2.26.2016
My Gaayaki: “Upaj Ang” Ki Gaayaki
It is a false assumption that raag is made of swars. Swar cannot be the primary component of raag; it is actually is a component of saptak. From the swars of saptak first arise a phrase or upaj consisting of three (or four) notes. And from such upaj, finally a raag comes into being.
Thinking differently – and rather retrospectively – we can say that raag can be broken down into its “fundamental building blocks” which are called, in musical language, upajes. So thus the raag is an aesthetic garland of these upajes. To sing a raag means to systematically and aesthetically release the various upajes which are the fundamental components of raag. When one sings upaj after upaj slowly, smoothly and continuously, it is called Badhat, or development of raag.
Moreover, individual, isolated notes are part of the saptak whereas upajes make up a raag. To sing a note, or swar, requires thehrao, or stability of the voice at a certain pitch point. But in an upaj of three notes, the first note is moving to the second note, and the second note moves to the third note. These directional patterns of notes are called chalans, which further make up the distinct nature of a raag.
Swar is a theharao, stability of the voice. Raag is a chalan, slow motion movement. Real Raagdaari Gaayaki is necessarily Upaj Ang Ki Gaayaki.
9.1.2016
Raag Personalities
The word Raag is a Sanskrit word that literally translates “Love”. But somehow its conventional meaning transformed to “mood”, or “atmosphere”. So in Hindustani music, raag means a melodious scheme of a set of specific notes which creates a particular mood or atmosphere. Notes and scales have their own appeal to human ears, but a raag goes one step further.
The notes are independent entities when they are in the Saptak. But the moment they enter the raag those notes start to caress each other, embrace each other and even melt into each other; it is really a natural miracle. The ghaseet (ascending gliding movemnent) and meend (descending gliding movement) are the two ways through which the notes melt into each other. And this melting creates a divine intoxication or an ecstasy that elevates the listeners to become mesmerized and start swinging their bodies like drunkards!
There are a few raags whose tempo is a little fast, like Raag Naand or Adaanaa, etc. Their “personality” is rather like a dancing peacock. There are some other raags whose tempo is medium and they move rather smoothly, like Raag Jaijaivanti, or Baageshri. Their personality is like a just-married woman having a dignified dance. And lastly, there are very special raags, whose movement is damn slow and are like an emperor in a golden long robe moving very slowly accepting the salutes of the people with a graceful nod of their chin! Such raags include Darbaari Kaanadaa, Miya Malhaar, Puriyaa, etc.
Raags do have “personalities”, which are indicative of their unique style of melodic movement. For example, Raag Bhoopali has a personality of a devotee in a temple. Raag Yaman’s personality evokes a religious celebration, while Raag Bihag has a personality of soft romance of young people.
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