The Empire of Todi
Rajan P. Parrikar Rajan P. Parrikar is a recognized expert on Indian Classical music and shares his knowledge freely with those interested in the subject.
He has written a series of articles on Classical Indian Music some of which have been archived on Sawf. Click here to read Rajan's earlier articles. |  |
Namashkar. With the heights of the Bhairav terrain scaled our onward peregrinations now bring into view the most profound, finespun idea in melodic music: Raganga Todi. The encomia splurged earlier on the Bhairav dynasty carry over pari passu to the Todi clan. As in the case of Bhairav, Todi denotes a thAT, a rAga and a rAgAnga and all the three converge in the expansive Raga Todi. From ecstasy to frolic to pathos to bathos to melancholy - the prism of Todi has the capacity to refract every conceivable human emotion. To renew Todi in the portals of the mind is to know and experience the delights of intellectual sport. The Raganga is so fundamental to our musical milieu that it would not be absurd to speak of a "Todi gene" in the socio-cultural biology of India.
Let M = shuddha and m = teevra madhyam.
Raganga Todi
We begin with an inquiry into the Todi Raganga. The scale of the Todi thAT corresponds to the 45th Carnatic melakartA Shubhapantuvarali: S r g m P d N. The Raganga Raga Todi is known variously as Miyan ki Todi, Shuddha Todi and Darbari Todi. The kernel of Raganga Todi is embodied in the following tonal strip:
S, r, r<->g, g, r, S
This poorvAnga-based prayoga contains the heart of Raganga Todi and is sufficient to establish the Raganga. Additionally, a strong (nyAsa bahutva) komal dhaivat in the uttarAnga rounds off the overall Raganga picture. The ucchAraNa (intonation and punctuation) of the intimate interaction between r and g is critical else Todi would be dead on arrival. These two swaras are manifested 'en suite,' establishing, so to speak, a symbiotic relationship within the local melodic ecosystem, mutually imparting and receiving kaNs. The movement r->g with a nyAsa on the gandhAr is vital and the reverse g->r lingers on the rishab before its eventual dissipation on S. The r<->g interchange accrues as a gradual transition with one swara evolving into the other and precipitates the 'Todi effect', a palpable uneasy sensation. The Todi anga and its ucchAraNa are beautifully illustrated by Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_todianga.ram The features of Raga Todi are now summarized: S, r<->g, g r, S
This represents the Raganga signature. g m d, N d, d m g r, g, r S
This movement highlights the nyAsa bahutva dhaivat and the langhan alpatva (skipped) nature of the pancham. S r g m P, P m d, d N d, P, dmgr, g
Here the pancham is shown as a nyAsa swara. The specific treatment accorded P is a function of the performer's background and taste. Some prefer a liberal use, others use it as a repose location in avarohi prayogas only to release tension following an uttarAnga foray. The madhyam and nishAd are always at hand but subordinate to the other swaras. The nishAd is sometimes brightened (deergha), especially in the mandra saptaka, and occasionally skipped (langhan alpatva) en route to the tAr shaDja: d, d S". In Gurjari Todi, the pancham is eliminated but the overall conduct hews to the Todi line. Some musicians suggest additional artifacts to distinguish it from Todi such as a stronger role for the komal rishab. In this article, Ragas Todi and Gurjari Todi will be bundled together for purposes of discussion and demonstration. This completes our overture. We have illuminated the central features and dispensed with the supporting details for there is only so much that can be effectively conveyed with the written word. The rasika will find a cornucopia of useful material in the audio banquet with which to probe further and strengthen her understanding. We kick-off with a user-friendly suite of 'light' pieces. They are called 'light' but there is nothing light about them. M.S. Subbulakshmi's chanting of Adi Shankara's stotras sets the ball rolling. The verses are tuned by Kadayanallur Venkataraman -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/mss_todi.ram The shabads in the Gurbani have an affinity for Todi. This one in the voices of Ajit Kaur and Co is tuned by K.S. Narula:
