This appeared in the Splainer in February 2023
In Hindustani classical Music, there are specific ragas that are sung at specific times of the day. There is an elaborate system of classification that starts with predawn/post midnight ragas – ragas like Sohini, and concludes with midnight ragas – ragas like Malkauns. The clock changes every few hours (usually two or three) and there is a new set of ragas for our listening pleasure. Last week’s Bhairavi is a dawn raga. And, this week’s Puriya Dhanashree is a raga sung at dusk.
The nature of dusk, is that it falls between the end of the day, and the beginning of night, and the dusk ragas have that ambiguity about them. They can be contemplative or pensive, it can fill with longing or desire, or it can be purely spiritual. And, sometimes it can be all of it.
Puriya Dhanashree in the Movies
In the film Rangeela, AR Rehman plays on all these emotions to come up with a song that is unforgettable. Hai Rama Yeh kya huva – is a sensuous, contemplative, and an intense song that stays seared in the memory for a lifetime.
Rehman returns to Puriya Dhanashree again in 1947 Earth – with Rut Aagayi Re. Rehman’s fascination with Puriya Dhanashree possibly comes from the fact that the raga is very popular in Carnatic Classical Music too – known as Pantuvarali, and Rehman is deeply steeped in the musical tradition of the South. In fact he had created a song In Pantuvarali that suspiciously sounds like the song he created for 1947 Earth.
Puriya Dhanashree has not just been used by Rehman, but by a host of other music directors. Popular songs include the contemplative meri sason ko mehka rahi hai, the intense Labon se choom lo from the film Aashta and many more.
Instrumental
Puriya Dhanashree is not an easy raga to master, but when played well it is a beautiful raga to listen. And this probably explains why it is so very popular on the concert circuit. Amongst the most beautiful renditions of the raga was the late great Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, with Ustad Zakir Hussain. Here is another great instrumental performance, this one by Pandit Ravi Shankar –
Vocal
One of the first classical pieces I heard based on Raga Puriya Dhanashree was Bhimsen Joshi singing the raga, live in concert. In fact it was one of his favourite ragas, and you will find many of these recitals on Youtube. The nature of Hindustani Classical Music is that no two recitals sound the same. There are those in which he sounds playful and flirtatious. There are others in which he sounds contemplative. And, yet others in which he sounds almost melancholic and sad.
The Khayal in Puriya Dhanashree
A khayal essentially means a thought. And when a master vocalist sings a Khayal she is usually exploring the raga in detail, and stretching it to its limits. One of the greatest living proponents of the khayal is Begum Parveen Sultana of the Patiala Gharana. The range at which she can explore the notes of the scale is on a different plane of consciousness. This is her with a superlative exploration of the thought that is Puriya Dhanashree. Another sublime exploration of the raga is the brilliant Pandit Mukul Shivputra – someone who prefers the solitude of his ashram to the bright lights of the concert hall to practise his music.
To end this piece two very different songs – a love song that turns into a lament – Fariha Pervez with a sweet composition based on Puriya Dhanashree. And, pandit Jasraj with a lovely bhajan in the raga –
Playlist
- Hai Rama yeh Kya Huva – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wPsx84LPag
- Rut Aagay Re – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7xezSp-fy4
- Macha Machiniye – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1XOSjQ7mJA
- Meri Saason ko Jo Mehka Rahi Hai – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAYYzuqph5I
- Labon se Choom loon – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwJuiJpxpF0
- Instrumental – Shiv Kumar Sharma and Zakir Hussain – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-QwyuM8wvg
- Pt Ravi Shankar – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBaU83GtXGI
- Bhimsen Joshi – Puriya Dhaanshree 1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FloM4iV-Lc&t=127s and 2 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1V6Rkm8MCA&t=13s
- Parveen Sultana – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2UJf5J462g
- Mukul Shivptura – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jERrOEXHads&t=1621s
- Fariha Pervez – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjBu1t6hJ88
- Pt Jasraj – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b75Of7ZKIDI