Vocal - GAAYATRI

Pakhawaj - Amol Ghode

Tanpura - Anita Sinclair, Binh Tat

Dhrupad is the most ancient form of music in existence today. It is the oldest system of music having roots from Vedic Samaveda chanting. From this system, the original Naad Yoga through Raaga system evolved.

Dhrupad is a very introspective musical meditation, with most emphasis on the pure Naad vibration of each sound. It was developed to be practiced as a musical meditation by the practitioner, and is therefore is a complete practice with just voice and Tanpura. Only a few vocalizations are used - straight tones, Meend slides, andolan waves, and gamak shakes. There are no Khyaal style taans, or fast intricate lighter ornaments or alankaars used in this style.

In concert, it is also accompanied by Pakhawaj for rhythmic support, one variant of the double sided barrel drum. Back in the day, any double sided barrel drum was referred to as a Mridang. Today, there are different variants of this instrument including the South Indian Mridangam, and Khol or Mridanga. In North India, the Pakhawaj is most commonly used.

Alap-Jor

The fist part of the presentation will feature a pure musical meditation of the Raaga or melody form known as Alaap-Jor.

The concept is that we take the mind through the journey of the creation process where we go from formlessness (anibaddha) to form (nibaddha). If you think of any creation process, we start with nothing, just an unbound energy. Then we have a point at which an idea begins, and then evolves. It slowly starts to take shape, and then expresses itself through form.

Similarly, the Alaap portion is slow, and doesn't have a discernible meter or pulse. It uses the breath to pace each idea, and slowly gains shape of the Raaga.

The Jor begins the expression with form. There is a clear pulse felt, and rises in intensity until the ending.

Sadra composition

The next part of the presentation is the song. Dhrupad songs are very heavy in pulse and bound to each beat in their movement. This composition is set to a 10 beat rhythm cycle, called Sadra. Interestingly, this is also a word used to describe any 10 beat composition, and has integrated into Khyaal as well, where Sadra compositions can be elaborated as a Dhrupad or Khyaal. We will compare and contrast this later in the program to the same rhythm cycle being used but elaborated in a Khyaal style.

The main elements in a Dhrupad elaboration are the melody, rhythm, and words. The bol-baants or "word-distributions" are elaborations that take the words, and make rhythmic variations with them. Different combinations of words allow for deeper meditation on the words, and can evoke slightly different emotions of the meaning. Much like vedic chanting where the words are practiced in specific patterns of re-ordering and repeated as a meditative tool for the mind, Dhrupad bol improvization uses this same concept. There are also mathematical calculations that are emphasized to further elaborate the form of the rhythm with phrases that occur three times and land on the first beat of the cycle called "Tihaai."

Lyrics:

Prabala Dala Saaja Jaga

Jhumaja Bhuma Para

Umanda Ghana Ghor Jala

Indra Laayo hai

Barasata Musala Dhaar

Hota Prahar Chaar

Krishna Kara Dhara

Giridhara Bachaayo hai

Boondana Dharani Dhari

Saba hi ki icchaa kari

Pashu Panchi Jiva Jantu

Adhika Sukha Paayo Hai

Tansen Stuti Kare

Apani kowna gata

Sura pati adhina bhayo

Sara Navaayo hai

Meaning:

The rains thunderously pour down upon the Earth - brought by Indra, the God of Rain.

As the rains intensity, across the land everything gets clouded across all 4 directions. It is then that Lord Krishna lifts the mountain of Govardhan, and saves all from the great storm.

As the raindrops touch the Earth, it is He who fulfills the wish of every animal, bird, soul, and creature. It is He who brings happiness and contentment to all.

Tansen sings in praise, what even is my own? To that Lord of Lords, I bow my head in deep respect.