mAngo dAna ThAkura nAma - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/gurbani.ram Basavraj Rajguru's self-tuned rendition of Basavanna's Vacana:
mADi mADi - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/vacana.ram Lata Mangeshkar was born with extraordinary gifts, among them an unmatched felicity in Todi. Meerabai's bhajan is tuned by Hridaynath Mangeshkar:
nanda nandana - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/lata_meerabhajan.ram Tukaram's abhanga is set to music by Shrinivas Khale. Lata Mangeshkar:
AgA karuNAkarA - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/lata_abhang.ram We now unveil the filmi tableau. BAIJU BAWRA (1953, Naushad, Shakeel Badayuni) carried a Mohammad Rafi number:
insAn bano - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/baijubawra.ram Sardul Kwatra, a denizen of the Bay Area of San Francisco these days, is the tunesmith for this Lata muffin from PILPILI SAHAB (1954):
jaba tum hi hame - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/pilpilisahab.ram The Roshan and Sahir Ludhianvi combine brought to the table immense talentpower. This masterpiece was rolled out for TAJMAHAL (1963), again with the ubiquitous Lata:
kHudA-e-bartar - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/tajmahal.ram Manna Dey, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Bharat Vyas pool in for this SANT GYANESHWAR (1964) number:
jAgo re prabhAt AyA - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/santgyaneshwar.ram Another baton awash in classical music was Vasant Desai. From AASHIRWAD (1968), Gulzar's lyrics are delivered by Lata:
ek thA bachpan - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/aashirwad.ram The 1971 musical bonanza AMAR PREM had some classics, among them this quasi-Todi creation of R.D. Burman. The effortless forays in and out of Todi are ingeniously conceived. Lata Mangeshkar:
rainA beeti jAye - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/amarprem.ram When Lata refused to sing for MEERA (1979) several composers backed off and Gulzar found himself knocking on Ravi Shankar's door. The maestro pulled G's chestnuts out of the fire in a trice. The orchestral prelude to this Meerabai bhajan is haunting. Vani Jairam:
eri maiN to prem diwAni - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/meera.ram We now present a rare recording of a rare composition in a rare Todi prakAr, a specialty of the rare Khandwa Gharana. Khandwa's Khalifa, Pandit Kishore Kumar, was unanimously held up in the cosmos as the greatest singer of all time. Panditji is captured in a rare tAleem session in R.D. Burman's studio -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/lava.ram Lata and Hridaynath Mangeshkar divert the well-known Todi bandish of "Sadarang" towards Gurjari in LEKIN (1991):
jA re jA pathikavA - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/lekin_gurjaritodi.ram A jaunt down Noorjahan's nostalgic alley. The composer is Khurshid Anwar:
jis din se piyA - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/noorjahan.ram Jigar Moradabadi's Ghazal is tuned by Taj Ahmad Khan. Mohammad Rafi:
sAqi ki har nigAh pe - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/rafi_ghazal.ram This completes the 'light' round. We will be back after this short break -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jingle.ram Some of you have probably survived that orgy of giggles. I barely scraped through but not without a few scratches on my double helix. Indian women, please don't giggle like this.
