Darbari Kanada, the Kanada of the court, is said to have been shaped by Tansen for the court of the emperor Akbar, and it has kept its majesty: slow, deep, and grave, a raag of the middle of the night. It belongs to Asavari thaat, with komal Ga, Dha and Ni, and its signature is the slow, heavy andolan of komal Ga and komal Dha. Its home is the lower octave.
Hear it
How it moves
Re is Darbari's vadi and Pa its samvadi. Its phrases are slow and descend heavily into the mandra:
The written swaras can't show the andolan: listen for komal Ga and Dha swaying slowly, wide and heavy, before they settle.
Its hour
Darbari belongs to the third prahar of the night, around midnight.
On the bansuri
- S
- R
- G
- M
- P
- D
- N
- S
- Darbari lives low: a lower flute, a bass in E or G, gives it the depth it needs, and mandra Pa and Ma must speak fully.
- Its andolans are slow and wide, made with the finger: never a quick shake.
Look-alikes
Jaunpuri, of the same thaat, has its swaras but none of its andolan, and belongs to the late morning:
Miyan ki Malhar borrows Darbari's Kanada turn, g M R S, for the rains:
Practise it
- Long notes on Re and Pa, and on mandra Pa.
- The aaroh and avaroh, slowly.
- The pakad and the phrases, with slow andolans.
Meend starts it with Aaroh–Avaroh, Pakad, Aalap and Bandish, 27 minutes a day, and listens as you play: each swara of the notation lit as it is played, the time kept, a lotus grown petal by petal.
Questions
Who created Darbari Kanada?
Tradition credits Tansen, the great musician of Akbar's court, with shaping it.
What is the andolan in Darbari?
A slow, wide sway of komal Ga and komal Dha before each settles: the raag's signature.
When is Darbari sung?
Late at night, around midnight.