Meditative Raag Bhairavi | Kaushiki Chakraborty | Dawn | Darbar VR360

#darbarfestival #360 #virtualreality #indianclassicalmusic | Bhairavi, named for the Hindu goddess, conjures versatile moods. To some it can evoke ‘awe, terror, and chaos’; to others ‘a pleasant sobering atmosphere’.
► Welcome to the Darbar VR360 Festival. We’ve released over 50 immersive VR videos showcasing some of India’s finest artists performing in breathtaking natural landscapes, spanning Hindustani, Carnatic, Dhrupad, and percussion.

For the best experience use a VR headset with headphones. Experience being the sole ‘audience member’ right next to the musicians for your own private raga performance, enjoying the music amidst India’s natural world. For more info, including the full program, see www.darbar.org/video360
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Kaushiki Chakraborty’s astonishing khayal vocal technique is the result of years of intense training. She spent much of her childhood living at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, one of India’s premiere music institutions, while her esteemed father Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty worked there as a khayal scholar.

Staff at the academy are said to recall how she would respond to melodic phrases at six months old, and how she was singing tarana and bhajan before the age of two. In Kaushiki’s words, “by the time I was five my singing made sense...such was my addiction that it was beyond my grandparents to tame and make me sit with books”. Quickly hailed as a prodigy, she entered the concert arena early to great acclaim, performing widely while also earning a Masters in Philosophy from Jadavpur University.

Her Patiala gharana is known for a strong Islamic influence and elaborate melodic ornamentation. She is one of the first female Patiala singers to receive international recognition - chiefly gained through her Hindustani classical performances, but also through work in film and popular music. She also leads Sakhi, a diverse group of female artists, explaining that the project “is about understanding, from a female perspective, the diverse culture of India through all its traditional musical forms.”

Learn more at:
-https://www.darbar.org/artist/kaushiki-chakraborty/27

"One has to mentally align oneself to the form...My training has taught me two approaches to music – to do music and or to become it. The latter gives you the fluidity to transcend form and become one with it." (Kaushiki Chakraborty)

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Bhairavi is often described as the ‘queen of ragas’. It takes its name from the Hindu goddess of destruction, and conjures versatile moods. To some it can evoke ‘awe, terror, and chaos’; to others ‘a pleasant sobering atmosphere of love and piety’. Though usually heard as the final piece in a concert, its natural, original home - showcased here - is the sunrise hour.

Understanding the raga is crucial to broader Hindustani musical learning - bansuri master Pandit Rupak Kulkarni (who also appears at Darbar VR 360 Festival), recounts the approach of his guru Hariprasad Chaurasia: “Guruji taught me Raag Bhairavi for five years. When I complained about the repetition, he said: ‘You have to practice Bhairavi until your last breath’. That is what made me realize what swarabhyas [the study of notes] means”.

It is based on the form SrgmPdnS - all scale swaras [notes] are komal [flattened] except Sa, ma, and Pa. The vadi and samvadi [king and queen notes] are typically taken to be ma and Sa, and the raga can take a versatile mishra (‘mixed’) form - all 12 notes are allowed, thus injecting some comparatively rare chromaticism into Hindustani music. It resembles the Carnatic Raga Hanumatodi and the Western Phrygian scale.

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Recorded by Darbar in 2019, on location in West India:
-Kaushiki Chakraborty (khayal vocal)
-Sanghamitra Sarkar (tanpura)

Technical team credit:
- Jagdeep Shah (DOP)
- Sandeep Virdee (location sound)
- Nirmal Singh (360 editor)
- Christoph Bracher (ambisonic sound dubbing)
- Munshi Chohan (runner)
- Shivaji Shirke (village surpanch)
- Sunita Khandu Gore (catering)
- Special thanks to Sherna Chatterjee & Mortimer Chatterjee

Darbar believes in the power of Indian classical arts to stir, thrill and inspire. Through shared experiences and digital connectivity we ensure that one of the world’s finest art forms reaches the widest possible audience. Founded in 2006, we deliver premium quality live events, music education, broadcasts and online engagement through promoting artistic innovation and creative technology. We are also committed to providing a platform for new talent from India and the UK.

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