Vande Maataram revisited - Did the song get a fair deal ? - Part I

Prologue
I am touching on a very controversial topic today as is evident from the title of this post. Let me clarify that I am an Indian to the deepest core and I fully respect my National Anthem. Its position is secure in my heart as is in the hearts of all other Indians. This post is not to demean our National Anthem but will try to look into the circumstances that led to Jana-Gana-Mana being adopted as our National Anthem and Vande Maataram being assigned the title of our national song. All views expressed here are my personal views and the reader may or may not subscribe to them. I will begin with a treatise on Vande Maataram and then in the next part of the topic I shall be discussing about Jana Gana Mana, our National Anthem, in comparison to Vande Maataram. I would also like to clarify that I have only included those versions of Vande Maataram which include the original verses as penned down by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay or part thereof. There have been many variations of Vande Maataram in both lyrics and tune and I have purposefully omitted those with only the term Vande Maataram in the entire song, those inspired by Vande Maataram with totally different lyrics and translation of Vande Maataram into other languages (barring one in English). I have tried to include the different versions of Vande Maataram in the different ragas in which it has been sung.
Vande Maataram
Little did Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1837-94) foresee the epic role that his composition, Vande Maataram, would play in India's freedom struggle. As he sat on the banks of the river Hooghly (The Ganges, as it is known in the southern part of West Bengal, before it merges with the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal) in his native locality of KaNthalpara (KaNthal - Bengali for Jack Fruit and Para - Bengali for conglomeration of few houses usually smaller than a village; a locality within a village usually demarcated on the basis of the profession of the inhabitants) in the Naihati village of the erstwhile 24 Parganas district of Bengal. (For the benefit of readers unfamiliar with the geography of West Bengal, let me add that Naihati is no longer a village but a teeming town in the North 24 Parganas district, about 37 kilometers by train, north of Sealdah station in Kolkata and KaNthalpara still exists).
The date was 7th November 1875 and Bankim Chandra wrote the whole song, partly in Sanskrit and partly in Bengali, in one sitting. He was probably moved by the need of the hour - the need to imbibe the Indians with a strong feeling of nationhood, the need of a guiding force in her freedom struggle; he having witnessed the unsuccessful Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 and the attempt to force "God Save The Queen" on Indians as the national anthem by the British Raj around the year 1870. It was first published in the Bengali magazine Bangadarshan in 1879. These verses were later included by Bankim Chandra in his epic novel Anandamath which was first published as a serial in the magazine Bangadarshan from 1880-82. Bankim Chandra was a writer par excellence in classical Bengali and his works included mainly novels and essays; he rarely wrote poems and verses apart from those as a part of his stories.
This is what Bankim Chandra wrote in Sanskrit and Bengali. For the benefit of readers it is being presented here in English alphabets.

"Vande maataraM
sujalaaM suphalaaM malayaja shiitalaaM
SasyashyaamalaaM maataram ||

Shubhrajyotsnaa pulakitayaaminiiM
phullakusumita drumadala shobhiniiM
suhaasiniiM sumadhura bhaashhiNiiM
sukhadaaM varadaaM maataraM ||

Sapta koti kantha kalakalaninaada karaale
Dwisapta koti bhujai.rdhR^itakharakaravaale
abalaa keno maa eto bale
bahubaladhaariNiiM namaami taariNiiM
ripudalavaariNiiM maataraM ||

Tumi vidyaa tumi dharma
tumi hR^idi tumi marma
tvaM hi praaNaaH shariire

Baahute tumi maa shakti
hR^idaye tumi maa bhakti
tomaara i pratimaa gaDi
mandire mandire ||

TvaM hi durgaa dashapraharaNadhaariNii
kamalaa kamaladala vihaariNii
vaaNii vidyaadaayinii namaami tvaaM
Namaami kamalaaM amalaaM atulaaM
SujalaaM suphalaaM maataraM ||

ShyaamalaaM saralaaM susmitaaM bhuushhitaaM
DharaNiiM bharaNiiM maataraM |"

Much later Sri Aurobindo translated it into English. Here is the original translation which I thought should find its place right after the original Sanskrit/Bengali text for the benefit of readers.

Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.
Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.

Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Though who savest, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foeman drove
Back from plain and Sea
And shook herself free.

Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nervs the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.


Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleems,
Dark of hue O candid-fair
In thy soul, with jewelled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Lovilest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!

The fact that although the novelist was himself a musician, he never composed the music for Vande Maataram. It was set to tune by Pandit Jadunath Bhattacharya (1840-83) from Bhatpara (another locality near Naihati, whose chief inhabitants were Bhattacharyas). It was most likely set in Malhar raga; Kawali taal, but unfortunately that melody is long lost. There is a footnote in Anandamath, in the first edition of Bankim Rachanavali (collected works of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay) that the song is in Malhar raga, ektaal. (Personal communication with Dr. Siddhartha Chatterjee). There is no way to confirm what Jadunath composed, but to speculate.

Pandit Jadu Nath Bhattacharya (1840-83)

A maestro of Bishnupur gharana, Jadu Bhatta, as he was popularly known, was born in the year of 1840. He was a resident of Kadakuri, a village beside Bishnupur town in West Bengal. His father Madhusudan Bhattacharaya was an eminent classical vocalist and also instrumentalist. Jadunath at very tender age learnt 'sitar' and 'mridanga' from his father. Latter, he learnt music from Ramshankar Bhattacharaya and Ganganarayan Chattopadhyay, both the court musicians of Bishnupur Rajas. Jadunath was the music teacher of Rabindranath Tagore in his young age. For his melodious voice, Rajas of Panchakote conferred him with the title of 'Ranganath' and Maharaja of Tripura, Birchandra Manikya conferred him the title of 'Tanraj'. He had written many songs in Bengali and Hindi. He was known for 'Khanderbani' dhrupad music. At the age of 43 he expired.

This is an example of Raga Malhar to give you a feeling how the original composition would have sounded.



Sometime before Bankim's death the first two verses of the song were set to music by the poet Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) and he sang it at the sixth session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1896. Tagore used the raga Desh and Ek tal.
Below is an example of Raga Des.



After this, in the 1901 Indian National Congress session, Dakshinaranjan Sen sang it and thus was started the convention of starting the Congress sessions with Vande Maataram and the song started gaining popularity. Given the popularity of the song Nicole Record Company and Bose Records engaged Rabindranath Tagore to sing for them on Gramophone Records. These records were pressed by Pathe company in Paris and when the British police destroyed the existing stock of this gramophone record in Kolkata, a few of them survived in France and Belgium. This is oldest available recording of Vande Maataram and is recorded by none other than Rabindranath Tagore. Unfortunately it is a collector's item and not available readily. I was unable to get the recording although All India Radio has published it as a CD alongwith the book Rabindranath Tagore : Facets of a genius, in 1996.
Below is a rendition of Vande Maataram as per the tune set by Tagore.



