Remembering Shailendra – Part 1

Introduction

I woke up yesterday morning to learn on Radio Ceylon’s Purani Filmon Ka Sangeet program that it was the birthday of my favourite Hindi poet Shailendra. The compere Jyoti Parmar referred to him as “guzre daur ke mahan geetkar”. Shailendra was no mere geetkar or film lyricist. For me, he was an inspired poet with a gift for using the simplest language to convey the loftiest of thoughts and feelings. I also found out that yesterday was not just any birthday but the 100^th birth anniversary. This blog is my quick can-never-be-too-grateful-to-you remembrance of a poet who wrote with his heart and hence touched our hearts as well.

Before I begin…

Usually, my blogs on personalities start with a biographical sketch and then cover their career and artistic achievements. In this, I try to be chronological and list the earliest movie/song first and conclude with the latest or last work. In this blog, I am departing from this format and plunging straight into a listing of the songs not as I heard them first but as I discovered them in later life and began to appreciate Shailendra’s wizardry with words.

Obviously, no one can do justice to a poet of the calibre of Shailendra with some 900 songs to his credit in a blog of a few thousand words. Hence, I will not even attempt an overall assessment of his work and leave that to more capable music lovers and researchers. I will merely talk about those songs that had appealed to or had an impact on me. Even these are too many to fit into a single blog. I will therefore spread this effort over a few blogs. Part 1 will list some of my favourite songs of Shailendra in random order. Later blogs will feature the other songs arranged in a more structured fashion and a summing up.    

The Poetry

Dharti Kahe Pukaar Ke – Manna Dey& Lata – Salil Chowdhury – Do Bigha Zamin (1953)

I re-discovered this duet in 1967 when I was teaching Physics at the Malaviya Regional Engineering College in Jaipur. For the first time in my life, I was away from my family in a new city and with new friends and acquaintances but longing for the familiar faces back in Bangalore. Salil Da’s folksy music and use of the chorus plucked my heartstrings as I listened to the words again and again and became an admirer of Shailendra’s poetry. The song has two evocative mukhdas:

Dharti kahe Pukaar ke, Beej bichhaa le pyaar ke, Mausam beetaa jaay, Mausam beeta jaay

Apni kahaani chhod jaa, Kuchh to nishaani chhod jaa, Kaun kahe is ore, Tu phir aaye na aaye

The second mukhda in particular, made a deep impression on me and has been my guiding principle in any new job or responsibility that I have since taken up. Beej bichhaa le pyaar ke remains salutary advice 70 years after those words were written and sung and seems so relevant today.

In the antaras that follow, Shailendra makes the singer exhort his co-workers with words of reassurance drawn from the nature around them.

Neelaa ambar muskaaye, Har saans taraane gaaye, Haay teraa dil kyon murjhaaye, Ho ho ho, Man ki bansi pe tu bhi, Koi dhun bajaa le bhaai, Tu bhi muskuraa le

Shailendra knows that the toiling workers are in no position to sing and rejoice openly. He brings in the contrast between ‘muskaaye’ and ‘murjhaaye’ and gives them the alternative of playing some tune with the flute of their mind and smile. He grants that as a concession as it were but draws them in individually. The common words Koi dhun and Tu bhi have been so beautifully used that the worker can choose her/ his own tune to bring the smile back to their faces!

Aye Mere Dil Kahin Aur Chal – Talat – Shankar-Jaikishan – Daag (1952)

I re-discovered this song in 1969 at the National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie as an IAS probationer. Mahendra Lalka, an IPS probationer, became a good friend drawn by common interests that included old Hindi film songs. He wrote out the lyrics of this song for me to re-read and savour them. Here, the poet wants to get away and a find a new home as his heart is filled with the woes of this world. Whereto? Where there is no battering by sorrow and where is there is no false hopes of the shining stars. Shailendra then goes on to reflect on the reality of the injustices of everyday life where someone’s world is being looted all the time and yet the earth is a mute spectator and the merciless sky keeps quiet.

Chaar aansu koi ro diya, pher ke muh koi chal diya,

Lutr aa thaa kisi ka jahaan, Dekhthi rah gayi ye zamin,

Chup raha berahum aasmaan

Though Shailendra invokes the earth and the sky, his remonstrance is with us humans occupying the space in between who, when faced with an outrage, shed a few perfunctory tears or walk away unconcerned. To this day, whenever we hear or read about an atrocity or injustice, Shailendra’s plaint rings so true and eternal!

Aa Ab Laut Chalen and Pyar Kar Le – Mukesh – Shankar-Jaikishan – Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960)

I had watched this movie at the Alankar theatre in Bangalore in March/April 1961 on the day I finished my SSLC exams. The movie had eight hit songs and all but one had been written by Shailendra. At that time, I was drawn to the songs with catchy tunes. But in later years, I came to appreciate these two kamsune songs for their memorable message.  

In Aa ab laut chalen, the following antara stands out.

Aankh hamari manzil par hai, Dil mein khushi ki mast lehar hai,

Lakh lubaye mahal paraye, Apna ghar phir apna ghar hai

The sentiment ‘apna ghar phir apna ghar hai’ resonated with everyone then and will continue to do so for ever. That is why it is said that good poets write not just for today but for eternity.

Pyar Kar Le is picturised as a children’s play. Shailendra takes the ‘carrots-and-stick’ approach in the mukhda. He uses the stick first: Pyar karle, Nahi to fansi chad jayega. The carrot follows immediately: Yaar karle, Nahi to yunhi mar jayega.

The antaras are memorable.  

