Gayati. Live. Breathe. Sing! Informal singing by Gauri Varma

Composed by the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar in the 19th century, using his pen name 'Aashiq Rang', this beautiful Bandish pays homage to Sufi Pir Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and at the same time, nostalgically describes the unique beauty of spring in Zafar's beloved homeland of India, a magical time when golden mustard and 'tesu' flowers bloom in lush forests, the mango trees blossom preparing to fruit, the koel sings, and young, fair maidens beautify themselves. A 'maalin' (woman gardener) brings an earthen pot and plants an array of flowers in it to take as an offering to the door of Khwaja Nizamuddin. Zafar remembers his promise to visit that hallowed doorway, a promise made a long time before, which he was unable to fulfill. My amateur rendition is based on Raag Shahaana Bahaar, in the style of the Agra Gharaana.

I have attempted a haunting love song with tender and sad lyrics. Two people who were deeply in love with an ethereal sort of love are separated by circumstances. But their love stays alive within their hearts and though they will probably never be together in the 'real world', they continue to commune through their thoughts and dreams and remain connected at a subliminal level. Originally sung by Pakistani singer Shuja Haider in 2014, the song was reworked as a longer, more complex duet directed by Haider and sung by Momina Mustehsan and Asim Azhar in Coke Studio Season 9 in 2016. The lyrics are unusual as is the melody in its use of varying rhythms and tempos. The song demonstrates an interesting fusion of Western and semi classical music. I have attempted a much simplified version of the duet as a solo, primarily vocal rendition with only a Tanpura accompaniment.

I have attempted a traditional Christian chant that goes back to the early centuries of the Christian era. It is in Latin and rejoices in the birth of Christ. It was incorporated into the formal Catholic liturgy by Poper Gregory but its early renditions predate his time. The chant says that Christ is born today and therefore the angels and archangels rejoice on earth today. All the just and righteous too rejoice saying, 'Glory to God in the Highest'.

I have attempted a beautiful, traditional wedding song which is rooted in the villages of the North Indian Gangetic Plain. Ascribed to 14th century music maestro, poet and Sufi Khwaja Amir Khusrau, the charming, lilting folk melody and lyrics go back centuries and such songs have been sung in the villages of this region for centuries. Amir Khusrau would have been inspired by current rural wedding songs and rituals when he composed this. The poignant song expresses the sentiments of a young bride-to-be addressing her beloved and large-hearted father. She asks him to find the sturdiest greenest bamboos to construct the wedding pavilion or mandwa in the courtyard of her paternal home and to celebrate her wedding with great splendour. She asks him to summon all the local astrologers to set an auspicious time, to invite all the local notables and to send her off with horses, elephants, parrots, gold, money and other valuables so that her mother-in-law doesn't taunt her that she came from her father's home without even a comb for her hair. She says that the threshold of her father's home is a mountain that she must find the courage to cross. Once crossed, she will enter the land of her husband and will not be able to return to her father's home.

I have attempted a favourite, traditional wedding song, probably sung for centuries by women of the Gangetic plains, especially in Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The lyrics describe how that day is an auspicious one for Ayodhya and the joyous preparations that are taking place in that ancient city as Prince Ram is about to become a groom. The inhabitants plaster their courtyards and kitchens with cleansing cowdung. The priceless 'gaj-moti' or elephant-pearl is in evidence, a sign of the royal prince's splendour and power. A golden 'kalash' or pot is ritually installed in the marriage courtyard and a clay pitcher of water is placed , invoking the divine energy of the Goddess to bless the wedding rituals that are to commence. The youthful groom comes and sits on the low wooden stool or 'chauki' and ekders bless him by showering handfuls of pearls upon him.

I have attempted a favourite Punjabi folk song with Sufi tones. A simple rustic woman expresses her deep selfless love for her handsome lover or 'soneya'. She says that she prays daily to God for his wellbeing and wants nothing else. Her lover has given her so much joy that she is filled with gratitude and wants nothing but to live and die at his feet. She wants him to fully enjoy the prime of his life as Time waits for no one in this world. She prays that if his death is destined before hers, God should take her life instead, as it is her desire that her lover's hands prepare her grave.

