03 May 2014, 10:24 AM IST
The next time you go to Delhi, take a stroll down to the final resting place of the thirteenth century poet and musician Amir Khusro and his spiritual guide Nizamuddin Auliya. Amir Khusro's description of Kashmir was eloquent. He described it the way a poet would.
Agar firdaus bar ru-e-zameen ast
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o, hameen ast
(If there is paradise on earth; it is this; it is this; it is this)
Amir Khusro is said to have given us the musical forms of Khayal, Tarana, Ghazal and Qawwali. Qawwalis are basically folk songs mixed with devotional music performed in the Sufi Dargah If you are in Delhi on a Thursday evening; go to Nizamuddin Auliya's shrine and you can listen to qawwalis composed by his disciple Amir Khusro, the man who is said to have crafted Raga Yaman. Some say the raga was originally named after the Persian "Ei'man" while others say it was named after the river Yamuna and eventually became better known as the evening raga Yaman. Many different composers have had a go at Yaman based songs. The purists will point that some songs are not pure forms of Yaman, but that's fine.
Here are my favorites.
Based on Raga Yaman, this track was composed by AR Rahman for the film Delhi 6 and was a tribute to the sufi saint. The lyrics by Prasoon Joshi are all about surrendering to the will of God. The song was shot at the grave of Amir Khusrow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA09HEGTzCU
Based on a Bengali story, Chittachakor by Subodh Ghosh, the film Chitchor ('76) had another gem in Raga Yaman composed by Ravindra Jain. For this song, he turns lyricist as well. The lyrics also remind us that Yaman is the raga that is sung when the first lamp of the evening is lit. The song "Jab deep jale has the voice of Yesudas and Hemlata.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_DddrABF0w
In 2010, Outlook India magazine asked 30 Indian leading composers, lyricists and singers to name their all-time favorite Hindi songs. This song from Chitralekha ('64) was voted as their top choice. Based on Raga Yaman, this song has lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi and was set to music by Roshan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSRN316hGFA
Raga Yaman evokes deep introspection at the end of the day and evokes a sense of anticipation of the evening ahead. If you thought it was only for spiritual songs, you are wrong. There are several romantic compositions in Yaman as well.
We had started this collection with a qawwali. How about a qawwali sung by Asha Bhosle from the Nutan-Raj Kapoor starrer Dil Hi To Hai (1963) done in Raga Yaman. Dil Hi To Hai has another Sahir-Roshan classic Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (based on the morning Raga Bhairavi).
For now watch Nutan on screen sing Nigahein Milane Ko Jee Chahta Hai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJU2tzawprw
Whenever I hear the opening music of Nigahein Milane Ko…, I am inevitably reminded of this song from Teesri Kasam that was composed by SJK. The film was based on a short story by Phanishwarnath Renu. The opening music and the mood are so similar. Maybe that's because this one is based on Yaman and sung by Asha Bhosle. Composed by Shankar Jaikishan this song was written by Shailendra, for Basu Bhattacharya's film made in 1966.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyhnIDiWSU8
If you had to hear Lata Mangeshkar do a perfect rendition of Raga Yaman, you have to think of a Madan Mohan composition. I would pick the song from the film Bahana (1960) Ja re badra bairi written by Rajinder Krishan who along with lyricist Raja Mehdi Ali Khan wrote some of Madan Mohan's best known songs. This song is a fabulous example of Yaman,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Ug4wlGYHo
Woh shaam kuchh ajeeb thhi from the film Khamoshi (1969)was written by Gulzar and set to music by Hemant Kumar. The film was a remake of Dweep Jele Jai, a Bengali film starring Suchitra Sen. Khamoshi was a Waheeda Rehman (who got a nomination for the Best Actress award by Filmfare), Rajesh Khanna starrer with a brief appearance by Dharmendra. The visual of Howrah Bridge in the background adds to the feeling of wistfulness that Yaman evokes in me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvblBQbmd9k
The film Pakeezah has a Yaman based composition by Master Ghulam Mohammad. The film Pakeezah was started in 1956-57 and got released in 1972. Imagine a film that started before Mughal-e-Azam was released and got released just before Sholay. This is a track based on Raga Yaman – mausam hai aashiqana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugpRuam-zz0
The film Saraswatichandra (1968) had Kalayanji – Anandji's hit composition Chandan Sa Badan. The lyrics were by Indeevar. This song brings out the romantic mood by Yaman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpKeOnowgPs
Raga Yaman has a sibling raga – Raga Yaman Kalyan which remains another favorite of composers. There is just one additional note that Yaman Kalyan has and the result is brilliant. The ghazal in Yaman Kalyan by Ahmad Faraz has been made immortal by Mehdi Hasan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRG2XJcmhDc
What is your favorite song based on Raga Yaman? Is it Rafi's Zindagi Bhar Nahi Bhulegi from Barsat Ki Raat (1960). Leave your comment
If you like Raga Desh then you must read this <click here>
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