After the scorching
summer heat, the monsoons bring much needed relief and joy to the capital city.The
best part it is the jun-july of every year the childish girl within me reminds
me that I am a monsoon child.
Being a bong I cannot
deny that I love Autumn.But somewhere within I am a monsoon child. The first rain, as we remembered was told to
us in our even younger days, settles the dust and impurities from the
sky above and should be avoided.But somehow the first rain is what I cannot
resist.The rain drenched streets and the dancing trees are the real monsoon
delight.
Rain drenched city and a cup of coffee never fails nomatter how hard the day be.
As the metro starts nearing the targetted destination , when you
look at the
canvas of the sky you will notice
the clouds painting the story of megh
malhar.
Malhar symbolises a raaga
of monsoon.According to some verses the indian classical music and the raagas are based
on seasons and philosophy that
relates the season cycle with different stages and feelings of human life.
”Mal-har” actually means washing
away the evil .
As I take a
look at the rain drenched city a part of my soul sings Malhar. There
are many variations of Raga Malhar, and are categorised chronologically based on the era of their composition
- prachina (before the 15th Century), madhyakalina (15th - 18th Century) and arvachina (19th Century and thence). Ragas
Shuddha Malhar, Megh Malhar and Gaud Malhar belong to the first period
Miyan
ki malhar is a
variation introduced by Tansen (one of the composers in the court of
the Mughal emperor Akbar), which follows the swaras: S R g m P D n N. Though Miyan ki malhar and Raga Bahar have the same tone material, the
melodic movements in Miyan ki
malhar are rather serious and
slow, moving more in the lower tetra-chord, whereas movements in Bahar are more
sprightly and centre around the high Sa.
I can relate malhar allot to the advent rain the alap and prelude is a lot more serious
as it stands as a symbol of the thunder while the melody part runs smooth
and goes towards the higher notes depicting the intensity of beautiful rain.
And my heart sings
Bijuri Chamake
Barase
Meharawa Aayilo Badariya
Ka Karun Maayi
Mora Jiyara Tarase
Ghan Garaje Ghan Bijuri Chamake
Papiha Pee Pee Ter Sunaawe
Ka Karun Maayi
Mori Jiyara Laraje
Nomatter how
much devotion we
have for Indian Classical Music ,we bongs kind of fail
to related most things unless they have
a strong connection with our very own
Robi Thakur’s Creation .
Whenever I listen
to Tagore’s song Jhoro Jhoro Borishe Bari Dhara I feel a strong touch of
Miya ki Malhar.
ঝরঝর বরিষে বারিধারা।
হায় পথবাসী, হায় গতিহীন, হায় গৃহহারা ॥
ফিরে বায়ু হাহাস্বরে, ডাকে কারে জনহীন অসীম প্রান্তরে--
রজনী আঁধারে॥
অধীরা যমুনা তরঙ্গ-আকুলা অকূলা রে, তিমিরদুকূলা রে।
নিবিড় নীরদ গগনে গরগর গরজে সঘনে,
চঞ্চলচপলা চমকে-- নাহি শশীতারা ॥
The beauty of
River Yammuna in Monsoon somehow remins me of a few lines from
the song
অধীরা যমুনা তরঙ্গ-আকুলা অকূলা রে, তিমিরদুকূলা রে।
নিবিড় নীরদ গগনে গরগর গরজে সঘনে,
CEASELESS is THE welter of rain that wearies the sky.
Alas for the forsaken! Alas for the homeless wanderer!
The shrieks of the wind die away in sobs and sighs.
What flying phantom does it pursue across the pathless wild?
The night is hopeless like the eyes of the blind.
Alas for the forsaken! Alas for the homeless wanderer!
The waves are frantic in the river lost in the shoreless dark.
The thunder growls, the lightning flashes its teeth.
The lights of the stars are dead.
Alas for the forsaken! Alas for the homeless wanderer!
- Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Being a monsoon child all I can say is
my love for Music and Rain somehow dedicate this blog to my readers .Its is just a random feeling penned down nothing
else .
