Bandish on the instruments

The bandish, or composition, has been aptly described as the mainstay or the backbone of any classical music performance, be it vocal or instrumental. Though my subject should confine itself to Bandish or gat-compositions on instruments, it is necessary to refer to the importance and practical as well as aesthetic dimensions of the Bandish in general, in the presentation of a raga.

Let us see what are its practical values.

We have heard the great Ustads remark, that once you know the Bandish of a raga in all its dimensions, you know the raga-swaroop intimately and thoroughly. Hence, for a student of music, a thorough knowledge of Bandish is of great practical value.

It has been our experience that many performers meander around the basic structure of the Bandish while developing a raga, especially when they present difficult or rare ragas – so that the raga swaroop is not disturbed. Here also the bandish assumes great value.

Svara, laya and sahitya are considered to be the three basic elements of music. Sahitya is an important vehicle of great practical value to project the correct rasa and bhava of the raga and is of great assistance to the performer in conjuring the right atmosphere or “mahaul” of the raga. Whilst the instrumentalist does not have the advantage of the poetic element, the composer of gat certainly uses to advantage, various accents, lilt and alliteration of vocal music, while composing gat-s, which substitute for the sahitya of the vocal bandish.

In olden times, it is believed, that when instrumental music was not fully developed, gat-s played a principal role in performances. In effect, the performance was very ‘gat-based’. The greater the number of gat-s that a performer was able to present in his performance, the greater he was considered. This was the situation in late 18th and early 19th century.

No doubt, my remarks are related more to sitar music, but then this demonstrates one more practical utility of gats or Bandish-es.

Especially in khayal music, when the Bandish is presented in the beginning and the alap etc. follow, the Bandish is of great assistance in setting the tempo or the pace at which the raga would develop (e.g. Shankara and Darbari). This of course assumes that the Bandish-s are mature compositions of high quality.

Let us now consider the aesthetic value of the Bandish –

I would once again refer to the Sahitya element of the Bandish. Many Bandish-es have poetic content of great value. Beautiful compositions in Braj-bhasa or in highly sanskritised Hindi are respected for their literary value. The Sahitya element of great Drupad-s is considered to be almost a treasure. The philosophic content of such Bandish-s needs no extra comments. Apart from the utility and the assistance that the performer obtains from the Bandish, the aesthetic or inherent essence and musical meaning of the raga is revealed to the performer through a good Bandish. Hence a faithful adherence to such a Bandish helps to build up the correct mental frame of the artist. It is one thing to know the raga-swaroop thoroughly and it is another to be conscious of the authentic values of the raga, which some of our traditional Bandish-es possess.

At the risk of repetition, I would like to refer to the tempo of the Bandish, which sets the mood of the raga. While the Bandish assists the artist in the actual performance, the authentic beauty of the Bandish would also be of great value in creating the most appropriate atmosphere. The practical value in the physical sense would imply the physical attributes of the performance like laya etc. and the emotional aspects would be projected through the authentic quality of the Bandish.

Bandish structure

The practical and aesthetic values attributed to Bandish-es are characteristics derived from well established principles of composition. I visualise the gat as having two basic segments called Sthayi and Antara. The Sthayi includes first two lines of the composition, viz. gat or mukhada and manjha. The Antara also usually contains two lines, the first line called the antara and the second line or the concluding line called “amad”, which brings us back to the mukhada of the gat. These two parts, each with its two segments, constitutes a complete melodic map of the raga through all the 21/2/ 3 octaves.

The element of “badhat” is inherent in our alap. In fact, it is inherent in our philosophy. The structure of the Bandish is undoubtedly based on this principle. The progressive exposition both in terms of Svara and Sahitya (wherever applicable) very clearly indicates that the principle of step by step development, is utilized in establishing the structure of the Bandish.

