Meet the Lord - Räg Yaman

With a complete scale and an impossible range of possibilities to match, Raag Yaman is treated with reverence. Let’s look at the matrix in its classical ‘avtär’…

कमल चरण करित स्मरण नमन सर्व मंगला,

तन-मन हो भाव सुमन, 'यमन' येथ रंगला...

This is without doubt the most popular räg-matrix really! A räg that uses the complete scale, capable of expressing an exhaustive range of emotions with an unfathomable depth of potential in presentation! It has also been referred to as the Lord of Rägs – come let’s get acquainted with Räg Yaman!

Technically speaking, Yaman belongs to the ‘Kalyän Thät’ and is sung in the first quadrant of night. The matrix uses all seven notes in the scale and, barring teevra madhyam (sharp fourth note), all others are flat. With typical phraseology that drops Sä or Pa in the ascent but uses them out of sequence in descent (e.g. ‘Ni-Re-Ga-Ma-Dha-Pa’ or ‘Ni-Dha-Ni-Re-Sä’), Yaman never fails to achieve an effect of well-being, serenity, and a pleasant ambience all around. Yaman-Kalyän, its sister-melody that’s very close in nature to Yaman, differs only in its usage of both shuddha and teevra madhyam (flat and sharp fourth notes) and both these matrices have been sung extensively by artists over past few centuries. Here is a typical layout and phraseology of Yaman for you -

With its enormous potential, Yaman has always beckoned artists to discover something new in its phrases and all great vocalists and instrumentalists have given us their own flavour of this räg over changing times. Recorded material from several all-time greats from earlier generations has left behind some sparkling gems in Yaman for posterity. The greats of current generation have also explored the vastness of Yaman in their own inimitable way.

To begin with, here’s Late Smt. Heerabai Barodekar’s Yaman that personifies ‘Kiränä Gäyaki’ with its emphasis on purity and completeness of ‘swar’ and serenity in presentation.

And listen to Pt Kumär Gandharva’s all-time hit recording of Kalyän (Kumar-ji always referred to this räg-matrix as ‘Kalyän’) that refuses to fade from popularity charts.

Or take ‘Swar-Bhäskar’ Pt Bhimsen Joshi’s Yaman recorded about thirty-five years ago. Although his ‘täleem’ is typically ‘Kiränä Gäyaki’, some ‘Punjab & ‘Patiyala’ influence is very much evident in this presentation by young Bhimsen-ji. Some very aggressive tän-patterns and the overall approach seems to have been borrowed from his early forays in the North India in search of a ‘Guru’! You will definitely discover new moments of pleasure every time you hear ‘Eeri äli piyä bin’.

In the instrumental territory, I have for you a wonderful ‘äläp-jod-jhälä’ on sitar by Pt. Budhäditya Mukherjee played recently in a concert in Pune. (The recording quality may not be top-drawer since this was recorded from the auditorium.)

To round off, here’s a traditional bandish from ‘Gwalior Gharänä’ presented by Vijay Koparkar that typically projects the pleasant personality of this evergreen räg-matrix.

It is inevitable that Räg Yaman, with its immense potential, presented an irresistible proposition to composers in light and popular music. The number of songs composed in this matrix and the range of emotions they express is really unbelievable. But more about Yaman’s versatility in its lighter form in the next post…

The Bitter-Sweet Melancholy - Räg Madhuwanti

I don’t know why, but I was (kind of) putting off writing on this räg matrix for some time now. One reason, probably, is that the true nature of this räg still eludes me and I am unable to put my finger on the pulse of this matrix. But then I go back to the basic premise which says that a composition that is able to project a picture in the minds of listeners will be celebrated as a ‘räg’ and it solves my conundrum!

Räg Madhuwanti actually derives from Räg Multäni but differs from it where it uses Shuddha Rishabh & Shuddha Dhaivat (flat second & sixth notes, respectively). This brings Madhuwanti in a time-slot that’s a little later than its parent matrix – Madhuwanti is generally sung in the early hours of the fourth (last) quadrant of the day. All phraseology and chalan are similar to that of Multäni but use of Shuddha Rishabh & Dhaivat brings some degree of calm and, at times, melancholy feelings in the matrix. Listen to this very popular ghazal from ‘Dil ki Rähen’ (1973) composed by Late Madan Mohan-ji in the melancholy vibes of Madhuwanti.

