International Research Journal of Management Sociology & Humanities ISSN 2277 – 9809 (online) ISSN 2348 - 9359 (Print) An Internationally Indexed Peer Reviewed & Refereed Journal Shri Param Hans Education & Research Foundation Trust www.IRJMSH.com www.SPHERT.org Published by iSaRa Solutions IRJMSH Vol 10 Issue 6 [Year 2019] ISSN 2277 – 9809 (0nline) 2348–9359 (Print) !! The mutual exchange of style Between vocal and plucked instrumental music in the Khayal-era of Hindustani Classical music !! Dr. Manimala Bandyopadhyay Khayal is a type of musical composition which was created following the characteristics of the ancient ‘Prabandhas’. This Khayal was created by Ameer Khasru with the help of the ‘Kabal’ or Muslim Singers in the beginning of 14th century, which again was transformed to ‘Kawali Khayal’ or ‘Sudh Khayal’ by the influence of Sultan Hussen Sharki of Jounpur at the end of 15th century.1 During the reign of Muhammad Shah Rangile (A.D 1719-1748), newer and lighter types of music like Khayal, Thumri, etc. were introduced in the Mughal Court, although Dhrupad was still sung and practiced but not in its earlier glory as during the reign of Akbar. The great musician Nyamat Khan ‘Sadaranga’ is said to be the founder of the Khayal Style. Sadaranga Composed many Khayal but he himself sang only Dhrupads. 2 With the advent of this new era of Khayal the Dhrupad singers of the Mughal Court had to settle mainly at Mathura, Vrindaban, Rampur, Jaipur, Varanasi, Indore, Vishnupur, Dwarbhanga, Lukhnow etc. Then after the Collapse of the Mughal Empire and the advent of the British Rule, the Khayal singers also had to take refuge to the independent Courts of Lukhnow, Delhi, and Jaipur etc. In these places they established schools of music which found good nurturance from the progeny and their growing number of pupils. Because these schools emanated from particular families, these were called ‘Gharana’ meaning House or Family. During The 1st half of 20th Century Khayal gained more popularity and became extremely popular in the Second half of 20th Century onwards. 3 Pandit Ravishankar has remarked in his book ‘Rag Anurag’ that with the growing popularity of Khayal, the popularity of Sitar, Sarod, Sarangi and Tabla also increased to a great extent. The instrumental ‘Gats’ of Khayal style were first introduced in Sitar. Masid Khan of Rababi Gharana first introduced the Vilamvit Gats in Dhima Trital and this style was called ‘Masid Khani Gats’. After some time ‘Gats of Madhya Laya and Drut Laya were introduced by Reza Khan of Lukhnow. Playing Thumri in Sitar was first introduced by Imdad Khan. According to him whatever he and pt. Ali Akbar have played during the last forty years are all based on Songs with the exception of ‘Bol’ and ‘Jhala’. 4 International Research Journal of Management Sociology & Humanity ( IRJMSH ) Page 211 www.irjmsh.com IRJMSH Vol 10 Issue 6 [Year 2019] ISSN 2277 – 9809 (0nline) 2348–9359 (Print) The musicians of this age, especially the instrumentalists, used to mix different style of Khayal along with the Dhrupad style and thus the technique and ‘Baj’ of the instrumental music became richer in the style. In old days almost all the Sitar Players got their training from ‘Beenkars’ and Dhrupad Singers. On the other hand Sitar playing was greatly influenced by Khayal and Tarana. Therefore, the conclusion remains that almost all the branches of Vocal music had immense influence on the instrumental music. 5 Sri Bimal Mukherjee has remarked in his book “Indian Classical Music Changing Profiles that '' The impact of Khayal on Sitar has been very great indeed. And it is this, perhaps, which can explain the very quick metamorphosis of the old traditional baaz in the last 70/80 years or so with the more recent trends of Khayal music. In one word, the emphasis gradually shifted from the right hand to the left hand making possible rendering of swift passages, phrasas, tanas and adding to melodic beauty of Sitar playing in practically all the departments. This brings us to a rather controversial subject namely the playing of the "Gayaki Ang" on Sitar and claims made by several masters as having introduced this in Sitar playing. One basic point that seems to have been missed is that the source of all instrumental music including the Bin is the human voice as expressed in gayaki. Every instrument, of course, has developed its technique and specialities. But does not every instrumentalist play what he is singing within himself? How can one really differentiate, Segregate or divorce gayaki from the music played on instruments? That is why every Binkar had to be a reasonably good Singer of Dhrupad and Alap that is why the good Sitar players have to have a sound training in vocal music. If this gayaki has always existed in instrumental music why give it a new caption? The