Commentary:

This song is about the story of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan mountain when the God King Indra is angered that his desire is not fulfilled as the villagers upon Krishna's behest, do not perform his yearly rituals praying for tempered rains in his honor. Out of his anger, he brings torrential storms with thunder and lightening. Lord Krishna prior to this remarks that what should be worshipped is those things that do not ask for worship and give selflessly, like the Earth, the Govardhan mountain, the trees, the river Jamuna, etc. When the storms come, his friends say, "look Krishna, you told us not to worship him now he's angry. Ask your Govardhan to protect us now!" At this moment, Lord Krishna lifts the mountain with his little finger, and all the villagers, animals, souls and creatures take shelter under the mountain.

What it also means this. Indra is the Lord of the Indriyas, or our senses. He is "King" because it is our mind, and intellect that takes in this information, and drives our processing, and decision making. When our mind starts to think too much of itself, and starts demanding more importance putting us out of balance, it is the universal consciousness symbolized by Lord Krishna, that powers our life, residing in our heart, that brings us back to Earth. Connecting to this allows us to quell the rains of the mind and connect to the truth of the universe from our heart. This force is so powerful that it knows the wishes of all beings, and makes sure everything is looked after. So it is to this we bow our heads and take shelter with.

Raag Megh

This is one of the first six root masculine energy Raagas. It is deeply linked to the sky, clouds, rain, and thunder. It is said to have the power to bring rain if performed properly.

Legend has it that when Tansen was asked to sing the Raag of Fire, Raag Deepak, by emperor Akbar, he knew this Raag would be too powerful and have consequences.

In order to mitigate this, he trained his daughter Saraswati to sing Raag Megh to bring rain, and when the fires needed to be stopped, she sang Megh to bring the water.

Vocal - GAAYATRI

Pakhawaj - Amol Ghode

Dilruba - Makheer Singh

Tanpura - Anita Sinclair, Binh Tat

Dhammar is a special genre sharing the name of the beat cycle the compositions are set to. It is a sub-genre of a specific style of composition in Dhammar taal, which is 14 beats. It is said to feel heavy in each step like "an elephant walking."

Tracing its origins in Dhrupad style, Dhammar has a unique place especially in traditions from Swami Haridas. In Mathura, Vrindavan, and temples of Braj Bhoomi, Dhammar compositions were very commonly sung and deeply associated with Lord Krishna. Many compositions describe stories of Lord Krishna. To this day, this style of composition is still sung by the Mathura Gharana Dhrupad singers in and around the temples of Braj Bhoomi. They are rarely performed in concert settings.

Over the years, Dhammar became a point of collaboration as it branches from the strict Dhrupad approach a little bit in the vocalizations. It is a little more fluid and devotional to begin with - so as Khyaal began to develop, Dhammar started to become a hybrid form utilizing elaborations from both styles with the emphasis on the compositional meaning rather than the evocation of the pure Naad or pure Raaga.

Lyrics:

Hori Khelata Nandlaal

Braj Mein Dhooma machi hai

Saba Sakhiyana de de taali

Meaning:

Lord Krishna plays Hori (Dhammar compositions from Braj). In the land of Braj, everyone is singing and dancing in festivous splendour. All friends and gopis dance and clap their hands keeping the taali.

Commentary:

The song evokes the very old style of singing from the time of Swami Haridas when he lived and sang in Braj Bhoomi himself.

Vocal - GAAYATRI

Tabla - Neelamjit Dhillon

Dilruba - Makheer Singh

Tanpura - Anita Sinclair, Binh Tat

Khyaal is the second major classical sub-genre of Hindustani Raaga music. It was developed by two brothers commonly known as Sadaarang and Adaarang. It shares the same intention of elaboration of the Raaga, but emphasizes "imagination" as it is translated. It gives more freedom for the artist to use expanded vocalizations including finer gamaks, virtuosic taans, and intricate alankaar ornaments. It is accompanied by Tabla and usually a melodic instrument such as a stringed Sarangi or Dilruba, or in recent years, Harmonium. It is the most common form of Raaga music in practice today.

