बाबा अँगनवा खिलावे ललनवा
मैय्या बरोठे झुलावे पलनवा
ललना की मोरे बलाएँ दूर ,
तेरी गली में बरसे नूर अल्लाह तेरी गली में बरसे नूर .......
“भारतीय संगीत में शास्त्रीय संगीत की महान परम्परा को हमारे संगीत में मौजूद
समृद्ध लोकसंगीत की परम्परा से ही महानता प्राप्त हुई है. लोकसंगीत की परम्परा से
ही शास्त्रीय संगीत की परम्परा का जन्म हुआ है. और वह उस की बदौलत बनी रह पाई है.
संगीत में शास्त्रीय परम्परा के प्रति निष्ठा में मैं किसी से पीछे नहीं हूँ,
लेकिन भारतीय लोकसंगीत प्रेमियों के बीच मैं इस संगीत के प्रति अपनी निष्ठा में
किसी से हरगिज़ पीछे नहीं रहना चाहूँगा. “
(अनिल बिस्वास)
This is a portion of the paper on ‘भारतीय
शास्त्रीय संगीत तथा लोकसंगीत की संपदा और फिल्मों में उसका उपयोग’ which
Anil Biswas presented in the seminar organized by Sangeet Natak Academy in
1957. He read the paper in English which was translated in Hindi By Shamsher
singh and the above quoted portion is
from this Hindi Translation.
In the same paper Anil Biswas latter
says that that India is a country of Temples and Fields . The music of Temples
has its roots in classical while the music of fields which are more connected
to the common man ( Janasaadhaaran ) always has the love for Loksangeet which
has local idiom and flavor both. And
because in Indian films both Temples and fields, Cities and villages, are part of the depiction and story line so the
nature of our film music is such that these two streams of music classical and
folk are there in plenty. Also we should understand this fact that the kind of
films we made, require both these genres
of music.
And those who know and have listened and enjoyed Anil Da’s songs can very well
see how true and faithful Anil Da remained to this belief and commitment to the classical and folk traditions of
Indian Music in his compositions.
Though he had a great flavor for both
classical and folk music in his songs but
his knowledge , command and approach to the folk music traditions of
India is something unrivalled in HFM.
Here I would also like to mention another aspect of Indian Music which is
constant interaction between folk and classical music from centuries. A folk
bandish or a folk song when sung by the hardcore classical exponents can easily
become a milestone in classical rendition. Also there is a whole genre of
semi-classical songs which are replete with folk traditions and folk songs.
But despite that interaction Indian Folk Music and traditions and songs has
their own personality when it comes to pure or as they say in folk language (
Khantee) folk with some distinct and easily identifiable features. The rustic flavor, lyrics depicting the
concerns, joys and sorrows of common man and woman of the land , the
powerful throw of singers voice , the
rural and rustic imagery and the kind of limited number instruments used ,a
Dholak or Dhol or Duf here and a set of Manjeera, khanjadee, khadtaal there with Harmonium and Ravan Hattha thrown
in many a times. In folk songs one may
also notice how certain word or a phrase will keep on recurring in form of a
call or a (teep) in a buland voice from the group of singers piercing through
the listeners and giving the song a distinct rustic and earthy touch and feel . Also various regions of India are replete
with their own genres of folk traditions , be it Kirtan from Bengal ,
Hori, Sohar, Jhoola Nautanki from UP , Alha Udal from Bundelkhand , the
list can go on and on and on...
What surprises me most about Anil Da’s folk songs is the kind of range he has
in folk traditions of India. At one place He could easily use folk music of
Punjab, U P , South, Bihar , Bengal in a single song seamlessly creating a
classy folk melody (kachhi hai uamariya ….)
at the second place he could easily convert a folk genre song in to semi
classical rendition by introducing the classical notes bereft of the rusticity
and earthiness of the folk ( Ka sang khelun faag ree…..) and at the same time
keeping the folk intentions of the lyrics intact not an ordinary task ! And for
a man from Bengal to know and understanding about the ‘Paipatta ‘ singing which
is practiced in a very limited part of UP and Rajasthan in Holi singing is
nothing short of a wonder . Anil da introduced this ‘Paipatta’ singing in a
sophisticated veiled way ,as in the original form it at times crosses the
boundaries of decency, in his Holi song in Raahi , the composition of which can
be a case study in folk music !
But Then if I go on discussing individual songs this post is going to become
somewhat unmanageable so let me mention some of Anil Da’s songs with distinct
features of folk and which are very dear to me as keep on listening these off
and on …
As I have written here some time back that Anil Da composed one of the most
authentic Sohar songs ,which is a distinct folk genre of UP BiharMP and
Rajasthan , in HFM in Aurat 1940 ‘ Ghoonghar wale hain baal mere lala ke…’ celebrating the ’ Chhatee’ after the child
birth. In the Muslim community of these areas also Sohar Songs were sung but
the ‘Chhatee ‘ was not celebrated as in the case of Hindu Families. In 1954 film Mhatma Kbeer AnilDa adopted a
tradition tune from these areas used in Sohar, and Banna and Banni songs (sung
in marriages ) and composed this beautiful Sohar song of Muslim Families listen it enjoy the flair which Anil da has
for the folk tradition of India as the lead song of this post.
