Recorded at Darbar Festival 2007, on 14th April, at the Phoenix Theatre, Leicester.

Musicians:
- Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (mohan veena)
- Pandit Yogesh Samsi (tabla)

Lullaby composed by Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt in Raag Mishra Tilak Kamod, also derived from Thaat Khamaj

This serene lullaby is Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt’s own composition. He had composed it as a tribute to his mother, Vatsalya Bhatt, when she was 96 years old. Before beginning, he dedicates this song to all mothers and suprises the audience with a stunning vocal rendition of the same.

The song is set to Raag Mishra Tilak Kamod in a slow, lilting pace set to Chachar taal, a folksy variant of Deepchandi taal. He improvises the raga on his mohan veena, keeping it dulcet, heartfelt and evocative.

Pandit Yogesh Samsi accompanies the song in-keeping with its mellowed soulfulness.

“Jhoola Jhulawu Lori Sunawu,
Nanhe Nanhe Haathon Mein Mehndi Lagawu
Kajrare Ankhiyaan Me Chand Sajaawu”

Putting a child to sleep with a lullaby in a cradle bears the universal stamp of a mother’s affection. In these Hindi lyrics, Pandit Bhatt paints a vivid picture of some regions of India, where it is customary to apply henna (mehendi) on the little palms of a baby and kohl around the rim of its eyes. A black dot is also made on the forehead of the baby. It is believed to ward off evil. The henna paste is sourced from the household garden and the kohl is made at home with ghee, a by-product of milk, and is said to enhance the baby’s eye-sight and skin.

The imagery in these lyrics portrays a typical afternoon in households of India where, after finishing the day’s chores, a mother sits beside the cradle singing lullabies and gently nurturing so as not to wake the baby up.