Beginning on March 21 this year, Chaitra, the first month in the Hindu calendar, is celebrated with Chaiti songs in northern India. These seasonal songs with obvious erotic overtones often describe the appearance of fresh flowers and fruits during this month, reminding and urging the nayika or the female protagonist in the song-text to meet her beloved. Originally from folk repertoire, there are many types of chaitis in various dialects of Hindi. Some of these are also called ghato. But those sung by thumri singers are normally called chaiti. Their recitals include melodic and rhythmic elaboration of musical ideas, an aspect that is integral to art music presentations.
One of the identifying characteristics of a chaiti is the presence of the word "Rama" in the song-text, which is not necessarily used as part of the narrative but as a punctuation, exclamation or a simple utterance. The inclusion or the word is also due to the celebration of Ram Navami or the birth of Rama on the ninth day of the month of Chaitra.
Girija Devi
Chait Mase Chunari Rangaibe Ho Rama
Banaras gharana exponent Girija Devi sings a chaiti set to the Deepchandi taal with 14 time units or matras. Most traditional chaitis follow the melodic template without adhering to a single raag as is evident from this recording. That includes the departure from the original taal to the eight matra Kaherva taal, which is when the singer changes the scansion of the theme to fit the new time cycle tabla player explores different rhythmic patterns known as laggi. The song moves ahead through successive verses once the tabla player concludes the laggi section and returns to the Deepchandi taal.
Ustad Bismillah Khan & Girija Devi
Raag Mishra Kalingada (Jugalbandi)
This track is a duet featuring Girija Devi and shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan. Listeners will notice that this presentation follows the melodic template of the chaiti with melodic excursions into many raags. The rhythmic treatment is also as per the chaiti template with the theme and verses set to the Deepchandi taal and with short rhythmic explorations in the Kaherva taal.
Ustad Bismillah Khan
Sehnai
The last track features an instrumental version of a chaiti played on shehnai by Bismillah Khan. He plays the sthayi or theme in a slow-paced 16 matra Jat taal, changes later to Kaherva only to return to Jat and then end with Kaherva.
We welcome your comments at
letters@scroll.in.
One of the identifying characteristics of a chaiti is the presence of the word "Rama" in the song-text, which is not necessarily used as part of the narrative but as a punctuation, exclamation or a simple utterance. The inclusion or the word is also due to the celebration of Ram Navami or the birth of Rama on the ninth day of the month of Chaitra.
Girija Devi
Chait Mase Chunari Rangaibe Ho Rama
Banaras gharana exponent Girija Devi sings a chaiti set to the Deepchandi taal with 14 time units or matras. Most traditional chaitis follow the melodic template without adhering to a single raag as is evident from this recording. That includes the departure from the original taal to the eight matra Kaherva taal, which is when the singer changes the scansion of the theme to fit the new time cycle tabla player explores different rhythmic patterns known as laggi. The song moves ahead through successive verses once the tabla player concludes the laggi section and returns to the Deepchandi taal.
Ustad Bismillah Khan & Girija Devi
Raag Mishra Kalingada (Jugalbandi)
This track is a duet featuring Girija Devi and shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan. Listeners will notice that this presentation follows the melodic template of the chaiti with melodic excursions into many raags. The rhythmic treatment is also as per the chaiti template with the theme and verses set to the Deepchandi taal and with short rhythmic explorations in the Kaherva taal.
Ustad Bismillah Khan
Sehnai
The last track features an instrumental version of a chaiti played on shehnai by Bismillah Khan. He plays the sthayi or theme in a slow-paced 16 matra Jat taal, changes later to Kaherva only to return to Jat and then end with Kaherva.