I have attempted a favourite love song written and sung by Neil Diamond in 1972. Its intense lyrics can be varyingly interpreted: is he singing of an exceptional love between a man and a woman, or the soulful bond between himself and his guitar (music) or then the spiritual yearning and love between the soul and Divinity? I could not provide the beautiful guitarwork that enrichens his song, so choose to sing without any instrument, which undoubtedly takes away from the beauty and rhythm of the song, but nevertheless, I have made an attempt as I love its lyrics.

I have attempted a favourite song from the Hindi film Junoon (1979), which evokes some.charming scenes traditionally associated with a North Indian monsoon, especially in rural communities. Set to a lilting folksy melody, the lyrics in the colloquial Hindi of Uttar Pradesh describe the feelings that the dark clouds and cool breezes of the monsoon evoke in a young woman, after the searing heat of the Indian summer. The monsoon weather makes her romantic and playful. The singer describes how the buds of the jasmine and bela flowers begin to open in this season and release their heady fragrance. Tree branches sway with the movement of rope swings as the singer and other young women swing joyfully, their green 'chunaris' refusing to stay demurely on their heads, while their bangles tinkle as they move. The singer can't escape the rain and doesn't want to. Apparently complaining, she actually is enjoying getting drenched in the courtyard and terrace of her home. What is more, her lover's bed (placed in the courtyard or terrace as was the practice in the warm weather) also gets soaked in the gently falling showers of the monsoon along with her crisp, dry cotton chunari.

I have attempted a chant of six sacred Sanskrit verses termed the Nirvana Shatakam or the Atma Shatakam, composed by ancient Indian saint and Guru Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century AD. The verses describe the profound nature of the Supreme Blissful Consciousness or 'Shiv' that is, in fact, identical with the individual Soul or 'Jiva'. A beautiful poetic exposition of the Vedantic philosophy of Advait (Non Dualism), the verses describe Shiv as that unchanging Consciousness that is complete in itself, beyond the body, mind, emotions, attachments, desires, social relationships, Nature, religion, sin, virtue, death and even salvation. And all individual souls are its reflection and therefore also indestructible and sacred. The inner realisation of this essential Unity is true spiritual Liberation.

I have attempted a favourite song from the Hindi film Tamaasha' (2015) which has beautiful and unusual lyrics by Irshad Kamil. The song in the film is a duet in which a woman expresses her wish to always be together with her lover because his presence completes her and causes any sorrows that come her way to slip away. She is immersed in her longing to be with him through the daily hustle-bustle of each passing day and wishes that she could find a way to make hin stay with her a few more moments each time she sees him Her lover however, while attracted to her, seems to cynically question the adequacy of their togetherness to actually take away from the painful realities of life, which must be faced regardless of whether they are together or not.

I have attempted this haunting Punjabi folk song which draws on the old legend of Soni and her lover Mahiwal. In simple Punjabi with a lilting melody, it recounts how Soni , who used to secretly visit her lover at night by swimming across the river Chenab, using a large earthen pot to carry her across, is faced with a fateful choice one stormy night. Her sister-in-law, learning of the affair, conspires to replace the baked clay pot with a raw one. That stormy night, Soni has an irresistible urge to visit her lover and pleads with the pot to take her across. The pot reveals that it is raw and incapable of supporting her but she insists, saying that she so ardently wishes to meet Mahiwal that even if her corpse reaches the other side to meet him, she would take that risk knowingly. Was this her stubborn foolishness or her complete surrender of self to a greater emotion: an overriding Love in the face of which death was a small matter?

I have attempted a favourite song from Hindi film 'Taal' (1999) , written by Anand Bakshi with haunting music by A.R. Rahman. Sung in the film by Hariharan accompanied by Sukhvinder Singh, i have modified it for my simple amateur solo rendition accompanied by the electronic Tanpura. A favourite of mine, the song 's melody bears the stamp of Rahman, with its harmonious fusion of Indian semi-classical and Western musical styles. An intense love song, it has an undercurrent of spiritual soul-longing for the beloved.

On the auspicious occasion of the ninth day (Navami) of Ashwin Navaratri 2022 I have attempted this energizing ancient Sanskrit hymn to the Devi in her form as Vindhyeshwari or Vindhyavaasini: she who resides in the mountains of Vindhyachal. Vindhyeshwari is a very old form of the Goddess refered to in the Mahabharat and various Puranas. She is also called Vanadevi or the Goddess of the forests. According to one narrative, the primal human Manu prayed to Vindhyeshwari and was granted the boon of having progeny. The Puranas also recount that Devi forecast that she would reside in Vindhyachal and when the demons Shumbh and Nishumbh create misery on earth, she would slay them in Vindhyachal. The sacred temple of Vindhyeshwari near Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh is a renowned Shaktipeeth where the Goddess is believed to be present in her complete form. Vindhyeshwari is a brave, aggressive but benevolent Goddess. The Vindhyeshwari Stotram is composed in the Panch-chaamar meter which is a lively meter indicating her bravery. My small attempt is inspired by the masterly rendition by Pandit Chhannulal Mishra ji of Banaras.

