Blog 13-english Index of 259 Tabla bandishes.

 001  dhina ghidanag tirakiTatak tirakiTatak     Miya Bakshuji

002  dhikda  dhintā  gadi ghidanaga     Haji Vilāyat 

003  dhikda dhintā  traka dhintā ghidanaga    Haji Vilāyat 

004  dhā ghina taggheghe tagghinā     Munir Khān 

005  dhinatak dhinadhāge trakadhinna      Munir Khān 

006  kdāndhātikat  tirakiTataktā.thoon     Munir Khān 

007  dhā$$  takiTadhin  $dingana tirakiTatak  Faiyazkhan

008  dhikdadhikdadhin dhā gheghetakdhin    Purāni gat

009  dhāgetiTa tāgetiTa tageding  nāgetiTa     Farukhabad

010  dhākiTatak  takdhin  $taktakdhin     Munir Khān 

011  kattiTatiTa  gadittān dhātraka.dhikiTa      Jahangirkhan       

012  dhetdhetdhet  ghidannād     Jahangirkhan

013  ghintirakiTatak  tātiTa  kataghinā     Purani gat

014  katiTakatān  dhā tunnā  katta dhā    HusseinaliKhan

015  katā  ghinā  dhirdhirkat dhirdhirkat    Laxman Prasad

016  takiTa  dhātraka  dhiTadhiTa  kata    Laxman Prasad

017  takiTa   dhātrakadhin  dhāgenāke   Laxman Prasad

018  kiTatak  thoonthoon nakeTetat    

019  dhirdhirkitatak dhāgetiTa kddhān     Farukhabad 

020  kataka  dhikiTa dhāge tiTakatagadigana  

021  dhinaghdāndhin  $ghidanagdhin     Amir Hussein 

022  dhlttaka  dingtak  tiTakatagadigana     

023  dhirdhirkitatak takiTdhā  dhirdhirkitatak  Farukhabad 

024  katiTadhā  tiTakddhā  tiTadhāthunga     Farukhabad 

025  dhirdhirkitatak takdān  dhirdhirkitatak     Farukhabad 

026  dhāghdāndhā  ghidanagtin ghidanag     HaiderKhan

027  takdin  nitakghitak  dingdināgina     Faiyazmamoo

028  taktaktak  takiTatān  dhā dhā kiTataka    Purani gat

029  dhā ghidanagtet  dhā ghidanagtet dhā    Purani gat

030  dhāgenāgedhin  dhāgenāgedhin dhinā    Farukhabad 

031  dhetdhet  taginna dhāgetiTa taginna     Farukhabad 

032  tiTaghdān  dhāghidanaga  dhātiraghid     Farukhabad

033  dhā$$  takiTa  dhā  $takiTadhā      Amir Hussein 

034  ketirakiTatak dhagattakiTa dhā     Amir Hussein 

035  dhā kiTataka tirakiTatak ghidanagtiTa       Amir Hussein 

036  dhātraka.dhikiTa.katagadigana dhā      Rehmankhan

037  tiTakatagadigana ghintirakiTatak      Masitkhan

038  kattiTatiTa  katagadigana  dhatraka     Farukhabad 

039  ghintirakiTatak  ghadān ghidanāg      Farukhabad 

040  dhakiTadhikiTakat  ghinnata  ghinnā     Farukhabad 

041  dhirdhirkiTatak.takiTa.dhā  x 2      

042  tirakiTatak  tirakiTatak tiTakatān      Amir Hussein 

043  dhina ghadān dhin ghadān nagtag     Amir Hussein 

044  dhintak  dhintak  dhintak  dhināgina      Amir Hussein 

045  $dhāgenakat ghinatak ghinatina     Amir Hussein 

046  takiTa  dingtak  tiTakatā  dhāti-chachar    Amir Hussein 

047  ghidanagdhinghidanagdhin  tāghidanag  

048  dhiTata  dhiTadhiTa  dhiTata  kattiTa       Amir Hussein 

049  taktaktak  tākiTatak  tirakiTatak      Amir Hussein 

050  dhā$takiTa  dhātrakadhikiTa  kataga..       Haiderbax

051  ghidanagdin  ghidanagdin nānākitatak    

052  dhā ghināt dhikiTa katān ghināt ting ..       lucknow 

053  dhinnā  dhā kiTataka  tunnā  tiTakatā        Lucknow 

054  dhā kiTataka  thoon kiTataka gdittān         Lucknow 

055  dhākd  dhaTata dhātraka  dhaTata       Lucknow 

056  dhāgenā dhāgetiTa  dhāgenā  dhāget      SheikhDawood

057  dhāgenā  dhāgetiTa dhāgena\ tunnakatā SheikhDawood

058  dinga dingadin  dhā gheghenakdhin         SheikhDawood

059  ghinadhā  ghinadhā  dhāgenāgedhin         Lucknow 

060  ghinadhidhi  ghinadhāti  ghinadhidhi Farukhabad 

061  dhā ghidanāg tirakiTatak  dhā ghidanāg     Bacha Mishra

062  dhā ghidanāg tak ghadān dhāgetiTa           BhairavPrasd

