One song at a time - 40. Rasikaraja

(Ghantasala)

While the classical music purist frown when ragas are mixed, especially down south, we need to accept that sometimes this mixture does produce great music!! The mix happens in two ways. One by the introduction of alien notes. Second by mixing two ragas. Carnatic music is familiar with the introduction of alien notes into a raga, while mixing of two ragas is not looked at favourably. In Hindustani mixing two ragas is quite common.  Basant Bahar and Bageshree Kaanada come to mind. In Hindustani music they call it jod-ragas.

The song that we will hear today is one such mixture.  I am not sure if this raga exists in Hindustani music or it was creation of the music director, Pendyala. The raga takes Kaanada in its upward movement and Chakravaham in its descent.  It sounds lovely and this is a very popular song in Telugu. Music, as noted earlier, is by Pendyala, lyrics of Malladi and sung wonderfully by Ghantasala. 

This is one song in which you are not sure which of the participants you must praise. The music director for coming up with such a tune or the singer for executing this flawlessly. Perfect example of team work. This song does showcase the great talent that was Ghantasala.  Right from the initial aalapanai, he is in total control. The way he goes up Kaanada and the way he glides down Chakravakham can only be done a master.  And all the while keeping the melody intact.  The song calls for a complete grip on the ragam, the swarasthanams and the talam. And Ghantasala rises to the challenge as only he can. It is quite clear that Pendyala would never have tuned this way if he didn't have a singer like Ghantasala to execute it. No wonder Ghantasala inspired many music directors of those days. It is also undeniable fact that when Ghantasala sang a song, whoever be the music director, it would become a 'Ghantasala song'. Such was his musical personality.

(A few months back I was speaking to my friend Kamal Aakarsh, who told me that he hadn't heard this song and that shocked me. Kamal celebrated his birthday this week. This song is for him.)