truth perhaps appears to be that Sitar is tending to become all gayaki, a replication of all that the voice does. No doubt this opens up new vistas of innovation. But what about the Sitar's own distinctive baaz? And so the golden via media lies in judiciously combining gayaki with tantrakari in the playing of Sitar. What we now see today is a great fascination for the complex, tanas of the voice being replicated on the Sitar and almost an obsession with speed and tayari. Must a musician turn into a machine or remain human with an urge for melody and the Sublime? After a point, every innovation however captivating turns out to be counterproductive. And once again we have to get drawn back into the basics and melody which emerged from the womb of Musical creation. 6 Dr. Sharmistha Sen remarks about Masidkhani Baj, that while Khayal as a musical was gaining popularity, the later senias could not remain unaffected by its impact on instrumental music, Fiqure Bandi, Which Was a characteristic Khayal technique, was introduced to the Sitar.It consisted of a small ‘toda’ employing a variety of bols played with great gusto at the close of the ‘Gat’. According to Pt. Sudarshanacharya fast todas played in a zig-zag pattern in the gat technique of Sitar is called Fiqre -bandi and this was derived from khyal or Kawali. The senias invariably avoided the use of single-note tanas which are so popular with the sitar players today. They excelled in the use of bol-tanas which gave them full scope for displaying mastery of the right- hand technique. In boltanas, the Mizrab or the plectrum plays an important part. It may not be out of place to make a brief mention of kulfidar-tanas of the senias, in this context. Usually International Research Journal of Management Sociology & Humanity ( IRJMSH ) Page 212 www.irjmsh.com IRJMSH Vol 10 Issue 6 [Year 2019] ISSN 2277 – 9809 (0nline) 2348–9359 (Print) played after the Fikras, these kulfis, unlike the Fikras, were longer and sometimes covered the entire range of finger-board. The usual practice was to conclude these tanas with a brief pause on Tar Sa, Madhya pa and madhya Sa. The Maseet khani Baj of the latter senias followed the following broad patterns: After all the four movements of the gat been played, the artiste is required to attempt a few gat-vistara. This is followed by what is known as Gat - upaj which to all intents and purposes is like Gat - Vistara, but gives the artiste a latitude for more imaginative elaboration of the raga without jeopardizing the structural contour of the original gat. This is followed by Fikras and kulfis. Some players of the traditional senia school also perform on the Sitar same angas like Ladi, Lad - lapet, Lad - guthao etc. of the veena before concluding their recital. It is evident that in Maseetkhani Baj, Alap was derived from Dhrupad Alap, Jod from Veena and Sthai, Antara, gat toda and Fiqre- bandi from khyal. 7 Bimla kanta Roy Choudhury has remarked in his book ‘ Bhartiya Sangeet Kosh’ that the Masidkhani Baj is known as ‘Pacchao ka Baj’ Masid Khan composed Vilamvit Gats suitable for playing on Sitar following the style of Vilamvit Khayal. 8 The contribution of Imdad Khan in Case of instrumental music is unparalleled, because it was he who made many different experiments to take the instrumental music to a special level. Born in 1848 A.D he brought many important changes in his own technique of Sitar playing by learning from many Ustad. At that time the Masidkhani Gats were played mainly in Dhrupad Style. He was the pioneer in mixing the Dhrupad and Khayal style in a unique manner and also introduced the Khayal style Alap in Surbahar. He also introduced different types of Tans used in Vocal music and many Boles, Tukra, Parans,Tihais of Tabla and Pakhwaj in Sitar playing. It was he who gave a full-proof picture and formula of Sitar playing, which is followed by the Sitarists of the modern times. Wahid Khan and Inaet Khan, the son of Imdad Khan, got their ‘Talim’ from their father and their performances were influenced by vocal music style. 9 Peter Manuel said in his book "THUMRI IN HISTORICAL AND STYLISTIC PRESPECTIVE" that "Imdad's sons, Wahid Khan (1865- 1961) and Inayat Khan (1894- 1938) perpetuated their father's style and enhanced it with further vocal influence, particularly fast single note tans. Inayat Khan in particular is credited by some with the introduction of the "gayaki" style. Imdad and Inayat Khan both supplemented their father's instruction with further training form vocalists. He again said in the same book that "The Sitar discs are the earliest recorded examples of Raza Khani gats, they reveal, on the other hand, the strong influence of the bandish thumri in the gat itself, the imitation of syllabic text delivery, the occasional use of tan, and the emphasis on layakari.