It will rain ragas this evening

July 29, 2014 01:05 am | Updated 01:05 am IST - Bangalore

PATNA, BIHAR, 04/02/2014: Padma Bhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia playing flute at a function organised by Spic Macay, in Patna on February 04, 2014.
Photo: Ranjeet Kumar

PATNA, BIHAR, 04/02/2014: Padma Bhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia playing flute at a function organised by Spic Macay, in Patna on February 04, 2014. Photo: Ranjeet Kumar

: Here is a Monsoon treat for music lovers in Bangalore. Flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, who is taking part in Banyan Tree’s ‘Barkha Ritu’ melodic festival on Tuesday evening at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, says: “Monsoons have a close connect with classical music and one waits for the whole year to present these ragas, that are specific to the season.”

The Banyan Tree included Carnatic Music into its Barkha Ritu-fold a few years ago, and the concert would begin with a monsoon special by vocalist Abhishek Raghuram, whose diversity in presentation is often described to be a torrential downpour of creativity. “Cloud, rainbow, thunder, lighting…I am hoping to express the picturesque rain,” says Mr. Abhishek.

“A melodic description of shower is much beyond the lyrics or the raga for me,” he adds.

The Hindustani genre specifically has Monsoon Ragas that is said to have originated when Rajputs and Mughals — who patronised musicians, dancers and painters at their courts — popularised certain melodic scales that suited the mood and theme of the season. Mia Tansen, the gem at Emperor Akbar’s court, mastered the Hindustani under his guru Swami Haridas and created his own melodies adding his name Mia to several of them.

Celestial melodies

His melodies were deemed celestial when he sang scales as Megh, Megh Malhar and his own creations in Mia Ki Malhar.

It was also a time when poet Surdas too had created his Sur-Malhar. Madhu Malhar, Mishra Mel Malhar, Dhulia Malhar and the serene Goud Malhar are other varieties of the ‘Barkha Ritu,’ informs Pandit Chaurasia, who is all set to entertain Bangaloreans with tones of the Malhar raag this evening.

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