USTAD AMIR KHAN AND USTAD BISMILLAH KHAN'S JUGALBANDI -RAGA BHATIYAR-HINDI FILM "GOONJ UTHI SHEHNAI"(1959)

Raga Bhatiyar, an early morning melody ,was presented in the form of Jugalbandi, between the two great stalwarts of Hindustani Classical Music,Ustad Ameer Khan (Vocal) and Ustad Bismillah Khan(Shehnai)in a Hindi movie GOONJ UTHI SHEHNAI(1959).
                                       

Ulhas playing as the Sangeetacharya

This  beautiful jugalbandi was picturised on a 'Sangeet Guru'(played by Ulhas),who is singing in a temple before the statues of his deity Shri Radha and Krishna,in the early hours of the dawn and a boy who is exactly repeating his singing on  Shehnai,sitting beside a pillar,somewhere in the temple complex.When his Shehnai playing is noticed by Guru Ji , he himself comes to the boy and praises for his efforts .Music director of the film Vasant Desai selected this Raga Bhatiyar, as most appropriate for this sequence in the film and left everything on these two Ustads.

USTAD BISMILLAH KHAN

USTAD AMEER KHAN

Shri VASANT DESAI

RAAGMALIKA IN HINDI FILM: RAM RAJYA (1967)

Hindi film राम  राज्य (1967) was colour version of the old hit Ram Rajya(1943)..The role of सीता  was played by actress बीना  राय  ( of film ‘ताजमहल ’ fame).The music of the film was composed by veteran music director वसंत  देसाई  and suitable lyrics were penned by poet भरत  व्यास . In the film friends of Sita try to entertain her before the birth of Ram’s son लव , by presenting a dance-drama about the origin of the birth of human child on earth.The central characters of the dance –drama were played by Kathak maestro गोपी  कृष्ण  and actress स्नेहलता .The genius music director composed a beautiful रागमालिका  depicting the whole dance-drama. The show begins with a poetical narration of the origin of human life on earth, sung by मन्ना  डे  in राग  केदार :
”था  अँधेरा  छाया  हुआ ,
  थी  दिशाएं  सुनसान |
  न  सृष्टि  थी  न  जीवन था ,
  न  देह  थी  न  प्राण ||
  अकेला था पुरुष परबह्मा पूर्ण का |
  इच्छा हुई इस पुरुष की ,
  एकोहम बहुष्यामी |
  एक  से  अनेक  होने  का  सतत  चिंतन हुआ ,
  निज प्रकृति को पुकारा और शून्य में स्पंदन हुआ ||”.
 This part shows a male figure standing in a shadow and singing the above lines.
Thereafter गोपीकृष्ण  and स्नेहलता  dance and sing a duet:
 “आ  जा  रे  आ …आजा  तुझ  बिन  साधना  मेरी  अधूरी  है||
   तेरे मेरे मिलन से ही सृष्टि पूरी है | आजा रे आ जरा ..||
   .........बता तू कौन है ,तेरे बिन क्यों मेरी धड़कन मौन है ||
   तू है धरती और मैं आकाश हूँ ,बन के सावन मैं बुझाता प्यास हूँ ||
   तू है सावन तो ये मेरा मन मयूरी है |
   तेरे मेरे मिलन से ही सृष्टि पूरी है ||
   आ जा रे आ जरा ……” composed in राग  भूप -कल्याण  and sung by मोहम्मद  रफ़ी  and लता  मंगेशकर .
After this they are shown departed and in rainy season Snehlata sings a beautiful composition in राग  सूरदासी –मल्हार :
” डर  लागे  गरजे  बदरिया |
   सावन की रुत कजरारी कारी चमके मतवारी बिजुरिया |
   अब काह  करूँ कित जाऊं, मोहे छोड़ गए सांवरिया ||
   डर लागे …।
   मेहा बरसे नैना तरसे ,प्यासा मनवा तुझको पुकारे |
   अब कहा करूँ कित जाऊं ,मोरी सूनी हाय  सेजरिया ||
   डर लागे ......” sung by लता  मंगेशकर .
  Then happy phase of their life is shown and again both dance and sing a duet :
” हटो  जाओ  मत  छेड़ो  बलम तोरे संग नहीं बोलूं रे |
   हटो छोड़ो मत रूठो दुल्हन ,आयी रे रुत बसंत की ||
   कुहू कुहू कोयल बोले ,गुन गुन भंवर डोले |
   हौले हौले पवन चले ,कलियों के घूँघट खोले |
   ऐसे में आओ चलो गले मिले हौले हौले हम ||
   आयी रे रुत  बसंत  की,...... ”,which is composed in राग  बसंत  मुखारी ( or भैरव  बहार ) sung by मोहम्मद  रफ़ी  and लता  मंगेशकर . 
This नृत्य  नाटिका  ends, showing a new born baby and from background a couplet:
”नर  नारी  के  मिलन  से ,झूम  उठा  संसार।
  नया  फूल  जग  में  खिला ,मिला  दिव्य  उपहार।” is sung by मोहम्मद  रफ़ी  composed in राग  भैरवी .
Along with very sweet songs,one can enjoy beautiful कत्थक dance pieces,performed by गोपीकृष्ण . This is one of the best Raagmalikas composed for Hindi films.वसंत  देसाई  had already composed two more Raagmalikas in Hindi films झनक  झनक  पायल  बाजे(१९५५)  and गूँज  उठी  शहनाई(१९५८) .Only a musician of VASANT DESAI'S calibre could create such beautiful musical compositions.