Jeet har saikdo, Teer se talwar se,

Mere sath muskuraa, Dil ko jeet pyar se

Vichar karle vichar karle, Nahi to piche pachtayega

Chori kari chor bana, Roz nayi ghat hai

Aaj teri zindagi, Jaise kali rat hai

Par kar le par kar le, Nahi to chakkar pad jayega

These are perfect examples of Shailendra tailoring his compositions to the requirements of the situation and screenplay in the movie. The message and appeal to the dacoits facing the military to give up their current ways could not have been made in simpler or more humane words. That is the genius of Shailendra.      

Mera Jootha Hai Japani – Mukesh; Ramaiya Vastavaiya – Lata, Rafi, & Mukesh; Dil Ka Haal – Shankar-Jaikishan – Shree 420 (1955)

Shree 420 was a runaway hit, not the least for its eight songs, each more popular than the other. I have picked three songs of Shailendra picturised on Raj Kapoor where the character played by him on screen conveys his sentiments and life view to the audience. Such songs are a perfect vehicle for Shailendra to share his philosophy of life in simple verses. The second antara of the first song stands out for me.

Oopar neeche, neeche oopar, Leher chale jeevan ki, Leher chale jeevan ki, Naadaan hai who baithe kinaare, Poochhe raah watan ki, Poochhe raah watan ki, Chalna Jeevan ki kahaani, rukhna maut ki nishaani, Sar pe laal topi Russi, Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani

High and low, low and high, the waves of life flow by. It is only a naïve person who will sit on the shore and ask for the way to his country. To be on the go is the story of life; to stop is a sign of death. Shailendra reiterates this thought in the line Duniya usi ki jo chalta jaaye of the song Mud mud ke na dekh mud mud ke from the same film.

In Ramaiya Vastavaiya, Shailendra contrasts the contented life of the slum-dwellers with the conflicted state of a poor man trying to become rich. He cries out in anguish:

Rastaa wohi aur musaafir wohi, Ek taaraa na jaane kahaan chhup gayaa

Duniya wohi duniyawale wohi, koi kyaa jaane kiskaa jahan lut gayaa

Dil Ka Hal is a delightful composition that takes a light-hearted look at the daily travails of the slum-dweller vis-à-vis the Police. Nothing has changed, it would seem, in the last seven decades. Shailendra gives Raj Kapoor some really funny lines to emote.

Budhe Daarogaa Ne Chashme Se Dekha, Aage Se Dekha, Pichhe Se Dekha

Upar Se Dekha, Niche Se Dekha

Bolaa Ye Kya Kar Baithe Ghotaalaa, Haay Ye Kya Kar Baithe Ghotaalaa

Ye To Hai Thaanedaar Ka Sala   

Kisi Ne Apna Bana Ke Mujhko and Mitti Se Khelte Ho – Lata – Shankar-Jaikishan – Patita (1953)

My next pick are two Lata solos from Patita. The first is a joyous song of a woman who has found true love and is grateful for it. The second is a lament about the love gone awry.

In the first song, Shailendra finds the right words for the woman to express her feelings from start to finish.

Sharam ke maare main kuchh naa bolee, nazar ne paradaa giraa diyaa
Magar wo sabakuchh samaj gaye hai, ke dil bhee maine gawaan diyaa

Naa pyaar dekhaa, naa pyaar jaanaa, sunee thee lekin kahaniyaan
Jo khwaab raaton mein bhee naa aayaa, wo muz ko din mein dikhaa diyaa

Wo rang bharate hain zindagee me, badal rahaa hain meraa jahaan
Koee sitaare lootaa rahaa thaa, kisee ne daaman bichhaa diyaa

We normally contrast night and day. Shailendra adds dreams and reality to this contrast. Jo khwaab raaton mein bhee naa aayaa, wo mujh ko din mein dikhaa diyaa is one of the best examples of his poetic fancy!

In the second song, things have turned topsy-turvy. The woman now sings

Zamin gair ho gayi, Ye aasamaan badal gayaa,

Hawaa ke rukh badal gaye, Har ek phul jal gayaa,

Bajte hai ab ye saanso ke taar kis liye

By his careful choice of words and imagery, Shailendra is able to convey the change for the worse in the woman’s life. Even her sense of ‘why am I still alive (breathing)’ is conveyed poetically as Bajte hai ab ye saanso ke taar kis liye!

I will stop here with a request to the readers to excuse me for stopping with this random collection of Shailendra songs. I am sure that many of your and my favourites will find their way into later blogs. Meanwhile, let us be thankful for the privilege of being born in the same era as Shailendra and enjoy these nine songs.

Readers may also like to read the fleeting tributes to Shailendra in two of my earlier blogs. The links are:

Madhumati & Salil Choudhury

Dilip Kumar – Tribute in Tribute – Part 1

S. Krishna Kumar

31^st August 2023

Bengaluru

Blog # 79

Dirge to the Upma?

(a.k.a. Uppuma/Uppittu/Kharabath, etc.)

Introduction

The upma is a popular breakfast dish in most parts of South India. This blog is triggered by the WhatsApp forward ‘Uppuma Sangeetham’ that I received at 7:18 AM yesterday as I was enjoying my second cup of tea and reading the newspapers. It was from our architect-friend Nirmala, a keen WhatsApper with diverse interests. It was a song in Carnatic style mocking the upma and sung by someone frustrated at having been served upma all too often. Maybe it was the time of the day when breakfast was uppermost in my mind. I at once thought of doing a ‘quickie’ blog on the upma, a ‘quickie’ food item itself, so as to try and understand why some may want to lampoon it in song. Afterall, there is no smoke without the fire, is there?

