BIRTH CENTENARY YEAR(2012-2013) OF LEGENDARY VOCALIST DR. GANGUBAI HANGAL

Padma Vibhushan Dr.Gangubai Hangal was born in March,1913 and she left this world on 21July,2009.Her contribution in the field of classical vocal music is unparellal.She continued with her singing till the age of 96 years,which is very rare.Being a foremost singer of Kirana Gharana,she won many awards and recognitions throughout her life.Having very deep and heavy voice she presented Khayals and Taranas with full gravity to keep her audience spell bound for hours.On her 76th birthday she was in IIT, Kanpur, with her daughter Krishna Hangal and I was lucky to attend  that memorable concert of Smt.Gangubai Hangal.I still remember one of her taans of longest duration which I had ever listened.Her simple appearance had a treasure of music inside,which she kept on distributing all her life to the lovers of music.
In her Birth Centenary Year 2012-2013,a Stamp should be released by the Govt. Of India, to commemorate the musical contribution of this great classical singer of twentieth century.She belonged to Kirana Gharana  of music and was senior to Pt. Bhimsen Joshi of same Gharana.     

Here are Dr. Gangubai Hangal's three melodious compositions,in ragas,BHAIRAV,RAGESHREE and  PURIYA DHANASHREE.

 
In राग  रागेश्री  she sings "हरि खेलत ब्रज में होरी....." 

 
In राग  पूरिया  धनाश्री  she renders the traditional ख्याल  of किराना  घराना "अरज सुनो पार करो ....."

 
Her daughter Krishna Hangal gave her vocal support in singing till she was alive.Krishna was a miraculous vocalist capable of streching the taans beyond your expectation and for it  she always gathered great applause from the audience.Here are the numbers in raga Kalawati and Kedaar to prove it:They sing in raga कलावती: "बोलन लागी कोयलिया ,बोलन लागी ।करत गुंजार भ्रमर वन भ्रमत ,मधुमास आई ....।।"
And  in raga केदार  they sing" अहो कैसी धूम मची है ......।।"

VASANTOTSAV AND HOLI, Film'ANGULIMAAL'(1960)

MUSIC DIRECTOR-- ANIL BISWAS

MANNA DEY

LATA MANGESHKAR

 In this spring season (वसंत ऋतु ) as the festival of colours(होली) is only a few days ahead, here is a very rare presentation of वसंत  उत्सव  (festival) followed by the festival of Holi,shown on the screen,in Hindi film'अंगुलिमाल '(1960).This melodious  composition"आई आई बसंती बेला लागा रे लागा फूलों का वन वन मेला मगन मन झूम रहा,आई आई ..." begins in राग  बसंत , then a dance number composed in राग  खम्माज  and again festival of colours Holi presented in राग  बसंत  .In the film 'Angulimaal'(1960),veteran music-director, अनिल  बिस्वास  gave some memorable song compositions,creating music very suitable and relevent to the Buddha period.Since'Angulimaal'  was a period film, he used only those musical instruments which would have been available in those days.Under such constrains   and circumstances,creating songs for 20th century audience, must have been a challeng   e for him.But I am sure every one will praise his work.

POSTER OF THE FILM

The songs were penned by poet प.भरत व्यास  and the singers are मन्ना डे ,लता  मंगेशकर  and मीना  कपूर (wife of Anil Biswas).Lata Mangeshkar sang  for the dance number"छुम छनानननन बाजे पग ..... पैंजनिया...।.".The first and the last  parts are duets alongwith choral support, sung by Manna Dey and Meena Kapoor.
The songs are:
"आई आई बसंती बेला
 लागा रे लागा फूलों का बन बन मेला
 मगन मन झूम रहा ,आई आई..।।
 आज आनंद का बहा रेला ,
 की गुन गुन गाये भंवर अलबेला ,
 कली का मुख चूम रहा ,आई आई..।।
 नाचे कलियाँ रसाल नाचे घूँघट में गाल ,
 पीले पीपल की डाल देवे पत्तों की ताल। 
 आज कोई नहीं है अकेला,मिलन की बेला,
 गगन का मेला ,मगन मन झूम रहा ।।
 आई आई ....।।"(राग बसंत)
"झं झानानानानन
 छुम छानानानानाननन बाजे
 पग पग पग पग पैंजनिया ।।
 अलबेली नार करके सिंगार ,
 अँचरा सम्हार आई पी के द्वार।
 नैनों में लाज अधरों में प्यार ,
 मन में हाँ हाँ, मुख नानानानानन
 बाज़े पग पग पग पग पैंजनिया ।।
 झं झनानननन छुम छानानानानन ....।।"(राग खम्माज )

MEENA KAPOOR

"कहीं बाज़े मृदंग कहीं बजे रे चंग ।
कहीं पिचकारी पिचकारी छूटे रे रंग।
आज रंगीले रंगों का मेला ,
मिलन की बेला गगन का मेला ,
मगन मन झूम रहा ।।"(राग बसंत )             .