{"id":4208,"date":"2018-04-26T00:22:36","date_gmt":"2018-04-25T18:52:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=4208"},"modified":"2018-04-26T12:21:35","modified_gmt":"2018-04-26T06:51:35","slug":"rhythms-shankar-jaikishan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/rhythms-shankar-jaikishan\/","title":{"rendered":"Rhythms of Shankar Jaikishan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ghar\u00a0aaya mera pardesi, pyas bujhi mere ankhiyan ki<\/em><\/h2>\n
\"SJ,

What a team! Hasrat Jaipuri, Jaikishan Raj Kapoor, Shankar and Shailendra – the coming together of amazing talents in perfect symphony (Pic: Cinema Sangeet)<\/p><\/div>\n

Film: Awara <\/em>(1951)
\nLyrics Shailendra
\nSinger: Lata Mangeshkar<\/p>\n

Raag: Bhairavi
\nTaal: Keherwa<\/p>\n

This dream sequence in Raj Kapoor\u2019s Awara <\/em>is the first of its kind in Hindi cinema, with fog and clouds.<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s look at the instrumentation used.\u00a0 The Dholaki played by Lala Gangwane in this song marked his entry as a musician of high calibre and he went on to become a part of the Shankar Jaikishan team. Dattaram played the Dholak. And you have the Group Lead and Rhythm Violins, Big Duff, Manjiras, Mandolin, Triangle, Tablas, Dhol and Chorus (as apart\u00a0of the rhythm pattern also).<\/p>\n

SJ has infused emotions into the arrangement and the on-screen play out, starting with a long alaap by Lata backed up only by a\u00a0Chorus. The Manjira and a Big Duff enhance the feeling of longing. Radhu Karmarkar’s camera captures all of this between the fog of\u00a0uncertainty, which lifts as Nargis bends down to help Raj rise.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The fog of\u00a0uncertainty lifts as Nargis bends down to help Raj rise.<\/p><\/div>\n

Notice the significance of the costumes. All along Raj is in complete black and Nargis is in white, depicting the contrast between despair\u00a0and hope. Interestingly, there are two sets of chorus dancers, one group wearing largely black attire\u00a0and other wearing largely white. Initially, the\u00a0ones in black are in the forefront and towards the end the whites come to the forefront,\u00a0reflecting the changing situations in the romance. That’s\u00a0Raj and Radhu Karmarkar in their glory.<\/p>\n

The arrangement is superior with the Dholaki and its range of variations. One cannot help notice the\u00a0excellent Laggis surrounding the score. One such example you can hear at 2.04\u00a0just after\u00a0\u201cab dil tod ke mat jana <\/em>and in between roti chhod ke mat jaana<\/em>\u201d. A set\u00a0of 4 Laggis, dhirdhirgat ta<\/em>… \u00a0dhirdhirgat ta<\/em> exemplify fabulous finger work and timing.<\/p>\n

The postlude and closure are one of the best in rhythm and arrangement. The Violins dominate all the way with excellent Tremolo’s and\u00a0Arpeggios alternatively with the entire ensemble of percussion in a frantic state. Just listen to the Dholaki between 3.08 till 3.13 backing up the\u00a0Chorus \u201cOoooo…\u201d. \u00a0The song ends in a brilliant\u00a0crescendo.<\/p>\n

Shailendraji’s lyrics hit upon the heart, starting with a feeling of longing and despair and rising up to hope and happiness.<\/p>\n

Ghar\u00a0aaya\u00a0mera pardesi \u00a0<\/em>
\npyaas bujhi meri akhiyan ki<\/em>
\ntu mere man ka moti hai<\/em>
\nin nainan ki jyoti hai<\/em>
\nyaad hai mere bachpan ki<\/em>
\nghar\u00a0aaya\u00a0mera\u00a0pardesi<\/em><\/p>\n