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.

RAAGMAALIKA IN FILM 'SWEEKAAR KIYAA MAINE'(1983)

USHA KHANNA

USHA KHANNA COMPOSING MUSIC

SINGER HAIMANTI SHUKLA

SHABANA  AZAMI

A SCENE FROM FILM

This Raagmala is like गागर में सागर .It presents Eleven classical raagas in a sequence,within a short duration of about six minutes.Classical singer हेमंती शुक्ला has wonderfully rendered all the eleven compositions in a row maintaining purity and mood of the raagas,as well as melody of the song.The credit must be given to the film's music director Mrs.उषा खन्ना , for creating this raagmala, by including so many raagas in it very intelligently.The raagas are:भैरव ,गांधारी ,मालकौंस ,बागेश्वरी ,मुल्तानी ,हम्मीर ,सोरठ ,जैजैवंती ,दुर्गा ,बहार and बसंत .Frequent shifting from the mood of one raaga to another in continuation, is very difficult,but singer Haimanti Shukla has shown her ability and maturity of approach, doing this commendable job.The lyrics of this raagmala are as follows:
भोर भई भैरव गुन गाओ ,
गांधारी संग हैं सा सा रे नि सा रे ग म ,
मालकौंस गुनियनन बखाना ,म म ध ध ध गा म ध म ध सा नि ध नि ध ...मालकौंस गुनियनन बखाना ..,
अति सुंदर बागेश्वरी जानो .
प्रभु नवा में गा मुल्तानी , 
हम्मीर संग भेंटा भक्ति की ,
प्रभु भक्ति मिले सोरठ जानी .
जैजैवंती प्रिय रागिनी आ अ ....रे नि ध प् ध म गा रे गा म ध नि सा नि ध प् ध रे गा रे रे गा नि सा
 जैजैवंती प्रिय रागिनी ..., जय जय जय दुर्गे महारानी आ .. आ ..... आयी बहार सकल मन जानी ,
 छाई बसंत ऋतु मन भानी ,
 आ .. आ .....सा रे गा म .....म गा म ध सा.. .
You will definitely enjoy this raagmala with a blending of so many raagas.Interludes given by using Santoor and Saarangee create a very pleasing effect.I must thank Shri K.L.Pandey ji for providing its audio version.

RAAGMALIKA IN HINDI FILM: UMRAO JAAN ( 1982)

Rekha as UMRAO JAAN

KHAYYAM

GULAM MUSTAFA KHAN

COVER OF LP RECORD

उमराव  जान  (1982) was an award winning film for its music and songs.The atmosphere of the film was of mid-nineteenth century, during the reign of नवाब  of अवध  in लखनऊ .Umrao jaan was also a poetess as well as a trained singer and dancer of that time. In the film she is shown getting her basic training from a Ustad of Music,early in her childhood on a ‘kotha’ run by an old prostitute Khanum. Finding the proper situation in the film ,Music director खय्याम  composed a unique Raagmalika .Main singer is उस्ताद  ग़ुलाम  मुस्तफा  खान , whose lessons are repeated by singers शाहिदा  खान  and रुना  प्रसाद .
 रागमालिका  begins with an आलाप  and prayer:
 ”प्रथम  धर  ध्यान  दिनेश,
   ब्रह्मा विष्णु महेश …” in राग  भैरव.
Second song is:
 “अब मोरी नैय्या पार करो तुम,
   हज़रत निज़ामुद्दीन औलिया ..” composed in राग  तोड़ी.
 It is followed by a traditional composition in राग  केदार:
  “सगुन  विचार  आयो  बमना,
    कब  पिया  आये मोरे मंदिरवा  …”.
 In the mean time children are shown growing during their music and dance training and Raagmalika continues with the next number a होरी composed in राग  काफी :
“बिराज  में धूम मचायो कान्हा,
   कैसे कर जाऊं अपने धाम  ..”,
 followed by:
 “ दर्शन  दो  शंकर  महादेव |
    महादेव तिहारे दरश बिना,
    मोहे कल न परत घरी पल छिन दिन || …”
in राग  यमन  कल्याण  and on it the grown up 'उमराव  जान '(रेखा) is shown dancing on the steps of कत्थक.Along with dance steps both disciples further sing with their Ustad a मालकौंस  number:
 “ पकरत बैयाँ मोरी बनवारी,
    चुरियाँ करक दई  सारी अनारी ।।…”.
The Raagmalika concludes with a Holi Song in भैरवी :
“ बांसुरी बाज रही धुन मधुर कन्हैय्या की,
   खेलन जावत होरी …।।”.
 All the seven compositions reflect the talent and skill of musical genius खैय्याम ,the veteran music composer of Hindi films.