Tagore set the "Laya" of his original composition in raga Des as "Vilambit - Laya" (slow pace). The other Layas possible are "Drut - Laya" (fast pace) and "Madhyam - Laya (medium pace). Below are two examples of Vande Maataram being performed in Raga Des in Vilambit and Drut Laya by Harindranath Chattopadhyay (brother of Sarojini Naidu) and Hemanta Mukherjee respectively.

This is a photograph of the gramophone record of Vande Maataram by Rabindranath Tagore on Bose Record in collaboration with Pathe Record, Paris.

This is a version of Vande Maataram being sung as a chorus led by Dwijen Choudhury and also including Nihar Bindu Sen, Gita Naha, Suchitra Mitra, Debabrata Biswas, Supriti Ghosh & Kanak Biswas Das.



The song when sung in Raga Des, as was first done by Tagore, led to its acceptance by the masses and even the official website of the Government of India has the song in Raga Des. This is the official version of Vande Maataram, in the form that has been assigned the status of the national song of India; with the first two stanzas of the original composition.




This is the orchestral rendition by the All India Radio orchestra.



Another one in the same Raga by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi



The fact that since Bankim Chandra did not himself assign a tune to his composition, the proponents of Vande Maataram were at liberty to set a tune according to their interpretation and according to the occasion where it was being performed.
Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar had composed this song in the Raga Kafi and he used to sing the whole song based on this raga in all the meetings and gatherings including the annual conventions of the Indian National Congress. Later Pandit Omkarnath Thakur, a disciple of Pt. Paluskar, also popularized the song in the same raga and he sang this version on 15th August 1947 from the studios of All India Radio, standing in attention throughout while singing Vande Maataram, as the entire nation heard him holding its breath.
Below is an example of raga Kafi followed by the rendition in Pt. Omkarnath Thakur's voice.





Pandit V D Ambhaikar, set the song to tune in raga Khambavati. Below is Vande Maataram being sung in this raga by Mogubai Kurdikar of the Jaipur gharana (mother of Kishori Amonkar).



Dilip Kumar Roy, another stalwart in the field of Indian music, also recorded Vande Maataram in his own voice which was a conglomeration of ragas Bilawal and Bageshwari.







Here mention must be made of Master Krishnarao Fulambrikar, who single handedly fought a battle to make Vande Maataram the National Anthem of India. Though Jana Gana Mana was declared the National Anthem of independent India on the 24th of January 1950, it was due to the efforts of Krishnarao that Vande Maataram was assigned the glory of being called the national song. Here is his rendition in raga Jhinjhoti.





Pandit Vishnupant Pagnis sang Vande Maataram in a different style, in the reverse order and in the raga Vrindavani Sarang. Here is his composition.



Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose declared Vande Maataram the marching song of The Indian National Army. The version which was adopted by the INA was composed by Timir Baran Bhattacharya and was based on raga Durga. Here is that song both as a vocal rendition and as a marching song on a military band.







In the post independence era, Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Hemant Kumar) composed one of his masterpieces for the Hindi film Anandamath (1952). Composed with a mixture of ragas Sindhu Bhairavi and Ahir Bhairav this song is still popular among the masses. Here is the song in two different forms, sung by Hemanta and Lata Mangeshkar from the same film.





And how can one forget the revival of Vande Maataram by A R Rahman based on which Vande Maataram was chosen as the world's second best song by the BBC on 21st December 2002. Incidentally this is also in raga Des and has the saxophone played wonderfully by Chris Davis.



There are many songs with the words Vande Maataram in them, but only two are worth mentioning here. The first one is by M S Subbulakshmi called Vande Maataram Nalirmani Neerum written by Thyagaraja and the second one is composed by David Mills and is called The Land Belongs to the Children.
I shall be ending the first part now by providing you with two renditions of Vande Maataram; the first on Sarod by Pandit Amjad Ali Khan and the second on Santoor by Pandit Rajan Sharma, both in raga Des.





The second part of this topic will deal with the circumstances which led to Jana Gana Mana being selected the National Anthem of India and Vande Maataram being declared the national song of India with my interpretation of the situation. As it remains a controversial topic I intend to publish it after a full research and verifying all relevant aspects.

The Influence of Western Melodies in Rabindranath's Compositions - Part IV

Go Where Glory Waits Thee

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Lyrics of Go Where Glory Waits Thee - Thomas Moore
Go where glory waits thee,
But while fame elates thee,
Oh! still remember me.
When the praise thou meetest
To thine ear is sweetest,
Oh! then remember me.
Other arms may press thee,
Dearer friends caress thee,
All the joys that bless thee,
Sweeter far may be;
But when friends are nearest,
And when joys are dearest,
Oh! then remember me!

When, at eve, thou rovest
By the star thou lovest,
Oh! then remember me.
Think, when home returning,
Bright we've seen it burning,
Oh! thus remember me.
Oft as summer closes,
When thine eye reposes
On its lingering roses,
Once so loved by thee,
Think of her who wove them,
Her who made thee love them,
Oh! then remember me.

When, around thee dying,
Autumn leaves are lying,
Oh! then remember me.
And, at night, when gazing
On the gay hearth blazing,
Oh! still remember me.
Then should music, stealing
All the soul of feeling,
To thy heart appealing,
Draw one tear from thee;
Then let memory bring thee
Strains I used to sing thee, --
Oh! then remember me.

The Vicar of Bray.
This has been discussed in detail in a previous post. You will find a melodious rendition of the song here

Nancy Lee


Here is the song by Peter Dawson




A beutiful rendition of the song played on organ can be found here

Lyrics of Nancy Lee

The music to Nancy Lee was written by Michael Maybrick, who published under the name Stephen Adams. He was born in Liverpool in 1844. He completed his music studies there and moved to Leipzig and Milan to study further. He became a well known baritone singer. His first appearance was in the New Philharmonic Concerts in London in 1870. His tunes were popular in both England and America.
Nancy Lee was one of Maybrick's first compositions. It was so popular that within two years over one hundred thousand copies had been sold.

The words was written by Frederick E. Weatherly (1848-1929). Weatherly was born in Somersetshire in 1848 and graduated from Oxford in 1871. He practiced law thereafter, but also wrote more that fifty children's books and wrote several tunes with Maybrick.

Of all the wives as e'er you know,
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
There's none like Nancy Lee, I trow,
Yeo ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
See there she stands and waves her hands
Upon the quay, and every day
When I'm away she'll watch for me,
And whisper low when tempests blow,
For Jack at sea,
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho!