Upma Gyan

Upma is made from ‘rava’ or ‘sooji’ (semolina) which is usually coarsely milled wheat. It can also be made from coarse rice flour. It can be had for breakfast, brunch or as an evening ‘tiffin’. It is simple and quick to prepare, and thus a convenient choice for a variety of occasions. I still remember the time our family drove to Tirupathi from Bangalore in the 1960s. Our Ammammma (mother’s mother) was with us and in deference to her wishes, we had not eaten at any roadside hotels. When we reached Tirupathi in the evening, we were famished and she whipped out the kerosene stove and kadhai and produced yummy Upma in 15 minutes for the eight of us, including our sarathy Rajagopal. I, who had grumbled at her loading all the pots and pans into the car, was the first to gorge on the upma.   

In each family, the upma is customized according to taste and regional preferences. The variations include using vegetables like tomatoes, green peas, carrots and beans. Some people squeeze a little lemon juice to impart a tangy flavour. In coastal Karnataka, grated coconut is often used. Addition of roasted cashew nuts and even groundnuts is quite common. Upma is also made with flattened rice (aval), vermicelli (semiya), tapioca pearls (sago), broken wheat (dalia) and now, I believe, even noodles! The aval upma is Poha in Maharashtra. Upma made with coarse rice is Arisi Upma in Tamil Nadu. During the season, the Uppittu made in Karnataka with field beans (Avarekalu) is very tasty.

Upma is best served hot with chutney or pickles. As a young boy, I was quite happy to have upma with sugar and maybe a dollop of ghee, over and above the ghee that went to its making! Another favourite was the roasted/burnt rava at the bottom of the kadhai that would be scraped and served to the children, particularly. In our family, rice upma is served with buttermilk thickened with grated coconut ground with red chilies.

As everyone has access to their favorite YouTube cookery channels, I am not bothering to add a para here on how the upma or its variants are prepared.

The Decline of the Upma?

The strong points of the upma have, over a period of time, may have become its weaknesses. I offer my conjecture on what some of them may be.

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

In honest introspection, the upma is a dish of convenience, not culinary excellence. No young girl/boy is likely to claim that her/his mother’s upma is/was the best. The signature dishes of our mothers tend to be the special times they prepare for family occasions or festivals or a curry or kozhambu that is part of the main meal. Even among the breakfast pantheon, the upma comes only behind the ubiquitous idli/dosa and the not-so-easy-to-make poori-potato. So, upma once a week may be the tolerance limit. If some mothers/wives have chosen to exceed this limit and pack their children’s/husband’s tiffin boxes with upma every other day, they must be prepared for the push back. I am a little surprised though, for in the menus in our homes, the upma features only once a week or fortnight and even then as an afterthought.

There is a contrarian view here too. There are those who based on their personal experience of deprivation aver that it is the upma or its cheaper variations that keep the poorest of the poor away from downright starvation. For them, therefore, the upma or gruel is a necessity, not a choice.       

Ghar Ki Murghi Dal Baraabar

One of the claims of the upma is that it offers balanced nutrition. Here the push back is coming from the dieticians who point out that the upma is carb heavy that it is better to have a protein-rich option instead. To an extent, adding peanuts brings in fats and improves the dietary balance. The challenge has been met creatively by positioning the khichdi or Pongal with moong dal as a healthier alternative. Our mother had learnt a dish called Akki Usili from her Kannada friends that we as children found quite tasty. I am sure chefs are popularizing other variants.

In hotels at least, there is the Pongal-Vadai combo which is not an easy option on the housewives. Even in hotels, I have not come across an Upma-Vadai combo. A variant is Karnataka’s own Chow Chow Bath which in Punjabi is the ideal sooji-da-halwa/sooji-da-upma combo!  

The Ode – Uppuma Sangeetham

This is an audio clip two minutes and twenty-three seconds long that launched this blog. Neither the verse nor the music is memorable. Its importance may only be that it is marker of the incipient anti-upma sentiment that seems to be building up. Maybe it is nothing more than a storm in the coffee davara-and tumbler at this point of time!

Is the Upma under an existential threat? Frankly, I do not think so. Like in Mark Twain’s case, the hopes and fears of the demise of the upma may be both exaggerated and ill-found. But do keep watching this space for more interesting battles ahead!  

S. Krishna Kumar

25^th August, 2023

Bengaluru

Blog # 78

Pibare Rama Rasam

(Drink the Essence of Rama)

Introduction

Many of you may have heard this light classical song in Ahir Bhairavi. My casual encounter with Carnatic music began with listening to devotional numbers on the Bhakti Ranjani program of AIR, Bangalore in the mid-1950s on the radio. An early song I recall from those days is Chinta Nastikila by Balamuralikrishna. Khelati Mama Hridaye is the next one. An impressionable school student, I fell in love with these songs, lured no doubt by silken voice of the singer and the easy bhajan style of the music. Then came appreciation of the ragas in which they were set. Later, I learnt that the songs were composed by the saint, philosopher and poet Sadashiva Brahmendra, heard his other songs and read about his life.

This blog is about Sadashiva Brahmendra and some of his well-known songs. Rather than his name, I have used the opening words of one of his popular compositions as the title of this blog since its content is more about the songs than the composer. All the songs are in Sanskrit.

Selected Songs

• Chinta Nastikila – Sankarabaranam – Balamuralikrishna

The song is a reassurance that there is no worry in life for such as those who are filled with self-restraint and compassion, whose minds are fixed on the supreme Guru, etc. The original song consisted of the pallavi and three charanams set in raga Navaroj. Balamurali uses only the first and third and has set it in Sankarabaranam. In fact, when I first learnt the raga connection, I could hardly believe that this popular song could have come out of this traditional raga. That is the genius of Balamuralikrishna.     

• Khelati Mama Hridaye – Kaapi – Balamuralikrishna

The Charanams praise Rama, inter alia, for destroying passion, hatred, suffering and the demons while the Pallavi talks about Rama playing in our heart. The song seems to have been composed in Atana originally but Balamurali has set and sung it in Kaapi. 

