Raags Basant and Bahar have inspired musicians to blend them with other established raags to give them a different hue. The presentation of these compound, or jod, raags can be of a cerebral nature and one cannot deny that it requires a high degree of command over the craft. But such raags become accessible and attractive when performers accept the challenge to transcend the grammar and create an aesthetic image of them.
Today, this column focuses on some jod raags that have elements of raag Bahar.
Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar
Raag Hindol Bahar
Hindol-Bahar combines features of the raags Hindol and Bahar. Hindol, a morning raag, has an austere quality about it, but the entry of Bahar brings to it a twist that adds a freshness. Well-known vocalist Ulhas Kashalkar weaves seamless patterns of both raags as he elaborates a Hindol-Bahar composition set to the seven-count Rupak taal, followed by a faster composition in the 16-matra Teentaal. He is accompanied by harmonium exponent Purushottam Walawalkar and noted tabla player Suresh Talwalkar.
C R Vyas
Bhairav Bahar
Bhairav is another morning raag that has been blended with Bahar. Here, scholar-musician C R Vyas sings a slow, or vilambit, khayal in the 14-matra Jhumra taal. The second composition is set to a fast, or drut, composition in Teentaal. He is accompanied by harmonium player Purushottam Walawalkar and tabla player Omkar Gulvady.
Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan
Bageshri Bahaar
Vilayat Hussein Khan sings raag Bageshri Bahar, which blends phrases of the well-known raag Bageshri and raag Bahar. He sings a vilambit composition in the 16-matra Tilwada, composed by Niamat Khan ‘Sadarang', the eighteenth century khayal composer. Listeners will notice that while the structure of Tilwada is similar to that of Teentaal, the theka or accepted string of syllables played on the tabla to represent the taal is different. Thus, taals are not only identifiable by their structure, as in the number of matras and the manner that they are distributed across the cycle, but also by the theka. It is the theka that gives the taal its definitive character. The difference in character also determines whether or not a taal can be played at particular speeds and the forms it will accompany. Tilwada is traditionally played at a slow pace and unlike Teentaal is not used for tabla solo recitals.
Pandit S N Ratanjankar
Raga Kedar Bahar
Scholar-musician Dr. S.N. Ratanjankar sings a drut composition set to Teentaal in a self-composed raag Kedar Bahar.
Pandit Laxman Prasad Jaipurwale
Raag Jog Bahar
To conclude, listen to the inimitable Laxmanprasad Jaipurwale ‘Guni Gandharva’ of the Kunwar Shyam tradition present his creation raag Jog Bahar. He sings a vilambit composition set to the 12-matra Ektaal. Notice his enunciation of sargam or solfege that almost resembles an instrumental rendition.
There are many more jod raags with Bahar, such as Malkaun Bahar and indeed, Basant Bahar, but it is not always that equal attention is given to both constituent raags. Raag Bahar is at times present only as a trace or a brushstroke in the larger picture. Consequently, the new combination is addressed differently. For instance, some musicians refer to the Bageshri and Bahar combination as Bageshri ki Bahar and not Bageshri Bahar.
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Today, this column focuses on some jod raags that have elements of raag Bahar.
Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar
Raag Hindol Bahar
Hindol-Bahar combines features of the raags Hindol and Bahar. Hindol, a morning raag, has an austere quality about it, but the entry of Bahar brings to it a twist that adds a freshness. Well-known vocalist Ulhas Kashalkar weaves seamless patterns of both raags as he elaborates a Hindol-Bahar composition set to the seven-count Rupak taal, followed by a faster composition in the 16-matra Teentaal. He is accompanied by harmonium exponent Purushottam Walawalkar and noted tabla player Suresh Talwalkar.
C R Vyas
Bhairav Bahar
Bhairav is another morning raag that has been blended with Bahar. Here, scholar-musician C R Vyas sings a slow, or vilambit, khayal in the 14-matra Jhumra taal. The second composition is set to a fast, or drut, composition in Teentaal. He is accompanied by harmonium player Purushottam Walawalkar and tabla player Omkar Gulvady.
Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan
Bageshri Bahaar
Vilayat Hussein Khan sings raag Bageshri Bahar, which blends phrases of the well-known raag Bageshri and raag Bahar. He sings a vilambit composition in the 16-matra Tilwada, composed by Niamat Khan ‘Sadarang', the eighteenth century khayal composer. Listeners will notice that while the structure of Tilwada is similar to that of Teentaal, the theka or accepted string of syllables played on the tabla to represent the taal is different. Thus, taals are not only identifiable by their structure, as in the number of matras and the manner that they are distributed across the cycle, but also by the theka. It is the theka that gives the taal its definitive character. The difference in character also determines whether or not a taal can be played at particular speeds and the forms it will accompany. Tilwada is traditionally played at a slow pace and unlike Teentaal is not used for tabla solo recitals.
Pandit S N Ratanjankar
Raga Kedar Bahar
Scholar-musician Dr. S.N. Ratanjankar sings a drut composition set to Teentaal in a self-composed raag Kedar Bahar.
Pandit Laxman Prasad Jaipurwale
Raag Jog Bahar
To conclude, listen to the inimitable Laxmanprasad Jaipurwale ‘Guni Gandharva’ of the Kunwar Shyam tradition present his creation raag Jog Bahar. He sings a vilambit composition set to the 12-matra Ektaal. Notice his enunciation of sargam or solfege that almost resembles an instrumental rendition.
There are many more jod raags with Bahar, such as Malkaun Bahar and indeed, Basant Bahar, but it is not always that equal attention is given to both constituent raags. Raag Bahar is at times present only as a trace or a brushstroke in the larger picture. Consequently, the new combination is addressed differently. For instance, some musicians refer to the Bageshri and Bahar combination as Bageshri ki Bahar and not Bageshri Bahar.