Earlier we have described the segments of “Sthayi” and “Antara” in terms of “Svara”. But inherent in the structure are the elements of laya and tal. Laya, meaning the pace or the tempo, is designed to bring out the correct rasa-bhava or the mood of the raga, and of course so is the Sahitya. The tal in which the Bandish is composed, also should be intimately aligned with the raga-bhava. This concept brings us immediately to the structure of vilambit and Drut gat-s. The laya and tal-s of such compositions are therefore of great significance, and have to be correctly structured.

My direct or oblique references are oriented towards the Sitar, because that is the instrument I know best. To start with, it is necessary to view Bandish-es in a historical perspective.

The 18th Century

Just as Veena was originally used as an accompanying instrument, so was Sitar, in the initial period. However, when Veena became an independent solo instrument, bols were introduced to create highly ornamental and systematic patterns to beautify the presentations. The paran-s of pakhawaj were adopted and these were known as tar paran-s when played on Veena. Sitar naturally followed similar developments. The basic bol-s of Sitar are da and ra and by using these basic bol-s, several different kinds of bol-s were created such as dir, dadir, dar, rda, darda, dra and dra-rda. Over the period, several permutations and combinations of these bol-s were used by sitar players in creating interesting rhythmic phrases through the use of the right hand mizrab.

By and large the left hand in the Sitar develops the melody, while the right hand creates the rhythm. I repeat, by and large and not completely. We have seen how bol patterns were gradually developed with the right hand. As mentioned earlier, Sitar was originally used as an accompanying instrument. It was used as a pause filler (poorak) to maintain the “Nyasa” note on which the vocalist had chosen to halt. However it did not take the musicians long to discover the limitations of the Sitar as an accompanying instrument and its potentialities as a solo instrument.

Thus the melody was gradually developed with the increasing movement of the left hand. During the 18th century, it is believed that the Senia style of sitar players used 12 different ‘ang-s’ in their performance. These were alap, jod, gat, toda, ladi, guthav, ladiguthav, ladlapet, kattar, tarparan, jhala and thokjhala. We learn that different styles of gat-s were composed by the performers of different styles such as Senia baj, Jaipuri baj, Masit Khan’s or Delhi baj, Poorbi or Razakhani baj etc.

There are several versions and opinions regarding different styles of sitar playing but it is commonly accepted that the crystallization of the gat-s or Bandish on sitar and similar instruments took place during the latter half of the 18th century. At this stage, the followers of Tansen were divided into two mainstreams, one of Beenkars and the other of Rubabiya-s. It is believed that the Beenkar-s gave importance to Svara presentation while the Rabab players laid stress on laya in their presentations. Over the period, Sitar absorbed the effective use of both the svara and laya – no doubt based on the Drupad style of vocal music.

Nawab Ashfaq Ali Khan mentions in his book ‘Nagma- Ul-Hind’ that the famous court musician Nemat Khan or Shah Sadarang in the court of Mohmed Shah Rangile, composed the first gat to be played on Sitar. His brother Khusro Khan’s son or Shah Sadarang’s nephew, Phiroz Khan was also a great composer of Sitar gat-s. Phiroz Khan’s son Ustad Masit Khan was also a great Veena and Sitar player and made historic contribution to the style of sitar playing by making it highly ornamental and systematic at the same time. His musical genius was responsible for establishing definite bol patterns to be used in gat-s and in fact this was the beginning of Masitkhani gat-s in Vilambit teental which are being played even today.

With the “mukhada” of 5 matra-s ie. dir da dir da ra, the entire masitkhani gat uses the bol-s dir da dir da ra da da ra, dir da dir da ra da da ra. Masit Khan developed 6 different bol patterns in different tal-s utilising the rules of bani-s and the basic bol-s of Sitar ie dara and dir. However the pattern mentioned above was considered highly scientific in terms of building and releasing aesthetic tension, simple and well suited to instrumental music. Hence it became extremely popular in North India and in effect this style of gat-s received the stamp of masitkhani gat. Several other sitar players composed gat-s in similar style but all such gat-s came to be known as masitkhani gat-s. Earlier sitar players developed their sitar performance on the basis of these bol patterns dividing the same into sections of 5-5 and 3-3 making the total of 16 beats of teental in vilambit laya.