Sir Vish Krishnan's consultation and assistance in the above compilation are gratefully appreciated. Ragas Todi and Gurjari Todi
We have lined up a dazzling array of Todi samplers in this section. The deep sonorous tones of Zia Mohiuddin Dagar's Rudra Been summon a magisterial ambience. "Shuddha Todi" is his faade for the well-worn Hindustani Todi (Shuddha Todi is an entirely different construct in the Carnatic paddhati). This clip resoundingly (pun intended) reveals Todi for the extraordinary aubade that it is -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/zmdagar.ram Asad Ali Khan, the most distinguished exponent of the Rudra Been works up another equally arresting scenario -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/asadalikhan.ram The Dhrupadiyas revel in Todi. Tansen Pande (1908-1963), son of Alla Bande Khan ('father' of the Dagar family) started out as Hussainuddin Dagar but in the 1940s returned to the Dharma of his forebears (the Dagars were Pandes to begin with). This is an old recording -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/tansenpande.ram The Darbhanga region of Bihar was once a hive of Dhrupad. Among its surviving representatives, Ram Chatur Mallick -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/ramchaturmallick.ram Another Bihari, also from Darbhanga, is Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang," the preeminent Hindustani vAggeyakAra and vidwAn. Jha-sahab sketches the famous vilambit Khayal of "Sadarang" which has its sam located on the pancham:
daiyyA baTa doobara bhayi -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_todi_vil.ram Jha-sahab's lament about the violence done to the lyrics gains in credibility as Bhimsen Joshi is found in flagrante delicto, amusingly enough with the same bandish. Bhimsen, of course, has mastered Todi like few others have -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/bhimsen.ram Gangubai Hangal with a traditional Khayal:
bAjo re - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/gangubai.ram I read a posting on rec.music.indian.classical (RMIC) that referred to a visiting musician as a Gwalior "stalwart." I am in agreement only 50% (the part about "wart") with this assessment. For 100% agreement we must look elsewhere, to Krishnarao Shankar Pandit. The bandish is a Gwalior staple:
lAla manAvana - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/krsp.ram Speaking of Gwalior stalwarts, D.V. Paluskar's name comes to mind. He sings the vilambit bandish of "Manrang" -
aba more Rama - and tops it with a sparkling cheez -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/paluskar_todi.ram Salamat Ali Khan -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/salamat.ram Kishori Amonkar's recent release is a modern classic. A snapshot of that recording -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/kishori.ram The remaining vocal clips are druta renditions by some of the high and mighty. Jha-sahab has composed a most beautiful bandish to Saraswati Devi. We hear it in Nachiketa Sharma's voice -
tanaka hero hamari ora Saraswati mAta
dayAni sakala sukha dAni Sharade
saphala sAdhanA keeje leeje sudha
'Ramrang' tere dwAra paryo
tAla tAna swara de ri mAN Sharade http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/nachiketa_todi.ram Jha-sahab himself quickly runs through his busy cheez in Gurjari Todi -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_gurjaritodi_druta.ram Another certified Gwalior stalwart was Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze, trained by Nissar Hussain Khan of Gwalior (not to be confused with the contemporary Rampur vocalist) and Shankarrao Pandit (KRSP's father). He was a perpetual seeker and travelled all over India in search of music and compositions. Of mercurial temperament, stories of Vazebuwa's eccentricities are legion. The recording presented is a recent release and although he was wary of putting pen to paper the bandish does find a spot in his published work:
masalata puccha diyA tusA - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/vazebuwa.ram The Atrauli-Jaipur statement by its most distinguished representative, Kesarbai Kerkar of Goa -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/kesarbai.ram Another extraordinary exponent from the Atrauli-Jaipur camp presents an old Khayal of "Sadarang." Mallikarjun Mansur:
bAjo re - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/mm_todi.ram Bade Ghulam Ali Khan's recent issue of
Allah jAne mAulA jAne does scant justice to him. This blitzkrieg in Gurjari Todi taped in healthier times is more representative of his peremptory gAyaki:
bhor bhayi - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/bgak.ram A concert recording of Jitendra Abhiskehi amplifies on a Gurjari cheez of "Manrang":
chalo sakhi sautana ke ghara - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/abhisheki_gurjaritodi.ram We now reach for the instrumental package. First, an old recording of Habib Ali Khan on the Vichitra Veena -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/habibali.ram In the realm of swara Bismillah Khan has no equal among instrumentalists. He slips into the Todi groove in three shakes of a lamb's tail -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/bismillah.ram Incidently, Bismillah's tap-tap technique in the final druta moments is, by his own admission, an adaptation from the Harmonium whiz of an earlier era, Bhaiyya Ganpatrao of Gwalior.