063  kattiTa gheghetiTa  gheghethoon       Farukhabad 

064  dhagat  dingananāg tirakiTataktā      

065  dhina ghadāndhin  dhākddhānadhā       Imambaksh

066  katāntā kidanaga tirakiTa takdhuma          Farukhabad 

067  katāntā kidanaga tirakiTa dhāgheghe        Farukhabad 

068  dhinaghidanagdhin  dhāgetraka       Farukhabad 

069  dinga dinga takiTa  takiTa  dhātraka          MiyaBaxuji

070  dhānadhikiTa dhātraka dhikiTa 

071  kddhinnātiTa  tirakiTatak tiTakatān       Boli Bax

072  takiTadhikiTa  dhiTatādhikiTa katagadi..     lucknow 

073  dhetdhet  dhitadhita kddhātiTa  dhāge...   mohmadKhan

074  kiTatakatta ghentarān  dhā dhā        Laxmaprsad

075  dhā$takiTadhā  dhinā kiTataka takiTa Haji Vilāyat 

076  ghintirakiTatak taktak ghintirakiTatak ...      Munir Khān 

077  dhā ghidanāgdhin dhāgetraka dhinagina    Lucknow 

078  ghadān ghidanāg tage tirakiTatak takiTa..    Imambux

079  dhāgetiTa katagadigana  dhirdhirkat dhir..    Imambux

080  ghintirakiTatak dhātiTa katāghinā dhātuna..  

081  dhāgetiTa tāgetiTa tāgeding nāgetiTa   Farukhabad 

082  dhetdhet trakadhet taginna dhet ta   Farukhabad 

083  tinagina dhātraka dhikiTa katagadigana..      Farukhabad 

084  dhākddhātiTa dhāge  dinganāge tirakiTatak..

085  ghinātiTa katak dhāgenākat   Puranigat

086  gadigana dhā kiTa dhettā kiTataka    Lucknow 

087  gheding nāgetiTa katiTa dhāgena gheghe..    lucknow 

088  dhindhin  dhiTadhiTa  gheghetiTa gheghe...    lucknow 

089  dhiTadhiTa dhāgetiTa  kddhātiTa tāgetiTa ..     Lucknow 

090  dhiTadhiTa  katāna  tādhā

091  dindindin  kiTatakatā  dhā trak dhetdhet ..     Farukhabad

092  kattiTa tiTatiTa  kddhānnatādhā   AmirHussein

093  ghidanāg dhināgina dhāgetraka dhināgina ..Farukhabad 

094  katiTa dhātiTa kddhātiTa dhā thoonga..         Farukhabad 

095  DhākddhaTata dhātraka dhaTata dhirdhir ..   punjab

096  dhāna  dhāna takiTa dhān   Lucknow 

097  dhā kddhātiTa  kddhātiTa dingadināgina....    Amir Hussn

098  dhāgetiTa  tāgetiTa  gadigana nāgetiTa    Amir Hussn

099  trakadhet  dhirdhirkitatak takiTa dhā    Munir Khān 

100  dhāgetiTa tiTadhāge tiTatiTa  dhātraka ...       ModuKhan

101  ghetiTata  tiTadhāge  tiTakata gadigana ...      punjab

102  dhidhinnā tiTakatān dhindhinnā  tiTakatān ..   Sheikh Dd

103  dhā dhā dhā ghidanāg dināgina  dhāgetraka .AbidHussn

104  dhinākatā  kinātiTa  dhinākatā  kinātiTa..         Ata Hussn

105  takiTa takiTa tak ghidanāg tak ghidanāg ....    MirzaSahb

106  takiTa  dhātraka dingdinat...

107  katadhā ghidanāg tingnag dhātirakiTatak ....   Amir Husn

108  ghadān ghidanāg tage tirakiTatak      Farukhabd

109 dhiTadhiTa dhāgetiTa kddhtiTa dhāgetiTa ........

110  ghintirakiTatak kidnagtet  dhākddhānadhā..    Farukhabd

111  dhirdhirkitatak taktaktak dhā  dhāta kiTadhā.. 

112  dhā$  gadigana naga  tiTakatagadigana ...      Nikhil Gh.

113  dhagannād  dhagattānadhāti dhākddhān...     GyanPrak

114  dhetdhet taginna tā dhā trakadhet..  

115  kiTataka tetdhā kiTataka dingnag dhā       Amir Husn

116  ketraka  dhikiTa dhā tirakiTatakta tiTakata...     

117  dhātiTa ghidanāg tingnag tiTakatān       

118  tintinnā kidanag tirakiTa dhingd dhāti       Lucknow 

119  dhātadhāgenā  dhātadhāgenā  dhāge              LaxmanPr

120  dhagattakiTa dhā takiTa dhāthoonga       Lucknow 

121  dhā ghidanāg tirakiTatak  dhā ghidanāg tiraki..

122  dhādhādhā dindindin nānānā kattiTa... Lucknow 

123  trakatunnā gheghetiTa  kiTataka tiTakatā..         Lucknow 

124  toon toon takiTa takiTa dhā tunnā..dhāgena..     