Tracing further development of gats, we come across the names of Rahimsen of Jaipur, the son of Miya Sukh Sen and son-in-law of the famous Ustad Dulhe Khan, who developed Sitar into a versatile and highly effective instrument during the 18th century. Using the Drupad ang in alap and the “bol-bant” of rabab and been type, in the gat presentation, Ustad-s of this period developed sitar playing into a fine performing art. Apart from the compositions of gat in teental, several gat-s were composed in jhaptal as well, following the Sadra style of vocal music. The gat presentations were developed with intelligent use of different bol patterns, forming small fikre-s. It is believed that small meend-s were also introduced during this period. Noted names of sitar players of masitkhani style during this period are Bahadur Khan, the son of Ustad Masit Khan of Delhi, Ustad Dulhe Khan of Jaipur, Gulam Hussain Khan of Delhi, Muglu Khan, Pan Khan, Bulaki Khan of Mathura etc.

We have noted that masitkhani baj was developed principally in Delhi, Jaipur, Alwar etc. At the same time on the Poorab side ie in Lucknow, Varanasi, Jaunpur etc., another style was being developed, called the Razakhani style. It is believed that this style was developed by Gulam Raza Khan who was in fact one of the principal students of Masit Khan. While the gat-s of masitkhani style are based on vilambit and sometimes madhya laya, the gat-s of the razakhani style are based on madhya and drut laya. Whilst the masitkhani style is based on the principles of Drupad or Been, the razakhani style is based on the principles of Thumri, Tarana and to some extent on Khayal.

The Masitkhani and Razakhani styles of gat-playing are complementary to each other. Just as the masitkhani baj has its own specialities, so has razakhani baj. Whilst the masitkhani baj has a dignity and depth, the razakhani style projects a unique vivacity of layakari. The sitar players paid great attention to the “Katav” of bol-s whilst developing the razakhani gat-s. The specialities of razakhani or poorvi baj were the patterns of composite bol-s and rhythmic patterns created through intelligent use of the mizrab. Many sitar players used the ang of ladi whilst developing the razakhani gat-s, as also ladant and tar paran.

The razakhani gat-s were initially ( I repeat, initially) based on Thumri ang. Gat-s of this type were composed in Thumri ang raga-s like Pilu, Kafi, Khamaj, Tilakkamod, Bhairavi, Zila, Desh, Sohni etc. and were commonly played in Sitarkhani theka. It is interesting to note that the sitar players of razakhani baj did not play the masitkhani gats and were considered to be highly proficient when they could play several gat-s of razakhani style in their performance. Important sitar players of this style were Gulam Raza Khan, All Raza Khan, Pannalal Vajpeyi, Babu Ishwari Prasad, Barkat Ali or Savlia Khan, Gulam Mohmad, Sajjad Mohmad etc.

Another style of Sitar gat-s was known as the Phiroze Khani style. The compositions of such gat-s were spread over all the three octaves and were fairly long drawn. According to some, such gat-s meticulously differentiated between Sthayi and Antara. The speciality of the gat-s of this style was that each melodic line began from the same note where the previous melodic line had ended, but in a different octave. Though Phiroze Kahni gat-s are still played on the Sarod, their number is small. It is believed that they went out of circulation because of their excessive complexity, leaving the field almost entirely to the simpler and elegant Masitkhani and Razakhani formats.

The 19th Century

Consequent upon the establishment of the Masitkhani and Razakhani in the 18th century, the stage was set for a further enrichment of sitar music during the 19th century. This century heralded the golden age of the sitar with great sitar players emerging in the major centres of music, like Jaipur, Delhi, Gwalior, Alwar, Rewa, Baroda, Jaunpur, Lucknow, Rampur etc. became the focal points of sitar playing.

