The influence of nature on the life of the rural wo/man is difficult to define. They, somehow, are so close to it. In the city, keeping deadlines and juggling various roles leaves us with little time for that. The monsoons are welcomed by the farmer while the urban dweller would agonise over the woes that come with it; traffic snarls, water-logging, overflowing drains and an all pervading stench of stagnant water!
Raga Deepak is considered to be the Raga that most aptly describes this season. This is the same raga that folklore associates with Sangeet Samrat Tansen. However, this raga is not sung anymore. The Ragas of the ‘Sarang’ family (Shuddh Sarang, Brindavani Sarang, Dhulia Sarang, Lankadahan, Madhmad Sarang, etc), that are afternoon Ragas, technically to be sung between 12 noon and 2 p.m., are believed to appropriately bring out the feeling experienced by body, mind and soul.
For those interested in learning more about these Ragas do visit
Like most other things, we try to limit the role that a season plays in our life. The fashion designer would be concerned about the colours, fabric and style that would best ‘clothe’ a particular season; a homemaker would look at the cuisine ideal for the season; a doctor would be concerned with the season-specific illnesses….
Here, I would like to take you through the cycle of the seasons from a musical perspective, particularly Hindustani Classical music.
‘Grishma’, the summer season - a season associated with the scorching sun, a parched throat and tanned complexion! The influence of this season on the mind is peculiar; the mind experiences a ‘thirst’ and is tired, maybe, in keeping with the demands the season has on the body. Like the tired mind and body, the soul, too, seeks a shelter from the sweltering heat; a place of comfort that would keep the heat away and provide a place for some quite contemplation.
This clip in Raga Brindavani Sarang, rendered by Smt. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande
“Ho mora jiya bekal hota, sakhi re,
Aaj hoon nahin aaye baalam;
Beetata nahin ghari pal chin mohse,
Rahun karat bichar kahe nahin aaye balam…”
captures so beautifully the desire for comfort…….
For those interested in learning more about these Ragas do visit
4 comments:
Interesting concept! Each post seems to offer a different and more contemporary perspective to a classical form of music. Nice!
A more in-depth explanation as to why the Sarang family of Ragas are considered to be expressive of the season would have been nice.
Well written posts, I must add!
Very nice. Though it is commonly known that Raga Deepak is associated with fire/summer (thanks to movies on Tansen), it would be interesting to read the other Parts in these series. The widgets help in better understanding the thought.
Your posts have a wonderful flow in them. I especially liked the fact that they do not get into too much of technical aspects.
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