According to folklore, Raag Malhar in Hindustani Classical Music is so potent that when sung, it can induce the rains.
Many authored accounts describe this characteristic of Raga Malhar. Tansen, Baiju Bawra, Baba Ramdas, Nayak Charju, Miyan Bakhshu, Tantarang, Tantras Khan, Bilas Khan (grandson of Tansen), Hammer Sen, Surat Sen, and Meera Bai are among the singers who are said to have been skillful in starting rains by singing different adaptations of this Raga.
In another lore, it is said that Mughal emperor Akbar once asked his court musician Tansen to sing Raga Deepak, the raga of light, which affected all the lamps in the palace courtyard to light up. It is said that Tansen's body became so heated that he had to sit in the nearby river to cool himself.
It is said that the river began to simmer with heat, and it became evident that Tansen would soon boil to death. He is then said to have set out on a quest to find somebody who could sing Raga Malhar to remedy him.
In due course, he reached a city called Vadnagar, in Gujarat, where he is said to have found two sisters, Tana and Riri, whom he requested for assistance. They consented to sing for him and when they sang the Raga, it started pouring down in torrents, which helped cool Tansen's body instantaneously.
Ritwik tells us that something similar happened when they were shooting for a song based on this very Raga in Bikaner in the summer, in the dry heat. As they started to shoot, the rains started which flooded the entire set of the movie. So we guess, its not so much of a legend anymore but the force of human emotion that made the universe come together to make the miracle happen. Shreya and Ritvik tell us more about the plot. The musical web series is a plethora of human emotions because of the clash of the two worlds that the protagonists belong to.
Classical Indian music is extraordinarily emotive, and the complexity of the story provides excellent foliage to the journey of the characters as they go through the challenges in their love story.
Shankar Ehsaan & Loy, the famous trio composers, are excited about the music they have composed for the series.
“‘Bandish Bandits’ is special for us in more ways than one. Not only does it mark our digital debut, but the soundtrack also allowed us to experiment with contrasting musical genres ranging from Rajasthani folk and Indian classical to pop and combine them to create something wholly unique,” they said.
“We’ve worked with artists from across the country for ‘Bandish Bandits,’ and we’re confident that the soundtrack has something for everyone. It’s fascinating, and we hope the audience enjoys it as much as we enjoyed making it,” they added.
Shreya and Ritwik speak about the clash of the old and the new. Music can never have languages and barriers. India has deep cultural roots in music - classical, folk, and others. This clash of pop and classical music is enmeshment of the diversity of India. Torn by legacy, the series is a representation of the assortment of music India is a stage for.
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