Manisha Koirala) at Haflong railway station. He doesn’t know her name but she keeps appearing in his life (for example in Lumding where she denies having met him earlier). He is of course much fascinated by her and  describes his encounter with her on the radio. She hears this and next he sees her at the Post Office.

And now she intervenes telling him to leave her alone but he stalks her and tells her that he is in love with her. She tells him she is married and gets him beaten up by two men. He comes to know later that she feigned marriage and the men are probably her brothers.

Once again she does the vanishing trick and he searches for her. He learns from a Public Call Office owner that she used to make calls to Ladakh. Amar travels to Leh to find her. Here a suicide bomber is chased to death by the army and Amar spots her again. This time she feigns to be his wife when a search is going on for suspected terrorists in the bus by which they travel.

For the first time he learns her name: Meghna. She again vanishes. It is later revealed that Meghna is part of a Liberationists group which plans multiple suicide attacks in New Delhi at the upcoming Republic Day celebrations).

Amar returns to his home in Delhi, where his family has found Preeti Nair (Preity Zinta) from Kerala as a potential bride for him. Amar agrees to marry Preeti because he has no hope that he will ever meet Meghna again.

On a date with Preeti, Amar spots one of Meghna’s associates, Kim. Amar chases him down to Connaught Place, where the man kills himself with a cyanide pill after being stopped by local police. The case is handed over to CBI.

Amar is a prime suspect. This time Meghna visits Delhi to get a job at All India Radio and stay with him to escape scrutiny by security forces. He learns that her real name is Moina and she is a rape victim of the army. Her mission, with her associates, is to target the Republic Day Parade and the President of India.

He tries to prevent all this claiming that his only motive is that he is in love with her. He embraces her whilst she is armed as a suicide bomber and they are both blown to smithereens.

He was in love with her Dil Se and she was seeking revenge with government of India Dil Se for being a rape victim as a child.

That’s the significance of this song in the movie. It is the title song and tells the story of the movie in a flash. 

The song has been penned by Gulzar. Lets talk a bit about Gulzar, the most versatile Lyricist that we have had in Hindi films: He has been poet, lyricist, director, dialogue, story and screen-play writer. He was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award — the highest award in Indian cinema. He has won several Indian National Film Awards, 20 Filmfare Awards, one Academy Award and one Grammy Award.

He was born as Sampooran Singh Kalra on 18 Aug 1943 in Dina, Jhelum District (now in Pakistan). After Partition Sampooran’s family shifted to Bombay. In his early boyhood and manhood days, he eked out a living by taking up various odd jobs including as a mechanic at a garage. He was fond of writing poetry and assumed the name of Gulzar Deenvi and later Gulzar.

He started his career as a songwriter with the music director Sachin Dev Burman for the Bimal Roy movie Bandini (1963) penning just one song: Mora gora rang layle whilst Shailendra penned the rest.

From that day on wards there has never been any looking back.

Gulzar has won the Filmfare Awards the maximum number of times: twenty; eleven of these have been for Best Lyricist. The next in the line is AR Rahman who has one fifteen Filmfare Awards including ten as Best Music Director.

The song belongs to its composer Allah Rakha Rahman more than to anyone else. Just as, the other day, we took up Surbahar player Annapurna Devi (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #88‘) who became a Hindu after having been born a Muslim as Roshana Khan, AR Rahman was born a Hindu, Dileep Shekhar, on 06 Jan 1967 and converted to Islam in 1989, at the age of 22. In recent past, no other composer and music director has occupied space in our hearts and minds more than Rahman. Rahman’s films career started with the 1992 Tamil movie Roja, also a Mani Ratnam movie and also starring Arvind Swamy, though with Madhoo and not Monisha Koirala. Roja not just won the National Award for Best Film on National Integration but was later dubbed in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu and Malyalam. In 2009, when AR Rahman won two Oscars (for Best Song (Jai ho)) and Best Original Score (together with Gulzar)(Slumdog Millionaire) many of us felt that the Roja songs and music were better than the Slumdog Millionaire. His first film Roja won him the National Award for Best Music Director. One of the songs from the movie is a favourite: Bharat hamako jaan se bhi pyaara hai. As of 2016, Rahman has garnered four National Film Awards, 15 Filmfare Awards and 16 Filmfare Awards South, a record for an Indian composer.