Chorus
The sailor's wife the sailor's star shall be,
Yeo ho! We go across the sea;
The sailor's wife the sailor's star shall be,
The sailor's wife his star shall be!

The harbor's past, the breezes blow,
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
'Tis long ere we come back, I know,
Yeo ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
But true and bright from morn till night
My home will be, and all so neat,
And snug and sweet, for Jack at sea;
And Nancy's face to bless the place,
And welcome me;
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho!

Chorus

The bosun pipes the watch below,
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
Then here's a health afore we go,
Yeo ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
A long, long life to my sweet wife,
And mates at sea, and keep our bones
From Davy Jones, where-e'er we be,
And may you meet a mate as sweet
As Nancy Lee.
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho!

Chorus

The British Grenadiers

This has been discussed in detail in a previous post. You can find below a performance by Texas Saxophone Quartet

The British Grenadiers – Texas Saxophone Quartet

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Ye Banks and Braes

You can find an orchestral rendition here



After the musical rendition here is the song being sung




Lyrics of Ye Banks and Braes

Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair?
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae weary, fu' o' care!
Thou'll break my heart, thou warbling bird,
That wantons thro' the flowering thorn!
Thou minds me o' departed joys,
Departed, never to return.
Aft hae I rov'd by bonnie Doon
To see the rose and woodbine twine;
And ilka bird sang o' its luve,
And fondly sae did I o' mine;
Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Fu' sweet upon its thorny tree!
And my fause luver stole my rose -
But, ah! he left the thorn wi' me.

Meaning of unusual words:
braes=hillsides
ilka=every

Robin Adair

Here are three musical renditions of this beautiful song, two of the records are quite old

Robin Adair 1




Robin Adair 2



Robin Adair 3



And now you can find the actual song



Lyrics of Robin Adair

by Lady Caroline Keppel

What`s this dull town to me
Robin`s not near
What was`t I wish`d to see
What wish`d to hear
Where all the joy and mirth
Made this town heaven on earth
Oh, they`re all fled with thee
Robin Adair
What made th` assembly shine
Robin Adair
What made the ball sae fine
Robin was there
What when the play was o`er
What made my heart so sore
Oh, it was parting with
Robin Adair
But now thou`rt cold to me
Robin Adair
But now thou`rt cold to me
Robin Adair
Yet he I loved so well
Still in my heart shall dwell
Oh, I can ne`er forget
Robin Adair

The Influence of Western Melodies in Rabindranath's Compositions - Part III

Western music and melodies which inspired Rabindranath Tagore

We have been discussing the influence of western music on the compositions of Rabindranath Tagore. It was there because he had not only listened to these melodies during his childhood days, but also studied various forms of European music during his visits to England and the continent. In his own words, “At seventeen, when I first came to Europe, I came to know it intimately, but even before that time I had heard European music in our household. I had heard the music of Chopin and others at an early age. As a young boy, I heard European music being played on the piano; much of it I found attractive, but I could not enter fully into the spirit of the thing. I first heard European songs when I was 17 years old during my first visit to London. The artiste was Madame Nilsson, who had a great reputation in those days”.
From his letters of those days, it is known that he had often danced ‘Gallop’ and ‘Lancers’ in association with instruments like piano, violin etc during evening parties and fancy balls. In his autography (Jeevansmriti) he has written, “When I was in Brighton, I once went to hear the song of a famous singer in the institution for music there. I am failing to recollect her name. She might be either Madame Nilsson or Madame Albany. I have never heard such wonderful power of voice”.
In his autobiography he further writes that during his stay in London at Mrs. Scott’s residence, he had practiced Irish Meldiz and learnt some of them. His practice bore fruits and he could gather appreciation for his high pitched singing (Tarsaptak or Tenor) of the popular English numbers those days.
Many people think that these Bengali songs were oriented on the original western melodies only as a mark of influence. But Rabindra thinkers and researchers have a different opinion. Due to paucity of songs in this category and the fact that Gurudev did not compose such songs after he was past his 20s, it can be concluded that he, in the meanwhile, found out songs and music which inspired him throughout his life. Moreover, as the breakaway songs were born out of exact imitations from the point of view of tunes, there was no enthusiasm left in Tagore's mind to compose songs this way any further. The real influence of European music is, therefore, found elsewhere. This influence can be seen from the time of composition of these musical dance dramas till the last days of his life and have been expressed in different dimensions of Rabindrasangeet, thus giving rise to a coordinated trend.
Below is a list of English and European songs and melodies that Rabindranath learnt well during his stay in England.

1. Won't you tell me Mollie Darling
2. Silver Threads Among The Gold (Darling I am growing old)
3. Good Bye, Sweetheart, Good Bye
4. Then you will remember me
5. In the gloaming
6. Sleep on Beloved Good Night, Good Night
7. Go where glory waits thee
8. The Vicar of Bray
9. Of all the wives as e'er (Nancy Lee)
10. The British Grenadiers
11. Ye Banks and Braes
12. Robin Adair
13. If
14. Drink to me with only thine eyes
15. Ave Maria
16. Serenade
17. Messe Solennelle
18. Faust
19. Funeral March
20. Galops
21. Parsifal

These are the songs and compositions with which Rabindranath was well versed with and used to sing and play effortlessly.

Below are some short compositions by Charles Gounod on piano, organ and other instruments and it is possible that Rabindranath derived inspiration from these musical pieces

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Molly Darling - Will Oakland Original

You can hear the song here




This is the newer version of the same song by Hank Snow. See how that it has evolved over time. You can find it here





Lyrics of Molly Darling

Won't you tell me Molly darling
that you love none else but me
For I love you Molly darling
you are all the world to me
Oh tell me darling that you love me
put your little hand in mine
Take my heart sweet Molly darling
say that you'll give me thine
Stars are smiling Molly darling
through a mystique veil of night
They seem laughing Molly darling
while they seem to hide their light
Oh no one listens but the flowers
while they hang their heads in shame
They are modest Molly darling
When they hear me call your name
Molly there is sweetest dearest
look up darling tell me this
Do you love me Molly darling
let your answer be a kiss


Silver Threads Among The Gold - Will Oakland (Darling I am growing Old)

You can find the song here




Lyrics of Siver Threads Among the Gold (Darling I am Growing Old)

Darling, I am growing old,
Silver threads among the gold,
Shine upon my brow today,
Life is fading fast away;
But, my darling, you will be, will be,
Always young and fair to me,
Yes, my darling, you will be,
Always young and fair to me.
Darling, I am growing, growing old,
Silver threads among the gold,
Shine upon my brow today,
Life is fading fast away.

