The Royal Collection of Mewar: Raga Kambhoji (Dhrupad) (Audio CD)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

By Dagar Brothers of Udaipur, Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinudin Dagar
Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar

Raga Kambhoji
The raga in this CD is Kambhoji a major south Indian raga that is a part of the Dagar repertoire along with other south Indian ragas like Kankangika. The structure of this raga affords ample scope for a Dagar style exposition with the use of subtle delicate ornaments like andolan, soot, sphurat and sapt gupt sapt pragat or the use of concealed (samvad). This is a difficult raga for the performer because there are many related ragas one could stray into.

The performances starts with a serene unhurried alap the perfect consonance with the tanpura unhindered by the disturbing presence of the harmonium. The presence of this instrument in some recordings of the senior Dagar brothers is surprising considering that their granduncle Ustad Zakiruddin Khan demonstrated the unsuitability of this instrument for Indian classical music at the Baroda Music conference in 1916 and the general disapproval of the Dagars for it, Ustad Riyazuddin Khan Dagar earned the ire of his family members for his penchant for playing the harmonium in his leisure though he never used it as an instrument of accompaniment in his singing.

The andolans on dhaivata with the use of Kaishiki nishad demonstrate mastery over the shruti ang, Ustad Moinuddin Dagar while illustrating this addresses Maharana Bhagwat Singhji and Says that while doing so the note does not break Samvad within the raga is still maintained. The alap is followed by the singing of a chautal composition. The lyrics used are from a poem of Ras Khan a sixteenth century sufi poet who wrote poems about Krishna bhakti.

Gems of Mewar Dhrupad
The most extraordinary artistes… first it is only a deep low sound which seems to come from the earth a slow pattern in very long sustained notes. This immobile song sweet and fervent calmly arises… the hands also awake accompanying the hymn with admirable gestures of prayer of offering and thanksgiving Jacques Longchamps Le Monde Paris 17-11-64

It became clear however that the singers formed their melodies from deep emotional submersion… they offered sounding meditations that affected strangely and deeply even those listeners who are not familiar with this kind of music Telegraf – Berlin 23-9-64

Of all forms only the noblest the highest and the purest can cross cultural barriers. This tour of Europe in the framework of biggest festivals and concert halls was a total triumph.

All Danielou on the r1964 tour to Europe