RAAGMALIKA IN HINDI FILM 'RAM RAJYA'(1943)

Producer Vijay Bhatt's 'RAM RAJYA' was one of the most popular movies of that  early era of Hindi Cinema. It was released in the year 1943. Even Mahatma Gandhi saw this film,appreciated  it and also advocated the thought of 'RAM RAJYA' for our country.In this film,music director शंकर  राव व्यास  created a very beautiful रागमाला .He used the string of raagas:बहार ,केदार ,यमन कल्याण ,गौड़ सारंग ,खम्माज ,काफी ,बागेश्री and again बहार  for composing this raagmalika.The Lyrics of it were written by Ramesh Gupta which are:
"राजा रामचंद्र की जय!
देखो देखो राम  राज्य में चहुँ  दिश अजब उजियाली है।                       सुख सम्पति से हरी भरी इस भारत की फुलवारी है।।

कहीं यज्ञ हवन ,कहीं वेद पठन,गो माता की रखवाली है|                          गो माता की रखवाली है ||
हरे भरे हैं खेत,अन्न जल मिले सदा भर पेट ।                                  झूमती डाली डाली है,झूमती डाली डाली है ।।                                  वणिकों को व्यापार ,धर्म का ब्राह्मण पर सब भार,सूत को सेवा प्यारी है । जो ब्राह्मण प्रतिपाल क्षत्रिय,सुखी सब प्रजा हमारी है।।                          कहीं गीत मध्य ध्वनि ताल मिले,कहीं पायल की झंकार मिले|                स प ग प ग म स नि प ......छुम छुम छननन छुम छुम ........।।

कहीं मस्त वसंत तरंग में है ,कहीं काम रति के संग में है।                    कहीं अबीर गुलाल तरंग रचा ,कहीं भर भर झोली फाग सजा।              उन्माद भरी कहीं होली है ।।

कहीं सूरज चंदा जगमग से ,कहीं दीपक तारों से लगते ।                     श्रृंगार भरी दीपावली है ।।

देखो देखो राम राज्य में चहुँ दिश अजब उजियाली है ।                        सुख सम्पति से हरी भरी इस भारत  की फुलवारी है |                             इस भारत की फुलवारी है ।।

राजा रामचंद्र की जय ,राजा रामचंद्र की जय ।।

           

TAANSEN LEARNING MUSIC:film'SANGEET SAMRAAT TAANSEN'(1962)

Sangeet Samrat Tansen's name is the synonym of classical music.He was the most famous musician of sixteenth century and was one of the Navratnas of Mughal Emperor AKBAR.He had the composition of many new ragas to his credit,during his stay in Agra,the capitol city in those days.Ragas Miyan Ki Todi,Miyan Malhar,Miyan Ki Sarang, Miyan Ki Maand, Raageshwari, Bhairav and Darbari Kanhada are the creations of Tansen.He was honoured with the title of MIYAN in the darbar of Akbar,for his unparallel contribution in the field of music.

Tansen was born in a Brahmin family in Gwalior in 1506.His father Makarand Pandey was a poet and musician.He showed his talent  in music,in his childhood at the age of 5 yrs. and was sent to learn music  from the legendary musician of that time,Swami Haridas of Vrindavan .Tannu learnt higher skills and finesse of music from Swami Haridas Ji.When he became a perfectionist in music of 'Dhrupad' style then he became राज गायक in दरबार  of राजा  रामचंद्र of रीवा ,in मध्य  प्रदेश .He was there from 1555 to 1562.Then Akabar called him to Agra.There he worked and got honoured.The Sufi musician Muhammad  Ghaus of Gwalior was his mentor and later Tansen adopted Islam at the time of his marriage with Hussaini. He died in 1589 and is buried in the tomb of Muhammad Ghaus in Gwalior.                                                                                                                 In 1962 Hindi film संगीत सम्राट तानसेन , based on the life of Tansen ,was directed by Music Director S.N.TRIPATHI. Here we will see, how 'Tannu'(the childhood nam of Tansen ) acheived perfection in his learning of music from such a great Guru of classical music स्वामी हरिदास  of वृन्दावन .Actor Bharat Bhushan played the role of grown up Tansen.