I have attempted a beautiful Sabad Kirtan, comprising of couplets composed by Shri Guru Nanak ji in the 15th century. This traditional Bhajan/Kirtan was featured in Hindi film 'Halla Bol' (2008), sung by Sukhvinder Singh. The couplets, set to the traditional lilting melody of popular North Indian devotional kirtans, are composed in an amalgam of mediaeval, colloquial dialects and nascent veranaculars of North and West India such as Awadhi, Brajbhasha, early Punjabi, Sindhi, Rajasthani, other 'Apabhramsha' (popular spoken simplified forms of Sanskrit) and Arabic. They were thus composed in the language of the common people of that time, as was the practice of the Bhakti saints of the period. The words testify to the deeply mystic spirituality of Guru Nanak. They stress the crucial importance of the 'Satnam' (True Name of the formless God), 'Satguru' (True Guru) and of loving devotion to both of these in order to attain the Divine.

I have attempted this famous song which belongs to the Celtic folk ballad genre, lyrics of which were ironically composed by English lawyer-songwriter Frederic Weatherly, in 1910. They were set to the tune of a haunting old Irish melody called 'Londonderry Air' in 1913, which is supposed to have been discovered in the mid-19th century by a collector of old Irish music, Jane Ross, but the roots of which probably go back to 17th century Irish harp music. 'O Danny Boy', with its poignant lyrics and melody, became popular during World War I and over decades, it became an identity-song for the Irish-American diaspora, evoking a feeling of nostalgia for the homeland amongst that community. The ballad was first sung by English opera singer Elsie Griffith in 1915 and has subtle operatic overtones. The lyrics are varyingly interpreted, often, as expressing the longing of ageing Irish parents for sons gone to war, but the song may equally, especially when sung by a woman, express the painful longing of a country maiden awaiting her lover and calling out to him amongst the glens and mountains of her beautiful native land, knowing all the while that she may never see him again.

I have attempted this well -loved patriotic Ghazal composed in 1904 in honour of India by poet Mohammad Iqbal, who was at the time, a believer in a united India, historically a land of many communities. In this 'Taraana-i-Hindi' (Song in honour of Hind), composed as an expression of opposition to British Rule and an expression of pride in India's unique identity and culture, the poet proudly notes Hindostan's unbroken and bravely resilient ancient civilization (as against how other mighty ancient civilizations of Egypt, Rome and Greece crumbled). The waters of River Ganga, flowing through the Northern plains where so many travellers came and settled over centuries, are invoked and addressed emotionally. The ghazal describes how no religion preaches hatred and the poet declares that, for him, India is the best, most beloved country in the world. He visualizes Hindostan as a flourishing garden, watered by thousands of rivers, and its people as songbirds (bulbuls or nightingales) dwelling in harmony within it.

I have sung a medley of some of my favourite sacred Sanskrit Mantras invoking the Divine. Starting with the popular prayer to Lord Ganesh, remover of obstacles, who allows all tasks to be accomplished, the medley includes selected mantras for blessings, universal well-being and protection addressed to the Mother Goddess, the powerful Gayatri Mantra praying for the Divine Light to illuminate our minds and souls, the Karpoorgauram Mantra invoking Lord Shiv which especially releases the devotee from the fear of Death, and the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra also invoking Lord Shiv as He who bestows health and well-being, grants victory over Death and liberation from suffering.

I have attempted this lovely song from the film 'Jab We Met'(2007). Sung by Ustad Rashid Ali with music by Irshad Kamil and heart-tugging lyrics by Samir, it is based on Raag Tilak Kamod with variations. A woman awaiting her beloved sings of how the courtyard of her home and her body, too, will bloom when her long-awaited lover finally arrives. The monsoons will shower rain on the couple as they meet . He lost his heart to her kohl-lined eyes. She waits with quickening breath, staring at the moon hopelessly each night, stars shimmering on her eyelids, calling out to him to visit her when the rains are in full spate.