Nikhil Banerjee -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/nikhilbanerjee.ram Ali Akbar Khan serves up a Dhamar supported by Mahapurush Mishra on the Tabla -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/aak_todi.ram Back into the vocal stream, Omkarnath Thakur's histrionics come to flower in this well-known cheez:
garavA maisana lAgi - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/omkarnath.ram Abdul Karim Khan with a composition of "Saraspiya":
beguna guna gA'iye - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/akk.ram Sawai Gandharva stays true to his guru's swara-lagAv:
samajha mana Gorakha-dhandhA - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/sawai.ram We conclude the Kirana carnival with Hirabai Barodekar:
kAkariyA jina mAro - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/hirabai.ram Azmat Hussain Khan's background spanned both the Atrauli and Agra styles. He was an influential teacher and composer ("Dilrang"). This is from an old recording at the Goa Kala Academy -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/azmat.ram Agra's Latafat Hussain Khan has the last word -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/latafat_todi.ram That brings us to the end of the Todi montage. A few well-known bandishes have escaped our dragnet, for instance, Tanras Khan's
aba mori naiyyA pAra karo re. Next, we address several important derivates of Todi.
Raga Bhoopala or Bhoopal Todi
The chief pentatonic carrier of the Todi Raganga (Chhaya Todi - S r g m d - is rarely performed), Bhoopala is scalewise identical to its Carnatic counterpart: S r g P d.
M.S. Subbalakshmi's chanting of Adi Shankara's stotras is suffused with indescribable beauty -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/mss_bhoopaltodi.ram Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang":
lAge nAhiN re manuvA - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_bhoopaltodi_druta.ram Basavraj Rajguru wields a composition of "Gunidas":
naiyyA utAri pAr - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/rajguru_bhoopaltodi.ram The final item in the Bhoopala suite: Ali Akbar Khan's gat set to Upatala of 8.5 mAtrAs -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/aak_bhoopaltodi.ram Raga Saheli Todi
This rAga, conceived by Kumar Gandharva, extends Bhoopal Todi by stringing an additional komal nishAd in vakra prayogas. An Avirbhava of Bilaskhani Todi occasionally obtains -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/kg_sahelitodi.ram Raga Bilaskhani Todi
Bilaskhani Todi is among the very great rAgas and to scrape its acquaintance is to come touchably close to the sublime in music. It is profoundly original in conception, a musical minefield difficult to tread on and execute from. Its complexity is understated, often downplayed by the ready emotional purchase offered to the rasika. It is a meeND-pradhAna rAga with a fund of nuance scarcely amenable to the written word. We shall nevertheless try to convey the vitals. The Aroha/avaroha set may be stated as:
S r g P d S"::S", r" n d, P, d n d M g, r g r S
The Aroha-avaroha does very little to illuminate the internals. Although the swaras of Bilaskhani are drawn from the Bhairavi thAT its structure is wholly defined and fortified by Raganga Todi. Care must be taken to steer clear of Bhairavi's demesne for any misstep will spell instant ruin for Bilaskhani. The madhyam is acknowledged gingerly in ascent, and the tonal thought typically prefaced or concluded by emphasizing the Todi Raganga in the poorvAnga region. This manouvre dispels any incipient Bhairavi aspirations. An M-laden prayoga is illustrated:
S, r n' S r g, (g)r g M, M, (g)r g, r, S
Notice the avarohi langhan of the shaDja. The pancham is an important nyAsa-sthAna for the swara traffic in both directions. The madhyam is necessarily cold-shouldered in ascent en route to the pancham and beyond, viz., S r g P or S r g P d, but is deployed in descending prayogas, where it is the pancham's turn to be spurned: d n d M g r, g. This skipping of the Arohi madhyam and the avarohi pancham is the Achilles heel of Bilaskhani, violation of which injures the rAga. The komal nishAd is used as either a cushion by the dhaivat (d n d M) or as an anuvAdi swara (r n' S r g; r" n d M g r S). The ucchAraNa of the meeNDs is extremely critical, the lifeblood of Bilaskhani. Let us roll out the samplers. This clip from LEKIN begins with Satyasheel Deshpande's recitation of the definitive Khayal,
neeke ghungariyA, attributed to "Sadarang." Asha Bhonsle then assumes charge and sings
jhooThe nainA, a composition inspired by S.N. Ratanjankar (see the next item) -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/lekin_bilaskhanitodi.ram Malini Rajurkar sings Ratanjankar's beautiful bandish. Alas, she is in such a tearing hurry that the delicate flavours of verse and melody are smothered -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/rajurkar.ram Jha-sahab's double header includes his delightful druta cheez
