AUDIOSCAN
Bawari Jogan 
(Times Music)

Indian music is at its finest when dedicated to divinity. The spiritual dimension gives it a trance-like quality. This feature is present in abundance in this album by Anandmurti Gurumaa. It is an amalgamation of the best of Sufi poetry and Indian classical music. Composer and arranger Kanchman Babbar has masterfully merged acoustic sounds and electronic music.

An interesting innovation is the introduction of a new wind instrument Shekanzen by Gurumaa during the opening bhajan Prem Pyala. This instrument is derived from the Turkish Neh and has an unusually beautiful sound.

In other songs also, several little-heard instruments have been used. For instance, Hey Ram features Turkish Duduk.

Particularly moving is Jab Khudi Ko, which takes a trip from the outer periphery of mind to the centre of one's being. Aptly, the jacket depicts a headless dancing woman, symbolising that the jogan has transcended the mental plane, and turned herself into pure consciousness.

For the first time, two great maestros, Bismillah Khan and Amjad Ali Khan, come together in this rare jugalbandi. Their shehnai and sarod also come together in perfect synchronisation.

The album, available in a pack of two CDs or cassettes, opens with Raag Maru Bihag. The famous bandish makes it an extraordinary offering. Since Chaiti is a typical Banarasi tune heard at weddings, Bismillah Khan is simply enchanting in this next track.

The second volume features Vaishnav Jana To Tene Kahiye and Ram Dhun, two favourites of Mahatma Gandhi.

The grand finale comes through morning melody Raag Bhairavi. The two artistes give full flow to their magic, which gets further magnified when they perform in tandem. — ASC

This feature was published on January 29, 2005