आलाप साम्राज्ञी:किशोरी अमोणकर

From very old days when I first listened to Kishori Amonkar I call her the Epmress of Aalaap and I still consider her as the “आलाप साम्राज्ञी’ in the Indian musical firmament.

Sharing a song from the film Drishtee in which Kishori Amonkar not only sung this exquisite beauty of a song replete with superb Aalaaps but also composed the music as well.

With the introduction of the initial 48 second beauty of Aalaap from 0:12 to 1:00 and then followed by another three exquisite Aalaaps of 25, 17 and 26 seconds from 1:41 to 2:06, from 3:04 to 3:21 and 4:29 to 4:55 the song ‘Mehaa jhar jhar barase re… ‘ is kind of a showcase of Aalaaps decorating a song and composition to its possible beast.

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Kishori Amonkar – Saheliya Sajan Ghar Aya Ho

रतन करूँ न्योछावरो
ले आरती सजूँ हो
सहेलिया साजन घर आया हो ….

I have rarely come across such an expression of Love, Joy and bliss of surrender . The memory of that evening when I listened her singing this live still give me goosebumps . Only an artist of Kisori Tai caliber and mastery over the medium who has spent a lifetime in the ‘Sadhana ‘ of ‘sur’ and Bhaav’ can merge her identity with the song to this extent that the singer becomes the song herself ,

at times I feel as if I am visualizing the Bhakt Shiromani Mera Bai singing this when I listen to Kishori Tai rendering this and believe me the kind of nuances and expressions she introduces while singing it live are beyond the realm of language !