Nathdwara Parampara – Speciality

Following are few points which are unique and are special in the playing style of Sri Nathdwara Gharana and which gives this Gharana a separate identity.

– As per Pandit Dalchand Sharma Ji, melody and tone clarity is given a lot importance. I’m not allowed to play anything extra till the time I master the thaap. Its the most difficult part to master for a pakhawaj student.

– Instead of tit, kita or kiti is used more prominately in this gharana. For example – dha kit tak, ta kit tak, kita tak thun thun, kradhet tit kind of bols are used effectively and frequently

– The style is different from the Nana Panse Gharana (which is soft and soothing) but similar to that of Kudao Singh Gharana (which is full of energy and forceful).

– One can also observe the system of playing ta on left and ka played on right hand which appears to be different from other paramparas.

– ta, din, thu, na, kita, tak, ga-di-ga-na are used for the preliminary practices. Here is a small exercise that I’ve learnt from Pandit Ji

ta ta ta ta thun thun thun thun |    din din din din na na na na | etc.

– The use of dhin naka is very prominent and important and is the special feature of this gharana. Its used more than its used in any other gharanas.

Please note that the bols or strokes mentioned in the post are pakahwaj bols, please refer to few of the videos added on this blog to listen to the samples.

Nathdwara Gharana & Parampara

Sri Nathdwara Pakhawaj Parampara

Pakhawaj tradition in Jaipur is centuries old and as described in the ‘Mridang Sagar’ by Pt. Ghanshyam Das Ji, this parampara started in Amer city of Rajasthan by Pt. Tulsidas Ji.

This parampara was developed in Jaipur and since last two centuries has flourished in Sri Nathdwara.

There were several excellent pakhawaj player in Pt. Tulsidas’s family lineage such as Sri Har Bhagat, Sri Chabeel Das, Sri Fakir Das etc. however Pt. Roop Ram Ji from the fifth generation of this family gave this parampara a new signature.

Pt. Roop Ram Ji (birth A.D. 1735) a resident of Amer, came to Jodhpur from Jaipur and served the Jaipur court. He was proficient with hundreds of parans played with Tandav and Raamlila. Around A.D. 1803, Pt. Roop Ram Ji came to Sri Nathdwara along with his young son Sri Vallabhdas Ji and started serving SriNath Ji under the direction of Sri 108 Bade Giridhari Ji Maharaj. Since then his parampara became famous as Nathdwara parampara.

Pt. Roop Ram Ji was a good friend of Pahad Singh Ji (from Bhagwan Das parampara of Akbar court) of Jodhpur darbar. He instructed his son Sri Vallabhdas to learn pakhawaj from Pahad Singh Ji. This is how Sri Vallabhdas Ji completed his pakhawaj learning under Sri Pahad Singh Ji with great efforts.

Sri Vallabhdas Ji had three sons, Sri Chaturbhuj, Sri Shankarlal & Sri Khemalal. Sri Khemalal Ji, based on his experiences and discussions with other musicians, started writing the famous book ‘Mridang Sagar’. Mridang Sagar is a compilation of big taal chakras, matra bheds etc. which were gathered from a lot of old scriptures and also some of his new compositions. Due to untimely demise of Khemalal Ji, the book Mridang Sagar remained incomplete till many years till his nephew and son of Sri Shankar Lal ji, Sri Ghanshyam Das Ji completed it and published it based on his learning from his father.

Sri Purshottam Das Ji was the son of Sri Ghanshyam Das Ji and the eldest member of Nathdwara Parampara. He was an excellent pakhawaj player and was considered amongst the best players of the country. Since he was five years old, he was able to recite and play various taals in traditional ways. Sri Ghanshyam Das Ji used to take little Purshottam along to the temple while playing for the Lord. When he was just nine, his father left for the heavenly abode and he was burdened to carry the parampara. He successfully managed to carry it on his shoulders and served at Sri Nathdwara Temple following his ancestors for many years. Later he joined Bhartiya Kala Kendra and Kathak Kendra at Delhi and finally came back to Sri Nathdwara and left his body there.

He had no son but he trained and developed many good  disciples including Sri Prakash Chandra, Sri Shyamlal and Sri Ramkrishna (Nathdwara), Sri Durgalal, Maharaj Chatrapati Singh, Sri Harikrishna Bahera, Pt. Totaram Sharma etc. (The list is long so please forgive me if I’ve missed on any names).

In my next posts, I’ll write more about the pakhawaj playing style of Nathdwara Parampara.

Pakhawaj Solo by Pandit Dalchand Sharma

Sensational “dhuma kita ka baaj”, the very essence of Nathdwara Gharana.

In my next posts, I’ll write more about the Nathdwara Gharana and the style of pakahwaj playing.

Acharya Gokulotsav Goswami Maharaj and Pandit Dalchand Sharma

It was a mesmerizing evening with Acharya Gokulotsav Maharaj and Pandit Dalchand Sharma on 4th Sep at India Habitat Center, New Delhi.

I had the good fortune to attend the program and listen to the scholarly authoritative and beautiful recital by Goswami Ji and equally beautiful pakhawaj recital by Pandit Dalchand Ji.

Goswami Ji began the event with singing bada khayal, a self composed composition in Raag Shuddha Kalyan in vilambit ek taal and later in Tri taal (accompanied by Sh. Vinod Lele on tabla and Vinay Mishra on Harmonium), followed by another composition in Raag Gayand Malhar (also known as Miyan ki Malhar).

After Khayal singing, Goswami Ji invited Pandit Dalchand Ji on stage for pakhawaj accompaniment for Haveli Sangeet. He started with a traditional ‘pad‘ by Baiju in taal choutaal and then the his famous “Saaranga Nayani” in which the variation of Raagas and Taals were extremely difficult but at the same time equally beautiful. Pandit Ji demonstrated his outstanding command over pakhawaj and maintained the composition despite the frequent variation in taals.

Later Pandit Ji told me that the show was pure extempore and he did not get chance to practice with Goswami Ji even once. It shows his authority over the taal & laya & also his understanding of the intricacies of Dhrupad & Haveli Sangeet.

I’ve attached few pics that I’ve clicked during the show, hope you’ll enjoy watching them as much as I enjoyed clicking them.

Pandit Dalchand Sharma and Ustad Bahauddin Dagar

I’ve clicked these pics recently of Bahauddin Dagar Ji and Pandit Dalchand Sharma Ji during a recording.