Dhrupad

Zia Mohiuddin Dagar & Zia Fariduddin Dagar

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CEX21 Zia Mohiuddin Dagar & Zia Fariduddin Dagar: Dhrupad

Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, rudra veena, vocal
Zia Fariduddin Dagar, vocal
Subash Naringrekar, Sudhir Naringrekar, Arjun Sejwal, tabla
K. Sridhar, tanpura

100 years ago the Maharaja of Udaipur, H.H Maharaja Bhupal Singh, whom you see on the cover, was most likely calling his finest court musician Ustad Ziauddin Dagar to sing before him as he usually did. Ziauddin’s sons were not born yet but later on they would often join their father in performance before the king. 50 years later, on April 12 1968, Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar received a visit from H.H. Laxman Singh Bahadur, the Maharaja of Dungarpur in his apartment in Chembur. Something very special happened that day. It felt like Ustad was transported back to the time when his father was playing before his Maharaja in Udaipur.

Ustad and his brother Fariduddin started with a vocal and rudra veena duet in raga Multani and after that they sang very old, very rare and very beautiful Dhrupad compositions for more than one hour, some of them even composed by Tansen at Akbars court in the 16th century. Luckily I had my Nagra tape recorder at hand so now you can take part in this once-in-a-lifetime event as the album DHRUPAD is out in digital format. At the same time we release an album with Raag KALAVATI (CEX20) recorded later that same year by Ustad Fariduddin Dagar plus one more unique recording, a one-and-a-half-hour morning duet between two great singers from different branches of the Dagar family tree, Rahim Fahimuddin Dagar and Zia Fariduddin Dagar. KOMAL RI ASAVARI (CEX22).

Z. M. Dagar & Z.F: Dagar singing. Still from Mani Kaul's film Dhrupad, photo credit, Lalitha Krishna

Z. M. Dagar with Maharana Bhagwant Singh of Mewar, The Maharana of Udaipur

H.H Maharaja Bhupal Singh during the time of Ziauddin Khan Sahab in Udaipur

H.H. Laxman Singh Bahadur, the Maharaja of Dungarpur

On the rooftop of "Rukmini" Building, Chembur

Z.M. Dagar & Bahauddin Dagar

Z.M. Dagar & Z.F. Dagar

Z.M. Dagar & Z.F. Dagar

Ziauddin Khan Sahab

Produced and recorded  by Bengt Berger at 6, ”Rukmini” Chembur, Bombay, India April 12, 1968
Mastered by Claes Persson, CRP Recordings.
Graphics by Jon Edergren, Spektra.
Release date June 8, 2018
DIGITAL-ONLY ALBUM

Here is the booklet for this album

If you download the album and burn a cd you can print your own pocket.

Here is the Newsletter about this album

Here is a very informative and deep article on the origins of Dhrupad and review of our 2018 albums by Raul da Gama in World Music Report, Dagar Dynasty: The mysticism of Dagar “Vani” Dhrupad

And here is a lovely article around the album from 2024.

1. Alap, Jor, Jhala in Multani (38:20)
2. Bhimpalasi – Chautal (16:13)
3. Suha – Dhammar (11:34)
4. Lalit – Dhammar (1:46)
5. Kedar – Dhammar (2:46)
6. Chayanat Dhammar (1:58)
7. Gaud-Sarang – Dhammar (2:13)
8. Lachasa – Jhaptal (2:13)
9. Rageshvarey – Jhaptal (2:58)
10. Madhmand Sarang - Jhaptal (4:03)
11. Shyam Malhar – Jhaptal (3:28)
12. Suha – Jhaptal (3:53)
13. Desi – Dhammar (3:58)
14. Jog/Natai/Chaalnat – Rupak (5:09)
15. Suha – Dhammar (6:16)
16. Lalit - Dhammar (0:57)
17. Kedar – Dhammar (3:11)
18. Suha – Dhammar (1:10)
19. Adana – Jhaptal (1:57)
20. Bhairavi - Rupak/Tivra (5:45)
21. Bhairavi – Dhammar (1:40)

Ustad’s son, today’s upholder of this great tradition, rudra veena exponent Ustad Bahauddin Dagar has graciously assisted with titles and comments on the music in the booklet. All lyrics are in Brij Basha, an early Hindi language used in most Dhrupad lyrics:

01 Alap, Jor, Jhala in Multani 38:20
The opening piece has Z.M. Dagar on Rudra Veena and Z.F. Dagar, vocal with K. Sridhar playing the tanpura all thru this album. Time of sunset. Ustad demonstrates how you can use 4 different Pa, 2 different Ma and 4 different Re

02 Bhimpalasi – Chautal 16:13
Kunjana Mein Racho Raas
Now the singing starts, Ustad asks me to put tal. Sarodist Subash Naringrekar starts playing tabla but there is a break as Sudhir Naringrekar arrives and takes over the tablas.