• Bhajare Gopalam – Hindolam – M S Subbalakshmi

The Pallavi is an exhortation to the mind to sing about Gopala. The Charanams contain reference to Kuchela, Madhana, Madhu and Nanda.

• Bhajare Yadunatham – Peelu – M S Subbalakshmi

The Pallavi is a call to the mind to worship the Lord of the Yadu clan. The Charanams contain references to many events in Krishna’s life.

• Chethaha Sriramam – Sindhu Bhairavi – Balamuralikrishna

Here SB urges us to think about the intellectual Rama who sleeps on the cloud. The Charanams praise the many attributes of Rama. The original song was in Kedaragowla.

• Gayathi Vanamali – Yamunakalyani – Balamuralikrishna

The Pallavi invokes the image of Krishna singing sweetly in the forest. The Charanams refer to the beauty of the flowers, birds and the river Yamuna besides describing the qualities Krishna himself. 

• Manasa Sancharare – Sama – Bombay Jayashri

The song is an exhortation to us to focus our wandering minds on the Brahman. The Charanams refer to eyes of the peacock feather adorning Krishna’s hairlocks and moonlit nights filled with music from his flute.

• Pibare Rama Rasam – Yamunakalyani – M S Subbalakshmi
• Pibare Rama Rasam – Ahir Bhairavi – Balamuralikrishna  

The Pallavi is an invitation to the connoisseur to imbibe the essence of Rama. The essence is set out in the four Charanams of which only two are included in the song. I have included two versions of the song in two different ragas.

• Tunga Tarange Gange – Suruti – Balamuralikrishna
• Tunga Tarange Gange – Hamsadhwani – Bombay Jayashri

The Pallavi is a salutation to the river Ganga whose many divine qualities are set out in the Charanams. I am giving you two versions.

• Bruhi Mukundethi – Kurunji – M S Subbalakshmi
• Bruhi Mukundethi – Kurunji – T M Krishna

The song is an invitation to the bhakta to share the names of Mukunda. The Charanams mention some names explicitly and hint at a few others. This is a song that was very popular both on- and off-screen. I have included M S Subbalakshmi’s version from her film Savithri and the concert version by T M Krishna.

• Sarvam Bramha Mayam – Khamas – Balamuralikrishna

I conclude my selection with this song where the poet points to the futility of worrying about what is to be said, done, worshipped or studied when All is Brahman and goes on to remind the listener to achieve liberation through self-realization. Originally, the song seems to have been set in Jinjhoti and sung in Darbari Kanada even. The version I have chosen is in Khamas as composed and sung by Balamuralikrishna.

Sadashiva Brahmendra – His Life

There is no definitive biography of Sadashiva Brahmendra. He seems to have lived from 1690 to 1756, preceding the musical trinity of Thyagaraja (1767-1847), Muthuswamy Dikshitar (1776-1835) and Shyama Sastry (1762-1827). He was born in a Telugu Brahmin family to Parvati and Moksha Somanatha Avadhani in Madurai and named Shivaramakrishna. The family moved to Thiruvisanallur in Tanjore Dt where he completed his early education attaining proficiency in Sanskrit, Vedas, Vedanta and Tarka Shastra. He is said to have had a melodious voice. He was married when he was 17. Disillusioned with the extended ceremonies and rituals, he ran away to Thiruvengadu (in Mayiladuthurai Dt.) on the wedding day itself. Here he met his guru Paramasivendra Saraswathi who initiated him into sanyasa and named him Sadashiva Brahmendra (SB).

Backed by his erudition, SB entered into debates with other scholars and always won. Once his guru rebuked him for worsting an elderly vedantin in a dialectical argument and asked him to hold his tongue. SB took the guru’s wish as his command and entered into life-long Mouna Vrata. He gradually withdrew himself from the world. He took to penance and introspection and became a wandering avadhuta.

Around this time, SB reconnected with Sridhar Venkatesha Ayyaval from whom he had imbibed the bhajan tradition during his Thiruvisanallur days. Ayyaval told SB that while he may be a mouni in worldly matters, he could always sing in praise of God. SB took the advice and set about composing songs in praise of Rama, Krishna and Brahman. His poetic signature or mudra were the words “paramahamsa”. Some two dozen compositions of SB in Sanskrit have been retrieved. In a number of them, the ragas in which they were composed and sung by SB originally and the ragas in which they were popularised in the 20^th century vary. As this blog post is based on my own auditory experience, I have used the popular rather than the historical versions of the songs.

As with his life in this world, miracles surround SB leaving it. He is believed to have attained Jeeva Samadhi at Nerur. But there are samadhis in four other places including one in Karachi, each with its own legend. Every year, music festivals are held on his death anniversary in Manamadurai and Nerur and lunch is served to all the visiting devotees. The belief is that SB himself comes there every year as one of the devotees.    

There do not appear to be primary sources on the life or spiritual career of SB. Given the times he lived in, there are many gaps and contradictions in the timelines of the events in the life of SB. There are also a number of miracles associated with his life. His restoration of many temples is better documented and confirmed by historical records from the archives of the then kings. SB is referred to as a “fully illumined master” by Paramahansa Yogananda in his best-seller The Autobiography of a Yogi which gives many accounts from his life (227, 382-384). Vasanthamadhavi’s book Theory of Music has interesting details about the life and writings of SB in the chapter on the Life and Contribution of Composers (187-189). Rather than lament about the lack of data, I list a few links where one can find interesting information.

https://web.archive.org/web/20150725110132/http://www.columbuslost.com/2013/09/sri-sadasiva-brahmendra-great-indian.html

