THE FOUR BANIS OF THE DHRUBAPADA

[chapter 2]

During the period of the SHASTRIK Sanskrit music, the basic RAGAS which were called "GRAMA RAGAS" Were sung in five different styles. Thus we find the mention of the term "PANCHA GEETI in the famous treatise like "SANGEET RATNAKAR." These were termed as:-

(1) "SUDDHA GEETI" in which the "SWARAS" or the notes were used in straight lines, but in a soft and melodious way.

(2) In the "VINNA GEETI", the notes were used in curved lines, but with sweet and subtle "GAMAKAS" or vibrations.

(3) In the 'GOUDI GEETI", the notes were frequently used in the three octaves with steady poise following some vibrations,

(4) The "BESORA GEETI" in which notes were used in quick tempo with quicker and quicker vibrations.

"SADHARANI GEETI" which indicated the fifth variety, had no speciality of its own, but was a mere combination of the other four.

After the period of the Sanskrit music, "HINDUSTHANI" musical system was evolved containing main principles of the sanskrit classical music in different forms. In the "HINDUSTHANI DHRUBAPADA" music we find the names of four different BANIS which indicated four different styles of "DHRUBAPADA" songs. The different DHRUBAPADAS were composed to contain these four different styles. Of course some DHRUBAPADAS had two, three or even four styles combined in their compositions.

The names of the four "BANIS" of the "DHRUBAPADA" are as follows :

(a) "GOUDHAR BANI". It resembles the SHASTRIK SUDDHA GEETI. "DHRUBAPADAS" of the "GOUDHAR BANI" according to the teachings of MIA TANSEN, are sung in a pure and melodious way containing "MEENDS" in straight lines according to the structure of the RAGAS. MIA TANSEN himself was a master of this style although he was proficient in other style as well and in the line of his youngest son, BILASH KHAN this style was mainly used.

(b) "DAGORE BANI". It resembles the "VINNA GEETI". It contains MEENDS in curved lines with sweet and subtle "GAMAKAS" or vibrations. "DAGORE BANI" is a very charming exposition of "DHRUBAPADA" music which was used by the disciples of HARIDAS SWAMI in "BRINDABAN" and also by SARASWATI DEBI, the daughter of Mia Tansen. She was wedded to the celebrated VEENA player, Misri Singh.

(c) "KHANDAR BANI". It resembles "BESORA GEETI" as it contains quick "GAMAKAS". This style in the vocal music by BAJ BAHADIJR and also by Misri SINGH in his songs and VEENA recitals. Later on the descendants of MISRI SINGH used both DAGORE BANI AND KHANDER BANI.

(d) "NAOHAR BANI" To some extent it resembles tlke "GOUDI GEETI". It contains "CHHUT ALANKAR" That is the jumpy notes with the "GAMAKAS". This BANI is always used as a part of the "DHRUBAPADA" of some other Bani. It is said that SRICHAND, a disciple of HARIDAS SWAMI, was a master of this style.

In a famous song beginning with the PADA BANI CHAROKI BAYOHAR SUNO LIGIEA composed by MIA TANSEN, the merits of these four BANIS have been discussed. In this song he stated that the king of all BANIS was GOUDHAR. The KHANDER was the general. The minister was DAGORE and NAOHAR was the menial officer. Thus TANSEN gave the first place to the GOUDHAR BANI. But he admitted the necessity of all the four BANIS and placed them in their proper status.

Up to the age of MIA TANSEN, the composers of classical songs in India, put proper values of the poetical aspect of the songs.

As in the case of the Sanskrit 'PANCHA GEET" in the HINDUSTHANI DHRUBAPADAS also the value of the words that is the poetical expressons or words had proper considerations. The BANIS of the songs indicated the words which were used in accordance with emotion or "RASAS" contained in the RAGAS and with their appropriate styles in the music. Thus the words emotion, RAGAS and styles of music were chosen to fit with one another. In the DHRUBAPADA of the GOUDHARBANI, those RAGAS were chosen which expressed the emotion of peace and calmness, that is SHANTA RASA. In the DAGORE BANI, the poems and the RAGAS expressed either sweetness or pathos, that is "MADHURA RASA" and "KARUN RASA." The KHANDERBANI expressed the heroic spirit and valour, that is "BIR RASA" and NAOHAR BANI surprising movements of the notes expressed "ADBHUTA RASA". The RAGAS chosen for these BANIS expressed the emotions suitable for them. But this uniformity of the BANIS or words, the RAGAS, the RASAS and the style was not particularly observed some-times after the golden age of MIA TANSEN and the DARBAR of AKBAR the Great.

After the end of the Moghul Empire, we find the growth of some famous "GHARANAS" of "DHRUBAPADA" eacli specialising some of the four BANIS of DHRUBAPADA. But inspite of these specialisations, rules were not observed with too much rigidity. Thus we find that each GHARANA of DHRUBAPADA, while specialising in one of these four BANIS also adopted other BANIS in their musical demonstrations. Some GHARANAS specialised in more than one BANI.

In the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries Mia Tansen's descendants formed three GHARANAS or lines of musicians. The SENI GHARANAS of JAIPUR specialised in the DHRUBAPADA of the DAGORE BANI. In Lucknow, Banaras and Rampur two lines of SENI GHARANA became very famous. The line of BILAS KHAN led by JAFFAR KHAN, PYAR KHAN and BASAT KHAN specialised in the DHRUBAPADAS of GOUDHAR BANI although they also took up the DAGORE BANI to some extent. The seni Musicians of the line of MISRI SINGJI were specialists of the DAGORE and KHANDER BANI. Among other Gharanas of DHRUBAPADA which grew up with the teachings of the Seni musicians or of the disciples of Haridas Swami, the musicians of BETIA based their DHRUBAPADAS on the KHANDER BANI and the famous musician of Bishnupur made GOUDHAR BANI the basis of their music. The vocalist of MATHURA, mainly sang DHRUBAPADAS of DAGORE BANI. Another famous Gharana of DHRUBAPADA led by OSTAD BAHRAM KHAN, flourished in RAJASTHAN. This Gharana is still predominant in India as it has now revived the popularity of DHRUBAPADA and has put it again into its proper exalted position. The Gharana of Bahram Khan is stressed back from the period of SWAM[ HARIDASJI and is now called the DAGORE GHARANA. The vocalists of this Gharana however, have combined the DAGORE and the KHANDER BANI in the execution of their songs. All of these musicians used NAOHAR BANI as a variation.

I shall now illustrate the use of these four BANIS, in four PADAS of different DHRUBAPADAS.

Pt. Birendra Kishore Roy Choadhury - bio |  table of contents | chapter 3