Ghazals, Thumri, Qawwali, Development

 

• Ghazals

The ghazal as a form of music originated in Iran around the 10th century AD. It came to India with the Persian invasion in the 13th Century and, ever since, has captured the hearts and minds of people who listen to this beautiful, most poetic of genres.

The basis of the ghazal lies in Persian poetry. The language medium changed to Urdu sometime during the 13th century after Urdu became the accepted language of culture in the courts. One of the first, most prolific composers of the ghazal was Amir Khusrau who, it is said, at the height of his career wrote as much as one new ghazal a day. The ghazals of Amir Khusrau are still as treasured by connoisseurs or Urdu shayari, poetry, today.

The way thumri's evolution is linked to that of khyal, it also evolved complementing Kathak. In the Mahabharata, the word Kathak appears denoting actors, singers. Kathaks were professional story tellers who narrated stories from the Hindu epics and mythology.

During the medieval era and Mughal empire, Kathak flourished in temples and courts. Its speciality was the dramatic presentation of Vaishnavite myths and the stories were supported by mime and accompaniment. In the 18th century, Kathak became very popular in Lucknow, paralleling the rise of thumri. But, Kathak was essentially embued with Vaishnavism, specialising in the portrayal of tribulations and joys of Radha and Krishna -- Krishna's teasing, and holi playing, and Radha's passionate longing.

It is pertinent to note that thumri's development is closely linked with the evolution of Khyal singing and Kathak dance. The bhavs or moods depicted in thumri lyrics can be presented both, through vocals as well as dance.

The contents of thumris show that it is linked to the ashtanayikas or eight primary types of heroines defined by Bharata in his treatise, the Natyashastra. These eight types of heroines constituted the framework for subsequent dramas and poems including the contemporary thumri texts. Bharata and other theorists have classified heroines to describe and isolate individual characters and moods so, that artistes could reproduce them in their subtlety.

"Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan took the Qawwali from the darbars of India and Pakistan to the global music circuit of fusion and pop. Following his death, Namita Devidayal traces the transformation of this essentially spirited Sufi music"

Alight breeze flowing across the Jamuna river mingles with a lonely voice. The musician recites a line from a Sufi poem -- it could be Amir Khusrao. The words float high above, supported only by a harmonium.

Then a chorus of four others echoes the melody. Someone picks up the dholak, another begins clapping to the beat. Gradually, the singing gathers momentum and a gathering of devotees, mesmerised, starts swaying to the music.

 

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