Gulzar and AR Rahman started together with this movie. They have worked together in twelve movies as Lyricist and Music Director.

Some of the popular songs of Gulzar with AR Rahman are: Chaiya chaiya, Jiya jale, Ai ajnabee and Satrangi re (Dil Se, 1998); Saathiya, Chupke se, Mera yaar mila de, and Chori pe chori (Saathiya, 2002); Jiya jale and Dil se re used again in 7 1/2 Phere (2005); Barso re megha megha, Jaage hain der tak, Maiyya and Aye hairati aashqi jaga mat (Guru, 2007); Main hoon yuvraaj, Shanno shanno, Tu meri dost hai, Mastam mastam and Dil ka rishta (Yuvraaj, 2008); Jai ho (Slumdog Millionaire, 2009 Both of them won Oscar); Ranjha Ranjha kardi ve, Behne de mujhe behne de and Thok de killi (Raavan, 2010); Saans mein teri saans mili to, Heer Heer na aakho adiyo, Saans, Jiya jaiya re jiya, and Jab taq hai jaan (Jab Tak Hai Jaan, 2012).

AR Rahman is so well versed with raagas that he has tried songs in raagas that were hitherto untried. Some of  his most memorable numbers are: Taal se taal mila (Bhairavi), Piya Haji Ali (Maand), Columbus (Madhyamaavathi), Karite na (Maru Bihag/Hemant), Hai Rama (Puria Dhanashree) (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #40‘), Deem tadare dhani (Megh Malhar), Anjali Anjali (Maand), Jiya jale (Misra Bhairavi), Boondon se baaten (Misra Kirwani), Ni main samajh gayi (Ahir Bhairavi), Mitwa (Bhupeshree or Vasanthi), Radha kaise na jale (Bhimpalasi), Chalo chalo (Chala Nathai), Mujhe rang de (Charukeshi), Chhodo meri bainyan (Patdeep), Jhoola bahon ka (Peelu), Ruth aa gayi re (Puria Dhanashree), Monalisa (Gawati), and Ghanan ghanan (Kafi). 

This song, as I told you, is in Raag Jog, Tal Kaherava.

Raag Jog belongs to the Kafi thaat. Its Jati is Audhav – Audhav, which means it is pentatonic (five notes or swar) in Aaroha (ascending) and  in Avroha (descending). The swar that are vrajay (missing) are Re (Rishab) and Dha (Dhaivat). Rishab is Komal and both (Shuddha in Aaroha and Komal in Avroha) Gandhars are used. Rest all swar are Shuddha. The dominant note (Vadi) is Ma or Madhyam. The raaga is a straightforward and melodious raaga. Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman have tried to contrast the soft melody against the harsh violence of terrorism. In that manner only it is somewhat similar to Louis Armstrong’s It’s A Wonderful World being used against the harsh reality of war in Barry Levinson’s 1987 movie Good Morning Vietnam starring Robin Williams. The raaga is well suited for the second prahar of the night (9 PM to Midnight).

Very few Hindi films songs have been composed in this raaga, Besides the present song, Hansraj Behl composed Naina dwar se for the 1959 movie Sawan.

I have, at various places earlier, told you about the Kaherava Tal and hence don’t feel the need to repeat it here.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last fifteen times we started learning about some of the leading personalities in Indian Classical Music or Shastriya Sangeet. The first one that we took up was Ustaad Asad Ali Khan, the finest Rudra Veena player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Hari Parsad Chaurasia, the greatest Bansuri player in the country. Then we talked about Ali Akbar Khan, the greatest Sarod player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Ravi Shankar, the greatest Sitar player in the world. Then we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Carnatic tradition): MS Subbulakshmi. Then, we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Hindustani tradition): Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Then, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. Then, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, a great Surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani Classical Music. Thereafter, we took up Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the grestest Santoor player in the country. Then we learnt a little more about Ustaad Alla Rakha Qureshi or simply Alla Rakha, the Tabla Maestro and father of Ustaad Zakir Hussain. Then we learnt about the master and one of the pioneers of fusion: Anand Shankar. Then we learnt about a Veena player who was also a great filmmaker: Sundaram Balachander. Then we learnt about Sarod Player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. And then we learnt about Ustaad Zakir Hussain, the Tabla maestro. Then we learnt about Sitar Player and Composer Anoushka Shankar. And then we covered vocalist Pandit Jasraj in the last post. Finally we covered violinist L Subramaniam.