125  tiTakatān dhiTakatān  dhagattakiTa 

126  dhā$ takiTa dhā  $takiTa dhā thoonthoon ...      Lucknow 

127  dhagattakiTadhāge tiTagheghe dindin       Lucknow 

128  dhiTadhiTa tiTatiTa  tiTakatān toon Lucknow 

129  dhā thoon takiTa thoon  dhā tirakiTatak Lucknow 

130  dhākiTatak  dhumakiTatak tlTatā Lucknow 

131  takddhā  dingddhā  didin kiTataka dingddhā     Lucknow

132  dhaginna tin tirakiTatak  toonna kiTataka ... Lucknow 

133  dhinna dhinnatak takiTa takiTa tak dhātikat..    miyaBaxu

134  dhā kiTataka dhumakiTak  tirakiTatak tagdhin...AmirHusn

135  dhāgetiTa tāgetiTa kddhātiTa 

136  dhina ghidanāg tiTakatān dhirdhir ghidanāg ..  BMunneK

137  dhagattakiTa dhagattakiTa  dhā ghadāna..        Haji Vilāyt

138  dhagattakiTa dhāgenāgedhin dhāgetraka        Bolibux

139  dhikda dhintā kytk tirakiTatak tkdaān SherKhn

140  ketirakiTatak  trakatunnā  kiTataka            Farukhabad 

141  dhiTatatā  kattiTa  dhiTatatā  gadigana           AmirHussn

142  dhikiTa tikiTa dhikiTatān katiTatāna     Punjab

143  dhetdhet tirakiTa dhet  dhiTadhiTa kddhātiTa  

144  dhātiTa dhākdān  tiTadhākdān-kakapad   Farukhabad

145  dhetdhet dhiTadhiTa kddhātiTa  dhāgetiTa     

146  ghintirakiTatak tā  katāgheghedhin     Purani gat

147  dhākddhāna  dhādhākddhāna  ghinatunnā    Shamsudin

148  dhetdhet dhiTadhiTa kddhātiTa  dhāgetiTa      Lucknow 

149  dhikddhinnā kiTataka tirakiTatak takdān        Farukhabad

150  kataka dhikiTa katā  kataka dhikTa katā

151  ginak takiTa ghina tāna dhānakat Rehmankhan

 dhiTakatā  gadigana ghintirakiTatak ...GulamHussein

153  ghadān tā tirakiTatak dhirdhirkat    

154  dhātraka dhāgenā kddhātiTa dhāgen..Amir Hussein  

155  dhagattakiTa tak ghidanāg dingna Farukhabad 

156  gadi ghidanāg tā tirakiTatak dhirdhir ...Amir Hussein 

157  ateet gat- dhagattakiTa dhāgetiTa .......Amir Hussein 

158  tirakiTataktā ketirakiTatak  taginnadhā..Nasir khan

159  takiTa takiTa takghidanāg takghidanāg  Amir Hussein 

160  tākiTataka  tirakiTatak dhirdhirkita   agannathAmir Hussein 

161  dhā$  ghidanāg dināgina dhāgetraka     Vajid Hussey

162  katadhā  kiTataka katTatāna dhāge...      Amir Hussein 

163  dinataktak dinataktak  dinataktak tiTa...  

164  dhirdhirkiTatak.takiTa.dhā  dinganānā...  

165  dhāgenadhānadhā ghidanāg tingnag     Lucknow 

166  dingdinā kiTataka dhā tiTakata     Lucknow 

167  dhānna  dhāgetiTa dingananānān     Lucknow 

168  gadinnākat dhirdhirkitatak takiTa dhā ......Amir Hussein 

169  kattiTa kattiTa gheghetiTa  gheghetiTa..     Jagannathbua

170  dhetdhetdhet  dhiTa tiTatiTa kddhātiTa.... SheikhDawood

171  dhirdhirkiTatak.takiTa.dhā dingnānā........ Sheikh Dawood 

172  dhirdhirkiTatak.takiTa.dhā x 3     Sheikh Dawood 

173  dhirdhirkiTatak.takiTa.dhā  x 2     Mohamad Hsn

174  ghiTatatā gadigana ghintirakiTatak ....      Amir Hussein 

175  dhāgenadhāgedingana  ghintirakiTatak ...Farukhabad 

176  dhirdhirkiTatak.takiTa.dhā  dingananā.....  Munir Khān 

177  dhinatakdhinatak  takghina dhāgetiTa ....  MiyaBaxuji

178  takiTadhikiTa takiTadhikiTa  takiTadhikiTa.. Amir Hussein 

179  dināginanāg dināginanāg dināginanāg......

180  dhinaghadān  dhinaghadān dhāgenāge...  AmirHussein 

181  toontoon dhiTadhiTa dhā kddhāna dhinta.  Amir Hussein 

182  dhintākddhāna dhatin ghidanāg dhina...     Amir Hussein 

183  ghadān takiTa dhā dhirdhirkitatak dhirdhir . Imambux

184  tunnā kiTataka tirakiTataktā kattadhā...        Munir Khān 

185  dhirdhirkat dhirdhirkat dhiTadhiTa dhāge.... Imambux

186  dhetdhet trakadhet  dhāgetiTa tāgetiTa .....  Lucknow 

187  dhetdhet trakadhet dhāgetiTa tāgetiTa ...     Lucknow

188  dhiTadhiTa dhāgetiTa kddhātiTa dhāgetiTa . Lucknow 

189  katakdhinakdhina katakdhinakadhin dhā ..  

