Guest article by Subodh Agrawal
(Pilu is one of the most popular Ragas in Hindi film music. Naturally, many songs based on Pilu have appeared on SoY, and some interesting discussion has taken place about KL Saigal being mesmerised by SD Burman’s ‘Ami chhinu eka’, and speculating which of his song it was similar to. Now, our expert Subodh writes a formal article on the Raga, in which he discusses the best film songs based on this Raga and some fine classical pieces. It comes after a long wait, which I can ascribe to Writer’s Block. Let us hope that 2015 would see more from him. – AK)
I have been rather lazy about writing this article. The list of songs was ready months back, but I just couldn’t get down to writing. What spurred me into action is the realization that it is nearly a year since the last article of this series. My apologies to AK and to the amiable readers of SoY whose comments are something I always treasure.
As I begin this article my mind goes back to Anuradha Warrier’s beautiful article on Rain Songs on her blog. Let me quote “The rains are here… And with it comes the smell of freshly dampened earth. ‘Puthu mannu’ we call it, a smell that cannot be described; it has to be experienced. It is the smell that assails your senses when the parched earth eagerly drinks in the first drops of the first monsoons…” The smell of freshly dampened earth – mitti ki sondhi khushbu, as we say in Hindi – has long been a metaphor for folk art and music. If there is one raga from the North Indian repertoire that is inseparably linked in my mind to this earthy smell, it is Pilu. There are other ragas with strong folk roots: this series has already covered Pahadi, Desh and Tilak Kamod; but for me Pilu is the one that truly captures the mood evoked by this earthy smell, possibly because it is the raga of the Gangetic plain, where the summers are long and severe, and the rain – when it comes – comes in torrents.
I will stick my neck out in writing this article. Despite the title of ‘expert’ in classical music conferred on me, I am quite aware of the limits of my knowledge. I generally don’t include a song in my list unless I have independent confirmation of the raga from a reliable source: usually www.chandrakantha.com or www.parrikar.org. However, in my list for Pilu I am including some songs for which I don’t have such confirmation. I could be wrong – as I have been in case of Mohe panghat pe nandlal chhed gayo ri which is Gara, not Pilu. I will be very happy to be corrected by knowledgeable readers if I make any mistake.
Pilu is used extensively in folk songs of UP and Bihar. Many of the traditional wedding songs of this region are based on Pilu. Let me present, as a prelude to the list, a fragment from the film Sara Akash (1969), as it captures the traditional movement better than any other clip I could locate. This very tune was later developed into a full song for the film Dushmani (1995):
Now for the list:
1. Pinjre de vich qaid jawani by (Baby) Noorjehan from Gul Bakavli (1939) music by Ghulam Haider
Noorjehan was only 13 when she sang for this movie, but she already commanded top billing as the poster shows. I came across this gem on Richard S’s blog ‘Dances on the Footpath’. Thank you Richard.
2. Prabhuji tum raakho laaj hamari by Kanan Devi from Hospital (1943), lyrics Pt Madhur, music Kamal Dasgupta
This song is a pleasant discovery while researching this article. I had heard many other songs by the great Kanan Devi, but not this one. So I got my reward even before I wrote the article!
3. Ri gori, Kahe guman kare by KL Saigal from Tansen (1943), lyrics Pt. Indra, music Khemchand Prakash
This song by the incomparable Saigal-Khemchand Prakash duo stays very true to Pilu as heard from regular classical singers. Saigal’s songs are usually the oldest in lists that figure on SoY. Pilu’s timeless appeal has ensured that he makes an appearance at number 3.
4. Paa lagoon kar jori re by Lata Mangeshkar from Aap ki Seva Mein (1947), music by Datta Davjekar
There have been claims that this is the oldest film recording of Lata Mangeshkar. There was a discussion on SoY which belied this claim. This song has a mix of many ragas, but the part ‘Shyam mose na khelo hori’ distinctly evokes Pilu.
5. Dheere se aa ja ri ankhiyan mein by Lata Mangeshkar (solo) and Lata and Chitalkar (duet) from Albela (1951), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music C Ramachandra
There are two excellent loris in Pilu, both duets: this one and Chandan ka Palna, resham ki dori. I had a tough time deciding between the two, but then I opted for this one because of the comparative rarity of the Chitalkar version. The movement at the end of the line ‘… aa ja ri aaja’ is something extremely difficult to manage even for an accomplished singer – the way the second ‘aa ja’ trails off in Lata’s voice. One little doubt – what kind of person sings a lori while driving? AK may also note that this is one song in which the female version trumps the male one in terms of recall!
