29/04/2021
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SVSCSZlWpzGagSMWjBkE9tYD8VF9cC69/view?usp=sharing
Door Darshan (Indian TV); March 1993, Kolkata.
“Temple Music of India”
Guest Artist: Dr. Guy Beck, Fulbright Scholar in India 1992-1993, conducted research into temple music traditions from his base in Vrindavan.
Host: Pandit Kumar Prasad Mukherji, renowned classical vocalist of the Agra Gharana, historian of Hindustani music, and author of The Lost World of Hindustani Music (Penguin 2006).
This program first presents a short talk on Haveli Sangit, temple music songs of north India. Introduced by Pt. Mukherji, Dr. Guy Beck explains how Hindustani classical music owes its origin to the medieval temple music of north India, especially in the form of Dhrupad and Dhamar. While undergoing modification into its modern forms of Khayal and Thumri, the original music has remained ‘pristine’ in its context of the worship of Gopāla (Krishna). Dr. Beck explains how different Rāgas or melodic patterns are suited for different times of the day and season in the temple darshans (deity viewings).
The next portion presents a few lines of two selected compositions of temple music. The lyrics are in Braj Bhasha, an early form of Hindi. The first composition is a Dhrupad song suitable for the morning darshan time (7 AM) known as Shringāra, where the deity of Krishna is fully dressed and ready for the daytime devotions. The appropriate Rāga is Vilaval, which uses a major scale with the addition of the flatted seventh. The composition is in the Tāla (rhythm) of Cautal of 12 beats. The composer is Chaturbhuj Dās of the Vallabha or Pushti Mārg tradition of Haveli Sangit.
Āju ko shringāra subhaga sāmvare Gopāla jū ko; kahata na bana āve dekha hi bana āve.
This is a description of the beauty of how the deity of Gopala (Krishna) is dressed upon arrival to meet his consort Rādhā.
The second composition is a evening temple song in Rāga Kamod, set in Jhap Tal of 10 beats. This is a composition of Hita Harivamśa of the Rādhāvallabha temple tradition.
Mohanī madana Gopāla kī bāmsurī. Kalpataru tīra bala vīra krita rāsurī
Mādhurī śravana pūta, sunata suni Rādhike, karata rati rāja ke, tāpa kau nāsurī
This is a praise of the flute of Gopāla during the Rāsa Dance with Rādhā, destroying all anxiety.