The video clip from the film shows a chain of songs,each composed in different raagas and each sung by a different singer.Song "टूट गयी मेरे मन की ये वीणा टूट गयी .."is sung by Poorna Seth,song"मधुर मधुर संगीत सुनाओ ,गाओ रे... ,झनन झनन सुर बजे वीन के,तार तार संग करे रंगरलियाँ,गाओ रे गाओ रे ..."is sung by both, पंढरीनाथ कोल्हापुरे and पूर्णा सेठ .Then मन्ना  डे  sings Tansen's own composition in ध्रुपद style,composed in raga यमन कल्याण  (or अदभुत  कल्याण ) "सप्त सुरन तीन ग्राम उनंचास कोटि ताल,गुनी जन सब करत गान नाद ब्रह्म जागे।जीवन को गीत मान,सांस सांस जैसे तान ,हर धड़कन लय समान अर्पण प्रभु आगे ।।सप्त सुरन .....।।"    for Swami Haridas and grown up Tansen on the screen.Further मोहम्मद  रफ़ी   sings for Tansen a रागमाला .In the end , रफ़ी recites a dohaa : "गुरु गोविन्द दोनों खड़े किसके लागूं पायं।बलिहारी गुरु आपकी जिन गोविन्द दियो बताय।।"     

PANDIT JASRAJ ALSO SANG FOR FILMS

The doyen of मेवाती  घराना, पंडित जसराज  is the top ranked classical vocalist of India.He was born in Hissar in Haryana.His father Pt.Motiram was a musician and  his three sons Pt.Maniram  ,Pt.Pratap Narayan(father of Sulakshana Pandit and Vijyeta Pandit) and Pt.Jasraj, all became well versed  Hindustani Classical vocalists.But Pt.Jasraj is the gem of this Mewati Gharana.Pt. Jasraj got his training in music,from his father and eldest brother Pt. Maniram. I have attended his live concerts, four times since 1982 and what I feel,that his singing is now filled with divinity and spirituality,which mesmerizes everyone in the audience in every part of the world.

When I searched for his contribution to film music ,then it is only in three films,one is,his father in law's(श्री  वी.शांताराम) production;'लड़की  सह्याद्री  की '.In this film,music director Late Shri वसंत देसाई  composed in राग अहीर भैरव ,a patriotic song for Pt.Jasraj.Listening  to it explores the range and quality in singing style of Pandit Ji.The song is"वंदना करो ,अर्चना करो ।इस धरा महान की,स्वर्ग के समान की ।।भक्ति और भाव की ,मिटटी है सम्मान की ।भूमि है गरीब  की किन्तु स्वाभिमान की।।वंदना करो ...।।विश्व से इसे प्रेम है ,शांति से इसे प्यार है ।पर अधर्म के लिए धर्म की तलवार है।।वंदना करो अर्चना करो .........।"    

The second song"रंगरलियाँ  करत सौतन के संग ...." was recorded for the film 'BIRBAL MY BROTHER' and it was a जुगलबंदी  in राग  मालकौंस  in द्रुत लय,तीन ताल ,with the great exponent of किराना  घराना ,प.भीमसेन जोशी .Both the vocalists presented a unique composition of taans,meend gamak,murkiyan,which is not very common for film songs.Here is that song:

 There was a movie'PHIR BHI'(1973) in which Pandit Ji sang many pieces of Aalap and Khayals in the background music score.Pt. Jasraj sang three songs in film'SUSHMAN' and one song in film 'EK HASEENA THI'. This is not enough for such a great singer and I hope that some music director will definitely persuade Pandit Ji to sing his divine Bhajans for films also.He is touching the age of 80 and I wish him a 100 year's long musical life,showering peace and harmony all over the world.