Good Bye Sweetheart Good Bye



Then You Will Remember Me



In the Gloaming



Lyrics of In The Gloaming

In the gloaming, oh my darling,
when the lights are soft and low
and the quiet shadows falling
softly come and softly go..

When the trees are sobbing faintly
with a gentle unknown woe,
will you think of me and love me,
as you did once long ago..?

In the gloaming, oh my darling,
think not bitterly of me.
Though I passed away in silence
left you lonely, set you free..

For my heart was tossed with longing,
what had been could never be.
It was best to leave you, thus, dear,
best for you and best for me..

In the gloaming, oh my darling,
when the lights are soft and low,
will you think of me and love me,
as you did once long ago..?



Sleep on Beloved




Lyrics of Sleep On Beloved

Sleep on beloved sleep and take thy rest
Lay down thy head upon thy Saviour's breast
We love thee well but Jesus loves thee best
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Until our shadows from this earth are cast
Until He gathers in His sheaves at last
Until the twilight gloom is over past
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Until made beautiful by love divine
Thou in the likeness of thy Lord shalt shine
And He will bring that golden crown of thine
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Until we meet again before the throne
Clothed in the spotless robes He gives His own
Until we know as we have known
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Continued......

The Influence of Western Melodies in Rabindranath's Compositions - Part II

In Kaalmrigaya, the another song named " Tui Aay Re Kaache Aay" is based on an age old British tune - "The British Grenadiers". When you hear both the songs one after other, you can make out the similarity very clearly. Here Tagore has created an appropriate depiction of children playing in the garden with his wonderful lyrics blending with the tempo of the original tune of "The British Grenadiers".

The British Grenadiers is a marching song for the grenadier units of the British military, the tune of which dates from the seventeenth century. It is the Regimental Quick March of the Grenadier Guards, the Honourable Artillery Company and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. It is also an authorised march of The Royal Gibraltar Regiment, The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, The Canadian Grenadier Guards, The Royal Regiment of Canada, The Princess Louise Fusiliers, and The 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles.

A song entitled "The New Bath" found in Playford's dance books from the 1600s is thought to be the origin. However, it is also suggested that it was derived from the Dutch march "De Jonge Prins van Friesland" ("The Young Prince of Friesland", referring to Prince Johan Willem Friso); the first notes of this tune are similar.
Here is the original Dutch marching band.

The march was introduced to Britain during the reign of the Dutch Stadholder-King William III. Today it is played as the Royal Inspection March in the Dutch army and as a march to the crown prince.
The first known association of the tune with the regiment is in 1706 as 'The Grenadier's March', and the first version printed with lyrics from around 1750. It was a popular tune throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and remains so until this day
In the UK, it is played at Trooping the Colour. Additionally, the first eight measures are played during the ceremony when the Escort for the Colour marches into position on Horse Guards Parade.

Lyrics
The following text is the most well-known version of the song. The text arguably dates back to the War of Spanish Succession (1702-1713), since it refers to the grenadiers throwing grenades (a practice that proved to be too dangerous and was dropped soon after,) and the men wearing "caps and pouches" (i.e. the typical grenadier caps, worn by these elite troops, and probably the small cartridge boxes worn in front, known as a 'belly box') and "louped clothes", then preserved only for the grenadiers.

Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules
Of Hector and Lysander, and such great names as these.
But of all the world's great heroes, there's none that can compare.
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, to the British Grenadiers.
Those heroes of antiquity ne'er saw a cannon ball,
Or knew the force of powder to slay their foes withal.
But our brave boys do know it, and banish all their fears,
Sing tow, row, row, row, row, row, for the British Grenadiers.
Whenever we are commanded to storm the palisades,
Our leaders march with fusees, and we with hand grenades.
We throw them from the glacis, about the enemies’* ears.
Sing tow, row, row, row, row, row, the British Grenadiers.
And when the siege is over, we to the town repair.
The townsmen cry, “Hurrah, boys, here comes a Grenadier!
Here come the Grenadiers, my boys, who know no doubts or fears!
Then sing tow, row, row, row, row, row, the British Grenadiers.
Then let us fill a bumper, and drink a health to those
Who carry caps and pouches, and wear the loupèd clothes.
May they and their commanders live happy all their years.
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, for the British Grenadiers.

*sometimes sung "about the Frenchmen's ears"

The British Grenadiers - Walter Nelson

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The British Grenadiers - The Fast Marching Band

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The British Grenadiers - Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta

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The British Grenadiers and Tui Aay Re Kaache Aay - Aantorjatik Rabindranath

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The influence of western melodies in Rabindranath's compositions - Part I

As I have discussed in my previous post that many of Rabindranath Tagore's compositions were influenced by melodies and popular tunes from European nations as also from different parts of India.
I will try to provide an in depth analysis of these to the best of my ability. I will supplement the discussions with audio files wherever necessary.
During the years 1880-1882, Rabindranath wrote two dance dramas - Balmiki Protibha and Kaalmrigaya in that sequence. In these two works the influence of western popular and folk music is very much evident. Let us take up Kaalmrigaya (The Fatal Hunt) first. In Kaalmrigaya six songs have a very obvious western influence and these are
1. Phoole phoole dhole dhole (Drowsing on every flower)
2. Sokoli Phuralo (everything is over)
3. Mana na manili (Ye did not obey forbiddance)
4. O dekhbi re bhai (O brother you will see)
5. Enechi mora enechi mora (Brought we have, we have brought)
6. Tui ay re kaache aay (O bhai dekhe ja), (Come ye nearer come) (O brother come and see)

Let us take up "O Dekhbi Re Bhai" first. This song's tune is an adaptation from "The Vicar of Bray".

The Vicar of Bray is a satirical description of an individual fundamentally changing his principles to remain in ecclesiastical office as external requirements change around him. The religious upheavals in England from 1533 to 1559 and from 1633 to 1715 made it almost impossible for any individual to comply with the successive religious requirements of the state.
A satirical 18th century song, "The Vicar of Bray", recounts the career of a vicar of Bray, Berkshire, towards the end of this period and his contortions of principle in order to retain his ecclesiastic office despite the changes through the course of several monarchs from Charles II to George I.

In the song, "The Vicar of Bray", the eponymous vicar was the clergyman of the parish of Bray-on-Thames, Berkshire. The most familiar version of the lyrics recount his adaptability (some would say amorality) over half a century, from the reigns of Charles II to George I. Over this period, he embraced whichever form of liturgy, Protestant or Catholic , was favoured by the monarch of the day in order to retain his position as vicar of Bray.
The earliest version of the song's lyrics may have been written by "an officer in Colonel Fuller's regiment," according to one source. They exist in various forms. However, the story of the vicar's cheerful reversals of principle remains the same in all circumstances.

