Raag Kaushik Dhwani a.k.a Nusrat Saab's crazy thaan at the end of Afreen Afreen
There are iconic songs and in rare cases, they even have sections that are iconic. This was my first introduction to Kaushik Dhwani, then came YouTube.
It’s 1996, and this banger track drops across all television & radio stations in India. It’s a collaboration between two legends, Double Padma winner Javed Akhtar and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahib. Whether I listened to the song on the radio first or at a friend’s home, I don’t remember, but I clearly remember the day I watched the video. I was 13 and ripe for indoctrination. Along comes this strangely biblical video of a man wandering the desert, with glimpses of the gorgeous Lisa Ray, and ends with her in poses mirroring Christ the Redeemer, mixed with Nusrat Sahab’s signature style going about his crazy run of notes. I don’t have a term for it, but Gen-Z calls this a core memory.
Most of the song is famously not in the raag, though. I’m not certain what it is, but it is very Bilawal or Khamaj inspired. For the thaans, he picks a subset, possibly to create the effect of scarcity, which is what is picturized.
Let’s talk Kaushik Dhwani or Kaushik Dhaani.
Raga Bhinna Shadaj is mentioned in ancient treatises, such as Matanga‘s Brhaddesi (9th C) and Sarangdeva‘s Sangeeta Ratnakara (13th C). Deciphering its ancient descriptions and aligning them with modern practice is an intricate task.
- Parrikarji on Bhinna-Shadaj (this scholarly article I highly recommend reading)
Aaroh - Avroh
SGMDNS
SNDMGS
Ma - vadi
Sa - Samvadi
Based on the scale, a audav-jati (5-note) one, and Gandhar, Dhaivat and Nishad are equally important and serve as Nyaas staans (places you can rest).
This raag is also referred by many names, I assume owing to it’s origins being ancient, and every local sub-culture interpreting it their own way. Raag Kaushik Dhwani is also called.
Raag Hindoli
Raag Audav Bilawal
Raag Bhookosh
Raag Bhavkosh
Raag Bhavkauns
Let’s look at a few unmissable songs. But before that,
Songs & performances to listen to
Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan singing a flawless madhyalaya - Lagana mori laagi
“Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan were born in the heartland of Punjab at Shamchaurasi, district Hoshiarpur, both belonged to a family of traditional musicians representing the Shamchaurasi gharana. It is claimed that the gharana was founded in the 16th century by Mian Chand Khan and Mian Suraj Khan who were contemporaries of Mian Tansen at the court of Mughal emperor Akbar. Prior to the emergence of Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan and Ustad Salamat Ali Khan as exponents of khayal, the gharana specialised in the dhrupad form of singing and was particularly renowned for its tradition of duet performances known as jugalbandi. Mian Karim Bukhsh Majzoob, Ustad Ahmed Ali Khan, Ustad Niaz Hussain Shami, and Salamat Ali Khans father Ustad Vilayat Ali Khan were some of the illustrious members of the Shamchaurasi gharana”
Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Sahab’s eternal classic Thumri - Yaad piya ki aaye
Finally, we end with this piece from Parrikarji’s archive of Ganasaraswati Kishori Amonkarji’s rendetition - ud ja re kaaga, le gayo re sandesva
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