Tonight, we shall take up the great sitarist: Ustaad Vilayat Khan. He turned down all awards conferred on him by the government of India: the second, third and fourth highest; ie, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri on the ground that others less deserving Sitarists have been given these awards before him. His family, he rightly claimed, had originated gayaki ang of Sitar (attempt to mimic vocal music on Sitar) and it was not recognised for this. On the same grounds he turned down Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. This makes him a unique artiste who has turned down all awards conferred on him. The only titles he accepted were the special decorations of “Bharat Sitar Samrat” by the Artistes Association of India and “Aftab-e-Sitar” (Sun of the Sitar) from President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.

Vilayat was born on 28 Aug 1928 in Gouripur, Mymensingh in then East Bengal in British India and current Bangladesh. His father Enayat Khan was recognised as a leading sitar and surbahar (bass sitar) player of his time, as had been his grandfather, Imdad Khan, before him. He was taught in the family style, known as the Imdadkhani gharana or Etawah Gharana, after a small city close to Agra where Imdad Khan lived.

He recorded his first 78-RPM disc at the age of 8, and gave his last concert in 2004 at the age of 75. Vilayat Khan performed at All Bengal Music Conference, as his first concert, organized by Bhupen Ghosh in Kolkata with Ahmed Jan Thirakwa on tabla. His performance at the concert organized by Vikramaditya Sangeet Parishad, Mumbai in 1944 drew the headline “Electrifying Sitar”.

Vilayat composed and conducted the score for three feature films – Satyajit Ray’s Jalsaghar (1958) in Bengali, Merchant-Ivory Productions’ The Guru (1969) in English, and Madhusudan Kumar’s Kadambari (1976) in Hindi.

Returning to the song now. The song, as I told you, is from the 1998 Mani Ratnam movie Dil Se. Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman have had an abiding relationship that started with the 1992 movie Roja that was later remade into Hindi, Telugu, Malyalam and Marathi. When AR Rahman was conferred the Oscar for Jai Ho in 2009 movie Slumdog Millionaire, critics felt that the music of Roja was much better. As far as Hindi movies are concerned, both of them were together in Bombay (1995), Dil Se (1998), Guru (2007) and Raavan (2010).

Mani Ratnam directed the movie and the song very well. In the 1999 Berlin International Film Festival he won a special mention in Netpac Awards for this movie. This song was a chart topper of the year 1998 and this song’s lyrics in Urdu are said to be the finest. Its picturisation too got noticed. Santosh Sivan received Filmfare Award for Best Cinematography for the movie. The song has now achieved a cult status.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy in Raag Jog Tal Kaherava, AR Rahman, Anuradha Sriram, Anupama & Febi Mani sing a composition of AR Rahman on the lyrics of Gulzar in the 1998 Mani Ratnam movie Dil Se starring Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala and Preity Zinta: Dil se re…..

इक सूरज निकला था, कुछ तारा पिघला था
इक आँधी आयी थी, जब दिल से आह निकली थी
दिल से रे
दिल तो आखिर दिल है न, मीठी सी मुशकिल है न
पिया पिया, जिया जिया, पिया पिया
दिल से रे …

दो पत्ते पतझड़ के, पेड़ों से उतरे थे
पेड़ों की शाखों से, उतरे थे
फिर इतने मौसम गुज़रे, वो पत्ते दो बेचारे
फिर उगने की चाहत में, वो सहरों से गुज़रे
वो पत्तेए दिल दिल दिल थे, वो दिल थे दिल थे दिल दिल थे
दिल है तो फिर दर्द होगा, दर्द है तो दिल भी होगा
मौसम गुज़रते रहते हैं
दिल से दिल से दिल दिल से, दिल से रे
दिल तो आखिर दिल है न …

