New Release - Rag Ranjan: Dr. Sudha Dixit Articles OMENAD

Dr. Sudha Dixit is Professor in Instrumental Music at Sarojini Naidu Girls College Bhopal. She is one of the few music scholars who succeeded in being awarded Doctorate in Performance and Composition from Music Faculty, B.H.U. The present work embodies largely of compositions that Dr. Dixit had perfected for submission required as part of her doctoral award. The only one in her family to go for music, it was her natural talent and an ear for melody that made her opt for scholarship in this discipline. Fortunate to study in an institution started by Pt. Omkarnath Thakur and developed by visionary Dr. Lalmani Misra, she soon became an apt authority on string techniques with a matching talent for performance.

Renown is gradually coming to her as her decade long venture nears fruition. Her study at B.H.U. under Dr. Rajbhan Singh had motivated her to take up teaching, but her native talent urged her to experiment with music. Her skill for composition coupled with her teaching acumen gave birth to a novel concept -- An orchestra of Sitar. She gently coaxed her students a step higher from their classroom compositions and turned them into a performing group. Over the years, students who graduate from music choose to study other subjects so that they may continue in the same college and remain a part of the unique Sitar-orchestra. The orchestra is well known today and has been invited to perform at several prestigious functions in the state.

In the present book published by Madhya Pradesh Hindi Granth Akademi, Dr. Sudha Dixit has taken up Raga-s from different That-s and explained the concept of the Raga, its movement, prominent notes etcetera. Of the ten, eight That-s have been covered; only Poorvi and Asavari have been left out. Forty in number, these compositions in 36 Raga-s have employed seven different Taal-s. Apart from several well-known Raga-s (several of which are taught as part of syllabus) there are compositions in lesser know Raga-s like Jait Kalyan, Soor Malhar, Patdeep and Simhendra Madhyam.

Even though in order to entertain eagerness of Sitar novitiates to practice new compositions unmarred, Dr. Dixit has kept the Raga description brief, the authenticity of her writing marks out her impeccable scholarship. Her experience with students has made the author create simple and straight compositions which can be mastered by young learners without any ambiguity. The composition in Jait Kalyan uses Jhap Taal while Rudra Taal has been employed in Jayjaywanti slow composition. One in Gorakh Kalyan is remarkable for its clear illustration of the devious movement of this complex Raga.

The first edition brought out by MP Hindi Granth Akademi has earned kudos for attempting one in a difficult and almost neglected area and thus one may turn a blind eye to its less than desirable production quality; but music scholars would greatly benefit if a better produced edition is printed soon.

New Release: Raga - Ranjan

By Gandharva Shankar