The Bliss of Bhairavi

Nature sings her own song in Bhairavi in the blow of gentle breeze, as the infrared glow of the morning sun turns yellow and fades away in white.

According to sub-continental aesthetics, Rasa signifies flavour, sentiment or emotion: regarded as one of the fundamental qualities of classical music, dance and poetry. In Sanskrit literature, the concept of aesthetic flavour or an essential element of any work of art can only be suggested, not described. It is a kind of contemplative abstraction in which the inwardness of human feelings suffuses the surrounding world of embodied forms. Listening (either vocal or instrumental) to a Hindustani classical raga such as “Bhairavi” pours such a Rasa in the hearts of music connoisseurs.
Bhairavi is an extremely sweet raga. Though it is a morning-raga, it is equally appealing while rendered round the clock. It is the defining raga of its own thaat. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan asserted that Bhairavi originated in the folk tunes of Iran.
Bhairavi is like a restless female who craves for love with nature. Nature sings her own song in Bhairavi in the blow of gentle breeze, in the chirping of birds and in the gentle flight of butterflies as they flutter around flowers. The rendition time of Bhairavi is when the infrared glow of the morning sun turns yellow and later fades away in white. A deft artiste, strategically applying swar of this raga, can impress the audience generating the Rasa of both bliss and melancholy.
Raga Bhairavi generates a romantic, peaceful, serious, and occasionally a sad mood. Actually, stimulating the sentiment of sadness is the bliss of Bhairavi that is suggestive of English romantic poet PB Shelley's famous excerpt “Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.”
A similar raga is Bilashkhani Todi. Usually “chhoto” Kheyal is composed on Bhairavi. The raga has an affinity to bhajan and thumri (vocal music) and with dhun and gaut (instrumental music). Bhairavi is also called “sada shohagi” (always loved) raga. Music maestros generally wrap up their renditions with the raga at music festivals.
Set on the raga, taan performances by Ustad Rashid Khan and Ghulam Ali feature the distinctive flashes of lightening. The timeless Bhairavi thrumri “Baju Band Khul Khul Jaye”, recorded by Ustad Faiyaz Khan, redefines the style of rendition while Pandit Pandit Bhimsen Joshi's record of “Yamunaki Teer” (thumri) of Bhairavi reminds us of the bliss of a dawn where Radha-Krishna accompanied by several gopinis start their journey on a boat.
Tagore composed a number of songs including “Charano Dhorite Diyogo”, “Amar Hridoy Tomar Apon”, “Ore Nuton Juger Bhore”, “Aami Chanchal Hey” and “Sarthak Janam Aamar” on Bhairavi. National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam set songs including “Tumi Amar Shokal Belar Shur”, “Mor Ghum Ghore Ele Monohor”, “Khelichho E Bishwa Loye” and “Na Mititey Sadh Mor Nishi Phuralo” on Bhairavi. A popular DL Roy composition “Aaji Nutan Ratone Bhushan Jatone” is also set on the raga.
Popular ghazals “Awargi” (by Ghulam Ali) and “Ek Husn Ki Devi Se Mujhey Pyar Hua Tha” (by Mehdi Hassan) are composed on Bhairavi. Bhairavi is a popular raga for film songs too. “Humien Tumse Pyar Kitna” (Kudrat), “Tu Ganga Ki Mauj” (Baiju Bawra) “Laaga Chunri Mein Daag” (Dil Hi To Hai) are the best examples.
Fakir Lalon Shai also incorporated the tune of the raga for several of his compositions, such as “Ami Opar Hoye Boshe Achhi”, “Asha Purna Holo Na”, “Guru Dohai Tomar Monke Amar”.
The appeal of several Manna Dey records (on Bhairavi) -- “Tumi Nijer Mukhe”, “O Keno Eto Sundari Holo”, “Pousher Kachhakachhi” and “Ninduke Ja Bole Boluk” seem endless. Nachiketa poured his passion of Bhairavi in the song “Bibhabhori Jago” while Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty soulfully rendered the Bhairavi genre “Duniar Haat-e Kena Bechaye”. One of Anup Ghoshal's records “Madhur Amar Mayer Hashi” is evocative of the raga.