In Aarzoo 1950 Anil Da not only composed but also sung a Nutanki style song
‘ Hamen maar chala ye khyaal ye gham na idhar ke rahe na udhar ke
rahe….’ , not the instrumentation and the style in which the he sings the
antara and visualize a Nautanki performance taking place before your eyes !
And then there is the Abhiman 1957 song
‘ Palla dori palla…..’ set in
Lavanee mode and a mix of Nautanki style
is kind of a fun song which has all those elements of a folk song , note the
use and adayagee of the words ‘ ae samhaal’ and ‘ phirrr’ by Anil Da himself
and you know how deeply he knew the finer and rustic nuances of folk music and
how well he could put these in the use to give the somg an authentic folk
personality !
And the epitome of Anil Da’s command on
the folk genre can be seen in the two Holi songs , one which he composed in
Mahatma Kabeer ‘ Holi hai be , siyavar
Ramchandra ki jai …..’ I am yet to come
across a Holi song in Toli style in rural India where the Toli of Holi
Hulladbaazi and the delicate singing of holi by womenfolk of the villages is
composed in better way than in this song.
होली है बे... :)
हे कद्दू काट मृदंग निम्बू काट मंजीरा
चहार ( चार) सुरैय्या मंगल गावे नाचे
बालम मेरा :) :)
भर भर मारे पिचकारी मोहे बालमा होली आयी
रे ......
Holi is a festival which not only celebrated with color and love but also sung
equally colorfully. And various shades and colors of Holi or Faag singing
outnumber the numbers of colors used in celebrating Holi.
The Radha -Krishna lore is a central motife of Holi and Faag singing and Hfm
and Non Film arena specially the non film , classical and light singing
arena of Hloi singing is a separate universe altogether where Holi singing
encompasses the realm of Romance and Spirituality with great musical beauty.
But Holi and Faag singing has a 'Hudadangi' motif also and this Hudadangi motif
runs equally deep in Indian Holi singing.
In HFM though many or if I may say almost every MD has explored these genres of
Holi singing and many of the songs are already here to enjoy. But the way Anil
Biswas explored the Holi and Faag genre in HFM has its own special place.
Though I wanted to share and explore some beauties from non film arena today
but then decided to share and explore one of Anil Da's masterpiece compositions
of Holi singing from Mahatma Kabeer a 1954 film. And it is not without reason
that I chose this song from his many compositions on Holi songs.
This song is kind of a case study in Holi or Faag singing on the occasion of
Hloi in small towns and kasba-s of India. This is typical Holi song where the
Hudangi Toli of man's way of Holi singing and the gentle and romantic Holi
singing and celebration by Women folk not only come together in a single song
but in a seamless and most realistic manner too.
Listen the song and see the picture taking shape in your mind through music and
lyrics where at the start of the song the listener can not only feel but can
become the part of a Hudadangi Toli of Holi Rasiyas who are having fnu and
teasing whosoever comes across, Not the collective call of 'Siyavar Ramchandra
Ki Jay ...' this motif is used to silence the opposition and the kind of angry
response by the teased person. And Just after this call a Holi Hudadangi saying
to the teased person ' Hloi hai Be....' i.e why mind freind it is Holi and
thereby making the teased person also a part of the Gang so the next moment
this teased soul becomes the teaser for other victims.
And Then after having this Hudadangi Fun in the streets of the village this
Toli reaches the residential Mohallla where the womenfolk of the village are
singing on the Thaap of Dholak and dancing by taking gentle circles with the
Rang And Gullal saying ' Bhar Bhar Maare Pichkaarii mora Baalmaa Holi Aayee
Re..' and the gentle and romantic Play of Combined Holi is on with rang and
Gulaal and Pichkaariis. And the intensity of the Rang from the pichkaari is so
that one feels as if Saawan has come in the Faagun and it is raining the rang.
And
the way Anil Da himselfe renders the funny and teasing part of the song is the
proof oh his great command and knowledge of Indian Folk Music !
There are very few songs in HFM which so completely gives such a vivid picture
of the celebration of the festival of Holi in its fine gentle romantic
flavor and at the same time in its truly rustic manner. It is one of
finest combination of Romance and Rusticity of the Holi singing ... !!
And finally the Holi song which Anil Da
composed in Jwaarbhaata 1944 ‘ sarara arara gao kabeer…..’ is kind of a
song which only a maestro like Anil Da could have composed , the way he brings
the ‘Alah Udal ‘ style of singing in the antara and then with the Harmonium and
by repeating the words Chali ae cahli aji chali … returns to a Khantee UP and
Bihari Holi is the kind of stuff of which melodious dreams are made of …. !!
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