190  dhagattakiTa takdingtak dingananāgena.....Haji Vilāyat 

191  dhagattakiTa takdingtak dingananāgena...  Shalari Khan

192  dhāge tirakiTa dhā ghadān dhā ghadān ....  Islampurkar

193  katat tā tirakiTa tā tirakiTatak taktā....           Munir Khān 

194  dhā ghadān dhā tak tirakiTatak dhā ....        Nizamuddin

195  dhirdhirkiTatak.takiTa.dhā x 3 ... Sheikh Dawd

196  dhirdhirkiTatak.takiTa.dhā  x 3... SheikhDawd 

197  dhātiTa ghidanāg tingnagtet dhā kddhān..   Lucknow 

198  gadigana nāga tirakiTatak tiTakatān ...ākdhin   Farukhabad 

199  dhā$  dhin dhā kiTatakadhet dhirdhirkita...   

200  dhānatāna dhātā dhagat  tirakiTatak ...   Purani gat

201 dhātraka dhinātadhin  ghitak ghinākedhin..   Lucknow 

202  gheghetiTa gheghetiTa kiTataka thunthun..   Amir Hussen

203  kat tiTatiTa dhātraka dhikiTa kddhātiTa....     

204  dhā dhinākdhin  takiTa dhinākedhin....   Benaras

205  tinnā kiTataka din kidanaga tirakiTataktā..    Munir Khān 

206  dhātadhā  dhātagina tunnāgina dhātidhā...  Farukhabad 

207  dhā $gheghetakdhin ketakghetskdhin ...    Farukhabad 

208  ghidanāg tiratira ghidanāg tingnag.... Farukhabad 

209  ghentā kidanagdhin kidanaga tirakiTatak .. Munir Khān 

210  dhina ghidanāg tiTakatān $ tiTakatān ..       Amir Hussein 

211  kiTataka tak tirakiTatak tā tirakiTatak ...       Amir Hussein 

212  dhātiTa ghidanāg dingtak tiTa ghidanāg ..   Imambax

213  dhikdadhintā ghidanāg tirakiTatak tā ...       Farukhabad 

214  dhādhādhā din kiTataka gadittān dhātuna  Farukhabad 

215  katak tāgetāge dinganādingnāti-chāchar    Farukhabad 

216  dhā ghinā tiTa ghinā  tiTatiTa ghinā ghida..  Farukhabad 

217  dinganātrakadhet dhikiTa tāgetiTa-chāchar Farukhabad 

218  katak dhiTadhiTa katak dingtak- chāchar      

219  dhātraka dhiTadhiTa takiTa taktita-chāchar  Amir Hussen

220  ghen tirakiTatak dhā kattiTa dhādhākddhān Farukhabad 

221  gadigana nāgetiTa gaddi  tiTagaddi tiTa...     Farukhabad 

222  trakadhet  dingsnanāgetat gadigana traka..  Farukhabad 

223  dhagattakiTa dhāgetirakiTa dhātraka dhikiTa Farukhabad

224  dhinaghadāndhin ghadān dhikddhintā..   Farukhabad 

225  tākiTataka tirakiTatak takiTadhikiTa tiTakatān Farukhabad 

226  dhākd taktirakiTatak tākd takdān-chāchar.... punjab

227  dināgina dināgina dhāgetraka tunnāgina ..... Farukhabad 

228  dhāgena dhāgetiTa tāgena tāgetiTa -chāch...Farukhabad 

229  dhānna  dhikiTa dhātraka dhikiTa kat tiTatiTa 

230  dinatsk dinatak taktak dinatak...    

231  TiTori gat: dhagattakiTa tātirakiTataktet....      Farukhabad 

232  dhānna dhikiTa  dhātraka dhikiTa

233  dhāgetirakiTa  dhāgetirakiTa dhā dingnag..   

234  katattātirakiTa  tātirakiTatak  tirakiTa ..           Farukhabad

235  dhintā kddhāna ghentirakiTatak takiTa dhā .. AmirHussn

236  ghentarān tirakiTatak tāgetiTa gadittāna......  Amir Hussn

237  dhāgetirakiTa  dhāgetirakiTa  dhā dingnag....

238  dhirdhirkiTatak.takiTa.dhā  dhirdhirkitatak ...

239  Baggi gat:tirakiTataktā ghinā ghinā dhāt..... Farukhabad

240  dhā kddhāna dhā dhā kddhāna dhā ...   Haji Vilāyat 

241  Chanda gat: udata bhramar uda jāta...   Amir Hussen

242  dhagattakiTa dhāgetiTa dhina ghidanāg ...   Miya Baxuji

243  dingananāna ghentirakiTatak takiTa takiTa ..Amir Hussein 

244  kddhet dhikiTa dhākiTataka dinkiTataka ...   Amir Husseinari  

245  kattiTa gheghetiTa dhātraka dhikiTa katā.... Munir Khān 

246  ghadān dhātiTa tiTakatān kat tiTatiTa ....      Shalari Khsn

247  katiTa dhādhindhā  dhādhindhā katiTa.....   Amir Hussein 

248  dhā kddhāna dhā dhā kddhāna dhā ghid....Bade Munne

249  dhā kddhāna dhā dhā kddhāna dhā .......... Ghangrekar

250  takiTa dhikiTa dhā kiTataka dhādhindhā..... Amir Hussein

END  BOOK ONE

                     

Blog no.12-index of 250 Tabla bandishes in english

 I am publishing 250 Tabla Bandishes composed by old Masters dating back to 18th,19th and 20th centuries. The bandishes have been recited and played by pt. Nitin Degwekar of Farukhabad Gharana. These  are of 8 hours duration. a preview VDO is being posted on Facebook and Utube.