03 Suha – Dhammar  11:34
Airey Aaj Piya Apaney So Khelu Bana Bana Hori
Poetry after Amir Kushru that Bahauddin had not heard before.

04 Lalit – Dhammar 1:46
Morey Jiya Barajo, Main Toh Dekhungee, Aaj Piya To Dekh Daras Hain
Bahauddin had not heard before.

05 Kedar – Dhammar 2:46
Chori Chori Maarat Hain Kum Kuma
Old Bandish (composition)

06 Chayanat Dhammar 1:58
Lachaka Aavey Ho Gori, Abeer Gulaal Ki Bhar Kay Jori Pyarey

07 Gaud-Sarang – Dhammar 2:13
A Kanha Bina Muraliya Ki Nain Bajayee, Mori Suda Bisaraee
Bahauddin had not heard before.

08 Lachasa – Jhaptal 2:13
Pratham Taal Suratay  Saadhay Ratay Naaam Johi Guney Gaavey

09 Rageshvarey – Jhaptal 2:58
Pratham Sur Saadhay, Ratay Naam Jo Lo Rahey
Old version of Rageshvarey with ”the old way of applying the pancham”.

10 Madhmand Sarang – Jhaptal 4:06
Dina Aur Duniya Ko, Dekha Palakha Mahi, Aisay Rachay Peer Moinudeen Khwaja

11 Shyam Malhar – Jhaptal 3:28
Piya Mohey Paas Nahi, Barasey Megharava

12 Suha – Jhaptal 3:53
Shubh Mahurat Shubh Ghadi Deen
Baitho Takhat Aaj Delhi Pati Nar Rey
Khanda Pramanda Hiralal Naga Moti
Motiyan Ko Chatra Seesa Dharon Hain
Composition by Tansen. Ustad tells the story:
The king Akbar fondly uses the word ”arey” for Tansen which is used for a friend. Tansen realises that he cannot be summoned a friend in the darbar (the court) and to remind the emperor he makes this compositon where towards the end he uses the word ”Re” to bring to his attention the mistake he had made.

13 Desi – Dhammar 3:48
Sakhi Thado Savaro Dhoda Kahat Nand Kishoree

14 Jog/Natai/Chaalnat – Rupak 5:09
Nad Bhed So Nyaro, Kara Dekhalavey Jo Koi Guni
Taba Hum Jaaney Maanoo Naad
Naad Ke Ashtaadi Kahiya, Naad Bhed Dohi Bheda
Naad Bhed Arta Kahiye Chaar Bheda Guni Gaavey
Ashtavanga Pancha Gandhar Madham
Saa saa saa re re ga ga ma ma ma pa ni pa ma
pa pa pa ma pa ga ma ga sa
In the last part he sings the names of the notes in the raga.

15 Suha – Dhammar 6:16
Airey Aaj Piya Apaney So Khelu Bana Bana Hori
Poetry after Amir Kushru that Bahauddin had not heard before.
Same composition as track 3

16 Lalit – Dhammar 0:57
Morey Jiya Barajo, Main Toh Dekhungee, Aaj Piya To Dekh Daras Hain
Bahauddin had not heard before
Same composition as track 4

17 Kedar – Dhammar 3:11
Chori Chori Maarat Hain Kum Kuma
Old Bandish, same composition as track 05
At 0:35 a few seconds are erased on Ustad’s wish as he cracked a joke that he felt was inappropriate.

18 Suha – Dhammar 1:10
Airey Aaj Piya Apaney So Khelu Bana Bana Hori
Poetry after Amir Kushru that Bahauddin had not heard before.
Same composition as track 3 and 15

19 Adana – Jhaptal 1:57
Dharat Lanka be Lanka
Daak Dud Danka
Shahey Aurangzeb
Chadhata Hai Ghodey
Composition by 17th century Mughal ruler Aurangzeb

20  Bhairavi – Rupak/Tivra 5:45
Jagata Janai Jwala Mukhi
Saraswati Sharada Vidya Deni Dayani Dukh Harani
Newly arrived pakhawaj expert Arjun Sejwal on tabla is not familiar with this composition but mistakes it for  Dhammar for some time in the beginning until Ustad points him in the right direction, Rupak tal. Toward the end the brothers sing it in Tivra in a higher speed.

21 Bhairavi – Dhammar 1:40
Maa Janani Khelata Faguna Naval Kishori
In keeping with tradition, Ustad concludes this visit to the past world of Dhrupad performed before royalty in court with a rare composition in Bhairavi raga.