Short fikre-s, introduced in an earlier era, were further embellished as a part of gat presentation mainly by the famous sitar-player Amrit Sen. The technique of gat-toda with the intelligent use of bol-s was also introduced. Greater scope was afforded to Tabla players during the gat presentation. It is believed that the tihai-s was introduced to sitar renditions during the time of Ustad Inayat Khan. According to some, he was in fact responsible introducing this form to the sitar.

It appears that the technique of jhala playing was not in existence before the time of Ustad Imdad Khan and Ustad Barkatulla Khan. Imdad Khan and his contemporary sitar players however used this technique very effectively and developed it into an elaborate movement. As we have noted earlier, the stylistic development of sitar started with the extensive use of right hand producing rhythmic patterns through bol-s, while the left hand was relatively stationary. Over the period, left hand started creating melody and enlarged its role. It was during Ustad Inayat Khan’s time that both the right and the left hands reached a balance between their roles in music making. It is therefoe not surprising that tan-s were added to gat presentation during this period. Sapat tan-s of Ustad Inayat Khan are already very well known.

Another important development in the area of gat playing during the 19th century was the presentation of both the masitkhani and razakhani gat-s in successionin the same performance. Names like Ustad Imdad Khan, Ustad Inayat Khan, and Ustad Illahi Bux of Delhi are mentioned in this context as they initiated the system of presenting the complete performance starting with alap, followed by Jod alap, gat-s – both masitkhani and razakhani, gat-toda, tan-s interpersed with tihai-s and concluding with jhala.

The 20th century

The last century saw radical changes occur in Hindustani classical music. Especially in the post-independence period, it has been torn between populism and conservatism, with populism probably gaining the upper hand. Simultaneously, classical music has acquired a vastly superior intellectual and imaginative dimension. The stylistic evolution of Sitar is no exception to these prevalent trends. Dhrupad based compositions of the earlier period are gradually being replaced by khayal based compositions. To an extent the importance of the Bandish of the Drupad style of singing has been eroded in the khayal singing. The gat-s performed on the Sitar have moved in tandem with these tendencies.

The tempo or laya at which masitkhani gat was played earlier has been reduced considerably. In other words, the modern version of, Masitkhani gat is played in much slower laya than in earlier period – undoubtedly an influence of slow tempo of khayal singing.

In the earlier period, bol-s and their methodical patterns were the basic ingredients of the gat-s, especially in the razakhani gat-s. In the modern razakhani gat-s, the use of bol-s has beens considerably reduced. In fact, in some of the gat-s based on khayal Bandish-es and presented in the gayaki ang, the use of bol-s is almost non-existent.

As a corollary to the above, the use of the left hand along with the highly developed right hand is evident in much greater measure. Meend, kan, murki, khatka, gamak, krintan, jamjama etc. are extensively used in development of gat-s, both masitkhani and razakhani.

As melodic and rhythmic development has achieved a degree of sophistication, and the alap form has acquired greater relative importance gat-s have lost their individual significance to some extent. Whilst earlier sitar players treated the gat-s as the pivot around which the music presentation moved, in the context of contemporary sitar playing alap, elongated taans, extensive use of tihai-s, sawal jawab with Tabla, superspeed jhala etc. have reduced the relative importance and the primary role of the gat-s to such an extent that sitarists often do not even play the antara.

There is a distinct departure from the basic structure of the masitkhani gat with set bol patterns dir da dir da ra da da ra, and a new structure and forms of vilambit, madhya laya and drut gat-s have been developed. I shall be subjective here as I am exposed only to Vilayatkhani gat-s, when I refer to these new forms. The mukhada does no longer always start from the twelvth matra; nor do the bol pattern follow the masitkhani pattern. Some of these gat-s start from “khala” or offbeat and have a completely individualistic lilt. In the faster tempo gat-s once again, the standard pattern of razakhani gats, both in relation to bols and division is frequently missing.