The book will be in English and Hindi. the book will be released around Diwali,21.

The English edition will be priced at $ 70/- outside India and Irs   1500 in India

The Hindi Edition will be priced at  $ 65/- outside India and Irs 1400 in India.

Fitst Edition will be 300 copies each. Postage will be applicable.

we are creating 'stockpoints in USA at Sunnyvale,SFO,at Chicago and at Sandeago. The copies can be directly obtained from these points or shipped within US.

This Book is NOT recommended for beginners. A second book of additional 250 bandishes will be available in first quarter of 2022. Those who have purchased the first book will be given a dicount of 10 % on the 2nd book.

The prospective buyers are advised to book a copy by sending their Name,address, English/hindi by emmail to- suroshan21@gmail.com. Thes buyers will recive their copies ahead of others.

Index in English of the bandishes in Book no. 1 is given in Blog no.13

Music in Tabla: Thirakwa's Legacy

After a long time I felt the necessity to return to my blog. I have been active on the Facebook for the last three years with a fair interest shown by Tabla lovers. But this subject is going to be a little exhaustive. I therefore decided to approach my friends through my Blog.

Note: discussions in this Blog are only applicable to Solo playing. Requirements of accompaniment need a different approach which will be a subject of my next blog.

The Subject: Musical notes on Tabla, Ustad Thirakwa's Legacy.

In August 2017, esteemed publisher Popular Prakashan has published a book accompanied by a DVD containing a 2 hour interview of Pt Bapu Patwardhan(incidentally, I am the interviewer), explaining and demonstrating the above subject. The book and interview is in Marathi. I thought, it might be useful to give an overview of the subject in English for non-Marathi Lovers of Tabla.

Name of the Book: Tablyacha Antarnaad.

Writer: Pandit Bapu Patwardhan, 81, Shagird:Ustaad Ahemadjan Thirakwa.

Interviewer: Suresh Mulgaonkar, 86, Shagird:Ustaad Amir Hussein Khan.

Publisher: Popular Prakashan Pvt. Ltd,301 Mahalaxmi Chambers,22 Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai 400026

Price in India: Rs. 200, includes DVD.

I was involved in my engineering  profession till year 2002. By this time I had given up Tabla. In 2003, I accidentally met Bapu in Satara where an anniversary of Thirakwa was being celebrated and Bapu was performing. I had no knowledge of Bapu or any other participant.I learnt with Ustaad Amir Hussein around 1954-56, but as an Engineer I got engaged in my manufacturing activity.By 2002, I was free of my profession and wanted to get back to Music. Apparently Bapu had heard of me as a Tabla Player as of 1954. When he asked me about my playing I had to admit that I had given up because I could not play a Kayda for more than 2 minutes as my forearm would tighten up. He assured me that he can help me by adopting Ustaad Thirakwa's technique, which he did and in 2006, I played a solo for 120 minutes. 

Thirakwa's rendering is all about playing with ease with minimum body movements and many other techniques which Bapu has explained and demonstrated in his book. He hardly had any authentic Shagirds. I do not think Thirakwa was aware of his attributes, or else he would have or could have imparted these to his genuine students.Though Bapu had a short stint with the Ustaad, he was not afraid to ask explanations and on many occasions was able to play certain Bols/Compositions with Ustaad's Nikas through observation and not instructions. Devices which Thirakwa used, enabled him to perform on Bombay television at the age 90.

Bapu was an accomplished Accompanist and a Solo player in his young age. Because of money problems, he had to work as an Artisan with a Railway Workshop. At the age of 42, he was nudged to take a studentship at a class of ten students conducted by Thirakwa as a visiting Professor, sponsored by The National Centre for Performing Arts. I am sure Ustaad's intention was just to earn an attractive remuneration and nothing more. He even got students to pay him Rs 100 apiece for tying a Ganda and declaring them as Shagirds.

Bapu realised that this was a good opportunity to learn Thirakwa's style and technique and he started questioning the Ustaad on everything to the annoyance of the Ustaad. Bapu was scolded, at times abused, and even thrown out as a precocious child but Bapu stood his ground. In the process he earned the respect of the Master and was able to imbibe his technique. The class was short-lived, Thirakwa died shortly after his assignment.

Bapu had no intentions of giving up his job which by then was a senior position in the Railways. Yet he decided to take a premature retirement and concentrated all his time in unfolding his style.

As we know Thirakwa's only Guru was Ustaad Munir Khan. However Munir Khan had the fortune of learning from many Gurus, He was therefore trained in Banda (Delhi) and Khula (Lucknow) Baaj and also their offshoots such as Ajrada and Farukhabad. Thirakwa mastered all these Gharanas and did not feel the need to look for another Guru. When he was asked whether he learnt from Nathan Khan of Delhi, he said "Why should I? I Iistened and absorbed" (Suna aur samajh liya).