But then there are other moods of Madhuwanti that are more subtle and better expressed in the expansive format of classical music. What I have for you is an elaborate and well laid-out Madhuwanti by Vijay Koparkar. This recording is part of a workshop on classical vocal music held in Nashik a few years back and Vijay presents four compositions one after another presenting different shades and moods of the matrix.

But we close this episode with yet another melancholy number composed by Sudheer Phadke, the maestro of Marathi Bhäv-sangeet. All his compositions from ‘Geet-Rämäyan’ are based solidly on various räg-matrices but carry the mood of ‘GaDiMä’ lyrics so well that the listener is completely immersed in the ethos of the totality, not just the composition! So lose yourself in Seetä’s quiet grieving question to Lord Räm as he prepares to leave for vanaväs…

The Last of the Trio!

Alongwith Märwä and Puriyä, Raag Sohni completes the trio that uses the same scale of notes.

Remember ‘Kuhu-kuhu bole koyaliyä’, that immortal melody from ‘Swarna-Sundari’? An unforgettable song composed by Aädi Näräyan Räo, a relatively unknown composer from yesteryears! Really speaking, this song is a medley of raags but the mukhadä (opening lines) and the first antarä (stanza) are composed in Raag Sohni, the focus of this episode.


Having said that Märwä and Puriyä originate from the same scale but differ radically in the ethos they project, we must also take a look at Raag Sohni that shares the same scale and, like these two raags, differs by projecting an intense and aggressive, yet romantic, mood. While Märwä and Puriyä are more inclined to serenity, Sohni tends to be more aggressive. The difference lies in its phrases. Märwä focuses on Komal Rishabh and Dhaivat and Puriyä on Gandhär and Nishäd. Sohni, however, keeps its emphasis firmly on Tär Shadja (the base note Sä in the higher octave). The compositions in this raag, therefore, excel in the upper-half of the octave and create electrifying atmosphere. Moreover, the chalan (phraseology) here is vakra (using notes in a circular, out-of-sequence pattern) giving the entire matrix an interesting twist.

Sohni has been an all-time favourite amongst vocalists and instrument-players of all generations. With the fast-paced compositions excelling in the upper octave, Sohni has been used very effectively to transform ambience in concert after a serious raag like Mälkauns. A number of greats like Ustäd Bade Ghuläm Alikhan, Pt DV Paluskar, ‘Gän-Hirä’ Hiräbäi Barodekar, etc have recorded some fabulous bandishes in Sohni and, fortunately, all this recorded material is easily available to music-lovers today.

Mention must be made here of some delightful compositions that have regaled the audiences. The first and foremost is the renowned thumri sung by Ustäd Bade Ghuläm Alikhän-saheb. The thumri became such a rage in those days that Naushäd (famous composer) had to go to great lengths to have the veteran Ustäd to sing its filmy version for the magnum-opus ‘Mughal-e-Azam’.

Pt Kumär Gandharva immortalized ‘Rang nä dälo shämji’, a traditional bandish that’s both aggressive and romantic at the same time, and set new a benchmark that has been difficult for others to follow. Pt Rämäshray Jhä ‘Rämrang’ has composed a few delightful bandishes in Sohni that paint an aesthetically pleasing picture of this raag. A couple of taränäs composed in Sohni have also been immensely popular with their fast tempo and imaginative presentation.  Here's a selection of some of these compositions for your listening pleasure!

In popular music, Sohni has given us some sparkling moments through various songs that are based on this matrix. Apart from the ‘Swarna-Sundari’ and ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ numbers above, Asha Bhosale’s ‘Jeevan jyot jale’ (Film: Gruhasthi) remains forever favourite with music lovers. Pt Jitendra Abhisheki has also sung ‘Haribhajanä veen käl’, a Maräthi devotional song that has achieved a permanent place in Maräthi-rasik’s heart.

However, we simply cannot conclude the Sohni post without mentioning my personal favorite from the famous Maräthi musical play 'Katyär Kaljät Ghusali'. Late Pt. Vasantrao Deshpande's electrifying 'gäyaki' has made 'Surat piyäki na chhin bisaräyi' a veritable treat for all music-lovers (Maräthi or otherwise) - Enjoy...!