The form shares the same idea of going from formlessness to form. However, rather than Raaga elaboration happening first and separate to the composition, the first song is a Bada Khyaal or big Khyaal where it is longer, starts at a much slower pace, and sometimes at a pace where the pulse or meter is very difficult to tap. The elaboration of the Raaga happens within the composition where the first half of the elaborations are arhythmic without a pulse, and the second half marked by the antara just like jor marks the metered form section showing more rhythmic ideation. It is followed by a Chhota Khyaal, more metered and form based to build intensity.

I will be singing a Sadra in Khyaal style as my Bada Khyaal, a composition in 10 beats, this time elaborated in Khyaal style to contrast the previous Dhrupad style Sadra.

Bada Khyaal Sadra Lyrics:

Saraswati Maata Jo vara daayi

Bramha Vishnu ki tohe duhaai

Tuma guna daayi mein guna chaahi

Puja karata be aragaayi

Meaning:

O Mother Saraswati, Goddess of Music and learning, you are the giver of boons. Even Brahma and Vishnu call out to you for help. You are the giver of good qualities, I am the wanter of good qualities. I sit doing Puja, without hesitation or anything holding me back I submit to your will.

Chhota Khyaal Lyrics:

Chandravadani Mriganayani

Jovana Madamaati

Chaala Chalata Alabeli

Manaharani Hamsagamani

Sur Madhura Vaasini

Mein Puja Karata Karajori

Mahadevi

Meaning:

O Moon faced one, deer eyed one,

youthful one full of passion,

one who walks with playful gait,

stealer of hearts, who moves gracefully like a swan,

one who resides in sweet sounds of notes,

with folded hands (in Namaste), I do Puja to you,

O Great Goddess.

Tarana

This is a composition that uses syllables that are sounds parallel to the instrumental bols, and percussion bols. The words are pure sounds, and the vocal bol language to mirror the sounds of instruments.

Based in Raag Khammaj

Vocal - GAAYATRI

Tabla - Neelamjit Dhillon

Pakhawaj - Amol Ghode

Dilruba - Makheer Singh

Tanpura - Anita Sinclair, Binh Tat

Bansuri - Anand Vemuri (special guest)

Lyrics:

Jo Tum Todo Piya mein nahi todo

tori preet tori Krishna, kowna sang jodo

Tume bhaye chandaa, mein bhayi chakori

Tum bhaye moti prabhu, mein bhayi dhaaga

Tum bhaye sona, mein bhayi suhaaga

Mira kahe Prabhu braj ke vaasi,

Tum mori daagun, mein tori daasi

Meaning:

Whatever you break, my love, please don't go breaking me (my heart, my spirit, my love for you)

Your love, and your Krishna, who will unite the two!

If you become the moon, I will become the Chakor bird (an Indian bird that sings when it sees the moon).

If you become pearls, I will become the string that holds them so I can stay close to you.

If you become gold, I will become a bride just to wear the gold.

Mira says, O Lord Giridhar, you are my Lord, and I am your devotee.

Commentary:

Lord Krishna is famous for being a very naughty child, and breaking all of the pots, and stealing butter to eat from the villagers. Metaphorically, seeing Lord Krishna as the divine, these stories symbolize how the divine breaks that which limits us, and frees us into surrender to the Universe so that divine energy can freely flow. The Lord playfully does this causing us anguish at first, but does so in such an endearing and playful way that we have no choice but to fall in love and open our hearts.

Mira playfully references Lord Krishna's playful pastimes of breaking pots, and asks him not to break her love for him.

Mirabai was a Princess who lived in Chittoor, Rajasthan in the 15-16th century at the same time as Emperor Akbar, and Mian Tansen. When she was young, she saw a marriage procession going by her window and asked her Mother what that was. Her Mother explained to her that was the groom going to marry his bride, and he was going to be the bride's husband as her life partner. Mira as a child, innocently asks her Mother, "oh, then who is my husbnad?" Her Mother then takes her to the family temple and shows her an idol of Lord Krishna, saying ok from this day forward He is your husband. You must love and care for him, and he will love and care for you. Taking her Mother's words seriously, for her whole life Mira was an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna, singing many poems about her love.

