ZIA MOHIUDDIN DAGAR // ZIA FARIDUDDIN DAGAR DHRUPAD

100 years ago the Maharaja of Udaipur, H.H Maharaja Bhupal Singh, whom you see on the cover, was most likely calling his finest court musician Ustad Ziauddin Dagar to sing before him as he usually did. Ziauddin’s sons were not born yet but later on they would often join their father in performance before the king.

50 years later, on April 12 1968, Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar received a visit from H.H. Laxman Singh Bahadur, the Maharaja of Dungarpur in his apartment in Chembur.

Something very special happened that day. It felt like Ustad was transported back to the time when his father was playing before his Maharaja in Udaipur. Ustad and his brother Fariduddin started with a vocal and rudra veena duet in raga Multani and after that they sang very old, very rare and very beautiful Dhrupad compositions for more than

one hour, some of them even composed by Tansen at Akbars court in the 16th century. Luckily I had my Nagra tape recorder at hand so now you can take part in this once-in-a-lifetime event as the album DHRUPAD (CEX21) is out in digital format.

At the same time we release an album with raga KALAVATI (CEX20) recorded later that same year by Ustad Fariduddin Dagar plus one more unique recording, a one-and-a-half-hour morning duet between two great singers from different branches of the Dagar family tree, Rahim Fahimuddin Dagar and Zia Fariduddin Dagar, RAAG KOMAL RI ASAVARI (CEX22).

Ustad’s son, rudra veena exponent Ustad Bahauddin Dagar, upholder of this great tradition, graciously assisted with titles and comments on the music. All lyrics are in Brij Basha, an early Hindi language used in most Dhrupad lyrics.

DHRUPAD

MUSICIANS & PRODUCTION INFO

Zia Mohiuddin Dagar rudra veena, vocalZia Fariduddin Dagar vocalSubash Naringrekar tablasSudhir Naringrekar tablas

Arjun Sejwal tablasK. Sridhar tanpura

Produced and recorded and by Bengt Bergerat 6, ”Rukmini” Chembur, Bombay, India April 12, 1968.

Mastered by Claes Persson, CRP Re cordings.Graphic design by Jon Edergren/Spektra.

Release date June 8, 2018.

01. Alap, Jor, Jhala in Multani 38:20

02. Bhimpalasi – Chautal 16:13

03. Suha – Dhammar 11:34

04. Lalit – Dhammar 1:46

05. Kedar – Dhammar 2:46

06. Chayanat – Dhammar 1:58

07. Gaud-Sarang – Dhammar 2:13

08. Lachasa – Jhaptal 2:13

09. Rageshvarey – Jhaptal 2:58

10. Madhmand Sarang - Jhaptal 4:06

11. Shyam Malhar – Jhaptal 3:28

12. Suha – Jhaptal 3:53

13. Desi – Dhammar 3:48

14. Jog/Natai/Chaalnat – Rupak 5:09

15. Suha – Dhammar 6:16

16. Lalit - Dhammar 0:57

17. Kedar – Dhammar 3:11

18. Suha – Dhammar 1:10

19. Adana – Jhaptal 1:57

20. Bhairavi - Rupak/Tivra 5:45

21. Bhairavi – Dhammar 1:40

TRACKS

01. Alap, Jor, Jhala in Multani

The opening piece has Z.M. Dagar on Rudra Veena and Z.F. Dagar, vocal with K. Sridhar playing the tanpura all thru this album. Time of sunset. Ustad demonstrates how you can use 4 different Pa, 2 different Ma and 4 different Re in Multani.

02. Bhimpalasi – Chautal 16:13

Kunjana Mein Racho RaasNow the singing starts, Ustad asks me to put tal. Sarodist Subash Naringrekar starts playing tabla but there is a break as Sudhir Naringrekar arrives and takes over the tablas.

03. Suha – Dhammar 11:34

Airey Aaj Piya Apaney So Khelu Bana Bana Hori.Poetry after Amir Kushru that Bahauddin had not heard before.

04. Lalit – Dhammar 1:46

Morey Jiya Barajo, Main Toh Dekhungee, Aaj Piya To Dekh Daras HainBahauddin had not heard before.

05. Kedar – Dhammar 2:46

Chori Chori Maarat Hain Kum KumaOld Bandish (composition).

