While describing the physical and stylistic evolution of Sitar, we have traced the history from Sitar being used as purak instrument during Qawwali recitals. Over a period, since then and Ustad Imdad Khan’s arrival, a lot of changes were made by different maestros especially related to the expression of the presentations.
At this stage, Imdad Khan Saheb developed his right hand execution with amazing speed and accuracy. Though, the left hand was dexterous, it was treated with a lesser importance in the Imdadkhani Baj. From his recordings, we note that the highly right hand oriented displays various bols with amazing speed and clarity. As far as the content is concerned, Imdad Khan Saheb was involved with playing a few ragas though he would have many ragas. It is believed that, Puriya and Yaman were his favourite ragas.
Ustad Imdad Khan gave great importance to riyaz. His disciplined and meticulous riyaz has been talked about with awe and respect. It is believed that, once he started his riyaz with a lighted candle as a measure of time, his daughter was on deathbed – subsequently she died, but Imdad Khan Saheb did not break his riyaz until the candle, which was the measure of time, was completely burned out.
It is in the later period of UVK, that the Etawah – Imdadkhani baj became a perfect amalgamation of both right hand and left hand – it was UVK who was perfected in the gayaki ang, though seeds of which laid by Imdad Khan.
Khyal ang on Surbahar
• There has been a firm belief that musicians were expected to play only Dhrupad ang on Veena and Surbahar.
• However, on listening to several recordings of Imdad khan Saheb and Enayet Khan Saheb on Surbahar and listening to radio recitals of Veena of Ustad Sadiq Ali Khan and Ustad Asad Ali Khan, it is noted that, they were not involved with pure Dhrupad ang – but had a flavour of Khyal ang in their recitals.
• On inquiring from UVK, whether it is appropriate to play Surbahar and Veena etc. partially based on Khyal ang, his reply was that, Khyal ang on Surbahar was quite distinct as compared to the Khyal ang adopted for Sitar
recitals. In one of his archival recordings at the NCPA, he has demonstrated the difference.
• It is therefore, surmised that Khyal ang on Surbahar and Veena could be based on the following tenets.
a) Executing phrases rather than single note development (as in Dhrupad) b) Swift movement between two or more notes should be executed with a certain amount of lahek and not in a swish – as in Khyal.
c) Murkies played on sitar should be avoided. However, murkies could be executed in much slower meend like movements. Jhapakis should be completely avoided.
d) Only one “kan” (as in Dhrupad) if permitted – though later we find regular murkies being practiced but as mentioned above, only in meend like slow movement and not sharp movement as in regular murkies.
Bifurcation of Conscious mind and Subconscious mind
Why does a musician regularly practice paltas? – an interesting question with a normal answer – पलटा बजानेसेगला या हाथ तैʊार होता है | Then the next question would be ‘why’ – why through practicing paltas voice or hand becomes tayyar or speedy with clarity?
After much thought, I felt that the real reason for practicing paltas and the ready answer ‘तैʊार होता है’ has an intrinsic and psychological reason.
When one practices paltas, after playing the paltas for 15 – 20 times, the mind starts wandering with random thoughts. Then who guide the execution of paltas? The answer is that, it is the subconscious mind, which is involved in the actual execution of the paltas, while the thoughts in the conscious mind are somewhere else. In other words, it is by practicing paltas several times, the bifurcation of conscious and subconscious mind occurs. In reality, as only subconscious mind is executing the paltas the outcome is effortless – result tayyari.
Conclusion
The role of paltas is to ensure the bifurcation of conscious and subconscious mind, which enables the conscious mind to create music and subconscious mind to execute it.
Q12
What is Imdadkhani Baj?