Munir Khan had many well accomplished  Shagirds. But Thirakwa's playing was conspicuously different from his peers. He was acknowledged as the Emperor of Tabla by all Gharanas. Did he develop his unique style consciously? He would always say that he played what his Guru taught him. Unfortunately there is no recording of Munir Khan to verify this. Thirakwa would always stress that Munir's diction (Zaban) was SARASOTI (Saraswati, Indian goddess of learning). It is possible that he was influenced by vocal and instrumental music in his family. His father was a Sarangiya, he himself learnt Vocal and was possibly expected to sing rather than play Tabla. His concentration on maintaining Sur in Tabla may be a subconscious effort. Some of his remarks in Urdu throw some light on his thought process.

1. "Tablese pyar karna sikho to wo bolega. Mar pit karoge to sar dard dega".(Handle Tabla with love. If you bang it ,it will give you head ache)
2. "Tabla bajanewale ke teen prakar hain. Bahubaliye, Hisabiye, Tabaliye".(three types of players: strong armed who hammer the Tabla, mathematicians who manipulate beats, authentic Tabla players who play with sensibility)

It is interesting to note that Tabla is arguably the only percussion instrument which can be tuned to merge with a Tanpura note. An open 'tin' note on Tabla denotes Shadja (Sa). An open 'tun' note denotes Rishabh (Re). Use of these two notes will maintain a Gunjan (drone) in your production. To enjoy the open sound of a struck note it is necessary that there should be a minute interval between the open note and a successive note. In a fast tempo execution there is no room for an open note to reverberate because the next note dampens it. Therefore certain Kayda compositions and Gat compositions must be played at a suitable speed at which open notes get a chance to establish themselves. This brings us to the ideal pitch of Dayan and Bayan for a solo performance. Thirakwa used pitches around G sharp for his Solos. Pitches around G sharp are suitable for execution of all open strokes such as ding ding, dinagina dingtak, ghadan, tintirakita, dingnag, etc. Pitches around C sharp are not suitable because these open sounds are difficult to produce. Nana, Tirakit, Dhirdhir, Taktak, etc. are suitable for a high pitch. High pitch Tablas are suitable for high speed but Nikal is superficial. Modern audio equipment is a boon to high pitch players.

Usually Kaydas are practiced as a Dohra, Ek Viram, Do Viram, 3 3 2, etc. combinations.

Thirakwa hardly  used this approach. He used lout palat, bol baat, bol banav while executing Kaydas. (This aspect is demonstrated by Bapu in the DVD and explained in the book). He believed in playing a Kayda with these unusual variations and exited with a short teehai. In his performances, Kaydas were played for  no more than six/seven avartans and a teehai would cover half an Avartan. The exit may not be with a teehai but some other attractive variation. It is not possible to give here all the various ways (these are played in the DVD). but one example is given here.

"Dhatraka Dhikitgina Dhatigina Tunagina played at  4X speed and ended with "Dha  Traka  Dhikita  Gina  Dhati  Gina Tuna Gina"  played at 1X speed (no teehai).

Thirakwa did not believe in Lamchad (long) teehai. He abhorred mathematical calculations. He believed in riyaz at speeds 'one' , 'two', 'four'., 'eight', etc. He did not encourage moving from speed one to four in a slider fashion. Firstly, this process is detrimental to keeping a steady speed of theka while accompanying. Secondly, the Nikal at speed one and two is elementary as per the alphabets but at four speed Nikas comes into picture. Fingers can be interchanged, some alphabets may be dropped, a bol may be totally replaced by another to give an impression that nothing is changed. No two players will necessarily have the same Nikas. Old timers never parted with this knowledge. Even Thirakwa would say "Mere hath dekho our samajh lo" (look at my hands and grasp what I am doing).

An example of Thirakwa's favorite Rela:

"Dhage Tirakita Dhage Tag Dingdinagina"

gets converted to:

"Dhatirakitdhatdindidigin"

The concept of Sthanbhed, Varnabhed, Langar, Bol Bant, Bol Banav, Lout Palat, pitch of Bayan, Dab Chak on Baya, use of Khula stroke on Bayan, and many more. All these are covered in the book and DVD.

I am giving a link of a private recording of Thirakwa,played on the 60th Birthday of Master Krishnarao, a legendary singer and composer from Maharashtra. I selected and edited it from my collection and uploaded it to YouTube specially for this blog.

The  Lehra player was an apprentice who had no knowledge of Lehra. Thirakwa spends nearly 20 awartans with him to get grooved (I have cut these out). The Bayan was high pitched, which Thirakwa would never use for a public performance. Yet, even with these handicaps, he has given one of his best performances.

What to look for:

• He opens up with a teeshra kayda "Ghina dhagena dhatraka dhagena dhatraka dhati dhagena tunagina". Note the speed, which is suitable for the Kayda. You should pay attention to other players who play this kayda at a supersonic speed destroying beauty of this composition. Also notice the short teehai.
• There are five Relas where he has maintained Soor. Use of "didigin" in place of "dindinagina", a light touch on "tirakita" and a continuous drone is maintained. He does not stay on one variation for more than one awartan and ends with a short teehai.
• Kayda "dhatirakitatak takdhatirakita dhatita ghidanag tuna kidanag" and its conversion to Rav.
• Delhi Kayda "dhatita dhatita dhadhatita dhadhatuna tita" modified to maintain Soor. 
• Use of "Dhagena", a pause after "dha (dha a_a_ dhatita dhadhatita)" etc. "Ta" of "dhatita" played light, almost sounding "dhatitum".

