{"id":940,"date":"2009-07-14T23:12:33","date_gmt":"2009-07-15T06:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.parrikar.org\/?page_id=940"},"modified":"2021-03-18T13:29:45","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T13:29:45","slug":"malkauns","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.parrikar.org\/hindustani\/malkauns\/","title":{"rendered":"Short Takes: Malkauns"},"content":{"rendered":"
by Rajan P. Parrikar<\/strong> Rajan P. Parrikar in Colorado Springs (1991)<\/p><\/div>\n Namashkar.<\/em><\/p>\n In this edition of Short Takes<\/strong>, we welcome the maha-raga Malkauns into our fold. This Bismillah Khan<\/strong> classic<\/a>, a permanent fixture in the Indian musical imagination, never fails to dazzle and is fresh as new paint even today.<\/p>\n Our tour begins with a synopsis of the raga-lakshanas<\/em>. The kernel of raganga<\/em> Kauns is then distilled. The high class Malkauns selections that follow are a feast fit for the Gods. The latter half of this session features a portfolio of Malkauns derivatives.<\/p>\n Bismillah Khan<\/p><\/div>\n Throughout our excursion, M<\/strong> = shuddha madhyam<\/em> and m<\/strong> = teevra madhyam.<\/em><\/p>\n Raga Malkauns<\/strong><\/p>\n The name “Malkauns” (cognates: Malkosh, Malkoshi, Malkans etc.) is said to derive from “Malava Kaushik,” an old melody that finds mention in ancient treatises such as the Sangeet Ratnakara<\/em><\/strong> of Sarangdeva<\/strong>. There is, however, no structural similarity between that Malava Kaushik and the present-day Malkauns. The current swaroopa<\/em> of the raga is conjectured to be around 300-400 years old. The curious reader is referred to Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande<\/strong>‘s\u00a0monumental work\u00a0Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati<\/strong> where he traces the Malkauns trail. The Carnatic raga carrying the swaras<\/em> of Malkauns goes by the name Hindolam.<\/p>\n Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande<\/p><\/div>\n The swara<\/em>-set of Malkauns gives a wide berth to both R<\/strong> and P<\/strong> leaving behind an audav-jati<\/em> (pentatonic) contour: S g M d n<\/strong>. In Pandit Bhatkhande’s taxonomic scheme the raga is placed under the Bhairavi that<\/em>. Recall that certain gestures in Raga Bhairavi<\/strong><\/a> take after Malkauns. The signal characteristic of Malkauns concerns its nyasa<\/em> locations: each one of its swaras<\/em> is considered apposite for nyasa<\/em>. No other raga has this attribute. The implication being, you cannot go wrong in Malkauns. With five locations available for nyasa<\/em>, the vistar<\/em> area extends far and wide, overcoming the limitations of a restricted tonal space inherent to pentatonic ragas. The key lakshanas<\/em> of Malkauns are now encapsulated.<\/p>\n S, d’ n’ S, n’ g–>S, S g M g–>S<\/strong> d’ n’ S M, M d M, S g M g–>S<\/strong> g M d n, M d n S” d n d–>M<\/strong> S”, d n S” g”, g” M” g”, n g”–>S<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n Ramashreya Jha “Ramrang” Obiter dicta: This completes our inspection of the Malkauns arena. Of course, the uccharana<\/em>, vital in these matters, cannot be adequately conveyed through the written word. <\/p>\n Malkauns lends itself to varying degrees of interpretation and complexity. To the novice it presents a welcoming, friendly facade. To the\u00a0vidwans<\/em> and the masters, it reveals a compass as vast as the Serengeti plains, a lifelong melodic hunting ground in which to exercise and slake the creative daemon.<\/p>\n Who better than Pandit Ramashreya Jha “Ramrang”<\/a><\/strong> to eulogize Malkauns? His words in the second half of the clip lay bare his enormous love and feelings for this great raga. This riveting display was recorded over the California-Allahabad telephone line.<\/p>\n We now step into the Malkauns citadel. Although ‘light’ compositions in the melody are legion we shall make do with only a token few here.<\/p>\n In BADA AADMI (1961), Mohammad Rafi<\/strong> sings to Chitragupta<\/strong>‘s tune: ankhiyana sanga.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The 17th C saint\u00a0Tukaram<\/strong> avers that he is smaller than an atom and as vast as the sky in a beautiful Marathi abhanga<\/em>. Dilip Chitre<\/strong>‘s translation of this abhanga<\/em> is available in Says Tuka<\/em><\/strong> (Penguin Classics).<\/p>\n Too scarce to occupy an atom, Bhimsen<\/strong>‘s delivery is in step with Tuka’s feelings: anuraniya thokada Tuka akasha evadha.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Bhimsen Joshi<\/p><\/div>\n In the Marathi drama RANADUNDUBHI (1927), Vazebuwa<\/strong>‘s tune is rendered by Dinanath Mangeshkar<\/strong>: divya swatantraya ravi.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n We swing open the classical vaults with a performance of the Gundecha<\/strong> brothers. Their alap<\/em> gives way to a dhrupad<\/em> in honour of Lord Ganesha.<\/p>\n Gundecha alap.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Gundecha dhrupad.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n ‘Aftab-e-Mousiqui’ Faiyyaz Khan<\/a><\/strong> weighs in with a magnificent dhamar<\/em>.<\/p>\n Two selections of D.V. Paluskar<\/a><\/strong> follow. First, a vilambit khayal<\/em>.<\/p>\n And Meerabai<\/strong>‘s immortal pada<\/em>: pag ghungaroo baandha Meera nachi re.