Dhrupad

 Dhrupad is the oldest surviving form of Indian Classical music and traces its origin to the chanting of vedic hymns and mantras. The nature of Dhrupad music is spiritual. Seeking not to entertain, but to induce feelings of peace and contemplation in the listener. The word Dhrupad is derived from DHRUVA the steadfast evening star that moves through our galaxy and PADA meaning poetry. It is a form of devotional music that traces its origin to the ancient text of Sam Veda. The SAM VEDA was chanted with the help of melody and rhythm called Samgana. Gradually this developed into other vocal style called ‘Chhanda’ and ‘Prabandha’ with introduction of verse and meter. The fusion of these two elements led to the emergence of Dhrupad. 

Though a highly developed classical art with a complex and elaborate grammar and aesthetics, it is also primarily a form of worship, in which offerings are made to the divine through sound or nāda. Dhrupad can be seen at different levels as a meditation, a mantric recitation, a worship , a yoga or tantra based on the knowledge of the nādis and chakras and also purely as a performing art portraying a universe of human emotions. It is mainly a vocal tradition based on the practice of nāda yoga, but is also performed on instruments like the Rudra Veena, the Sursringār and the Pakhawaj. 

The Rudra Veena is an instrument that is rarely heard on the concert stage now although just two centuries ago it reigned sur-preme and was regarded as the king of all instruments. It has a hollow tubular body called the dandi on which are placed 24 frets usually glued to the tube with beewax and resin although some players also use frets tied to the dandi as in the sitar. There are four main playing strings and three to four drone strings. Attached to the tubular dandi are two hollow resonators made of dried and seasoned pumpkins. Traditionally the veena was played with the player sitting in the vajrasana posture with his legs folded under him and one of the two gourds placed on the left shoulder.

The Pakhawaj is a two-headed percussion instrument that is primarily used to accompany Dhrupad music. The body is barrel shaped and is made of heavy wood. Both its open ends are covered with animal-hide drum heads. The heads are attached to the body by leather cords. These cords are also used to maintain tension and to tune the drum to various pitches. The right head is coated with a paste, which contains iron and the left head is coated temporarily with wet wheat flooor only while playing. This makes the sound of pakhawaj deeper and resonanat.

For the past five centuries Dhrupad has mainly thrived under the patronage of Mughal and Rajput kings. The Dhrupad singers Zākiruddin Khān, Allābande Khān, Ziāuddin Khān and NasiruddinKhān were the foremost Dhrupad singers in the beginning of the twentieth century. The descendants of Zakiruddin Khan and Allabande Khan adopted the name of the genre (The Ḍāgar Bānī of Dhrupad) as their family name and acquired renown as the Dagar brothers (the Dagar clan traces its lineage to Swami Haridas, the guru of Tansen). They kept this art alive in the difficult period after 1947 when it lost the patronage of the royal courts. 

Here are some popular Dhrupad songs 

1) Vocal by Dagar Brothers;

2) Vocal by Gundecha Brothers;

3) Ruddar Veena by Ustad Bahauddin Dagar;

4) Pakhawaj by Pandit Bhawani Shankar;

5) A talk about the development of dhrupad by Bahauddin Dagar.

For further information please visit: http://dhrupad.org/about/  &   http://www.dhrupad.info/