- I Promise, this is a review with a difference
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Music has a very telling effect on most individuals on this earth blessed with 2 ears & a working nervous system. The mood that you are in, prompts you to listen to a particular genre of music or even true is that a particular genre of music lands you in a typical mood.
What makes these songs tickle our emotional chord every time they are played, with a remarkable degree of consistency? The answer: Raga - which is a set combination of the basic notes SRGMPDNS(CDEFGABC in Western). Music Directors have often plunged into this rich pool of Ragas to give their songs a flavor as demanded by the situation in a movie. While Raags like Yemen, Kalyan & Bhairavi found instant glorification in most movies, other favorites were Bhimpalasi, Pilu, Pahadi, Darbari Kanada. Bhupali is used to great effect to regal us with soft devotional or early morning songs. One Raag, however though has contributed reasonably well to the Indian Cinema, but has always been deprived of its due place, is Raag Shivranjani.
Raags had been devised by the Experts(I don’t know if there is any specific term for this), who established a connect between the elemental reaction of the human mind and body to the changes in nature. Precisely why, Raags apart from varying in Swaras, are also divided into Time Zones, to blend their harmonious melodies with our emotions.
Shivranjani, displays an exotic range of emotions be it love, passion or anger. Qualifying to be a Raag, by satisfying the mandatory condition of having atleast 5 notes: S R g(Komal Swara or Flat note) P D S, it differs from its much reputed ‘cousin’ Bhupali by just one note. Bhupali uses Shuddha G. Even though, there is just a subtle change in one note, Shivranjani assumes a far greater virtuosity owing to this Komal Swara. While Bhupali is played early in the morning and is associated with the chirping birds, Shivranjani, a very popular Raga among the Instrumentalists and derived from Thaat* Kafi, is ideally played / makes a good listening in the night(Prahar 6: 9pm – 12 am), coaxing your most inner emotions of Love & Pathos to blend & graduate to the surface.
I clearly remember when I was around eight, not old enough to really understand the meaning of romance or pathos, I had an inclination to play raags in komal swaras that expressed precisely these feelings, much to my father's annoyance. He would often rebuke me for pursuing these sad raags. But I couldn't help it. When my father taught me Bhupali, I would sit practicing Shivranjani * - Pt. Ravi Shankar.
I guess the quote by the mastero sums everything about Shivranjani that I was trying to accrue thru so many paragraphs!
While I have provided the above preface to underline the roots of those songs which churns out your emotions, its not necessary to understand the technicalities of these Raags to feel them.
I vividly recall when I was recording at the AIR station where two ladies happened to be present at the recording. One of them a vocalist, kept nodding her head and saying' Wah!Wah!' to show her appreciation of the music, while the other lady, who was not a musician, had tears in her eyes as she listened to me play Raag Todi - this raag's mood is one of yearning. This incident made me realize how deeply music can affect our emotions. A musician sometimes may get so inextricably lost in the technicalities of a raag that the mood may miss him but the layperson always reacts instinctively to it. - Pt. Ravi Shankar
Ours is to enjoy the soulful stirrings, the ecstasy of feelings, the innocent mood swings, that only songs can do within a limited time and yet leave a residue of its telling effect in the times to follow. As a tribute to the glorious Shivranjani, presenting below the 10 best emotional Love songs composed under this Raag.
Shankar Jaikishan seemed to have an attachment for Shivranjani, which is reflected in his team up with Hasrat Jaipuri. The duo cast a magical spell using the 5 notes of Shivranjani through their compositions:
Aawaz Deke Humen Tum Bulao – Professor. Now you understand what I meant when you say the inner most emotions being bought to the surface? Just hum this song, and you can actually sense this current flowing thru your body!
Follow this with, Baharon Phul Barsao– Suraj. Yet again, Rafi Sahaab does more than justice to this rendition.
The amazing diversification of Shivranjani’s composition can be found in the duo teaming up with Rafi again to bring out an aggressive love song: Dil Ke Jharokon Mein Thujko Bitakar - Brahmachari.
Shankar Jaikishan also used the services of Mukesh to exhume the melancholy flavour of Shivaranjani thru, Jane Kaan Gaye Woh Din - Mera Naam Joker. Hey! anyone learning to play Shivranjani, should attempt this song first. Coz the scale moves in a linear progression. When I play this song, I end up playing only the *Sthayi *(first para) again & again & again. I just want to be with it. That’s Shivranjani!
SJ also had Mukesh singing O Mere Sanam - Sangam in an yet another classical.
Shivranjani apart from love, passion, pathos, anger could also generate that eerie, haunting feeling, painting a pitch dark picture with a very small solitary source of light when Lata sings Kahin deep jale kahin deep - Bees Saal Bad.(MD: Hemant Kumar)
In the 80s, the evergreen music duo LP, adopted Shivranjani to weave hits like Tumse Milkar, Na jane kyun-Pyar Jhukta Nahin & Tere Mere Beech Mein - Ek Duje Ke Liye.
Even, Anu Malik cudnt resist the charm of Shivranjani when he sat to compose Yaad Teri Aayegi - Ek Jaan Hain Hum and more recently in Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai title song, sung very flawlessly by KK.
But, if one were to caste vote for the best song Shivranjani can boast off – then here goes the greatest composition ever produced, a song that even Shivranjani would be proud of being the sole owner - Mere Naina Sawaan Bhadho - Mehbooba. Do I even need to say that the Music Director is the immortal R D Burman! A Great Raag, a Great Music Director, the resultant had to be that much great definitely, if not better!
And before I close . a small story during Akbar’s time, but is a true reflection of what’s happening in today’s Music Industry!
Once Akbar, disguised as a brahmin, went to meet Swami Haridasji, Tansen's guru. Entranced by Swamiji's singing, Akbar presented a bottle of perfume to Swamiji, which the guru promptly poured into the pond. Akbar was offended.
After the recital, Swamiji led Akbar to the inner sanctum of the temple. A strong fragrance of the perfume wafted over. Akbar was taken aback. The guru explained that when he was singing Lord Krishna was sitting before him and he had offered the perfume to him. Later, when Akbar asked Tansen why his music was not as effective as his guru's he replied'That is because I sing to please you, he sings to please the lord above'*.