Sri Sadashiva Brahmendra – the Avadhuta  

https://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/details/AdhistanamAtTiruvenkadu.html

https://shaivam.org/devotees/life-of-sridhara-venkatesha-ayyaval/#gsc.tab=0

The life and mukti of Sri sadASiva brahmendra 5/6: jIvasamAdi

Summing Up

Sadashiva Brahmendra was more a prolific writer and commentator than a composer. Wikipedia gives a long list of his books that have been printed/published and mentions five more of which printed versions are not available. But his retrieved musical compositions run only into a couple of dozen. Compared to Purandaradasa, the Trinity and Papanasam Sivan, his output is very modest. That is only because he was primarily an itinerant saint and philosopher who took to composing and singing only late in life. Though his songs contain reference to Rama and Krishna, they are not essentially in the bhakti sangeet tradition of imploring those deities to come to his succour. They tend more to convey the basic Vedantic message of the oneness of the Atma and Paramatma. But as a compact body of work set to melodious ragas and sung by great artists like Subbalakshmi and Balamurali, these songs are a treasure trove of listening pleasure.          

I thank Usha Kesari, S P Krishnamurthy (SPK) and Dr. Visalakshi for helping me fill in details of the life of SB. Usha is a friend of over fifty years and a musician herself. She referred me to Vasanthamadhavi’s book. SPK’s and our families have known each other for the last 25 years. SPK was born in Nerur and his family has been associated with honouring the life of SB since generations. He supplied me with a lot of fascinating stories only a few of which I have included here. He also drew my attention to the mention of SB in Paramahansa Yogananda’s book. Visalakshi is my cousin who has attended many of the concerts at Manamadurai along with our uncles, the musician twins of B V Raman and B V Lakshmanan who had taken keen interest in putting together the music festival in the early years.

Frank Ocean is a 36-year-old American singer, lyricist and rapper. Of his many quotes, the one that I often recall is: “When you’re happy, you enjoy the music but when you’re sad, you understand the lyrics.” I would only extend the quote to add “and appreciate the lyricist” and not always in sadness.

S. Krishna Kumar

20^th August, 2023

Bengaluru

Blog # 77

Anil Biswas

Introduction

Without doubt, Anil Biswas (1914-2003) was the most accomplished and admired music composer in Hindi film industry. The musicians who preceded him were mere tunesmiths, in comparison. He rewrote the grammar of Hindi film music such that it used classical music but made it catchy, it was simple yet sophisticated, folksy but not humdrum. He was a past master in blending folk and classical music who went beyond that to pioneer introduction of the Western orchestra, choral effects and counter melodies into Hindi film music thereby elevating its character and appeal for ever.           

Anil Biswas is a favourite of mine. Vividh Bharati featured him in their Aaj Ke Fankar program on 31^st May 2020. Ever since I heard that program presented with great elan by Yunus Khan, I had wanted to do a blog on Anil Da’s unique and pioneering style of music. What with the pandemic first and other distractions thereafter, this blog remained on the backburner all these years. Krishna, my friend and fellow traveller in our music journey of over six decades kept nudging me and I kept promising him that I would get down to it soon. So here I am, redeeming that promise at last.

Anil Biswas – Life and Career

Anil Krishna Biswas, known in movie circles as Anil Biswas (AB) first and later as Anil Da, was born on 7^th July 1914 in a village of Barisal district that is now part of Bangladesh. He was an early bloomer and his talent for acting and various facets of music – singing, composing, tabla, etc. – were seen even in his school days and in the local amateur theatre. His education was interrupted as he was frequently jailed for taking part in the independence movement. After his father’s death, he moved to Calcutta in 1930 reportedly under disguise so as to avoid more arrests.

There, AB joined Rangmahal Theatre as an actor, singer and assistant music director. He soon mastered the Khayal, Thumri and Dadra styles of singing and became an accomplished singer of devotional music. He also engaged in multiple capacities with Hindustan Recording Company where K L Saigal and S D Burman had worked earlier. Here, he came to the notice of music director Hiren Bose who persuaded him to move to Bombay in 1934.

In Bombay, AB first joined Eastern Art Syndicate and was involved with the music for a few minor films. Thereafter, he was associated with Sagar Movietones (1936-42) and Bombay Talkies (1942-46). Between 1946 and 1959 he was a freelancer and scored music for a few films under the banner of Variety Pictures owned by his wife Ashalata. By then, he was disillusioned with how Hindi film music had changed. In the early 1960s, he moved to Delhi.  

In Delhi, he became Director of the National Orchestra at All India Radio (AIR) in 1963 and remained Chief Producer-Sugam Sangeet till 1975. Later, he composed music for the TV serial Hum Log (1984) and a number of documentaries for the Films Division till as late as 1991 and remained the Advisor (Music) in the rank of a Professor at JNU for two years. He was conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986.

More than this chronology, what is more fascinating is the number of musical personalities who came into AB’s life and no doubt shaped his evolution as a composer. Pannalal Ghosh, who pioneered the use of the flute in Indian classical music, was also born in Barisal and was three years AB’s senior. AB’s younger sister Parul, a gifted singer herself, married Pannalal Ghosh when she was only 9 and he was 13 years old. Parul went on to become a well-known playback singer herself and even sang for her brother. AB and his first wife Ashalata were separated in 1954. Meena Kapoor who was a friend of Geeta Dutt was an established playback singer in the 1940s and 1950s. She married AB in 1959. She has sung a number of memorable songs composed by AB.

Anil Biswas as a Mentor and Guide

Early in his career as music director in Bombay, AB influenced and guided a number of budding singers. He gave Mukesh his first break in Pehli Nazar (1945) and persuaded him to not imitate K L Saigal but develop his own style eventually. He also gave Talat his first break in Arzoo (1949) and helped him to convert the characteristic quiver in his voice into his trademark. He also guided Lata through the nuances of breath control. I feel that even in the voice of Kishore Kumar, we can see the impact of AB’s grooming.