This ancient Sanskrit hymn to the Goddess is found in the sacred text 'Durga Saptashati' and has been sung for centuries in India by devotees. It is sometimes described as a concise version of the long and powerful Sanskrit epic narrative in praise of the Devi (Chandi Paath) that comprises the Durga Saptashati. This hymn was sung by the Devas to invoke Devi as only she could protect them from the terrors unleashed by mighty demons. Pleased by the hymn, Devi manifested as fully armed Durga, and on the spiritually charged day of Ashtami during the sacred nine nights of her stay on Earth (Navaratri), she assumed her warrior form of Bhadra Kali and slayed demons like Shumbh, Nishumbh, and Mahishasura. This hymn describes the various attributes of the Goddess. Many of these attributes are apparently paradoxical but in reality, are complementary, signifying the essential unity of the Divine Life Force that drives all Creation, beneath apparent Duality. Thus, for example, the Suktam refers to her as both radiant and shadowy, tender and fierce, essential truth and deceptive illusion. She controls all sensory and body processes in living beings and resides in them as hunger, thirst and sleep. She also appears in society in the form of the mother and race/clan/nation, thus imparting identity to human beings.

I have attempted a folk song from the Awadh area of Uttar Pradesh, India which has very sweet lyrics in the rural colloquial Hindi dialect (Awadhi). It reflects the deep respect for Nature that has been a feature of traditional Indian rural culture. Indian culture views Nature as 'Prakriti', a form of the Mother Goddess (Devi) and all living beings are seen as interconnected and nurtured by Prakriti. Trees in particular are associated with various deities. In this song, the singer asks that we not cut various trees that give so many gifts to all living beings, be it the mango, the tamarind, the mahua. She describes how birds nest in the pipal tree and parrots engage in love-play amidst its branches; the mighty banyan provides a roof to the traveller; the sandalwood tree is sacred because Goddess Sita and Lord Ram, prince of Awadh, would swing together on its branches; the humble 'ber' tree is a symbol of Sabri's devotion and love for Lord Ram (as depicted in the Indian Ramayan); the lush green mehndi is a staple adornment for Indian women, amd most of all, the woodcutter should never cut the Neem tree because it is the abode of the Divine Mother.

My attempt is inspired by the famous semi-classical version of this poignant ghazal sung by Ghazal Queen Noor Jahan. Aptly sung for the first time by her in front of Faiz after his release from a term of political imprisonment in Pakistan, the ghazal is bitter-sweet in its message to the poet"s beloved. He tells her that while he is still drawn to her and loves her, there are many tragedies and injustices in society, the crusade against which must take priority in his life. Therefore, she should not ask him for the kind of singular love he used to give her in the past.

I have attempted a lively, traditional song celebrating the colourful festival of Holi. This Hori Bandish (North Indian semi-classical short composition or 'Chhoti Bandish'sung on Holi) is based on Raag Bihag, in playful romantic mood ('Shringar Ras'). In the colloquial rural Hindi dialect of Uttar Pradesh (Khadi-Boli), it describes the youthful Lord Krishna's mischievous antics during Holi in Brindavan. He teasingly sprays coloured water on the blouses and sarees of his lover Radha amd her companions, and blocks their path when they try to evade him! When passers-by chide him, he stubbornly stands his ground and uninhibitedly hurls playful abuses at them.

My attempt at the powerful ancient Sanskrit hymn in praise of Lord Shiv, composed by Raavan, ruler of Lanka. Raavan was a scholar, expert in many disciplines and a devout devotee of Lord Shiv. In this hymn, sung through the centuries, Lord Shiv is vividly described dancing his creative/transformative Tandav dance, the vibrations from which fill his devotees' hearts with joy. His dancing figure is visualized through beautiful metaphors and other forms of description in chaste Sanskrit: Shiva dances with blissful abandon to the mesmerizing beat of his 'damru', reddish locks of hair swirling, crescent moon adorning forehead, the River Ganga streaming down from his head, and serpents wrapped around his neck. As he engages in creation and recreation, he is always accompanied by his spouse, Goddess Parvati.

