194. Kajaraa Kaise Daaroo
Raag: Yaman / Kalyan
Taal: Jhoomra (14 beats)
Tempo: Ati-Vilambit
Devanagari:
कजरा कैसे डारूँ पिया नहीं आये मोरे मंदरवा ।
बिन पिया कजरा नाहीं भावे
नाहीं भावे मोतियन गजरा ॥
Romanized:
kajarā kaise ḍārū̃ pīyā nahī̃ āye more mandarvā
bin pīyā kajrā nāhī̃ bhāve
nāhī̃ bhāve motiyan gajrā
Composer / Gharana:
Lyricist : —
Composer: Ustad Amir Khan (attributed)
Gharana: Indore Gharana
Style: Ati-Vilambit Bada Khayal
Bandish Insights:
- This bandish is a classic example of Amir Khan Saheb’s ati-vilambit aesthetic, emphasizing meend, andolan, and long, meditative vowel extensions.
- The simplicity of the text allows for deep melodic exploration without rhythmic pressure.
- Often sung as an opening bada khayal before moving to a drut in Yaman or Aiman Kalyan.
Anecdote:
Amir Khan Saheb chose minimalistic, introspective lyrics for many of his vilambit compositions.
This bandish is especially admired for the way it lets the raag “breathe,” creating a meditative, inward mood typical of the Indore gharana.
Links to Listen (Available on YouTube):
Singer: Akbar Ali – Raag Aiman |
Posted by: Lahore Music Forum
Accompanists:
- Tabla – Anil Sunny
- Harmonium – Khairat Ali
- Tanpura – Ghulam Sabir
Singer: Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan
Posted by: Lahore Music Forum
Accompanists:
- Tabla – Riaz Ahmed
- Sarangi – Zohaib Hassan
- Harmonium – Aamir Bashir
- Tanpura – Nazeer Ahmed & Ghulam Sabir
Singer: Vijay Kumar | Posted by: SARGAM SANGEET VIDYALAYA | Bandish starts at: ‘3:35
Singer: Ustad Amir Khan | Posted by: Raju Asokan | Accompanists: Not listed (archival audio) | Notes: A benchmark recording for the Indore gharana vilambit style.
Singer: Dr. Prabha Atre | Posted by: Sundeep Dougal | Notes: Her version displays Kirana gharana aesthetic with delicate taans and bol-aalaap.
One of The Great Collector of choicest Hindustani Classical Performances is Mr Sundeep Dougal on Youtube. – His channel by his name is one of the best collection of Hindustani classical Music and more. In his Presentaion of This Bandish He has given the anecdote of Great Shantabai Gokhale about Prabha Atre ji’s Singing – which is as Follows: The utter sweetness of the voice – sweet, not as in cloying or girlish, sweet as in honey,” said writer-translator Shanta Gokhale. “The little surprising nuances she could bring in the rendering of her bandishes, smooth, fluent. One vilambit, I don’t even remember the raag – quiet, meditative, feeling around the syllables of every word, almost as though they were tactile. The image before my eyes was of a deep well, of dark but clear water. Because, besides being meditative, it was also deeply emotional. And cerebral too. It was an intriguing and totally compelling combination.”