Mehdi Hassan, the King of Ghazals, passed away at the age of 84. In his tribute, Hariharan the noted singer said,” Nobody can replace Mehdi saab. He was a genius. He was a great thinker. There was a lot of poetry in his ghazals.” Many of the carnatic musicians notably Violin Virtuoso Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman, Sri S Balachandar and S Kalyanaraman adored Mehdi Hassan.
Way back in 1989, Veena Balachandar gave a Lec-Dem on new ragas and he said,” I happened to listen to a wonderful ghazal of Mehdi Hassan and the scale was quite new and pleasing. Immediately after my return to Madras, I told Sri Lalgudi that I heard Mehdi Hassan singing a ghazal in a new scale and it is our Mohanam with suddua Deivatham (Komal Dha). Lalgudi, the genius, came out with a Thillana the next day in the new scale and he gave the raga the name “Vaasanthi”.
Yes, Mehdi Hassan was the creator of this raga Vaasanthi. The song is “Ab ke hum bichde huye”
Listen to the song!! Aha ha!
How Mehdi Hassan created this raga and this melody.
Once Mehdi Hassan Saab was going to Karachi Radio station by Taxi. When he reached the station, his sur mandal which was tuned to Bhoop was loosened a bit and the dhaivat was lowered to Komal Dha. The scale was beautiful with notes S R2 G2 P D1 S. Thus the melody of Ab ke hum bichde huye is born.
The scale is so beautiful that I also ventured to compose a song on Lord Rama in this raga Vaasanthi.
One of the finest song of Mehdi Hassan is Ranjish hi sahi.
What a song! Words fail to express my feelings! It takes to different world.
Sruthi is Mehdi Hassan and Mehdi Hassan Saab is Sruthi!!!
My Pranams at the Lotus Feet of the Master!
Answer for Last week’s Quiz: Mehdi Hassan
Quiz for this week: What is the raga Vaasanthi called in Hindustani Music?
‘Bale’ Sampat, a Chartered Accountant and a Carnatic Musician, lives in Chennai and teaches Piano.
Email: harsat9503@gmail.com, Mobile: 9884412230
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Raga Bhoopkali or Bhoopeshri
Bale! You are right!
very useful & notable information regarding gazhal king. thanks to yokibu. thanks to all.