Ektaal: Uniqueness in Rhythmic of Cycle of Twelve Beats

 Ektaal

          Ektaal is one of the popular Taal in Khyal patterns of Hindustani Classical Music. It is widely played in Vilambit Khyal in many Gharana and common Taal for Drut Khayal in almost all the Gharanas of Khyal Music. It has twelve beat cycle having six equal sections of two beats in each bar called Vibhag. Ektaal consists of four tali and two Khali in total, the first beat of Ektal is called Sama starting with the First clapping while demonstrating the Taal in hand. The second Tali is in the third bar, the third tali in the fifth bar, and the fourth tali in the sixth bar while the second and fourth bar is Khali having no signature of tali.

          Ektaal is widely popular in all three formats of Khyal music especially in singing and playing an instrument in Vilambit Khyal. The Vibhag of Ektaal in two-beat per bar is similar to Choutaal, the popular Taal of Dhrupad style which is played in Pakhawaj 

Theka :-

Dhin    Dhin	DhaGe       Tirakita	Tun     Na	Kat    Ta	DhaGe    Tirekita	Dhin      Na	Dhin
x	0	2	0	3	4	x

 

Here - x signature is the sign of Sama, two three, and four are the claps used in demonstrating Taal. Zero is the Khali or no claps silence. 

Dugun Laya :-

Dhin     Dhin	Dha Ge     Tirakita	Tun, Na	Dhin Dhin        DhaGe Tirekita
x	0	2	0

Tun Na,      Kat ta	Dha Ge     Tirakita        Dhin Na	Dhin
3	4	x

 

          The counting of Dugun in Extal is started from 7th  beat to meet Sama. i.e., this pattern is called Dugun in one cycle (Ek Avartan). There is another pattern from Sama to Sama is also in practice.

 

 

Tigun Layakari :-

Dhin     Dhin	Dha Ge     Tirakita	Tun, Na	Kat   ta	Dhin, Dhin,  DhaGe, Tirakita  Tun,Na
x	0	2	0	3

Kat, Ta,    Dha Ge    Tirakita  Dhin,   Na	Dhin
4	x

 

          Similarly, here also the Layakari of triple timing is counted from 9^th matra to meet Sama. This pattern of tala demonstration is called Tigun in one Avartan. Sama to Sama Tigun can be demonstrated by spelling/writing the Bols three times appropriately.

Chougun Layakari :-

Dhin     Dhin	Dha Ge     Tirakita	Tun,   Na	Kat   Ta
x	0	2	0

 

DhaGe      Dhin, Dhin, Dha Ge,  Tirakita	Tu Na, Kat, Ta  DhaGe, Trikita Dhi,Na	Dhin
3	4	x

 

A similar pattern of one Avartan Layakari has demonstrated above in Chougun Layakari started from the tenth Matra of Ektal. 

Share:

Read More

Raga Khamaj- A fragrance of Romance

Raga Khamaj 

 Raga Khamaj is a very popular and prominent  Raga in Hindustani Classical Music which represents both Ragang and Thaat. Khamaj is one of the major Ragang among the 30 various melodies that signify the distinctness of Indian classical music. Khamaj is also the mone among the 10 Thaat classified by the great musicologist Pt. Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. The Ashriya Raga Khamaj is classified under Khamaj Thaat. In this Raga both forms of Nishad (Ni) is used simultaneously, Shuddh Nishad in ascending and  Komal Nishad in descending order, and the rest of the notes are used in Suddha (Natural) form. In Aaroh Rishav (Re) is completely restricted and Suddh Nishad is used and Avroh is of all seven notes following with Komal Nishad. Jati of the  Raga in Shadav-Sampurna because Re is restricted in Aroh and singing time according to the Shasta in the first phase of the evening. This Raga is Purbang dominance where Gandhar is considered as the Vadi Swar or the main essence notes of the Raga. Dhaivat in Samvadi Swar and  Shadaj, Gandhar, Pancham, and Nishad are Nyas of the Raga Khamaj. 

          Raga Khamaj is not only the Raga but also the Ragang. Various other Ragas in Hindustani Classical Music adjoined with Khamaj-ang. Ga ma Pa Dha-ma Ga, Ga ma Dha Ni Dha ma Pa Dha ma Ga, Ga ma Ni Dha Ni Pa Dha Ni Sa, Sa Ni Dha Pa Dha ma Ga denotes the Khamaj-ang. Raga Jhinjhoti, Ahirbhairav, Gara, and many others are the Ragas mixture of Khamaj-ang with other melodies to form a new melody in Hindustani Classical Music. Semi-Classical forms of Hindustani Classical music are commonly sung in this Raga Khamaj i.e  Thumri, Dhamar, Dadra, Hori, Bhajan Chota Khyal in Geet, Ghazals are very often singing in this Raga. Dhrupad, Bada, Khyal are rare but sometimes in practice...

