Raga malhar

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The Raga Malhar is a powerful legendary raga in Indian classical music.

According to the legend, Raga malhar is so powerful that when sung, rain falls from the sky. The raga has lost its "swaroop" among the ages because there was no one who could remember its complicated rhythms and beats. Many Great Artists of Medieval Period and much earlier period used to sing this raag.

There are many written accounts of the raga. Miyan Tansen, Baiju (Baijnath) Bawra, Baba Ramdas, Nayak Charju, Miyan Bakhshu, Tantarang, Tanras Khan, The Great Mahanvilas Kanh(Son of Tansen), Hammer sen, Surat sen ,Meera etc.... were among nobel singers those who were capable of having down the Rains by various kinds of Raag Malhar.

[edit] Singers of late 19th century

Sri Neelkanth rao Dixit [alias babasaheb Dixit Gavai] was a great dhrupad and khayal singer of Gwalior Gharana. Lived during the ruling period of Srimant Jayaavi rao Shinde. He was student of Hassu khan and later on he got training from Haddu khan. Actually he got the music by his own means no one of the above mentioned taught him but it was Dixit's loyalty that he always said he is being guided by these two khan brothers. This shows Neelkanth ji was a follower of Eklavya paddhatti.

He was master of drut lay i.e. fast tempo Taans and use to please his audience whenever he rendered the Raag.

He was also capable of having Rains by singing Raags like -

Miyan ki Malhar

Megh Malhar

Charju Ki Malhar

Chanchal jas Malhar

He was a perfect singer and many a times he used to sing Raag Bhavsakh and Raag Devsakh.(not for having rains but for his command on these raags.)

[edit] Other great singers

Pt.Balkrishnabuwa Ichalkarnjikar

Srimant Sri Balwantrao Bhaiyya Sahev Shinde

Pt.Ramkrishna buwa Dev

Pt.Shankarrao Vishnu Pandit

[edit] Singers of mid 20th century & onwards

Pt.Dattatreya Vishnu Paluskar

Pt.Eknath Sarolkar

Pt.Jasraj