Performed for Darbar on 13 Apr 2015, at Kolkata’s Botanic Gardens

Musicians:
- Kaushiki Chakraborty (khayal vocals & tanpura)

Raag Shudh Sarang; Thaat: Kalyan; Samay: Late Morning

Kaushiki Chakraborty’s romantic solo rendition of Shudh Sarang takes Hindustani music back to its roots, sung unamplified at Kolkata’s Botanic Gardens.

Learn more about the music:
Kaushiki’s virtuoso technique is the result of years of intense training, primarily from her esteemed father Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty. She hails from the Patiala gharana, known for a strong Islamic influence and elaborate ornamentation of taan [fast improvised melodies]. She describes her approach: “It’s all in the mind. One has to mentally align oneself to the form...My training has taught me two approaches to music – to do music and or to become it. The latter gives you the fluidity to transcend form and become one with it.”

Shudh Sarang is a popular early afternoon raga from the Sarang family, a group of ragas often said to evoke different forms of sringara [attraction, romantic love]. It draws on Kalyan thaat, but omits Ga and takes both a tivra [raised] and a shuddha [natural] Ma in avroh [descent]. Re is the vadi [king note].

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