Contemporary drut gat-s conform to the gayaki style of the chota khayal. Many of these gat-s include even the amad taan which is a relatively recent trend in Khayal rendition. It can no longer be said that all vilambit gat-s are of Masitkhani format, and all drut gat-s are in Razakhani format. The vilambit and drut bandish-es have both acquired a repertoire much wider than the two traditional formats.

My observations in this paper are, admittedly, sitar-oriented. There are good reasons for this. Firstly, my personal study has been in the field of sitar and I could obtain valuable historical data from the thesis on sitar of my student Rekha Nigam from Lucknow. Secondly, I have not succeeded in obtaining any detailed information of Bandish or gat-s played on instruments like sarod or for that matter sarangi or flute. However, as far as the sarod is concerned, remarks regarding gat-s on sitar would perhaps equally apply, barring some unique features. The same can probably also be said of santoor bandish-es, which has broadly followed the sitar and sarod isioms.

As far as sarangi is concerned, on listening to contemporary sarangi players, one can safely conclude that the Bandish-s presented are actually the vocal Bandish-es. In other words, there is no special or individualistic features that could be referred to, in describing gat or Bandish on bowing instruments, it is difficult to generalise and make any definite statements regarding the presentation of gats on these instruments. Some flute players of the present times follow sitar sytle of gat-s fairly faithfully. In fact, the raga development also tends to follow the sitar idiom. Other flute players of slightly earlier period used to compose their own gat-s and frankly I find it difficult to determine any definite qualifications or features of such gat-s.

May I therefore take the liberty of surmising that what I have stated in respect of Bandish-s or gat-s of sitar could by and large apply to other plucked stringed instruments as well. One thought however, comes to my mind regarding an interesting difference between sitar and sarod gat-s in drut laya. We have noticed that sarod gat-s are relvtively longer in structure than sitar gat-s. In other words sarod gat-s are usually spread over 2/3 “avartans” while sitar gat-s are relatively shorter and basically cover one “avartan”. Could this be either the legacy of the elaborate Phiroze Khani format, or a feature related to the fact that sarod playing is spread over 3 to 4 strings while sitar uses only one melodic string?

What will happen in future is an interesting question. We have seen that in earlier times i.e., in 18th and upto middle of 19th century, gat-s had pivotal role in sitar performances. Based on bol-bant, tar-param, krintan, etc., gat-s were embellished and formed the main part of the performance. No wonder that great and serious attention was paid to the composition, the structure and the execution of the gat-s. It is not surprising, that gat-s were epitomes of unique beauty and fragrance no longer encountered in modern bandish-es.

The technique of sitar playing today has four major and distinct divisions viz- alap, jod, gat and jhala. All of these have their importance, Alap has achieved an extremely important place in the presentation of raga on instruments which was absent in the 18th and 19th century. As these four major segments of raga presentation have achieved significant individual importance, gat has naturally lost its special position. Gat presentation has become incidental and not the mainstay. If this is the case even in the vocal music Bandish-s, especially in some gharana-s, the impact in instrumental music without the element of Sahitya is even greater.

There are sitar players who demonstrate gat-s of great masters in their presentation and an attempt is made to highlight the beauty of such compositions. Frankly such instances are few. In other words, unfortunately, gat-s have become of incidental value and in the process the quality has suffered. Serious sitar players do jealously guard the gat compositions they have learnt from great masters. But, unfortunately, sitar taleem in the Gurushishya parampara is no longer easily available, and perhaps not sought after either. Added to this is the phenomenon of the modern jet age when aspirants wish to learn everything like instant coffee.

When the basics of music have suffered, bandish which requires a serious and sustained efforts to learn and understand, will naturally lose its value. But then our music which is called classical music is meant for classes and not massess. Some efforts have been made successfully to establish Gurushishya parampara and it is heartening that there is a gradual realization that unless this system is revived, our music will lose its foundations in man’s contemplative spirit. Let us hope therefore that the Government, media, artists, the students of music, will all put their shoulders to push the wheel of our music in the right direction, so that in the end, we are able to retain the ancient purity along with the modern imagination.