My rendition of a charming, traditional Punjabi bridal song or 'चू‌ड़ा' (Chooda: bangle). The Chooda ceremony is a ritual of great cultural significance in Punjabi weddings. On the morning of the wedding day, red and white bangles are placed on the wrists of the bride with a havan/puja. These bangles symbolize blessings of the Divine on the bride-to-be, for strengthening the conjugal bond, fertility of the union and familial happiness. This song describes the feelings of the bedecked young woman as she eagerly awaits the approach of her beloved, expected in the evening. She revels in the beauty of her embroidered bridal veil, glistening 'Teeka' (marital forehead ornament), shining nosepin, sensually fitted 'kurti', and the 'paraanda' of precious green beads woven into her plait. Most of all, she is intensely conscious of the red chooda bangles on her wrists tinkling constantly as she moves in and out of her home on her wedding day. Her eyes are on the lookout for her beloved and she is unable to put her mind to household chores of cooking, grinding flour or weaving cloth even though her mother chides her. As dusk approaches and stars set the skies ablaze, and her beloved still hasn't arrived, she feels like she can't survive without the sight of her precious groom/lover.

I have attempted a traditional North Indian wedding song in colloquial Hindi. This charming, lively song is addressed to the bride-to-be by her maid -companion. She teasingly urges the beloved, pampered daughter of the house ('laado') to go and comb her hair, as her groom has already entered the gardens of their residence. She also laughingly warns the bride that she will charge her in gold coins for plaiting her braid and tailoring her wedding blouse as this is a special day.

On the occasion of India's Republic Day 2022, I have attempted one of the favourite Bhajans of Mahatma Gandhi, Bapuji, Father of the Nation. Written in the 15th century in mediaeval Gujarati vernacular by the Vaishnav saint Narsinh Mehta of Junagadh, this bhajan has endured because of its wonderful simple expression of what lies at the core of Hindu spiritual philosophy: the saint explains who is a true devotee of Vishnu? S/he is one who understands the suffering of those unknown to oneself, who works to alleviate their hardships without becoming arrogant, who tries to be pure of thought, action and heart, tolerate various ways of being and work for the good of others as a way of worshipping the Supreme.

I have attempted a favourite Geet-numa-Ghazal (Ghazal rendered in song format) from the classic Indian film 'Umrao Jaan' (1981). The ghazal is preceded by some introductory comments by me to set the context of the lyrics. The ghazal, in simple Hindi-Urdu, expresses the intense mixed feelings of both joy and sorrow as 19th century courtesan Umrao Jaan, uprooted from her base in Lucknow, glimpses her long-separated mother in a chance encounter while giving musical performances on the move. It's a moment when, as a woman slowly approaching middle age, she turns and looks back at her strange life and circumstances, which denied her of love, be it from a lover or a family.

I have attempted the beautiful love ballad from the famous English film 'Titanic'. Sung unforgettably by Celine Dion with haunting music by James Horner amd lyrics by Will Jennings, the song's inspiration clearly goes back to medieval traditional European folk and operatic ballads as reinterpreted in 1970s rock music. The vocals mix and merge with the enveloping music that uses the tin whistle along with the guitar and electronic instruments, amd starting softly amd wistfully, rises to a dramatic, powerful crescendo. The tin whistle ( or similar simple woodwind instruments) have an old history in Celtic, English and Native American folk music traditions apart from others.

This feisty, passionate, folk-inspired love song in Punjabi-Urdu from film 'Dhoom 3', successfully merges traditional Indian melody and lyrics with a Western fusion rendition. Originally sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, the lyrics are inspired by traditional Heer-Ranjha poetry of Punjab, and have a deeper mystic meaning: they evoke a love that is both physically and spiritually deep, that causes the singer to completely surrender her self in an unworldly manner like a 'jogin'. She knows that her emotional state and behaviour is such that she would be called 'Kamli' (Crazy), a name she proudly addresses herself by in the song.

This is my devotional attempt at the centuries-old hymn 'Rudrashtakam Stotram' composed by 16th century Bhakti saint, poet and scholar Shri Tulsidas, as part of his sacred epic Ramcharitmanas. In eight stanzas (ashtakam) the prayer invokes Lord Shiv, praising His beautiful form, qualities and deeds in lyrical Sanskrit.

This is my attempt at a gentle country ballad written and sung by the famous English pop singer Sting in 1993. It was inspired by the beautiful sensuous movement of the wind as it moved over rippling golden barley fields around the country home of the writer/singer. Its lyrics and melody are in the Old English folksy style, telling of a love that was enacted in barley fields in the bright summer, a love now long gone but never forgotten and perhaps still awaited yet again. The West Wind in classic English literature is associated with soft breezes, the harbinger of spring and summer,, of regeneration.

