Remember how on August 15, 1989, Raag Desh brought together the nation. As the legendary Pt. Bhimsen Joshi sang ‘Lab pe jaage geet aisa, Goonje bankar des raag’ surrounded by a lush landscape, his deep voice echoed (goonj) in our hearts. The song ‘Baje Sargam Har Taraf Se’, crafted during the Doordarshan days to spread the message of national integration, also featured other iconic musicians such as Pt. Ravi Shankar, Lalgudi Jayaraman, Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, M. Balamuralikrishna, Ustad Allah Rakha, and Zakir Hussain.
During an interview with The Hindu in 2011, Balamuralikrishna, the celebrated Carnatic musician, shared his joy in being part of both ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’ and ‘Baje Sargam’. He said, “Having been born in the pre-Independence era, I became emotional when singing those lines filled with patriotic fervor. As a composer myself, I could imagine the joy of creating this song with diverse artisans, art forms, and instruments. I was thrilled to both play the violin and sing.”
An extremely melodic late-night raag, Raag Desh is associated with the monsoon and often sung to convey the romance of the rain. Though named Desh, it was not conceived to arouse patriotic sentiments. It acquired this characteristic after it was used to compose the national song Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. Since then, musicians and composers have utilized it to create melodies fostering national integration.
This August 15, to celebrate India’s 78th Independence Day, ITC has unveiled a soul-stirring composition titled ‘Desh Ek Raag’. It features vocalists and instrumentalists from the Kolkata-based ITC Sangeet Research Academy (ITC-SRA). With the Tricolour painted on them, the violin, sitar, piano, guitar, sarangi, sarod, drums, mridangam, and flute come together to present the beauty of Desh through strings, keys, and percussion, while singers clad in green, saffron, and white clothes render a traditional bandish, ‘Beet Jaat Barkha Rut’, in the raag.
“This musical masterpiece draws inspiration from Raag Desh, stirring a profound sense of pride and admiration for our great nation,” says Sanjiv Puri, chairman, ITC.
The Sangeet Research Academy, launched more than four decades ago, trains young enthusiasts in Hindustani music.
. Renowned vocalist and Patiala-Kasur gharana exponent Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty is the chief mentor and guru.
Says the veteran, “We all know about CSR (corporate social responsibility), but the Academy is a unique example of what I would like to term — corporate cultural responsibility. Through ‘Desh Ek Raag,’ we wanted to show our gratitude to the country, whose cultural heritage is a strong binding force.”
The melodious song has been put together by sarod artiste Abir Hussain. Belonging to the Senia-Shahjahanpur gharana, he trained for several years under sarod maestro Pt. Buddhadev Das Gupta. For the past five years, he has been guided by Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty at ITC-SRA. According to Abir, “The song was conceived for multiple purposes, with the most important being the message of oneness.”
‘Desh Ek Raag’ also aims to project India’s cultural values, particularly the guru-shishya parampara. “Hence, the song features both gurus and shishyas. It also showcases young talent, after all the future belongs to them. Quite a few artistes seen in the video are in their teens,” says Abir.
The recording took place at SRA’s in-house studio. “Singing or playing an instrument in a studio is completely different from performing live. ‘Desh Ek Raag’ exposed our young musicians to this challenge, and they have lived up to it remarkably,” added Abir.
In a country like India, where there’s a song for every occasion, it is not surprising that a raag has become a symbol of freedom. The significance of Raag Desh, intertwined with national pride and unity, continues to resonate deeply within the hearts of Indians, serving as a reminder of the country’s rich cultural tapestry and its enduring spirit of togetherness. As we celebrate the 78th Independence Day, we revisit the timeless essence of Raag Desh, reflecting on its power to inspire and unite across generations.