6. Main soya ankhiyan meeche by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Phagun (1958), lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi, music OP Nayyar
Madhubala is the queen of romance and there is no dearth of songs in which her presence lights up the screen with her own mix of mischief, innocence and sensuality. If I were to pick two songs that best represent her in a leisurely romantic mood, I would always pick this one and Beimaan tore nainawa which is also set in a folk based raga – Pahadi. The setting of the two songs is very similar, with a haystack providing the backdrop. I had first seen this video clip on Doordarshan in the days before the internet, and it stayed with me on the strength of that one viewing. Thanks to the internet we can see it any time now.
7. Tere pyar ka aasra chahta hoon by Mahendra Kapoor and Lata Mangeshkar from Dhool ka Phool (1959), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi, music N Dutta
Pilu is at its playful best in this nok-jhonk song. Rajendra Kumar and Mala Sinha, neither of them among my favourite actors, have done an excellent job on screen. The lyrics of this song – a part of them at least – have a special place in my life. ‘Hasino se ahad-e-wafa chahte ho, bade nasamajh ho ye kya chahte ho’ has been my mool-mantra in dealing with hasinas through my life, along with another equally important couplet ‘Hasino se to bas sahab salaamat door ki achchhi, na inki dosti achchhi na inki dushmani achchhi’. I have followed this mantra quite faithfully – the sole exception being the lady who deigned to marry me.
8. Dheere se gagri utaar by Lata Mangeshkar from Zindagi aur Hum (1962), lyrics Shiv Kumar, music Roshan
This song has figured earlier on SoY in AK’s post on Lata Mangeshkar songs by Roshan. That’s where I first noticed it, and it joined the ever growing list of old gems that I discovered thanks to this blog. How can such beautiful songs be forgotten?
9. Tere bin soone nain hamare by Rafi and Lata from Meri Surat Teri Aankhen (1963), lyrics Shailendra, music SD Burman
As musicals go this film was right there at the top. One would be hard put to choose the best song out of the amazing repertoire created by SDB. This duet is as good a choice as any other. It is interesting how SDB has used Rafi and Manna Dey for different songs, building on the strengths of each for the individual nuances of the particular song. It is hard to imagine Manna Dey in this song, or Rafi in Puchho na kaise.
10. Ab ke baras bhej bhaiya ko babul by Asha Bhosle from Bandini (1963), lyrics Shailendra, music SD Burman
Another great musical by SD Burman. I had initially kept this song out of my list because it had figured prominently in AK’s post on Asha Bhosle songs, and generally one avoids repeating songs. But this one proved too beautiful, too evocative to leave out. Two other folk based ragas – Pahadi and Mand – excel in depicting the mood of longing and separation. Pilu – along with other folk ragas of the Ganges valley like Khamaj, Desh and Tilak Kamod – does quite well in presenting a playful and joyous mood. However, it doesn’t lag behind in depicting loneliness and yearning, as this song amply attests.
Let me mention a few more songs before I move to the classical pieces – Maine shayad tumhe pahle bhi kahin dekha hai, Kaali ghata chhaye mora jiya tarsaye, Apni kaho khuchh meri suno, Pi ke ghar aaj pyari dulhaniya chali, Sur na saje kya gaoon main, Zindagi khwab hai, Jhoole mein pawan ke, Kaisa jaadu balam tumne dala, Dhadakte dil ki tamanna ho, More saiyan ji utrenge paar and so many more.
Before moving to the classical pieces I present a traditional wedding song by an amateur group. It is worth buying the album ‘Wedding Songs of Uttar Pradesh’ by Shubha Mudgal to hear the professional version of this and many other wonderful wedding songs. The owners of the album have been quite zealous in removing their songs from YouTube and other music sharing sites.
I begin the presentation of classical pieces with a thumri by Girija Devi. I need not say anything by way of introduction, as this job has been done by Ustad Shujat Khan in the video:
Pilu is normally used for light classical compositions like thumri, dadra, kajri, chaiti, holi etc. I haven’t come across a full-fledged classical recital in this raga by a vocalist. Instrumentalists, the best of them included, have however used it to present in full length pieces. Here is Amjad Ali Khan on his sarod:
The next piece must be a very rare one: a jugalbandi by Vilayat Khan and Ali Akbar Khan. Both Ustads have lovingly explored all nuances of this raga at leisure. An ideal piece for students of music to learn this raga:
When people compare Vilayat Khan and Ravi Shankar they say that Vilayat Khan’s music is much closer to vocal, he is more lyrical. In this piece, however, Ravi Shankar excels in presenting the lyrical beauty of Pilu. Those who don’t have time to hear the entire piece may skip to 19:24 for the ‘drut’ part. It is something amazing!
I close with this amazingly beautiful thumri by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. In just over three minutes the Ustad has explored the entire range of Pilu and left nothing out. Whatever Pilu can do has been done in this short piece:
Acknowledgement:
The painting used as thumbnail in this article is done by Renu Agrawal, the lady who ‘deigned’ to marry Subodh – Lucky Man! My grateful thanks, Renu, and welcome to SoY – AK.