jagadambikA ambikA - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_bilaskhanitodi_vil.ram http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_bilaskhanitodi_druta.ram One of Jitendra Abhisheki's earliest recordings featured a memorable innings in Bilaskhani with a bandish composed by C.R. Vyas:
taja re abhimAna - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/abhisheki_bilaskhanitodi.ram An ennobling 1960s Delhi mehfil of Amir Khan signals our Bilaskhani finale -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/amirkhan_bilaskhanitodi.ram Raga Asavari Todi
This rAga is also known as Komal Rishab Asavari and properly belongs to a discussion of Asavari anga rAgas. Although the Asavari anga serves as its base, there is a soupon of Todi. Its set of notes is identical to Bilaskhani Todi but the rAga-chAritra follows the Asavari dicta. A few schools use both the rishabs (eg. Allauddin Khan of Maihar). Then there's the allied Raga Gandhari to watch out for. This unpublished Amir Khan excerpt is food for the soul -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/amirkhan_asavaritodi.ram Raga Bahaduri Todi
This highly vakra rAga employs both the rishabs, komal gandhAr, komal dhaivat, and the shuddha madhyam. Two disparate components are tied together by special sanchAris and the intonation is mediated by meeNDs. The first theme is contributed by Raganga Todi (r g r S), the other supplied by Raga Desi. This is an exceedingly beautiful rAga, known for its aesthetic unity inspite of its convoluted architecture. There are two principal versions of Bahaduri Todi of which one is discussed here. This rAga bears no kinship to the Carnatic Bahudari. The preferred strategy draws on Desi for the Arohi development in the poorvAnga. The eventual termination of the melodic sorties is accomplished through avarohi expression of the Todi anga. Let us consider the lakshaNAs. S R g (S)R g
The Arohi shuddha rishab is equipped in special fashion; notice the grace of shaDaj in the second instance. The gandhAr is informed by both Desi and Todi. The madhyam is approached from the gandhAr and dwelt upon; it is skipped (langhan) en route to the pancham. The komal dhaivat is caressed with the komal nishAd. The movements are broken down heuristically as follows: S, R n' S R G (S)R g - (Desi)
g R g M - (nyAsa on madhyam, special prayoga)
(M)g (M)g P - (approach to the pancham)
P, (n)d (n)d - (komal dhaivat caressed with n)
(n)d (n)d S" - (approach to the tAr shaDaj, nishAd skipped)
r" n d M - (special meeND)
P (g)R g - (Desi)
RgM, M g r g, r, S - (conclusion with Raganga Todi). Let us see the rAga through the eyes of two great musicians, each a master of his chosen metier. One is a peerless vidwAn and vAggeyakAra, the other a performer the likes of whom don't come by often. Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" quickly lays out the lakshaNAs -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_bahaduritodi_vil.ram http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_bahaduritodi_druta.ram Mallikarjun Mansur's tour de force in this 1968 recording when he was at the peak of his powers is a spectacle fit for the Gods. Observe the special nature of tAns deployed and the breathtaking dexterity with which he negotiates the tightropes snaking through. The tAns are distinguished for their double, triple, and quadruple note clusters, gamakas and safAi in execution. This is directed, controlled virtuosity at its most sublime. At the end of it all the rAga emerges unscathed and effulgent -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/mm_bahaduritodi.ram Raga Ahiri Todi
The rAga draws on Raganga Todi in its poorvAnga and Ahiri in its uttarAnga. The provenance of its swaras is the 10th Carnatic melakartA Natakapriya: S r g M P D n. A little consideration shows that this scale is generated by an appropriate murchhanA/grAha bhedam on Charukeshi (take the "new" Sa to be the pancham of Charukeshi). Two outstanding compositions of Jha-sahab are suggested -
chhorA ahira ko jAne kahAN eri
beera hama birahana ke hiya ki
preeta lagA'i kubari doobari sanga
'Ramrang' kauna bulAve banwAri be-peera ko http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_ahiritodi_vil.ram tero gyAna dhyAna sikha bhAve nA
mere mana to ramey Hari charaNana me
gyAna dhyAna dhAranA na jAne 'Ramrang' mana mero
Hari ke nAma ki lAgi raTana http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_ahiritodi_druta.ram Nikhil Banerjee adopts the name "Aahiri" for his presentation -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/nb_aahiri.ram Obiter dicta: A different version of Ahiri Todi found in the literature has now gone out of fashion. Also, Ravi Shankar has eliminated the pancham from the parent scale to extract a beautiful melody called Parmeshwari.