बन्धन है रिश्तों में, काँटों की तारें हैं
पत्थर के दरवाज़े, दीवारे.ब
बेलें फिर भी उगती हैं, और गुँचे भी खिलते हैं
और चलते है.ब अफ़साने
किरदार भी मिलते हैं
वो रिश्ते दिल दिल दिल थे, वो दिल थे दिल थे दिल दिल थे
ग़म दिल के बस चुलबुले हैं, पानी के ये बुलबुले हैं
बुझते हैं बनते रहते हैं
दिल से दिल से दिल दिल से, दिल से रे
दिल तो आखिर दिल है न …

We have intended to learn about Raaga based music whilst we entertain ourselves with Raaga based songs. So, lets, once again, take stock of our collective learning so far:

1. On the first day we learnt about the Raaga system devised by Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, which is the prevalent system in Hindustani Classical Music and based on ten Thaats.
2. On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
3. On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
4. On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
5. On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
6. On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
7. On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
8. On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
9. On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
10. On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
11. On the eleventh day, we learnt about why Bhairavi is the first raag to be taught to beginners and also why it is the last in a performance.
12. On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
13. On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
14. On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
15. On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
16. On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
17. On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
18. On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
19. On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
20. On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
21. On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
22. On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
23. On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
24. On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
25. On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
26. On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
27. On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
28. On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
29. On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
30. On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
31. On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
32. On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
33. On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
34. On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
35. On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
36. On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
37. On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
38. On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
39. On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
40. On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
41. On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
42. On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
43. On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
44. On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
45. On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
46. On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
47. On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
48. On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
49. On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
50. On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
51. On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
52. On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
53. On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
54. On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
55. On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
56. On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
57. On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
58. On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
59. On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
60. On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
61. On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
    
62. On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
63. On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
64. On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
65. On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
66. On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
67. On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
68. On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
69. On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
70. On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
71. On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
72. On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
73. On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
74. On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
75. On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
76. On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
77. On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
78. On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
    
79. On the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.
    
80. On the eightieth day, we learnt about Tivra Tal.
81. On the eighty-first day, we learnt about the greatest Rudra Veena player ever: Ustaad Asad Ali Khan.
82. On the eighty-second day, we learnt about the greatest Bansuri player alive: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
83. On the eighty-third day, we learnt about the best Sarod player in the country: Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan.
84. On the eighty-fourth day, we learnt about the greatest Sitar player in the world: Pandit Ravi Shankar.
85. On the eighty-fifth day, we learnt about the greatest Indian vocalist of Carnatic tradition: MS Subbulakshmi.
86. On the eighty-sixth day, we not just learnt about the greatest vocalist of Hindustani tradition: Pandit Bhimsen Joshi but also learnt about Tal Hinch.
87. On the eighty-seventh day, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustaad Bismillah Khan.
88. On the eighty-eighth day, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, the greatest Surbahar player in India.
89. On the eighty-ninth day, we learnt about Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the greatest Santoor Player in the country.
90. On the ninetieth day, we learnt about Ustaad Alla Rakha, the Tabla maestro.
91. On the ninety-first day, we learnt about Anand Shankar, the great fusion musician from Bengal.
92. On the ninety-second day, we learnt about Sundaram Balachander, the great Veena player and film-maker.
93. On the ninety-third day, we learnt about Ustaad Amjad Ali Khan, the great Sarod player.
94. On the ninety-fourth day, we learnt about the Tabla maestro: Ustaad Zakir Hussain.
95. On the ninety-fifth day, we learnt about the Sitar player and Composer: Anoushka Shankar.
96. On the ninety-sixth day, we learnt about the Vocalist Pandit Jasraj.
97. On the ninety-seventh day, we learnt about the great violinist L Subramaniam.
98. And today, on the ninety-eighth day, we learnt about one of the greatest sitarists: Ustaad Vilayat Khan.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!