Anil Biswas – Some Memorable Songs

It is impossible to list a few songs of AB and convey to a listener an idea of his range and uniqueness. This is because AB was so inspired in his creativity that none of his compositions can be ignored. But at the risk of the sin of omission, I propose to put down some numbers that can be regarded as classics and share my appreciation of their finer aspects.

Char Dinon Ki Jawani – Akhtari Bai – Roti (1942)

I start with this song to show the vintage, calibre and confidence of the 28-year young Anil Biswas composing music for the iconic film Roti directed by the redoubtable Mehboob Khan and using the Begum Akhtar-to-be as his playback singer!  

Ab Tere Siva – Amirbai Karnataki – Kismet (1943)

Dhire Dhire – Ashok Kumar & Amirbai Karnataki – Kismet (1943)

Kismet was the first blockbuster in the history of Hindi cinema. It had eight melodious songs of which I highlight two. The first is a bhajan set in Bhairavi. AB uses the beauty of the raag and the melody of Amirbai Karnataki’s voice to create the devotional atmosphere needed for the song on the screen.

The second is a duet, also based in raag Bhairavi, that exquisitely portrays a lover’s concern for not breaking the dreams of his beloved. Ashok Kumar excels as an actor and singer and effortlessly carries Bhairavi through his brief whistling and aalaap. In any other music director’s hand, Bhairavi may easily have become too heavy. The genius of AB is that he passes it off as a folksy tune by virtually concealing his use of the raag. He also proves his mastery of classical music by showcasing different bhavas even while using the same raag in the same film.  

Dil Jalta Hai – Mukesh – Pehli Nazar (1945)

This was the first song that Mukesh recorded for AB. It is clear that he is still in the thrall of K L Saigal from which AB would draw him out gradually. Based on Darbari Kanada, the song is situational and set in a slow tempo with minimal orchestra. AB ensures that Mukesh makes an impression by making him sing the concluding antara in a high pitch. As a video of decent quality of the song is unavailable, I am providing only an audio link.

Aye Dil Mujhe Aisi Jagah Le Chal – Talat – Arzoo (1950)

This song was the first by Talat for AB and remains one of his best solos. I love it for the way in which AB introduces counter melody for the first time perhaps in Hindi film music. The song has a mukhda and two antaras. The interlude connecting these is not the melody of the song but a parallel or complementary one that somehow blends with the song and enhances its appeal. This was a paradigm shift for Hindi film music. After AB deployed it and showed how it can be done, other music directors like S D Burman and Shankar-Jaikishan and their assistants began to use it quite extensively.

Aye Jane Jigar – Mukesh – Aaram (1951)

The song begins with a 45-seconds orchestra piece with the piano and the violin before Mukesh takes over in a more mellowed voice than in his Pehli Nazar number. AB uses a soft counter melody in between. I cannot but record that Madhubala looks more a beautiful bride here than the vivacious Venus that she would be famously known as later.

Beimaan Tore Nainwa – Lata – Taraana (1951)

Seene Mein Sulagte Hai Arman – Talat & Lata – Taraana (1951)

1951 was a bumper year of hits for AB and Taraana with nine great songs was easily his best score. The Taraana album was ranked 37^th among the top 100 albums in 2017. Of five Lata solos, I have picked one and included the memorable duet that is in the GOAT category.

Lata’s solos are usually sad numbers expressing unhappiness at failed love. However, AB comes up with an exquisite tune conveying happiness of the woman whose love is being reciprocated. She is at the same time solicitous that their tête-à-tête must not disturb her beloved’s attempted sleep. Madhubala’s confident ruffling of Dilips’ tresses is in contrast to his simpering mien and tentative reaching out to her locks. The slow tempo of the song, minimal use of instruments and beautiful picturisation on Madhubala and Dilip make this solo for the ears morph magically into a duet for the eyes!

The Talat-Lata duet is memorable for AB’s brilliant score. He starts with a short intro to set the tone for Talat singing the mukhda. He then uses counter melody to transition seamlessly from Talat to Lata and back twice. The fact that the screen characters are not sharing the same physical space makes the counter melody that much more appropriate. The song is really two tunes sung by the protagonists fused into one by the imaginative use of counter melody. It stands out compared to conventional duets that traverse one melodic path. That is why we never get tired of listening to this song again and again.

Mere Sukh Dukh Ka Sansar – Kishore – Fareb (1953)

Aa Mohabbat Ki Basti – Kishore-Lata – Fareb (1953)

The kamsune solo marks an important milestone in Kishore’s evolution as a soloist before he came to be identified as the voice of Dev Anand and others later. Through the simple tune and the soft strains of the sitar, AB lets us see the pristine quality of Kishore’s voice and diction.

I rank this Kishore-Lata duet as second only to AB’s own Seene Mein Sulagte Hai Arman. Here Lata reveals how well she has mastered the breath control techniques taught to her by AB. He makes her sing the opening line of her first antara ‘main hoon dharti tu akash hai o sanam’ in a high pitch. In the second antara, he not only makes her sing ‘tere daaman talak hum to kya aayenge’ in a high pitch but also repeat it after an extended pause without going out of breath or tune. AB uses counter melodies evocatively to link the stanzas and enhance the pathos in the lyrics.

Rahi Matwale – Talat-Suraiya – Waris (1954)

This is perhaps one of the early songs to capture the whistles and sounds of the steam engine both in the intro and through the antaras. The handsome singer-actor pair of Talat and Suraiya do full justice to this breezy number with their silken voices.

Jeevan Hai Madhuban – Talat – Jasoos (1955)

AB is on record to say that Talat was his favourite singer and listening to this song we are not surprised. Though I am unable to upload the video of the song, I am glad that the audio link lets us see pictures of AB, Talat and lyricist Indeevar.

