Sitar Samrat Nikhil Banerjee: Raga Asavari

Raga Asavari belongs to Asavari Thaat. It is a late morning Raga, and uses all seven notes, five in the ascent and seven in the descent. Gandhar, Dhaivat and Nishad are komal (flat) and the other notes are shuddha (full). The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of Asavari Thaat. Allauddin Khan Maiharwale plays Asavari with both the rishabs as did his guru Vazir Khan (vide Bhatkhande). The proportion of r is calibrated, the Asavari lakshanas are beautifully cultivated and nourished. Nikhil Banerjee clearly the purest and most sincere of the disciples of Baba, plays the Asavari true to his master. Asavari denotes a that, a raganga and a raga. The Asavari that, introduced ad hoc by Bhatkhande as one of his 10 basic groups, represents the scale corresponding to the 20th Carnatic melakarta Nata Bhairavi: S R g M P d n. The raga, Asavari, itself comes in three flavours, each distinguished by the deployment of rishab. They are, respectively, the shuddha rishab-only (R) Asavari, the komal rishab-only (r) Asavari, and the third type employing both r and R. The swaras of the R-only Asavari are aligned with Bhatkhande’s Asavari thatproper whereas those of the r-only Asavari align with the Bhairavi that. The raga is very close to Jaunpuri. Songs on Raga Asavari Chale Jana Nahin Naina Milake Film - Badi Bahen Year - 1949 Rag - Asawari Tal - Kaherava Music Director(s) - Husnalal Bhagatram Singer(s) - Lata Mangeshkar Links - Video Link - Go To Video Lo Aa Gayi Unki Yaad, Wo Nahi Aaye Film - Do Badan Year - 1966 Rag - Asawari Tal - Kaherava Music Director(s) - Ravi Singer(s) - Lata Mangeshkar Links - Video Link - Go To Video