Based in various Kafi Thaat Raagas.

Vocal - GAAYATRI

Pakhawaj - Amol Ghode

Tabla - Neelamjit Dhillon

Dilruba - Makheer Singh

Tanpura - Anita Sinclair, Binh Tat

Bansuri - Anand Vemuri (Special Guest)

Harmonium - Pitambar Dayal (Special Guest)

Lyrics:

CHANT:

Om Hari Om Tatsat

--

Jaya Jaya Jaya Sri Sharada Maata

Kaaraja Siddha Karo He Maata

Sharana Sharanaa He Shaarada Maata

Shaarada Maata Shaarada Maata

Mori Maiyya Kahe Bhulaani

Puja Na jaane Bhakti na jaane

Aarata nahi jaane yukti na jaane

Door karo na daani mori maiyya kahe bhulaani

He Maata

--

Sharada Bhavani Sharada He Maata

Door Karo Na Daani Mori Maiyya

Karado Daya Maa Bhavani More Maiyya Kahe Bhulaani

Swara Nahi Taal Nahi Gaawu Rijhaawu Kaise Maa

Maa Dedo

Amritavaani Maa Dedo

Maa Sharada He Maata

Sharada Bhavani Sharada He Maata

Sharada Bhavaani Jaya Jaya Jaya Sri Sharada

--

EVERYONE:

1. Jai Jai Jai Maa, Jai Jai Jai Maa

2. Jai Jai Maa, Jai Jai Maa 2x

3. Jai Maata Sharada Bhavani 4x

4. Jai Jai Jai Jai, Jai Jai Jai Jai, Maa

Meaning:

Hail to the Goddess Mother Sharada!

O Mother, please give me all the powerful acquired abilities of music,

I take refuge in you O Mother.

O Mother, why have you forgotten me?

I know not how to do Puja ritual worship, I know not devotion, I know not the fire ritual of Aarti, I know not skill or strategy.

Please don't keep me afar, please Mother, why have you forgotten me?

Please give your grace towards me, I have no melody, no rhythm, how can I even sing or play in praise of you?

Mother! Please give me a honey sweet voice, immortal in nature!

Commentary:

This is a very special Bhajan composed and written by my Guru, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.

The song is written in praise of Maihar Sharada Maa, the divine form of the Goddess Saraswati that is worshipped in Maihar. This is a very unique Bhajan as it is written as a musician in the form of a Bhajan, worshipping Mother Sharada as the form of music itself. The musician, as the devotee, asks to merge with the divine Mother by attaining oneness with music itself, signified by various musical skills such as melody, rhythm, and vibrational sound quality.

Context:

Dadu Allauddin Khan spent many years as a Naad Yogi and ardent devotee practicing music in the Maihar Sharada Devi temple as a spiritual Sadhana practice. His love for music was so intense that as a young man, he ran away from home on his marriage day leaving his newlywed wife so that he could learn music. Years later, he came back to his wife after fulfilling his pursuits. He is responsible for teaching the greatest musicians in Indian music including his son and my Guru, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, and Surbahar Prodigy Srimati Annapoorna Devi (who later taught Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Guru of Anand Vemuri).

Because of his immense contributions to collecting, adding to, and reshaping much of the music from the lineage, the name of the lineage honors him by including Maihar. The full name of the lineage is the "Rampur-Maihar Senia Gharana" honoring the roots of the music from Rampur where much of the music developed, Maihar because of Dadu Allauddin Khan, and Senia to honor Mian Tansen - where "Seni" or "Senia" means "of Tansen." The short name is just referred to now as the Maihar Gharana.

Maihar carries a very special place in the heart of this tradition, with special spiritual significance due to the immense power of the Goddess Maihar Sharada Devi energy that has inspired the deep devotion of its musicians. In this tradition, she is seen as music itself, and personifies the subject for its musicians to attain and merge their energy with in deep passion and love for Devi in the form of music itself.