Dhrupad

They were four magical days. The Auroville Film Institute organized a residency with Ustad Bahauddin Dagar from November 7 to 10, 2022. It took place in Bhumika Hall, Bharat Nivas Auroville.

Dhrupad – the film (1983)

Ustad Bahauddin Dagar is a Rudraveena player. His family has played the instrument for 20 generations! His father and uncle (Zia Mohiyuddin Dagar and Fariduddin Dagar) were true masters. There is a wonderful film about this, Dhrupad, by the Indian director Mani Kaul. Among others, Mani Kaul was strongly influenced by the precursor of the Nouvelle Vague, Robert Bresson. Mani Kaul’s film is a milestone in Indian film history. His film opens with a shot of Ustad Bahauddin Dagar as a little boy. It was an enchanting idea of the Auroville Film Institute to invite Ustad Bahauddin Dagar to Auroville to learn more about Dhrupad Gayaki and the Rudraveena. Ustad Bahauddin Dagar radiates incredible modesty. He stands on great shoulders, and only began learning the Rudraveena late. He himself gives concerts internationally and is a true guru. He brought two of his female students with him. Among the participants were many music students who had waited two years for this workshop, since it had been postponed several times because of coronavirus.

Master class

At the beginning and end of the workshop, Ustad Bahauddin Dagar played the Rudraveena. The recordings are linked here. I have listened to ragas for a very long time without knowing much about them. I learned a great deal about their origins, the connection reaching back to the time of the Vedic scriptures. We learned about the complexity of the instrument, perfected over millennia. Ustad Bahauddin Dagar illustrated music theory and playing practice on the Rudraveena itself. On two days we learned about Riyaz (practice): Early in the morning before sunrise (at 4:30 on Wednesday morning and at 6:30 on Thursday morning), the voice was “warmed up.” This began with Kharaj, practicing the voice’s lower register. Singing OM together has a very meditative component beyond its effect on voice training and the training of lung capacity. Complex exercises in rhythm and melody followed. It suddenly became clear to me how rich this tradition is, and that it is sad that this musical form is still considered something exotic. For me, after this workshop, it belongs to the cultural heritage of the world. But it may take a while for it to be recognized as such.

Film – Dhrupad – spirituality

It was a revelation. Philosophically, I was interested in the fact that rhythm in the ragas was described several times as flight—in the film and in the discussions. This reminds me of Deleuze, his conception that rhythm is an element that connects; things that vibrate in rhythm are connected. A rhythm that is perceived draws us in; this already begins in mating behavior in the animal kingdom, if not even geologically and cosmologically in the orbits of stars and pulsars. Mani Kaul’s film works with elements of chance; it is not narrative. The music and images are in a respectful interaction, the arrangement of shots is complexly organized, and within the film’s timeline individual elements refer to one another (line of flight). It is clearly conceived musically. It is a film that captures and retains the philosophy of the ragas. It is itself music, thinking, spirituality, concentration and insight. For Deleuze, the filmstrip itself, the medium of film, is concrete material thinking. In Manu Kaul’s film it is pure spirituality… Immanence.  

© Christoph Klütsch

Follow Ustad Bahauddin Dagarist on Instagram and his website.