The Vicar of Bray - Lyrics
In good King Charles's golden days,
When loyalty had no harm in't,
A zealous High Churchman I was,
And so I gained preferment.
To teach my flock I never missed:
Kings were by God appointed;
And they are damned who dare resist
Or touch the Lord's anointed.

And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.

When Royal James obtained the Throne,
And Popery grew in fashion,
The Penal Law I hooted down,
And read the Declaration;
The Church of Rome I found would fit
Full well my constitution;
And I had been a Jesuit
But for the Revolution.

And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.

When William, our deliverer, came
To heal the nation's grievance,
Then I turned cat-in-pan again,
And swore to him allegiance
Old principles I did revoke,
Set conscience at a distance,
Passive obedience was a joke,
A jest was non-resistance.

And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.

When glorious Anne became our Queen,
The Church of England's glory,
Another face of things was seen,
And I became a Tory.
Occasional Conformist Face!
I damned such moderation;
And thought the Church in danger was
By such prevarication.

And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.

When George in pudding-time came o'er
And moderate men looked big, sir,
My principles I changed once more,
And so became a Whig, sir;
And thus preferment I procured
From our Faith's great Defender;
And almost every day abjured
The Pope and the Pretender.

And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.

The illustrious House of Hanover,
And Protestant Succession,
By these I lustily will swear
While they can keep possession
For in my faith and loyalty
I never once will falter,
But George my King shall ever be,
Except the times do alter.

And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.




I am going to assume that some readers are not well versed in this period of English history, and will thus provide a little historic background in hopes of enhancing the fun of reading this wonderful poem.
The Charles to which the opening passage refers is Charles II, who assumed the English throne at the age of 30 in 1660, after having spent his youth in exile during the rule of the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell, who had had his father Charles I beheaded in 1649. Charles II was an avid supporter of the Church of England until a few days before his death, when he confessed to a priest and took his first and only Catholic communion.
Upon Charles' death in 1685, his brother James II assumed the throne. James was 53 at the time. He was a Catholic, having converted in 1668, to the great distress of his brother the King. His first wife, a protestant, bore him two daughters, Mary and Anne. Upon her death, he married an ardent Catholic, Mary of Modena. James' Catholicism was a constant source of trouble in Protestant England, but Mary of Modena appeared to be incapable of giving birth to a live child, so the English assumed that the throne would pass to James' Protestant daughter, Mary.
Just before James' death, however, Mary of Modena ostensibly gave birth to a young male, James Francis Edward Stuart, who later became known as the "Old Pretender." I say ostensibly because rumors abounded that some other woman's baby had been smuggled into the birthing chamber in order that a Catholic would inherit the throne. This is known as the "warming pan" legend. This birth threw the English Court and the nation into turmoil. Amid the fray, the Bishop of London and six prominent nobles secretly invited William of Orange ("William, our deliverer" in the poem) and his wife, James' Protestant daughter Mary, to come to England and take the throne by force, which they did, after James basically abandoned the fight and was allowed to go into exile in France.
William was a Presbyterian. He was adamantly anti-Catholic, which pleased the Anglicans, but he was not one of them, which weakened their enthusiasm a bit. Mary died childless of smallpox in 1694. William governed for eight more years, but was unpopular throughout this time.
When he died in 1702, Mary's sister Anne took the throne. She was an ardent Anglican. Indeed, she is known today as one of the most English of all the English monarchs. She died childless in 1714, and the English sent to Germany for the 54-year-old Elector of Hanover, who reluctantly moved to England and became King George I. His claim to the throne was that he was the great grandson of James I, who had assumed the English throne one hundred and eleven years earlier, in 1603 upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I.
George was unpopular. He spoke no English and cared little for the English people. As King, his natural affinity was with the Tories, but he distrusted the Tory leadership, knowing that many of them had secretly supported the Jacobite uprising in 1715, one year after he became King. The object of this uprising was to place James Stuart on the throne. It was led by the Old Pretender's son Charles Edward Stuart, the "Young Pretender." So George became tight with the Whigs, who were led by the deeply corrupt, but politically astute Prime Minister Robert Walpole. With that introduction, please enjoy this great old classic.

This is the same song sung by an Indian artist, Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta followed by a depiction of how that tune was used by Tagore in his composition "O Dekhbi Re Bhai" from Kaalmrigaya. The first song is from Swagatalakshmi's album "Swadesh Bidesh" and the second one is from an album called "Antorjatik Rabindranath".

Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta (Swadesh Bidesh) - The Vicar of Bray

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Antorjatik Rabindranath - The Vicar of Bray and O Dekhbi Re Bhai

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My next post will be on another song from "Kaalmrigaya" - Tui Aay Re Kaache Aay.

Rabindranath Tagore and his compositions

Rabindranath Tagore has been, remains and will continue to be a towering personality in the Bengali literature and culture. It is impossible to comprehend Rabindranath completely both as a person and pertaining to his works. His presence in every field of fine arts; be it literature, music or paintings and sketches; to name a few remains undisputable. Rabindranath Tagore is an all pervading presence in Bengali life and culture.
Rabindra Sangeet or the songs of Rabindranath aptly add a new dimension to the world of Bengali music. His songs breathe a whiff of fresh air in our worn-out, exhausted lives and imbibe us with new spirit and energy to get rejuvenated. The songs of Rabindranath are the purest manifestations of ethereal life and all that man thinks, dreams, craves and strives for. Rabindra Sangeet can undoubtedly be regarded as the voice of mankind, such is the vastness of the compositions.

Ironically, these divine songs of Tagore were initially not given due respect and recognition in our society. His songs were not regarded as refined by the connoisseurs of music who were mostly fond of Indian classical music. In the musical conferences of the elites no other Bengali songs except Nidhubabu's 'Tappa Songs' , could gain much ground. On some stray occasions, the songs of Rajnikanta or Dwijendralal could be heard but Rabindra Sangeet was not considered eligible enough to match the status of the 'refined' songs which suited the ears of the classes. Rabindra Sangeet could only be heard during the prayers and social functions of the Brahmo Samaj. The sole breeding ground of Rabindra Sangeet was the institution in Santiniketan, the hermitage of the poet.
If we try to ascertain the reason of ascertain the reason of neglecting Tagore's songs, we'll see that the Bengalis were so obsessed with the divine poems of Rabindranath that they found it difficult to judge his versataility when it came to music. It took a long time for the average Bengali to realize and evaluate the incredible talent of Rabindranath as a lyricist and music composer.