Rasiya Re Man Basiya Re – Meena Kapoor – Pardesi (1957)

Pardesi was an Indo-Soviet co-production between K A Abbas’s Naya Sansar International and Russian government-owned Mosfilm Studio. Meena Kapoor and Geeta Roy/Dutt were good friends whose voices were very similar. This was a song she recorded by Meena Kapoor for AB before she married him in 1959. Set in raag Pilu, AB’s consummate blending of the sounds of the flute, sarod and sitar gives the song a composite flavour of classical folk music.

Intezar Aur Bhi – Lata – Char Dil Char Rahen (1959)

This lovely ghazal starts with raag Yaman and ends up in Bhairavi through a few other melodies linked exquisitely through the melodious sound of the sarangi. AB gives Lata an opportunity to hold her own in a classical piece and she does a great job. AB would soon wind up his film career and move to Delhi. But he is in full command of his creative abilities in this song.

Kuch Aur Zamana – Meena Kapoor – Choti Choti Baatein (1965)

Zindagi Ka – Lata-Mukesh – Choti Choti Baatein (1965)

Choti Choti Baatein was a 1965 film written, produced and directed by actor Motilal. It starred Motilal, Nadira and Moti Sagar in lead roles. AB was already with All India Radio in Delhi. It was the last film for which AB scored the music before retiring from the Hindi film world altogether. These two songs are enough to show that he left when he still had a lot to give to the music world, only if the industry and the audience were interested. The appeal of the songs is enhanced by the lyrics of Shailendra.

In Conclusion

It is foolhardy of me to list seventeen out of nearly a thousand songs of Anil Da and give a complete account of his achievements and heritage. I do hope though that readers will concede that the songs discussed in this blog constitute irrefutable proof that Anil Da was indeed the doyen of Hindi film music. The changes he brought in became the new gold standard and music directors who followed had conform to them and take the musical journey forward. It is that collective renaissance that gave us the Golden Era of Hindi film music. It was a pity that the Golden Era that began with Anil Da’s arrival in Bombay ended with his departure for Delhi to re-invent himself as the Director of Orchestra at the All India Radio!

As it happens, this blog is getting posted on Independence Day, 2023, India’s 77^th. I therefore felt that it would be appropriate to end it with a chorus number from the pre-Independence film Kismet. This song is the prototype of the many patriotic songs that followed with all the ingredients that appealed to popular sentiment. The song is written by Kavi Pradeep. It is said that as AB was short of singers, he and Pradeep formed the chorus along with a few extras!

Door Hato Yeh Duniya Walo – Amirbai Karnataki, Khan Mastana & chorus – Kismet (1943)

I also leave you with the link to the Aaj Ke Fankar program on Anil Biswas over three years ago that triggered the desire to do this blog. Do listen to it also.

Independence Day Greetings and Best Wishes to one and all!

S. Krishna Kumar

15^th August 2023

Bengaluru

Blog # 76

The Violin ‘Sawaal’ and ‘Jawaab’

Introduction

Hindustani music concerts often feature improvisations involving ‘challenge’ by the lead musician which elicit ‘response’ from the accompanying artist, who may even be a percussionist. This is the famed Sawaal-Jawaab, literally, question-answer. However, the ‘Sawaal’ I discuss in this blogpost is a poser by musician-academic on the very role of the violin in Carnatic music. Unexpectedly, I got my ‘Jawaab’ as I listened on this Sunday morning to a concert on Arangam Online of Thanjavur S Kalyanaraman (SKR) accompanied by M S Gopalakrishnan (MSG) on the violin and Karaikudi R Mani (KRM) on the mridangam. This blogpost is about this personal ‘answer’. It will be interesting to see how many readers agree or disagree with my views or come up with other replies.

‘Debatable String’

The print edition of the latest issue of Frontline – July 29-August 11, 2023 – carries the interesting article “Debatable Strings in Carnatic concerts” by Lakshmi Sreeram who “is a vocalist in both Carnatic and Hindustani traditions” and a faculty member in Ahmedabad University. In her article, the author seems to propose a case for ‘violin-mukht’ Carnatic music concerts based on six main arguments, each one of which I discuss below but not necessarily in the order they appear in the article.

Changed Circumstances – Time Up for the Violin?

In the article, this argument is summed up thus: “The violin as accompaniment is a phenomenon not much older than 150 years, and the circumstances in which it emerged in this role do not apply today.” Nothing can remain unchanged in a century and more, obviously. Thus, there is a lot of difference between the way the violin was first featured in music concerts in the last century and how it is used today. The violin as well as the players have evolved. What has remained constant is enhancement of the appeal of the vocal or instrumental concert by the violin. From early pioneers like Chowdiah who were specially sought out by the likes of GNB and Madurai Mani Iyer to the trio of Lalgudi G Jayaraman-T N Krishnan – MSG who accompanied all the top vocalists during their long careers and were part of their success to today’s talented violinists of both genders, it is the overall music appeal that draws the audience. Sanjay Subrahmanyan is the top male singer today but S Varadarajan blends so well with him that it is impossible to acknowledge the success of the vocalist and deny the contribution of the violinist. T M Krishna and R K Shriramkumar were a hit pair for many years but it is great to see Akkarai Subbulakshmi step up and become part of an equally effective combination. The disciples of these musicians are carrying the torch forward in a manner that is reassuring for the future. Thus, it is premature to proclaim or postulate the demise of the violin in Carnatic music concerts. The violin’s time is not yet up!

