Raag Patdeep comes from the same family as Bhimpalasi and retains its heady melodic appeal. In addition, it draws heavily upon the characteristics of Dhaneshree that imbues it with the intriguing emotions of longing and earnest obeisance.

Omkar Dadarkar demonstrates Raag Patdeep with a traditional composition and a bhajan in this video. The recital remains unaccompanied by tabla or any other instrument. Dadarkar’s voice has a soft, fervent timbre that resonates against the stark sound of the tanpura he plays in this video shot and recorded live at the opulent settings of a 265-year-old heritage mansion known as Bawali Rajbari located 35 kilometres in the outskirts of Kolkata, India.

“Holi Khelata Bahaar” is a traditional composition that describes scenes of Holi celebrations in Gokul, the hometown of Lord Krishna and his consort Radha. It portrays the elation with which residents celebrate and welcome spring, the season of colours, joy and new life. The composition is a deviation from the usual Holi songs that are usually set to Raag Basant or Raag Bahar. That it is set to a yearning tune in Patdeep sets it apart from other such compositions and makes it unique. Dadarkar recalls learning this bandish from Pandit Yeshwantbua Joshi (1928-2012), one of the gurus under whom he has trained as a young and upcoming vocalist years ago.

As he delivers the bandish, Dadarkar spontaneously breaks into the Krishna bhajan, “Baaje Re Muraliya Baaje,” a composition of noted vocalist and composer Shrinivas Kale (1926-2011). Also set to Raag Patdeep, Dadarkar lustily carves out the emotional contours of the bhajan with his brilliant vocals. This bhajan has been popularised in a commercially released recording during the eighties in the inimitable voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (1941-2000). Dadarkar has learned this bhajan from Pandit Kale when he was studying music to establish himself as a vocalist.

Patdeep belongs to the Kafi thaat. It omits Re (2nd) and Dha (6th) in its ascending order and uses all the notes in its descent. The vadi swar or dominant note is Pa (5th) and the samvadi swar or sub-dominant note is Sa (1st). Its timeline ranges the 3rd quarter of the daytime, that is, from 12 pm till 3 pm. Its arohana and avarohana are as follows:
N, S g m P N S’
S’ N D P m g R S N, S
Patdeep is a beautiful afternoon raga, slightly lighter in nature that embodies intrigue, yearning for love and pangs of separation in love.

Musician:
- Omkar Dadarkar
Raag Patdeep, Thaat: Kafi, Samay: afternoon