How do you say “Autumn Morning” in Raga language? Well…Lalit-Hemant is one way. I created this little melody (and wrote a quick bandish to serve memory) one such morning in Seattle. Much like a baker whips up something from ingredients at hand and is pleasantly surprised with the results, this jod-raga suggested itself perhaps based on the ragas playing in my mind, perhaps inspired by Kumarji’s Sohni Bhatiyar, perhaps something else…but hasn’t left me since. Encouraged by listeners in various baithaks I have debuted this, I am venturing to phone record my riyaz and share it with you here.
Shuddh Dhaivat Lalit is the base here, with phrases from Hemant in the Uttarang, notably the coy way in which the latter brings in the Pa.
Lalit-Hemant/ Addha/ Srivani Jade:
नींदरिया नहीं आवे री, श्याम तोरे दरस बिना, इक पल चैन ना आवे
जबसे देखी माधुरी मूरत, बिसरत नाही बिसारी, श्याम तोरे दरस बिना, इक पल चैन ना आवे
Photo below: The leaves were yellow outside my window, and among the many colorful spectacles of nature in my town, a man tending to his stone ‘garden’ ended up being one of my favorite images of the season. It was as if he was building a temple unto the season.
(c) Srivani Jade 2018. All Rights Reserved.