Rabindranath, himself, was well-aware of this fact. He had a deep sense of infliction for this neglect of his songs. He was heard to tell his close associates in a pensive mood that the Bengalis failed to make a proper estimation of his quintessential songs due to ignorance. But the saint poet was also optimistic that a day would come when the Bengalis would not be able to do away with Rabindra Sangeet as he had sincerely blended in his songs all those essential elements that make the Bengalis stand out as a distinctive race. His songs represent the dreams and desires, hopes and aspirations, joys and woes, success and failure, ecstasies and frustrations and all the emotions, sentiments and feelings of Bengali life. That he was absolutely right was proved in the impending times. Today, Rabindra Sangeet is serving as the lifeline in the cultural life of Bengal. In this context, it becomes necessary for us to talk about the origin of Rabindra Sangeet and its prevailing background. Rabindranath Tagore arrived in Bengali life at crucial time when the age old scanario of art and culture was undergoing a radical change.
The Evolution of Rabindranath
In the Thakur Bari (House of Thakurs or Tagores) at Jorasanko in Kolkata, an earnest endeavour was made for the resuscitation of original Indian music and Bengali songs in particular. However, the musical ambience in the 'Thakurbari' was different from that of Saurindra Mohan Thakur. The latter had simply concentrated on the preservation of the traditional music whereas Maharshi Debendranath and Jyotirindranath Thakur of Jorasanko not only took care in preserving the existing schools of Indian music but were also prolific in enriching the world of Indian music with new and innovative creations. Rabindranath was an ideal successor of his father Debendranath. He had an intrinsic proclivity for music and through his divine songs took Indian music to dizzying heights and gave it a new identity.

It deserves mention in this regard that Saurindra Mohan Thakur had particularly patronized the growth of Indian classical (Dhrupadi) music. In those days, the elites, especially the kings and landlords were so fond of classical music that they sincerely cultivated and promoted it. The Nawab of Ayodhya who was exiled in Metiabruz, Kolkata also played a significant role in promoting Indian classical music. In fact, refined classical music with aristocratic fervour along with western education had cast a profound impact on the then Bengali society which had virtually severed all its affinity with the world of Bengali songs.
Even the more popular Bengali songs like Kirtan, Shyama Sangeet, Baul songs etc. had taken the back seat. Except a few religious songs, there was hardly any other variety of Bengali song which was admired by the elites and the middle class people.

During this crucial juncture when Bengali song was going through the worst phase of its existence, Pt. Ishwar Gupta wrote a few invaluable treatises on the concerned subject in the 'Sangeet Prabhakar' which hogged the attention of the educated and refined classes. It was the first deliberate attempt to make the learned upper classes aware of the rich heritage of Bengali songs. The musical genius of Rabindranath was in fact spruced up and perfected by three streams of music namely
1. Refined Indian classical music
2. Different gharana or schools of music existing in different regions of India and
3. Western music.

Rabindranath made an extensive research on Indian music. He collected exquisite specimens of music from different Indian states and made a divine amalgamation with them using his gifted innovative talent. For instance, the divine song 'Anandaloke Mangaloke' composed by Tagore was in fact taken from the tune of a popular song in Mysore. Again some of his songs are indebted to Sikh Bhajans. Initially, Rabindranath's songs were immensely influenced by Indian classical music. Most of his Brahmo Sangeet (songs devoted to Brahmo) is indebted to Hindusthani 'gharana' of songs.

Rabindranath was very fond of ballads, Nidhubabau's Tappa songs, songs of the kathaks (Brahmins who recite or interpret legends or myths), raconteurs and the rustic songs of the talented local singers whose songs were imbibed with the essence of nature. Tagore's knowledge of Indian music was all the more enriched during his stay of Silaidaha when he came in class contact with Lalan Phakir, the legendary Baul singer of Bengal and Gagan Harkara. Tagore was fascinated to hear their melodious songs. He was deeply impressed to find the simplicity in language and style and the dulcet rustic music which make an ethereal combination to express the profound philosophies of life. The Baul philosophy, music and spontaneity of expression had influenced Tagore so deeply that he went as far as calling himself Rabindra Baul.

Another school of music which cast a profound impact on Rabindranath was Kirtan. This is the balladic style in which he wrote 'Bhanu Singher Padabali.' The impact of the Vaishnava Padavali was conspicuously felt here. Incidentally, Padavali is a wreath of stanzas or Vaishnava poems.

The first phase of Rabindra Sangeet
The first phase of Rabindra Sangeet can approximately be regarded from 1877 to 1900. During this phase, Tagore was more of a learner, collecting valuable materials from the vast sea of Indian music. So we find the Tagore songs of this period showing positive influence of Hindustani classical music, western music from all nook and corner of the world. With his tremendous innovative talent, Tagore tried to make a divine blending of all types of music which touched his heart. His songs, during this period, were also influenced by the songs of Jyotirindranath, Akshay Chowdhury and Nidhu babu. Not to mention, there were several other compositions which were exclusively his own and independent so far as style or content is concerned. But these songs were also influenced to some extent by contemporary music of those days. However, this phase was short-lived and soon Rabindranath's genius as an independent and spontaneous song composer was conspicuously felt.

During this advanced stage, Tagore's songs were immensely influenced by Brahmo Sangeet and religious songs based on Ragas. Now, he composed three spectacular lyrical plays viz., 'Balmiki Pratibha,' 'Kal Mrigaya' and 'Mayar Khela.' He also composed a few patriotic songs and love songs during this phase. Till then, he was not vehemently influenced by folk-songs or Baul songs. He was rather more deeply influenced by the classical music and the 'durbari gharana' as was practised in their household.

Since the very inception, Rabindranath tried to be meticulous in maintaining a parity or harmony between music and lyrics. Most of his songs during this phase were clearly influenced by classical songs. Most of his songs are marked for their 'Antara,' 'Sanchari,' 'Abhoy' etc. Another feature of his songs deserves mention in this regard. Many of his earlier songs which are based on Ragas and Raginis do not bear any resemblance with our known world of classical music. This was because of his innovative spirit which loved to experiment with various schools of music. He was undoubtedly influenced by north Indian classical music. But he was no less touched by the Vishnupur gharana of music.

Rabindranath had composed several songs based on some quintessential Ragas. Most of these songs were based on Bhairavi and Raga Behag. In the meantime, he had made remarkable progress as a music composer. Now he was showing clear signs of maturity as a lyricist and music composer. His remarkable improvement can be easily traced if we compare his earlier song 'Boli Amar Golapbala' with 'Tumi Rabe Nirabe' composed later in 1895. Both the songs were based on Raga Behag but the latter had far surpassed the former in qualitative excellence. Similarly, his earlier song 'Aaj Tomare Dekhte Elam,' based on Raga Bhairavi, is not at par with 'Keno Jamini Na Jete Jagale Na' composed later in 1897. Sometime during this period, he composed some exquisite songs e.g. 'Emon Dine Tare Bala Jai' (Raga Malhar), 'Tumi Sandhyar Megh Mala' (Raga Iman Kalyan) which prove the real genius of Rabindranath as a composer of divine music.