This is my raw attempt at a hauntingly beautiful song from the famous Hindi film 'Rang de Basanti' (2006). The poignant lyrics expressing a mother's love for a lost son, who has sacrificed his young life in the pursuit of noble goals of social and political revolution, are by Prasoon Joshi and the unusual, intricate musical composition is a fine example of A.R. Rahman's eclectically harmonious style. The song in the film is a duet, a dialogue between mother (singer Lata Mangeshkar) amd son (singer A.R. Rahman). My amateur solo rendition is a simplified version accompanied by an electronic Tanpura.

This beautiful wedding song in Hindi has been sung traditionally amongst both Hindus and Muslims of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and belongs to the Banna-Banni genre of weding songs of Uttar Pradesh. I learnt this song from older women relatives in Patna, Bihar. They in turn had heard this song sung decades ago by an unknown Muslim woman singer from the Old City of Patna, who had been invited to sing during a wedding in the family. This unusual song has a slow, langurous sweetness as it fondly describes the heavy ornaments of the 'Banni' or newly wed bride who is steeped in fragrant 'itr' perfume. It teasingly asks her to take heed of her wedding jewellery because she has been forgetfully leaving her 'chandan-haar' necklace and heavy 'kangan' bangles on the marital bed in the mornings, presumably in a romantic stupor!

I have attempted a lively, traditional wedding song from my home state of Uttar Pradesh. In colloquial Hindi, it is of the genre of 'Banna-Banni' wedding songs, which are typical of Uttar Pradesh, though also sung in Bihar, and have been sung for centuries into the present. 'Banna-Banni' are words used to lovingly address and describe a to-be groom and bride or a just-married groom/bride respectively. In this song, a young husband is teasingly told that a demanding new bride with airs and graces has arrived. But she is also beautiful, her eyes like a forest deer, her face partly seen through her veil or ghunghat, radiant like the moon partly obscured by clouds, her voice when she speaks like the delicate tinkling of glass bangles. And with her arrival, her young husband's nights are filled with the fragrance of 'juhi' flowers.

This is my attempt at a ghazal rendered simply in a lilting song format, without semi-classical embellishments. A well known version has been sung by Pakistani singer Munni Begum. The lyrics tell how the path of life is marked with carnivals of unhappiness. One is surrounded by crowds of calamities and yet, is always ultimately alone. Separated from the beloved by conspiracies of this world or the reality that no one really accompanies one in this sorrowful journey. One's image is always reflected standing by oneself, whether in a single whole mirror or in the hundred pieces of a smashed mirror. This episode is also available on YouTube on my YouTube channel: Gayati. Live. Breathe. Sing!

These sacred verses from Goswami Tulsidas' epic Ramcharitmanas are regarded as very auspicious. They describe the revelation experienced by Queen Kaushalya prior to the birth of Lord Ram. Vishnu appeared in his magnificent, all-powerful form to the Queen and conveyed to her his desire to enter her womb and be born as a human being. Unbelieving and overwhelmed initially, Kaushalya was then overjoyed and beseeched the Lord to engage in 'shishu-leela' ie. to manifest as a human baby, so that she, who longed for offspring, could be granted the unique happiness of motherhood. This episode is also available on YouTube on my YouTube channel: Gayati. Live. Breathe. Sing!

This classic bhajan in Sanskrit with a mix of mediaeval Awadhi (Hindi dialect of the Ayodhya area of Uttar Pradesh) was written in praise of Lord Ram Chandra by 16th century Bhakti poet and saint Goswami Tulsidas. It describes the beauty, valour and grace of Shri Ram as a young man in his prime. The last two stanzas describe how Princess Sita prays to Goddess Bhavaani to grant her Lord Ram as her spouse, and how her inner being thrills with joy when she senses that the Devi has granted her this boon. The bhajan composition is based on Raag Yaman Kalyaan.

This beautiful bhajan was written in Awadhi (Hindi dialect of the Ayodhya area of Uttar Pradesh), by 16th century Bhakti poet and saint Goswami Tulsidas. Full of maternal love (Vaatsalya Bhaav), it adores Shri Ram in his toddler form. The Supreme Lord Vishnu, creator of the Universe, in his baby Ram Avatar, attempts to walk and stumbles and falls onto the earth. His doting mother Rani Kaushalya runs to take him in her lap and dusts the earth off him with her saree pallu. As he toddles, the anklets on his baby feet jingle and entrance everyone. The bhajan is composed in Raag Jhinjhoti and sung to the rhythm of the folk- derived Jhap Taal beat, which create a sense of swaying, perfectly suited to the lyrics and mood of this 'badhai' bhajan which is sung to celebrate birthdays in North India to this day.

