Raga Malgunji – 4 Best Songs

Malgunji is a complex Raga of the Khamaj Thaat. John Campana describes Malgunji as having elements of Rageshri, Bageshri and a few subtle touches of Jaijaiwanti. It is popularly described as being a combination of Raga Rageshri (in the ascent) and Raga Bageshri ( in the descent). If traditionally Bageshri evokes feelings of separation from the lover, and Rageshri represents reunion, Malgunji depicts the initial realization of the reunion. I have always tried to get to know a Raga by listening to film music that is based on the classical raga and only after I have trained myself to recognize those patterns do I venture to hear the maestros perform the Raga in its pristine form. I want to share with you four of my all time favorite compositions from Hindi films based on Malgunji. They represent the works of RD Burman, Salil Chowdhury, Kalyanji Anandji and Madan Mohan.

The music composer whose work introduced me to Malgunji is Rahul Dev Burman. Pancham as RD was known to his friends and family is the fifth note of music. Born on June 27, 1939, RD had composed music for more than 350 films until he breathed his last on January 4, 1994. He signed Bhoot Bungla (The Haunted House)in 1965 as his first film as a music director. This is also the film where for the first time Kishore Kumar the singer and he worked together. But Chhote Nawab (The Young King) also a film directed by Mehmood in 1961 is the one that RD Burman made his debut with. The song Ghar Aaja Ghir Aye (lyrics by Shailendra) is brilliant composition in Raga Malgunji (a Raga that combines elements of Raga Khamaj and Raga Bageshri). I will always rank this as the best ever Hindi film song composed in Malgunji.

Salil Chowdhury wrote many of the songs that are now inherent part of the cultural identity of Bengal. His music was a blend of the western classical (he grew up on Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart, and a bit of Chopin), folk ditties, and a smattering of the Indian classical. Another all time favorite film composition based on Raga Malgunji is from the film Anand (1970) and composed by Salil Chowdhury (19 November 1922-5 Sep 1995). Na Jiya Laage Na (My mind is restless without you).

Listen to the Bengali version of the same song song. I love the introductory notes of the Bengali version better. I did not count this as a separate song and make this my five favorite Malgunji compositions.

There is a inherent tinge of sadness in Raga Malgunji that comes through beautifully in this song from the film Safar (1970) composed by Kalyanji Anandji. If you really want to feel the impact of the compositions in Raga Malgunji, then listen to it between 10pm and midnight to resonate with the pathos of longing that this Raga brings out so beautifully.

The film was Adalat (1948). The composer was Madan Mohan (25 June 1924 to 14 July 1975) and the when you have Lata Mangeshkar sing a composition in Malgunji and the poignant lyrics of Rajendra Krishan. Unko yeh shikayat hai ki hum kuchh nahi kehte. Translation: I never have anything to say, says he. It is not like me to say anything anyway. Just as RD Burman brought out the best in Asha Bhosle as a singer, Madan Mohan’s music and Lata’s voice is a heady concoction.

There are just a handful of hindi film songs based on Raga Malgunji. Nain So Nain Naahi Milaao from the film Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje is one of them. Yet no other song captures the beauty of Raga Malgunji the way these four do. So while I started the article by sharing five songs that I would recommend, I could only find four – unless you count two versions of Salil Chowdhury and make the five song reco! !

You can listen to clips of Raga Malgunji played by the sitar maestro Nikhil Banerjee. There is a sitar performance by Kartik Seshadri a disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar playing Malgunji.