As mentioned earlier, Tagore was very much influenced by occidental songs as well as regional Indian music. With the cultural diversity of India, her music too has also assumed manifold colourful forms and patterns. Rabindranath had taken the best of whatever he heard and applied these in his songs. Some of the spectacular songs of Rabindranath which were directly influenced by the time of regional songs from several Indian provinces are given below:
Rabindranath's Song Derived from
1) Gaganer Thale Rabichandra Dweepak Jwale - Sikh Bhajan
2) Boro Aasha Kore - Kannada Song
3) Aaaji Subho Dine - Kannada Song
4) Sakatare Oi Kandiche - Kannada Song
5) Bendhecho Premer Pashe - An old Bengali Song
6) Nami Nami Bharati - Gujarati Bhajan
7) Jao Re Ananta Dhame - Gujarati Bhajan
8) Eki Andhakar Ey Bharatbhoomi - Gujarati Bhajan
9) Eki Labonye Purna Pran - A song from Mysore
10) Anandaloke Mangalaloke - A song from Mysore
During this period, Rabindranath had also adopted music from western songs and used them effectively in his songs. Some remarkable specimens are 'Katobar Bhebechinu,' 'Purano Sai Diner Katha' and a few other songs. Most of these songs were aptly used in his lyrical plays viz., 'Balmiki Pratibha,' 'Kalmrigaya' and 'Mayar Khela.'
Kirtan, Baul and folk music too have had profound impact on Rabindra Sangeet. Some outstanding specimens of such Tagore songs are as follows:
Rabindranath's Song Derived from
1) Gahan Kusum Kunja Majhe - Kirtan
2) Ami Jene Sene Tobu - Kirtan
3) Shyama Ebar Chere Cholechi - Ramprasad's song
4) Amar Mon Mane Na - Kirtan
5) Khyapa Tui Achis Apan - Baul song
6) Amare Ke Nibi Bhai - Baul song
7) Khanchar Pakhi Chilo - Kirtan
8) Baro Bedonar Mato - Kirtan
9) Tomar Gopan Kathati - Kirtan
10) Ohe Jeebanballav - Kirtan
11) Bhalobeshe Sakhi - Kirtan
12) Ami Nishidin Tomai - Kirtan
13) Amra Milechi Aaj Mayer Dake - Ramprasad's song
14) Olo Sai Olo Sai - Kirtan
15) Hridayer Ekul Okul - Baul
16) Oke Balo Sakhi Balo - Kirtan
17) Tobu Mone Rekho - Kirtan
In his outstanding lyrical play 'Balmiki Pratibha,' Tagore has freely adopted from western music and some Hindusthani songs. Besides, he was also influenced by the Vaishnava poets, Dasharathi Roy, Kalidas's 'Abhigyan Shakuntalam' etc. Such verses as 'Timir Digvari Ghor Jamini/Rim Jhim Ghana Ghanare Barashe' clearly show the impact of Vaishnava Padavali. Again, beautiful verses as 'Tarase Chamkiye Harini' remind us of the versatile Kalidas.

In another remarkable lyrical play 'Kalmrigaya,' Tagore adopted the tunes from some western songs. They are given below:
Original English song Rabindra Sangeet
1) The Vicar of Bray - O Dekhbi Re Bhai
2) The British Grenadiers - Tui Aire Kache Dhole
3) The banks and braes - Phoole Phoole Dhole Dhole
4) Go where glory waits thee - Mana Na Manili
5) Robin Adair - Sakali Phooralo
Several songs of 'Kalmrigaya are deeply indebted to Indian classical music. Some excellent Ragas and Raginis like Mishra Bhoopali, Mishra Khambaaj, Chhayanat, Gaud Malhar, Bahar, Desh have been adopted by Rabindranath in Kalmrigaya.

In 'Mayar Khela,' Tagore had shown his gifted prowess in making a perfect blending of exquisite songs with the theme of the play. This play has love as its leitmotiv and is full of romantic songs. But it deserves special mention here that the love depicted in 'Mayar Khela' is pure and divine. It is by no means base or carnalistic and is devoid of passion or desire. The music composed by Tagore is marvellous while the language employed is easy, lucid, graceful but poignant.

The second phase of Rabindra Sangeet

In this phase, Tagore's songs have been mostly adopted from some timeless books of poems and plays. Some of these books are 'Naibedya,' 'Sishu,' 'Kheya,' 'Geetanjali', 'Geetimalya' and 'Geetali.' Some of the outstanding plays are 'Sarodotsav,' 'Prayaschitta,' 'Raja,' 'Achalayatan,' 'Phalguni,' 'Arup Ratan' etc. Off course, there are some independent songs of Tagore as well. However, this period is popularly known as the era of 'Geetanjali-Geetali-Geetimalya' from the point of view of Tagore's music.

Rabindranath, by now, was more matured and more dextrous in creating music. Through ample experimentations and researches, he was trying to give birth to an independent, spontaneous and graceful form of music. Now he was also inclined towards folk songs which did not quite appeal to his ears in the earlier phase.

During the first moiety of this phase, Rabindranath had composed several songs by adopting music from some marvellous Hindusthani classical songs. He was very particular to see that the lyrics gelled well with the music and it is this harmony which has forever remained a major key to the success of his timeless songs. To reduce the poetic intensity of his songs, he has at times, modified certain Ragas and moulded them accordingly. He has even blended two or more Ragas as and when required intensifying the effect of his songs. A remarkable instance of such exquisite song is 'Ache Dukkha Ache Mrityu.' This song is a unique blending of four Ragas viz., Lalit, Bibhas, Jogiya and Ashabari.

All these four Ragas are exclusively meant to be sung at dawn. A unique blending of these Ragas emits a sense of love and languishment at the same time which leads to emancipation of spirit. More specimens of such exquisite songs based on classical music are found in the 'Geetanjali,' 'Geetimalya' and 'Geetali.' These songs are distinctly different from those of the earlier period. They are more soothing to the ears and have been simplified to a great extent. This time, Tagore deliberately tried to avoid intricate and screne talas (tala implies rhythmic pattern of Indian music) such as Chautal, Dhamod, Adachautal etc.

Gradually, Rabindranath came out of set patterns and conventional norms of classical music and tried to create something original and sui generis. During this phase, Tagore's songs were also emancipated from the strong influence of the Vishnupur gharana of music. He was no longer influenced by any other school of music.