Raga Salagavarali
This rAga was conceived by S.N. Ratanjankar and draws its genetic material from the 46th Carnatic melakartA Shadvidhmargini: S r g m P D n. The swaroopa of Raga Salagavarali drops the madhyam altogether to assume the following contour:
S r g P D n D S"::S" n D P g (P)r g, r, S
The rAga has been brilliantly exploited by Jeetendra Abisheki in a celebrated Natyageeta. Watch out for the injection of a vivAdi dosha via the teevra madhyam:
ghe'ee chhanda makarand priya hA milind - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/abhisheki_salagavarali.ram Ratanjankar's original composition is extremely popular and widely performed. K.G. Ginde:
sumara sAheb sultAna - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/ginde_salagavarali.ram Raga Mangal Gujari
A relatively new entrant into the Hindustani system, its swaras emerge from the 44th Carnatic melakartA Bhavapriya: S r g m P d n. The Hindustani rAga that employs this sampoorNa scale goes by the name Adarangi Todi. In Mangal Gujari the pancham is varjya, rendering its scale identical to the Carnatic Bhavani (the Hindustani Raga Bhavani is a very different horse, a chatuswara rAga of the Bilawal thAT). Mangal Gujari resembles Gurjari Todi in its mannerisms with the proviso that its nishAd is komal. Ragas employing the komal nishAd-teevra madhyam combine are scarce in the Hindustani system. Almost all of the m-n-laden rAgas currently in the Hindustani employ - Saraswati, Vachaspati, Shanmukhapriya, Hemavati etc - are imports from the Carnatic domain and have not as yet found that wide an embrace; those that have, have evolved within the system (eg. Madhukauns). Mangal Gujari's profile takes the following form:
S r g m d n S"::S n d m g, r g, r, S
It is seen at once that scalewise the following equation holds true:
Gurjari Todi : Miyan ki Todi :: Mangal Gujari : Adarangi Todi The swara track in Mangal Gujari is known to present some discomfort to the unaccustomed Hindustani mind, particularly around the komal nishAd area. Jha-sahab burst into Mangal Gujari one afternoon after lunch quite unexpectedly. Fortunately I had the recorder sitting on the Harmonium -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_mangalgujari.ram Raga Khat Todi
This uncommon prakAr, containing both the madhyams, is mostly sung by the Atrauli-Jaipur and Agra musicians. In the main body of Todi a small phrase of Khat is introduced. Two Atrauli-Jaipur flavours, differing in the type of the leading Khat phrase employed, are offered. Anandrao Limaye uses the gMPdn P cluster...
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/limayebuwa_khattodi.ram ...whereas Mallikarjun Mansur co-opts R M R P -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/mm_khattodi.ram Raga Jaunpuri Todi
An admixture of both Jaunpuri and Todi, effortlessly assayed by Mallikarjun Mansur -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/mm_jaunpuritodi.ram Raga Laxmi Todi
This traditional Todi prakAr reveals chhAyAs of Gaud, Asavari, Kafi within the Todi framework. K.G. Ginde is ill at ease with this Dhamar composition of Ratanjankar -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/ginde_laxmitodi.ram Jha-sahab's enchanting bandish scythes to the core:
Aja hamAri -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_laxmitodi_vil.ram Raga Hussaini Todi
Elements of Hussaini Kanada and Asavari are woven into the Todi fabric in this aprachalita prakAr. These are 'small' rAgas ("asthAi-antare ke rAga") and Jha-sahab likens them to chutney in the course of a main meal:
tero samAna Sa'i - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_hussainitodi_vil.ram Obiter dictum: The Agra-Atrauli musicians purvey a completely different version of Hussaini Todi, one that has no Todi anga whatsoever in it. There are unpublished recordings of Vilayat Hussain Khan, Kaushalya Manjeshwar and Kishori Amonkar singing the bandish
niranjana ki jai.