A BIRTH CENTENARY TRIBUTE TO USTAD AMIR KHAN

Ustad Amir Khan was born on 15 August,1912,in Indore(M.P.)in the family of musicians.His father Shahmir Khan was a court musician in Holkar Dynasty in Indore.Ustad Amir Khan developed a unique singing style of his own and gave new heights to Indore Gharana of Music.Here I will have my focus mainly on Ustad's contribution to film music.He worked for these movies:बैजू  बावरा (1952),शबाब (1954),झनक  झनक  पायल  बाजे (1955),रागिनी (1958),क्षुधित  पाषाण (1958) and गूँज उठी शहनाई (1959).In Baiju Bawra he gave playback for Tansen,on the screen played by actor Surendra.The film starts with his graceful rendering of an evening melody in राग  पूरिया  धनाश्री "तोरी जय जय करतार ....".Also the climax of this film had a wonderful jugalbandi in राग  देसी तोड़ी  sung by Ustad Amir Khan and Pt.D.V.Paluskar"आज  गावत  मन  मेरो  झूम  के ..."(one can listen to it, in an earlier article in this Blog, on music competition in films).Ustad Amir Khan worked for three more compositions in this film,"घनन  घनन  घन  गरजो ..."(राग  मेघ ),सरगम  in राग  दरबारी  and one जुगलबंदी  in राग  तोड़ी "लंगर  कांकरिया  जिन  मरो .."with Pt.D.V.Paluskar.You can  enjoy his Puriya Danashree, in the following audio clip.This prayer is Tansen's own composition and will definitely impress your minds.It is"तोरी जय जय करतार..।।भर दे आज झोलियाँ।तू रहीम दाता तू पाक परवरदिगार।।तोरी जय जय करतार ...।तानसेन को तू रब,ज्ञान दान दीजो सब।राग रंग साजत है,करत नैय्या पार।।तोरी जय जय करतार ....।।"                             

Music director Naushad again made the opening of his film SHABAB with a devotional song "दया  कर  हे  गिरधर  गोपाल,मीरा के प्रभु नन्दलाल ..."rendered beautifully by Ustad Amir Khan Saheb in राग  मुल्तानी .You may also enjoy this Bhajan  here in the following clip: 

Also music director Vasant Desai again used Ustad's magical voice for his famous musical film:' GOONJ UTHI SHAHNAI'.He gave a lovely composition in राग  भटियार , a morning melody sung by Ustad Amir Khan,"निस  दिनन  बिसरत  मोरा  संसार ,घन  वरण  सुंदर  तन  अति  शोभित  अपार .." and also a beautiful रागमालिका(one can listen to it, in another article on Ragmalika in this Blog) .The unique thing in these compositions is Jugalbandi of Ustad's vocal with Shahnai played by legendary artist Ustad Bismillah Khan.Listen to raga Bhatiyar and justify yourself,

Music director Om Prakash Nayyar also could not resist himself from using Amir Khan Saheb's famous com-osition in राग  ललित  "जोगिया  मोरे  घर  आये ,घर  घर  अलख  जगाये ,कानन  कुंडल  गल  वीच  सेली  ,अंग  भभूत  रमाये .."in his musical venture , film: :RAGINI.

When Ustad Ali Akbar Khan was composing music for film: KSHUDHIT PASHAN, then he offered Amir Khan Saheb some vocal songs and it was a magical experiment ,when Amir Khan Saheb sang a duet with Pratima Banerji composed in राग  बागेश्री :"कैसे कटे रजनी अब सजनी,पिया बिन मोसे रह्यो न जाये,कैसे कटे ... । घडी पल छिन मोरे जुग से बीतत हैं,उन बिन जिया  अति ही अकुलाये।।कैसे कटे रजनी अब सजनी....।नैना मोरे दरस के प्यासे,आशा झूठे देत  दिलासे।मन का पंछी रोवत तड़पत, मानत नाही मनाये।।कैसे कटे रजनी ..."The second composition was a thumri in raga khammaj.Khan Saheb did full justice in presenting this bandish.Its lyrics are:"पिया के आवन की मैं सुनत खबरिया,लाग रही चहुँ ओर नजरिया।।उमंग उठत है अंग अंग में ,बजत हिया में मधुर बंसुरिया।।पिया के आवन की मैं सुनत खबरिया .....।।"  Ustad Amir Khan innovated the Tarana singing in classical vocal,Many musicians said that Tarana is meaningless,but  Ustad Amir Khan made it worth listening,by incorporating the Persian verses and Hazarat Amir Khusro's poetry in his Tarana singings.He did a lot of research on it.He was a real genious.His untimely death in a car accident in Calcutta on 13Feb.1974 snatched him away from us.  

 I think, Amir Khan Saheb has done maximum number of compositions  for films,as compared to any other vocalist of Hindustani classical music..This article is a small tribute to the great works of this great artist.