Aroha         :        Sa Ga ma Pa, Dha Ni Sa

Avroha       :        Sa Ni Da, Pa, ma Ga Re Sa

Pakad         :        Sa Ga ma Pa, Ga ma Ni Dha Ni Pa Dha ma Ga ma Ga Re Sa

Note: Please learn this raga with Guru in order to understand the proper note combination and its actual grammatic sequence of Raga. 

Share:

Read More

Raga Todi :Morning melody of Dishearten love

 Todi (Miya ki Todi)

          Raga Todi is also called Miya ki Todi is one of the famous Raga in Hindustani Classical Music. It is categorized under Todi Thaat and the legacy of  Todi. The Thaat Todi is named because of Raga Todi and is also known as Ashriya Raga of Todi Thaat. Rishav, Gandhar, Dhaivat are Komal and Madhyam in Tivra, and Pancham Swar is frequently omitted in Aroah while going from Tivra Madhyam to Komal Dhaivat. The Aroah consists of six notes while the Avaroah of Todi is Sampurana having all seven notes thus the jati of this raga in Shadav Sampurna. Singing time of this raga in the second phase of the day i.e. 9 am -12 pm.  Vadi Swar is Dhaivat and Samvadi is Gandhar in this Raga. The melody of the raga reflects the Karun Rasa- disheartened ambiance, attachment, or fraction in love. the Nyas Swar or the rest notes which creates the milieu are Dhaivat, Gandhar, and Shadaj

          Raga Todi is a soft melodic structure most commonly sung in Dhrupad Dhamar, Khyal, and all other semi-classical forms of Indian Classical Music. It is believed that Miyan Tansen created and popularise this Ragini so Miya is added as a suffix. Ragang Todi is also used in many ragas to create new raga. Re Ga Re Sa, Sa Dha Dha Ni Sa, Sa Re Ga Re Sa Re Sa, Ga Ma Dha Dha Pa, Re Ga Ma Pa Ma Ga Re Ga Re Sa are the main phrase of Todi. Raga Gurjari Todi, Bahaduri Todi, Bilaskhani Todi, Laxmi Todi are a few ragas among the bunch of Todi-ang Raga. Todi is the most beautiful and sooting raga having a variety of fragrances and garland of many upang raga. The basic ascend and descend of the raga is as follows:- 

Aroha         :        Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Ma Dha Ni Sa

Avroha       :        Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa

Pakad         :        Ga Ma Dha Dha Pa, Ma Ga Re Ga Re Sa

Note:  Kindly learn with Guru or the expert for proper synchronization of notes in Todi 

Share:

Read More

Raga Dhyan - A Concept of Constructing Raga

 Raga Dhyan

    Raga Dhyan in Indian classical music is a term used for imagining the Raga in the form of an alive painting. In other words, it can be said as the visualization of the Raga with understanding its characteristics and nature and the beauty or the aesthetical values that reflect the aliveness of the Raga.  Raga Dhyan is the kind of realization or understanding of the raga with the melody which creates the aura and realization of the enteral beauty. An artist visualizes the raga even at the time of homely practice in order to construct the basic character Swar and its proper combination to frame a distinct melody structure, aesthetically sound good.  

    Raga Dhyan is not a new vocabulary in Indian Classical Music and has been used in terms of understanding the nurturing the melody form long before. The rock Painting of Ajanta-Ellora cave,  Paintings in the Elephanta Cave of Maharastra, Bhimbedka painting, pf Madhya Pradesh and the ancient painting of Sittanavasal Painting of Tamil Nadu are a few examples of visualization of Raga or the elements in the form of Painting. In a similar way when an artist sings a Raga then he/she first realize the beauty of the Raga then constructs the melody with the imagination of that particular structure of the Raga.  As a result, we can find the different perspectives of these visualizations in the form of Painting or in the form of melody/Raga.  The term Raga is firstly used by Matangmuni in his treatise Brihaddeshi but the concept of Dhyan was supposed to be in existence from the beginning of the human civilization in various forms of imagination.