06. Chayanat – Dhammar 1:58Lachaka Aavey Ho Gori, Abeer Gulaal Ki Bhar Kay Jori Pyarey

07. Gaud-Sarang – Dhammar 2:13A Kanha Bina Muraliya Ki Nain Bajayee, Mori Suda BisaraeeBahauddin had not heard before.

LYRICS & COMMENTS

08. Lachasa – Jhaptal 2:13Pratham Taal Suratay Saadhay Ratay Naaam Johi Guney Gaavey

09. Rageshvarey – Jhaptal 2:58Pratham Sur Saadhay, Ratay Naam Jo Lo RaheyOld version of Rageshvarey with ”the old way of applying the pancham”.

10. Madhmand Sarang - Jhaptal 4:06Dina Aur Duniya Ko, Dekha Palakha Mahi, Aisay Rachay Peer Moinudeen Khwaja

11. Shyam Malhar – Jhaptal 3:28Piya Mohey Paas Nahi, Barasey Megharava

12. Suha – Jhaptal 3:53Shubh Mahurat Shubh Ghadi DeenBaitho Takhat Aaj Delhi Pati Nar ReyKhanda Pramanda Hiralal Naga MotiMotiyan Ko Chatra Seesa Dharon HainThe king Akbar fondly uses the word ”arey” for Tansen which is used for a friend. Tansen realises that he cannot be summoned a friend in the darbar (the court) and to remind the emperor he makes this compositon where towards the end he uses the word ”Re” to bring to his attention the mistake he had made.

13. Desi – Dhammar 3:48Sakhi Thado Savaro Dhoda Kahat Nand Kishoree

14. Jog/Natai/Chaalnat – Rupak 5:09Nad Bhed So Nyaro, Kara Dekhalavey Jo Koi GuniTaba Hum Jaaney Maanoo NaadNaad Ke Ashtaadi Kahiya, Naad Bhed Dohi Bheda Naad Bhed Arta Kahiye Chaar Bheda Guni Gaavey Ashtavanga Pancha Gandhar MadhamSaa saa saa re re ga ga ma ma ma pa ni pa mapa pa pa ma pa ga ma ga sa In the last part he sings the names of the notes in the raga.

15 Suha – Dhammar 6:16

Airey Aaj Piya Apaney So Khelu Bana Bana HoriPoetry after Amir Kushru that Bahauddin had not heard before. Same composition as track 03.

16 Lalit - Dhammar 0:57

Morey Jiya Barajo, Main Toh Dekhungee, Aaj Piya To Dekh Daras HainBahauddin had not heard before.Same composition as track 04.

17 Kedar – Dhammar 3:11

Chori Chori Maarat Hain Kum KumaOld Bandish, same composition as track 05. At 0:35 a few seconds are erased on Ustad’s wish as he cracked a joke that he felt was inappropriate.

18 Suha – Dhammar 1:10

Airey Aaj Piya Apaney So Khelu Bana Bana Hori. Poetry after Amir Kushru that Bahauddin had not heard before. Same composition as track 03

and 15.

19 Adana – Jhaptal 1:57Dharat Lanka be Lanka Daak Dud Danka Shahey Aurangzeb Chadhata Hai Ghodey Composition by 17th century Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.

20 Bhairavi - Rupak/Tivra 5:45

Jagata Janai Jwala MukhiSaraswati Sharada Vidya Deni Dayani Dukh Harani.Newly arrived pakhawaj expert Arjun Sejwal has taken over the tabla, but as he is not familiar with this composition he mistakes it for Dhammar tala for some time in the beginning until Ustad points him in the right direction, Rupak tal. Toward the end the brothers sing it in Tivra in higher speed.

21 Bhairavi – Dhammar 1:40

Maa Janani Khelata Faguna Naval KishoriIn keeping with tradition, Ustad concludes this visit to the past world of Dhrupad performed before royalty in court with a rare composition in Bhairavi raga.

PHOTOSin order of appearance

Cover photoH.H Maharaja Bhupal Singh during the time of Ziauddin Khan Sahab in Udaipur

Z. M. Dagar & Z.F Dagar singingStill from Mani Kaul’s film Dhrupad, photo credit, Lalitha Krishna

Ziauddin Dagar (left)Father of Z. M. Dagar and Z.F. Dagar, Court Musician of Udaipur a hundred years back

H.H. Laxman Singh Bahadur, the Maharaja of Dungarpur (right)it was in front of him the album was recorded

Z. M. Dagar with Maharana Bhagwant Singh of MewarThe present Maharana of Udaipur

From the rooftop of Ustad’s house ”Rukmini” in Chembur, BombayA student, Ustad’s wife to be, Pramela Naringrekar, Ustad Z.M. Dagar, Ustad’s first

foreign student Dan Smith, Ustad Z.F. Dagar. Front row: Shambu Maharaja, Pandit Chandrashekar Naringrekar, Bengt Berger, K. Sridhar.

CEX21

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