Raga Abheri Todi
Another arcane variant in which strands of Asavari and Khamaj are tied to the Todi anga. Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang":
gunijana gAyiye bajAyiye - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_abheritodi_druta.ram Raga Viyogavarali
This baby of S.N. Ratanjankar belongs to the 9th Carnatic melakartA Dhenuka: S r g M P d N. Ratanjankar has eliminated the pancham and inserted a Todi anga through the r-g coupling to arrive at the following profile:
S r M d N S"::S" N d M, r g, r, S The rAga is very attractive and deserves wider popularity. Ratanjankar's cheez appropriately refers to viyoga. K.G. Ginde:
binati yahi na jaiyyo Mathura - http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/ginde_viyogavarali.ram Raga Suha Todi
This joD-rAga with Suha and a dash of Todi anga is peddled by Ali Akbar -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/aak_suhatodi.ram Raga Bairagi Todi
The pentatonic version cited here was introduced by Ravi Shankar. Its scale obtains by replacing the madhyam in Bairagi with the komal gandhAr: S r g P n. Shankar's gat is in the Sade Gyarah tAla (11.5 beats) -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/rs_bairagitodi.ram Jha-sahab has developed another version of Bairagi Todi where a dash of Todi anga is injected into the Bairagi body.
Raga Niranjani Todi
In this creation of l'enfant terrible Kishori Amonkar, elements of Ahir Bhairav, Bairagi and a Bhinna Shadaj-esque nishAd are observed. I don't have the gal's recording yet so we will have to do make do with her pupil Raghunandan Panshikar -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/panshikar.ram Raga Lachari Todi
Although this is acknowledged as a traditional Todi prakAr, there is no hide nor hair of Todi in its bosom. The development is primarily grounded in Asavari. The reader is invited to bring her own measure to this sampler offered by V.R. Athavale -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/vra_lacharitodi.ram Raga Jaiwanti Todi
Jaiwanti Todi is a conception of Maharana Jaiwant Singh of Sanand who is best known for his composition
Mata Kalika popularized by Banditji. The general outline is: S r g, r g r S, S r M P D n, D, P, M P n D P
P D, (P)M M P (M)g, r g r S The gandhAr is typically dropped in Arohi movements extending beyond the madhyam. The rAga may be considered a janya of Ahiri Todi. Banditji sings the Maharana's composition in madhya laya Teentala:
Aja mori araja suno, sirtAja, tuma baDe gHareeb nawAj
bigaDi banaiyyA tuma ho bhaiyyA, tumko meri lAja http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/banditji_jaiwantitodi.ram Several other Todis exist, many only in name without even a scent of Todi anga to recommend them (eg. Desi Todi, Gowardhani Todi, Anjani Todi etc). Bhatkhande also cites other prakArs, most of them no longer in fashion: Marga Todi, Mudriki Todi, Zeelaf Todi, Kafi Todi and so on. The Universe of Raga and its constituent objects offer the seeker a lifelong preoccupation, challenge and both intellectual and emotional nourishment. It is hoped that this modest introduction to one corner of it - the splendorous locales of the Empire of Todi - will inspire the reader towards further exploration and study.
Appendix
In this memorable clip, an animated Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" recounts a discussion he had with M.R. Gautam at BHU in Varanasi, the bone of contention being the lakshaNAs of Raga Gurjari Todi. The proceedings begin with Ramrang's beautiful lakshaNgeeta in that rAga -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/todi/jha_todispeak.ram
Film: Himalay Ki God Mein
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