My atttempt at a favourite Ghazal by acclaimed Pakistani Shaayar Late Ahmad Faraaz. Sung by many iconic artists including Mehdi Hasan. The ghazal is steeped in romantic pathos: a lover pleads with his beloved to come to him even if she is angry or indifferent. So great is his longing to see the beloved, that he is willing to accept any reason for such a meeting, and presents various heartrending justifications to persuade the beloved to see him: to come for the sake of appearances, to honour and respond to his own love, to make him cry and even, to extinguish the last flickering flame of hope that continues to burn in his (the poet's) heart The mood is one of yearning and ego-less surrender.

My attempt at a popular Bengali song composed by the versatile genius Salil Chowdhury in the 1950s, and perhaps most famously sung by Hemanta Mukherjee. This song, imbued with patriotic fervour and joie de vivre, is a fine example of Chowdhury's masterly blending of Indian and Western musical traditions. The song's lyrics, melody and rhythm, all demonstrate the deep influence of folk music, love for his motherland, and empathy for farmers and working people that inspired much of Chowdhury's life work. In the song, simple working people call out to each other to come together and dance joyfully to the rhythm of the rustic 'madol' drum on a full moon night. They are enjoined to work together to construct a golden future of their dreams in their 'Desh', recently freed from British colonial rule.

This is an amateur attempt at a popular Hori (traditional folk song sung in Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, in the month of Phalgun, especially on and around the harvest festival of Holi). The singing of Hori is intrinsic to the celebration of Holi in villages of the Banaras area and Bihar. The traditional lyrics are in Purabi dialects associated with this region, particularly Bhojpuri. The rustic Hori was inducted into the Purabi semi-classical music tradition over centuries. This particular Hori celebrates Radha's enjoyment of the festival, as she teasingly and lovingly plays with Lord Krishna. The composition is steeped in playful romance (Shringaar Ras pradhaan). It is based on Raag Kafi which itself has roots in India's ancient folk melodies.

This is my amateur rendition of a lovely Sufi-inspired film song. The lyrics written by Irshad Kamil include traditional Sufi invocations to Pir Bulle Shah and chanting of 'dum', the mystic connotation of which is the sacred vital life force or 'prana', channelized through the breath and its rhythms. The music by Vishal-Shekhar also draws on traditional Indian devotional melodies. The song's lyrics express the delicacy and refinement of love in its highest form, which may be unrequited or physically unfulfilled between the lover and the beloved, but is all the more powerful and alive because of its incomplete ever-becoming nature.

This poignant geet-numa-ghazal written by Maqdoom Mohiuddin features in the popular Hindi film 'Gaman' (1978). The music director Jaidev has set the ghazal words into a haunting song format. The words and melody express such intense loneliness in the absence of the beloved that I felt they stand effectively on their own, and so my amateur attempt is unaccompanied by any instrument.

My attempt at this beautiful, folk-inspired, poignant song in colloquial Gujarati, from Shyam Benegal's award winning Hindi film 'Manthan', based on the revolutionary Amul story. Apologies in advance for imperfections in my pronunciation. The film was presented by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.

The lyrics of this composition (by Guru Randhawa and Santanu Ghatak) have the characteristics of poetry that is truly beautiful: simple yet profound in the emotions and philosophical approach to life that they reflect. And the melody complements them perfectly.

Ancient Sanskrit hymn in praise of Devi Saraswati, Goddess of Wisdom, Speech, Learning, Healing and the Arts. Having origins in Vedic times as a river Goddess, she is also associated with flowing waters, communication, agriculture, the spring season and regeneration of life. The shlokas of the hymn adoringly describe Saraswati's form and attributes: She who is fair as the jasmine, snow and moon, clothed in white, seated on a white lotus in Padmasan pose, holding a boon-bestowing staff, the musical Veena, the Vedas and a rosary of healing white sphatik crystal; She who removes darkness ignorance and feat; She who is revered by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva; She who is the essence of true knowledge of the Universe and the Self -- May She bless and protect me.