Dhyan means to focus the mind in one particular unit that drives to a realization so the people from the beginning of the human civilization have something they imagine and made the painting/ sculpture in caves or in rocks to realize the existence of their imagination. A similar kind of imagination and creativity in humans drives the artist to imagine and visualize the outlook of the melody. The nature of Raga Bhairav- a seriousness characteristic is visualized as an old sage meditating outside the temple, Raga Megh- furious characteristics showing the black clouds lightning and thundering in the sky, Raga Todi- a garden and deers grazing in the field with a sad and downhearted lady craving for her love. There are so many paintings relating to the Raga and its characteristics created in different phases of the past centuries. Each and every raga has its own character and have a certain concept of imagination that artist visualize while practicing or performing the Raga. It is a legacy of Indian classical music that no raga can be performed or understood without the realization of the melodic structure of that Raga. 

   

Share:

Read More

Aesthetics of Indian Music

    Indian Classical Music is a philosophy, an art with multilineage of Rasa and the combination of Sapta- sure and its tiny reverb in the form of shruti. Classical music is not only the subject of singing or playing the raga but also the feeling of the eternal fragrance of mind and soul with visualization of abstract notes in the form of melody. To understand Indian Music, one needs to understand the philosophy of Rasa ( aesthetics), the art of music-making, and the deep knowledge in Naad, Shruti, Swar, Laya, and Tala along with its historical consequences and devotional and traditional perspective of Indian civilization. experiencing and exploring the vibes of music means the realization of joy and rejoicing of beauty in the form of Navarasa( Nine Rasa). 

Aesthetic and Beauty:

    Aesthetic is the term used to understand the impact of the self-realization of any art when one encounters with its abstract or visual form. Its a philosophy of art that describes the intensity of beauty in art form. In Indian classical music, aesthetics can be defined as the imbibement of the Naad with a frame of certain notes and the literature that create beautifulness while listening to the music. For Indians, beauty is not only the physical but the metaphysical and a joy that comes from liberation, the bondage of individual self-sensor from an experience of the eternal, infinite, and the beyond characteristics of the art. The practice of Naad, Swar, and Shruti in music is regarded as worship, a spiritual practice from Aahat to Anahat or live to salvation or self-emancipation. 

    The beauty of classic art and classical music in India is a wide range of observations since from the Vedic period or even earlier with human civilization.  As music, literature, and various arts flourish in society, the attempt to understand the exact nature causes of their appeal to the listener or the connoisseur should also find a place to rethink or reevaluate himself/herself. Beauty is not only limited to joy or pleasure forever but is also introversion to explore the reason for that joy. In India, Natyashashtra is the foundation book that defines the theory of Indian aesthetics and the metaphysical process of Rasanispatti. The primary sentiment - Sthai Bhav as per Bharat is eight. These eight metaphysical elements are the primary causes of feeling and the realization of these eight Rasa. Bharat has illustrated this eight sthai bhav which makes you feel the sentiments. These Eight Sthai Bhav are Haas , Shok, Krodh, Utsaah, Bhay, Jugupsa, Ascharya, and Nirved. These eight Sthai Bhav(prime source of sentiments) the Rasa is generated in our mind and soul are Haas - Hasya , Shok- Karun, Krodh- Raudhra, Utsaah -Veer, Bhay- Bhanayak, Jugupsa- Ghrina , Ascharya- Addbhut, and Nirved- Shant. These Sthat bhavs when assembled with the vibhav(Alamban and Uddipan)- a character or the subject or the theme, Anubhav( Saatwik, Stambh, Swed, Romanch,, Swar Bhang, Kamp, Vaivanya, Ashru and Pralay)- action that realize the emotions of Rasa, and 33 Sanchari Bhav recreates the feeling or the emotions or the beauty of the music. Acharya Bharat has described the theory of Rasa in detail for which various scholars have interpreted in their own way.  

(-Vibhavaanubhavyavicharisanyogadrasnispatti-)

     Vibhavaanubhavyavicharisanyogadrasnispatti- means the combination of Vibhav, Anubhav, and Vybhichari Bhav, the Rasa(Beauty/Aesthetic) is generated in the human mind and soul. The principle established by the Acharya Bharat was cited and explained by many scholars from different perspectives. Among the many Tika( a novel interpretation), four novel explanations by the novel scholars, Bhat Lolatta- Aropvad, Shri Shankuk- Anumitivad, Bhatnayak- Bhuktivad, and Abhinavgupt - Abhivyaktivad are commonly illustrated in many books and are usually in practice. These explanations/tika on Natyashashtra is the vision or the prime description about the impact of the Rasa and its association with the Art-Artist-and Listener / Viewer/ Art-Connoisseur. 

Continue ------------- Keep reading the post on this subject ....... 

Kumar Sargam

Share:

Read More