‘Gaps and Silences’

Here, the author’s argument runs thus: “In a typical Carnatic concert, all gaps in the vocal performance are filled by the violin. But many argue that gaps and silences make for a greater musical experience and question the need for the violin as accompaniment.” This claim is preposterous and perverse. To begin with, the violin did not come in as a mere gap-fill. Even if that became the unintended outcome in some cases, the violin has clearly outgrown that role. The violinists of today proudly accompany the main artist and co-create music. Secondly, if gaps and silences constitute ‘greater musical experience’, we may as well claim that the interval is a more satisfying cinematic experience than the movie. In aesthetics, the whole has to be greater than the sum of the parts. To argue that one of the parts is redundant for historical reasons is to deny the totality of musical experience altogether. Thirdly, defining the experience itself as two-dimensional ignoring the roles of multiple percussionists is inadequate even from an analytical perspective.

Artistic Value of the Violin

The author’s contention is that “The artistic value of the violin playing along with the lead performer in all sections of the concert is questionable.” She seems to imply that all music is basically vocal and that the violin is somehow an intrusion on the singing. I wonder if either the ordinary or the cultivated listener will agree. Also, the objection seems to be for the violin being played in “all sections of the concert”. Does it imply that if violin-playing is confined to pre-defined sections of the concert, the listeners would have a richer experience? Hardly. Moreover, the role clarity already obtains, in as much as the vocalist goes solo while doing the raga aalaapana, for instance. The evolution of the vocal-violin tradition over the last century and a half has ensured that today the two see each other as collaborators rather than rivals. Artistically, they complement rather compete with each other. Thus, to posit the violin as an intruder is to create a dichotomy where none exists and for no tangible aesthetic end purpose.

Vertically Organised Concerts

I have a problem with the author’s point that “Since our music is not vertically organised, the violinist has to play what the lead performer sings or plays”. The use of the words “has to” denotes an element of compulsion. Nothing could be farther from the truth. From the Maha Vidwans I mentioned earlier to the young performing artists of today, everyone thrives on the violinist giving her or his creative interpretation to their singing and enhancing its tonal beauty manifold. I do not even know what a vertically organised concert is. Is the author making a case for Vocal-Violin jugalbandhis instead of the traditional Vocal-accompanied by-Violin concerts? I am not sure the listeners would vote for this with their ears!

Demeaning the Role of the Violin

In trying to bolster the case for a voice-alone Carnatic music concert, the author belittles the role of the violin. Some of her questions are: “Why does the voice need a shadow following it? Why do we not get to hear the sheer voice against a well-tuned tambura in a Carnatic concert?” Elsewhere, she writes that “Repeating the phrase the lead performer has just performed is unexciting at best and absurd at worst.” Would anyone agree that this is all that the violinist does? She grudgingly grants that the violinist plays a role “during exchanges of kalpanaswarams and neraval” and “offers the lead performer some rest during the concert.” She seems to suspect that it is lack of effort among Carnatic vocalists to train their voice that is the reason for the violin having gained ascendancy. If this superficial generalisation were true, most Hindustani vocalists would have gone solo rather than have the harmonium to accompany them. The legal maxim “Suppression Veri or Suggestio Falsi” is relevant here.

Theoretical Support

Citing the work of musicologist Dr. Mukund Lath, the author concludes that “…the raga demands that the musician goes it solo. It flowers best in the music of a kevali – he who will explore the raga unfettered by any accompaniment.” This is a grossly exaggerated and subjective view, to say the least. There is no way one can objectively argue that the sway over the rasikas of a Madurai Mani and Lalgudi Todi was in any way less than that of T N Rajarathnam Pillai or that today violinists of any calibre ‘fetter’ their peer vocalists.

Kalyani versus Ranjani  

Lakshmi Sreeram starts her article by referring to a rendering of Kalyani by the eminent singer T Brinda without a violin accompaniment. Let me conclude by referring to a Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi in Ranjani (Malai). Though I heard it on my iPhone thanks to Arangam Online, I find that it is available on YouTube as well. Ragam Tanam Pallavi (RTP) in one ragam is challenging enough. But SKR, the leading disciple of GNB, essays it in a garland of four ragams – Ranjani, Manoranjani, Janaranjani and Sriranjani. If you listen it through the embedded link, you will appreciate that such an endeavour could not have been undertaken by the vocalist unless he was assured of excellent violin support. Thus, the point is that violin support pushes the envelope of creative music to the delight of all concerned – the singer, violinist, percussionist and the audience. To quarrel with this obvious reality is being churlish in the face of the rasikas’ clear preferences.

To Conclude

It is clearly premature to sound an epitaph for the violin and long for sans-violin or violin-mukht Carnatic music concerts. All such calls are likely to be met with disbelief and ignored. This conclusion is not based on the comparison between Brinda’s voice-alone Kalyani and the SKR+MSG duo’s Ranjani Mala. Those are merely the specifics that establish the more general point about the voice and the violin belonging together in the best tradition of Carnatic music. If Lakshmi Sreeram prefers voice-alone or sans-violin Carnatic music, she is free to listen to it where and when it is available. But imposing one’s personal likes and dislikes on the format and structure of the Carnatic music concert as a whole is deeply problematic.

Moreover, with many talented youngsters coming in, both vocal and instrumental Carnatic music, including the violin, seems assured of continued talent, popularity and patronage. A free-ranging debate on the future of Carnatic music is always a good idea. But it has to be without any pre-set agenda.

Here are links to Lakshmi Sreeram’s article in the Frontline and the RTP by SKR.

https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/music/can-carnatic-music-concerts-stand-alone-without-the-violin/article67071685.ece

(From a 1974 concert)

It may also not be out of place to share a Dec. 2021 blogpost of mine on the creative and augmenting role of the piano in Carnatic music. The ideas in that blog may have salience to the issues raised and rebutted in this blog.

Accompianist

S. Krishna Kumar

6^th August, 2023

Bengaluru

Blogpost # 75