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Krishnarao Shankar Pandit<\/a><\/strong> deals the famous “Adarang” composition in vilambit<\/em> Ektala: aaja more ghara aa’ila.<\/em><\/p>\n That composition of “Adarang” has been popularized by Amir Khan<\/strong> as a cheez<\/em> in Teentala whereas Bhatkhande<\/strong> has documented it in druta<\/em> Ektala. This is a good instance of a bandish<\/em> morphing over time and across stylistic schools.<\/p>\n Kumar Gandharva<\/a><\/strong> laces his Malkauns with (at least) a couple of quaint touches. The measured g–>S<\/strong> meend<\/em> emits an abhasa<\/em> (impression, semblance) of the rishab<\/em>. The reader is invited to figure out the second quirk (Hint: hear out his druta bandish<\/em>).<\/p>\n Omkarnath Thakur<\/a><\/strong> offers the Gwalior staple: peera na jaani.<\/em><\/p>\n Omkarnath<\/a><\/strong> again in a dramatic rendition of the immensely loved pag ghungaroo baandha kara nachi re<\/em>. His tweaking a key word in the mukhda (compare with D.V. Paluskar) is intriguing.<\/p>\n Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale in a mehfil; at extreme right is 'Lokmanya' Bal Gangadhar Tilak <\/p><\/div>\n The widely-performed Malkauns chestnut sasundara badana ke<\/em> is a composition of Nawab Ibrahim<\/strong> of Tonk (whose colophon is imprinted in the antara<\/em>). It was first popularized in Maharashtra by the \u00a0Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Here we have Bade Ghulam Ali Khan<\/a><\/strong> singing that bandish<\/em> in this unpublished recording.<\/p>\n Another unpublished selection<\/a><\/strong> of Bade Ghulam Ali.<\/strong><\/p>\n To round off the Bade Ghulam Ali Khan<\/strong> feast, his published classic<\/a><\/strong>: mandira dekha dare.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Bade Ghulam Ali Khan<\/p><\/div>\n Barkat Ali Khan<\/a><\/strong> (BGAK’s brother) was an outstanding musician but, alas, he had to live in the shadow cast by his giant of a brother. He, too, sings mandira dekha dare.<\/em><\/p>\n A couple of selections of Kesarbai’s empyrean artistry: maisana meeta.<\/em><\/p>\n Kesarbai – I.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Kesarbai – II.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Kishori Amonkar<\/a> <\/strong>sparkles in this mehfil<\/em> recording. Around 3:00 we find her reading the riot act to an errant calf.<\/p>\n Abdul Karim Khan<\/p><\/div>\n The bandish<\/em>, peera na jaani<\/em>, heard earlier in a vilambit<\/em> gait is now presented by Abdul Karim Khan<\/a><\/strong> in druta laya.<\/em><\/p>\n Basavraj Rajguru.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Master Krishnarao<\/a><\/strong>‘s (Krishna Phulambrikar) is a restrained Malkauns: kaahun ki reeta.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n The keys to the sanctum sanctorum in the Malkauns temple are given only to the great vocal masters. The ding-dongers have no place there although they are permitted to graze in the courtyard outside. With one and only one exception: Nikhil Banerjee.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Shridhar Parsekar<\/strong><\/a> (1920-1964), from the tiny village of Parsem in Goa, established himself as one of the great violin virtuosos of the day but died before his time. To know more about Parsekar, click here<\/strong><\/a>. Shridhar Parsekar<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n When God created Malkauns, only two mortals were allowed the privilege of peeking over His shoulder while He was at work. Bhimsen Joshi <\/strong>and
\nFirst published on SAWF on September 16, 2002<\/em><\/p>\n
\nThe sui generis meend<\/em> g–>S<\/strong> serves as a vital constituent of raganga<\/em> Kauns. The uccharaaa<\/em> is crucial: g<\/strong> is rendered deergha<\/em> before initiation of the meend<\/em>. This precipitates the shanta-gambheera rasa<\/em> characteristic of Kauns. The langhan<\/em> (skipping) of n<\/strong> in the declining prayoga<\/em> from S<\/strong> to d’<\/strong> (or from S”<\/strong> to d<\/strong>) is another point of note.<\/p>\n
\nAlthough all<\/strong> the swaras<\/em> are nyasa<\/em>-worthy, the madhyam<\/em> is considered primus inter pares, the centre of melodic gravity, as it were. Notice the leap from S<\/strong> to M<\/strong>, a Malkaunsian trait.<\/p>\n
\nHere we have uttaranga<\/em> modus operandi. The d–>M<\/strong> meend<\/em> is analogous to the poorvanga<\/em> g–>S<\/strong> and serves as another artifact of the Raganga Kauns kernel; d<\/strong> is rendered deergha<\/em> before the slide to M<\/strong>, again reinforcing the shanta-gambheera<\/em> effect.<\/p>\n
\nAttention is drawn to the n<\/strong> to g<\/strong> coupling, a key lakshana<\/em> of Kauns raganga.<\/em><\/p>\n
\u00a9 Rajan P. Parrikar<\/p><\/div>\n
\n(a) In the Malkauns progression there is samvad<\/em> (consonance) between the S-M, g-d<\/strong> and M-n<\/strong> pairs.
\n(b) It is observed that some vocalists (well-known names among them) occasionally admit a higher value of n<\/strong> that falls within the penumbra of N<\/strong>, especially in the arohi prayogas<\/em>. This practice appears to be inadvertent given the inconsistency and irregularity with which it occurs.<\/p>\n
\nTuka is vast as the sky.
\nI swallowed my death, gave up the corpse,
\nI gave up the world of fantasy.
\nI have dissolved God, the self, and the world
\nTo become one luminous being.
\nSays Tuka, now I remain
\nOnly to oblige.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n