It was this phase of Rabindranath's life when he composed 'Jana Gana Mana Adhinayak Jay Hey...' This ethereal composition was universally accepted as the national anthem of India. He wanted to be meticulous while composing the national anthem so that the tune could illuminate the hearts of all Indians with the spirit of nationalism, irrespective of caste, creed, community, sex or religion. He made a unique blending of those Ragas which are commonly sung and are most popular. Finally, Tagore rendered that brilliant literary touch to the song which has made it immortal. Similarly, the versatile poet has written several other patriotic songs which have a universal appeal in lucid Sanskrit language.
After the foundation of the Brahmo Samaj, music became an inextricable part of prayers and religious ceremonies. The creative genius in Rabindranath impelled him to try a hand in this sphere as well. It cannot be denied that in this form of music too; Rabindranath has composed some timeless marvellous songs and elevated the general standard of devotional music.

In 'The Geetanjali,' the poet's earnest desire to feel the omnipotent God in the core of his heart, has not been fulfilled. At times, he gets His divine glimpses but he is not satiated. In 'Geetimalya,' the poet gets his desired unison with the Almighty whereas 'Gitali' is a celebration of that divine unison, the ecstasy and enlightenment which has been derived through the divine unison an climaxed through several strife and struggles.

A glance at the following verses clearly indicates the various shades of the poet's mind at different stages.

(a) 'Aji Jharer Rate Tomar Abhisaar Paran Sakha Bandhu Hey Amar.' (Gitanjali)

(b) 'Ei Labhinu Sanga Taba Sundar Hey Sundar Punya Holo Anga Mama Dhanya Holo
Antaar.' (Geetimalya)

(c) 'Aguner Parashmani Chonao Praane Ey Jeeban Punya Karo Dahan Daane.' (Geetali)


The third phase of Rabindra Sangeet

The third phase of Rabindra Sangeet is a very matured and developed stage which can literally be called as Rabindranath's very own. Durig this phase, Tagore ensconced himself in the domain of songs as the maestro and came out of all conventional patterns or imfluence of any school of music. He was now at his creative best and showed brilliant sparks of originality and ingenuity. During this phase, Tagore had hardly adopted from any other songs or music of any gharana whatsoever. A salient feature of his music in this stage was a unique amalgamation of classical music with folk music. The latter was the sort of music which is essentially intertwined with the soil and soul of Bengal.

Consequently, Tagore's songs have gained in mass appeal due to their lilting melody and wonderful lyrics. His innovative music also brought a whiff of fresh air in the world of Bengali music. A remarkable instance of such ecstatic song is 'Mone Ki Dwidha Rekhe Gele Chole.' This song has been composed in Mishra Iman, a divine Raga and depicts the picture of a monsoon evening during torrential rainfall. In 'Sanchari,' 'Akashe Uriche Bakpati/Bedona Amar Tari Saathi' elevates the mind of the listener to a state of trance. Following the rhythm of the fluttering wings of the flying swans, this song based on Ragas, suddenly mingles with the tune of Kirtan or devotional song. Again, on several occasions, Tagore has blended some Ragas and Raginis with those songs based on folk music. Below is given a list of melodious songs which exemplify the pinnacle of such exquisite blending as mentioned earlier.
1) Anmona Anmona - Kirtan
2) Paush Toder Daak Diyeche - Folk Music
3) Diner Pare Din Je Gelo - Baul Music
4) Ore Gaihabasi Kholo Dwar - Folk Music
5) Jakhan Mallikabane - Kirtan
6) Amar Praner Majhe Sudha Ache - Kirtan
7) Ja Chilo Kalo Dhalo - Baul
8) Agun Amar Bhai - Baul
9) Ore Mon Jakhon Jagilona Re - Baul
10) pagla Hawar Badol Dine - Baul
11) Tomra Ja Balo Tai Bolo - Kirtan
12) Ami Kaan Pete Roi - Baul
13) Megher Kole Kole - Baul
14) Byartha Praner Abarjana - Baul
15) Rodan Bhara Ey Basanta - Kirtan
16) Aaji Ey Nirala Kunje - Kirtan
17) Purano Janiya Cheyona - Kirtan
18) Krishnakali Ami Tarei Boli Mishra - Kirtan
It deserves mention in this regard that most of those songs which had been composed by Tagore in the shadow of folk music, were used effectively in several plays.

So far as Baul songs are concerned, it can be said that the Baul philosophy and religion is different from others in essence. The Bauls try to realize God in themselves. They believe that the Almighty or the soul of souls in all pervading and dwells in every human heart. Their sole concern, therefore, is to know the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of life on earth. This same philosophy has been reflected in Tagore's songs like 'Praner Manush Ache Prane,' 'Mon Jakhon Jagli Na Re' etc.

In the terminal phase of his life, Rabindranath created yet another spectacular form of music which has been termed as Rabindrik Kirtan or Rabindrik Baul by Santidev Ghosh, the notable exponent of Rabindra Sangeet. In these songs, Rabindranath had made a unique fusion of Kirtan and Baul music of East Bengal. Some ideal examples are as follows:

1) Ora Akarane Chanchal
2) Amar Kee Bedona Sey Ki Jano
3) Jete Jete Chaina Jete
4) Laho Laho Tule Laho

Tagore composed most of his lyrical plays and dance dramas either at the initial phase of his literary life or at the terminal phase. Hence, his songs reflect two different eras and the mood and tempo of these songs vary accordingly. Dramatization of songs or music has been best exemplified in 'Chandalika,' which is regarded by pundits as a masterpiece of the versatile genius. In order to intensify the dramatic effect sudden twists and turns in the play, Rabindranath has introduced subtle variety as and when required. He has also made necessary changes in music and rhythm at times.

Interestingly, Tagore has used the some Raga in this play in different ways to intensify the dramatic effect particularly when the sequence is tilting towards an anti-climax. This has added a new dimension to his play.

Last but not the least is certain poetic songs of Tagore which are exquisite in quality. Initially, they were composed as rich poetry. Later, music was rendered to them and converted into songs. Some remarkable specimens are 'Khanchar Pakhi Chhilo Sonar Khanchatite,' 'Jakhon Porbe Na Mor Payer Chinha' etc.
This was a brief treatise on Tagore’s works, mainly his literary works and songs. Needless to say such is the vastness of his creations that this seems just a drop in the ocean. I have taken valuable inputs from different sources, to present this.
In my next post I shall be presenting a treatise on Tagore’s songs influenced by western melodies. These are easily available, but my endeavour would be to present them in a friendly and scientific manner.