Bapu feels that unless Thirakwa's techniques are explained and recorded, they will be lost over a period of time, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. By associating myself with his project and by virtue of the numerous discussions we have had and the demonstrations he has given me, I feel I am immensely richer. 

TABLA MUSINGS  BLOG  X  CONTD FROM BLOG  IX  DISCRIPTIONS AND EXAMPLES OF GATS

In the last Blog no  IX,I had discussed the definition and classification of Gats as I see it.It may defer from accepted approach to the definition.But it should be debated.

I am now giving descriptions of each classification and sub classification of Gats.I have relied heavily on Pt Arvind Mulgaonkar’s Paper read at ITC/SRA workshop mentioned in Blog IX.

Main classification: (My thought process).

GAT-KAYDA

It is a Gat which can be played by itself in one or two avartaans.It can be expanded as a kayda (This is an anomaly,because we have already stated that Gats cannot be altered or expanded.But this is one major exception).

Example:composer Khalifa Ustd Abid Hussein Khan of Lucknow Gharana

Dha dha dha ghidnaag dhingin,dhagetrak dhinghidnaagding nanakata,

Dha dha ghidnaag dinagin dhagetrak,dhinghidnagdin,nanakata tinakina,

Ta ta ta  kidnaag tingin…..Khali

This Gat can easily be expanded as a Kayda.

GATANG RELA:

It is a Gat which has germs of a rela embedded in it. The rela phrases can be extracted and expanded.

Example:

Dhin ghidnag tak ghidnag dhinghidnag tirakittak,

Dhingin dhingin tak tak dhinghidnag tirakittak,

Ta tin takdan tinagin tak tak tirakit

Dha   taa     dhina ghidnag

First three lines are teeshra jati,4^th line is chatushra jati.

First two lines can be comfortably developed as a rela.

In fact Utd Thirakwa used to play his favorite rela:

Dhingin tak tak  dhinagin ,dhingin dhagetrak tinagina,

Dhinagin dhinagin taktak dhingin dhagetraka tinagin

One can see the similarity in these two compositions.

GAT-TODA:

This is a gat which ends up with a teehai.

Example:

Dhagetit tagetit nagdhin nagetit

Kaddhatit dhagetit nagdin nagetit

Dhagetit kaddhin dhikit kita ghentaran dhettaginna dha,

Ghdan    tirkittakta         ghenta dha

Ghdan   tirkittakta         ghenta dha

Ghdan   tirkittakta        ghenta dha

GAT-PARAN

Frankly, I am not familiar with this class of Gat. Those who want to get some information may read Pt Mainkar’s book-Aesthetics of Tabla,page 145,and appendix 96

I must admit that I have not been able to comprehend the explanation given.

GAT (plain)

I have said in the previous blog that Gats which cannot be classified in the above classes could fall into this category.

Example:

Dhinna dhinna tak takit takit tak dhatrak dhjikit kat dhaddanna trakadhet,dhatikat tita dha trakdhet taginna dha gheghenanakat ?

One can see that this composition does not fall into any of the above classifications’

I have suggested in previous blog a sub classification or a name describing the nature of the Gat,these are:

Fard,Darjedaar,Manjdhar,Prapaat,Tripally,Choupalli,Do mukhi,Dudhari,Tidhari,Choudhari Gend Uchal,Anaghat,Sab-akaal,Mishra,Mayur and many more.I have already said that Arvind gives 16 varieties but Nikhilbabu/Nayan have 50  varieties.

It will be a very lengthy blog if I have to give examples of all the sub-classifications above. I will give you a few which I like:

GEND UCHAL GAT

This gat is composed to indicate sound produced by the bouncing of a ball ( gend=ball,uchal=bounce),composer Haji Vilayat Ali.

Dhagat takita dhatirakitatak tet dhirdhirkitataktet dhin takdhin dhin dhin na na dhagetirakit gadi gina nage tita ghina kata gaddi tita dhagena dhatraka kata gadigana takdan  tun tun nagna nagna nagetirakita,

Dhagat takita dhatirakitataktet dhir dhir kitataktet dhin.

The underlined part is in teeshra jati,rest in chatushra jati.

DO MUKHI GAT

Do mukhi Gat indicates that the beginning phrase and the ending  phrase are the same. The above Gat also qualifies as Do Mukhi Gat because the gat starts and ends with: dhagat takita dhatirkittaktet dhirdhirkitataktet dhin.

DUDHARI GAT:

The gat is composed of words repeated twice.

Example:

Dhin ghidan dhin ghidan,dhagenage dhin dhagenage dhin,dhatrakadhikita dhatrakadhikita,ghinatinna ghinak tinna,nakekitatak nakekitatak,dadannakitatak dhadannakitatak,dhadhaghin dhadha ghidnag tirkitaktak dhirdhirkit takita dhirdhirkita  DHA

MAYUR GAT

This gat is composed to describe the dance of a peacock.

Katita katan,dhatunna katta dha,dhita tita dhatitakatgadiganadha,trakadhet taginnadha,dhita kata dhita dhatitakatagadigana dha,dhita…kaa..ta..dhitdhatitakatgadiganadha,dhita kata dhita dha titakatagadiganadha.

