The Gurus of Bandish - Ustad Rashid Khan

This is a gem in my collection. While an audio compilation may be more enjoyable for the connoisseurs of the classical music to listen and appreciate, there’s quite nothing that can match a live performance. For those who are quite not as lucky, this title brings alive the feel of a live performance. The “The Gurus of Bandish: Ustaad Rashid Khan” is a DVD containing ten different bandishes in various ragaas by Ustad Rashid Khan. It was never the same again after I stood a witness spellbound by the amazing renditions in this album.

Ustaad Rashid Khan is from the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana. I know him for his amazing rendition of taans, husky voice and a unique style of inducing the feel and melody in the artwork. While I can’t claim literacy in the discipline of classical music, I can with some authority say that he is one of the better performing artists alive today. Some of my favourites from this album are the raga basant, bihag and hansdhwani. Most of the compositions are in madhya (medium) or drut (fast) laya (rythm) thus more receptive to the youngsters or the more eager awaiting some action. But the mood and pleasure of rendering a flawless eternal alaap is divine.

While rendering more complex intricacies of the raga induce confidence and eagerness in a singer, they are arousing to the audience and to the keen listener. The best part is that these bandishes are in ragaas which depict the feeling of the bandish in the best feel and grandeur. There’s quite nothing as exquisite as the feeling and expression of this artwork.

Notable renderings in this album

• Basant - Piya sang khelun hori weaved in raaga basant describes of a female lover celebrating the festival of colors - Holi with her beloved. The raga expresses a distinct mood and feel with the use of consecutive notes giving it a more subtle difference and expressions than others in the album.
• Bihag - Aliri albeli sundara naar depicts a beautiful women passing by. The effect of music cannot be described in words but ustaad sahib has sung this number with interest, involvement with the moods and a range of musical expressions. The taans are marvelous accompanied by the teen taal on the tabla.
• Hansadhwani - Laagi Lagana pati sakhi sana desctibes a women awaiting to be united with her husband. The raga is South Indian in origin and thus in nature. Punctuated by fast taans it expresses the devotion and eagerness of the lover who has prepared for this moment and awaits to be united with her beloved.