Shubha Mudgal fortuitously combines her musical flair with the strong force of her personality to uncover fresh perspectives within known and unknown territories alike. Mudgal’s distinct brand of khayal and versatile style is the result of study with a wide range of gurus - notably Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’, Vinaya Chandra Maudgalya, Vasant Thakar, Jitendra Abhisheki, Kumar Gandharva, and Naina Devi.

In this video, Mudgal performs a jhoola in Mishra Kafi. She brings the gems of her semi classical training she has received from Naina Devi (1917-1993), arguably one of the finest thumri exponents of the 20th century.

‘Jhoola’ literally means a swing. Traditionally, a jhoola is a north Indian folk song connected to the monsoons. It is a lilting, semi classical song that has its origins in folk music. A jhoola’s lyrics are replete with sensuous depictions of the romance between Lord Krishna, the flute-playing Hindu God and his consort Radha in a jhoola (swing-rope) which has been tied across the branches of a kadamb or burflower tree that blooms during the monsoons in India.

A lyrically captivating piece, Mudgal brings forth the lucid appeal of its rustic charm in her sultry voice with a touchingly direct expression. She relishes every note and embellishes her tonal sentences with contained nuances, interpreting the piece in eloquently phrased vowels.

Aneesh Pradhan softly punctuates her singing, weaving a fine layer of rhythm that forms a touching, seductive interpretation of the romance inherent in this piece. Sudhir Nayak’s harmonium accompaniment flows in coherence with the narrative of the piece.

Musicians

Shubha Mudgal (khayal)

Aneesh Pradhan (tabla)

Sudhir Nayak (harmonium)

Priya Sharma & Seetal Dhadyalla (tanpuras)