This gat is difficult to express in a written form.It can be learnt from a Guru.Yet it is difficult to absorb.

I have been trying to get somebody to help me demonstrate  in a video all  the bandishes,gats relas,ravs mentioned in my blog. I hope I am able to do it.I must caution you that because of my age 83 and lack of practice,it may not be a finished product but I assure you it will put you on the right track.

S W Mulgaonkar

Mumbai

sureshmulgaonkar@gmail.com

      BLOG  IX TABLA MUSINGS  SUGGESTED DEFINITIONS AND CLASSIFICATION OF GATS

In my last short blog VIII ( unfortunately,I forgot to title it as VIII ) I had lamented that the definitions of many Tabla PHRASES  are not clear.I can understand the old masters who were majorly illiterate using the phrases loosely. But I cannot understand the present day senior players and musicologists using them,as told by their GURUs, without questioning.

Thirakwa used to play PESHKAR in two parts.Hecalled the first part Farashbandi and the second part Peshkar Rang.But in a recording ,he has reversed the terminology.I will be discussing Peshkar in my next blog ).

In this blog I will discuss the definition and classification of a GAT.

I will give below definitions of Gat as described by some of the leading practitioners and musicologists:

Pt Arvind Mulgaonkar writing in his paper presented at a workshop on ‘Bandish’ organized by ITC-SRA on 25/26 October 1997 gives following definition which I like:

A gat is like a ‘POEM’ composed by some talented old timer players.They have come down to us through oral transmission over generations and usually with the name of the composer and its qualification such as Farad,Darjedar etc.

A gat is precomposed and cannot be /should not be tampered with.

A gat is usually non expandable except for gat-kayda or gat-rela.

A gat does not have any restrictions like a Kayda where one has to restrict to a few words contained in the Kayda. It can have a combination of Khula and Band baaz. It can have a mix of Jatis such as teeshra,chatushra mishra etc.It can have stops to give a surprise.In short the composer is at liberty to use what ever the arsenal he has in his repertoire. The ultimate aim is to surprise and please the listener.(This is my analysis but I am sure Arvind has touched on these points somewhere in his text).

Gat is derived from the Sanskrit word Gati which means speed or movement.Gat  therefore  can be repeated continuously.(Usually,performers repeat the gat twice )In order to repeat the gat,it ends before the sum.

The gat is based on metre of a poem.All Yatis ,Jatis and Grahas as described in taal-shastra are  employed freely in Gat compositions,(I do not agree. My comment is that nearly all Gats are composed by mostly Muslim stalwarts such as Haji Vilayat,Chudiavale ImamBax,Munirkhan and many others from Ajarada,Benaras,Panjab gharanas.These composers,I am sure were not educated enough to know taal Shastra but they were capable of composing attractive Gats.Recently I heard the recordings of bandishes in a CDE attached to an erudite book titled Aesthetics of Tabla by Pt Sudhir Mainkar. Gats are presented in poetic vrittas which are certainly attractive and form the basis of new contemporary compositions. If what I heard on the recording are Pt Mainkar’s compositions ,he deserves to be complimented  for contributing a new dimension for creating new attractive class of bandishes.)

My comments:

Above I have given two comments.Otherwise I am  in agreement with Arvind’s definitions.

I will also say that the main classification of Gats should be:    A…Gat Kayda,  B …Gatang Rela,  C… Gat-paran,  D…Gat-toda..   E…Gat which does not fall into A,B.C ,D classification.But if you do not want to classify a Gat,then you can call all classes as simply ‘Gats.

Since most Gats have come down from old masters through oral transmission over generation of students,they are  awarded certain status by the Gharanas.For example,we have Farad gat,Darjedar Gat.Farad means Unique,a gat which cannot have a Joda or a comparable similar composition. I feel that when the Ustaad composed a Gat, the students and may be  his peers,will have praised it as Unique and this prefix has been carried down by the students.I cannot imagine that a ‘Joda’ cannot be made. But we honour the composer and retain its prefix Farad. Similarly, a Darjedar Gat is also in praise of a composer and has come down to us over generations. I f you ask the composers what they think of their composition,I am sure they will all describe it as Darjedaar.It also means that Farad and Darjedar Gats can belong to any of the above A to E gats.

Then we have,Manzadar,Gend Uchal,Tripalli,Dudhari,Teedhari,Choudhari,Panjdhari,Domukhi,etc Gats. Arvind has given 16 varieties,but Mainkar  mentions that Nayan Ghosh has 50 varieties.Pt Mainkar suggests that a special classification can be considered if there are substantial compositions of a particular variety.

Pt Mainkar writes:”If one aesthetic principle ( say gend Uchal,Waterfall,Dance of a peacock etc.This bracket is my explanation ).is accepted as a criterion to denote individuality of a Gat,as a kind of playing,then at least two to four Gats belonging to that category should be available for quotation,as  the compositions built on that principle”My comment will be that even then it does not qualify to be the main classification, It can only qualify to be a sub classification.For example,just for argument’s sake,can one not compose a gend uchaal or a Tripalli Gat as a part of a Gat-Toda?.

The description of each class and subclass along with examples of Gats will be given in the next blog no X’

Suresh Mulgaonkar

Mumbai

sureshmulgaonka