Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar in concert, Marianne playing tanpura.


“Explore the note for hours, seek its essence.”
 – Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar


                Dhrupad is the oldest form of North-Indian classical music. Its origin is linked with the recitation of the sacred syllable ‘Om’, as well as with the Vedic sutras. Throughout centuries Dhrupad has been practised both vocally and instrumentally in temples and later also at North-Indian courts. Much of its performance ceased to exist after India’s independence, when the many small kingdoms were replaced by the present democracy.


Studying Dhrupad is time consuming and characterized by an oral tradition, in which a master teaches his pupil. It is a refined and meditative musical form, which gradually evolved as a challenging and sophisticated musical discipline.
Today, in the 21st century, Dhrupad’s artistic and spiritual expressiveness is still widely appreciated. Though convincingly a powerful musical form, Dhrupad invites both musicians and public into a state of stillness and contemplation.Dhrupad performance begins with an improvised exposition of the Raga (melody), called Alap. Tanpura is an essential drone instrument to accompany this music. Alap is adorned with syllables without definite meaning, whose vocal rendering create the impression a song.
Alap is divided into three parts: slow Alap, followed by Jod set to medium tempo and Jhala set to fast tempo.The melody is gradually unfolded, with tonic phrases moving down to the lower register and then gradually progressing towards the middle and upper register, adorned with subtle tonal embellishments, characterizing the Raga.
The introduction of pulse by the performer is continued in the progression of Jod and Jhala with different rhythmic patterns. After Alap, song text with prefixed composition is presented with the accompaniment of a percussion instrument, the Pakhawaj. Performers cherish this part of rendition with improvisations, embellished with numerous rhythmic variations called Upaj.  Musicians add beauty to the form of rendition by manipulating the words of the poem to create intricate subdivisions (layakari). Pakhawaj players follow and balance these variations with their own patterns of improvisation to make it livelier.
Dhrupad embodies a distinguished manifestation of Swara (notes), Tala (rhythm) and Pada (poem). The transitions from the placid state of slow Alap to the most exciting and energetic presentation of the composition reveals the sublimity of this rendition style, adorned with all aesthetic qualities. Dhrupad is a blending of the delicate, soft and strong nuances of rendition, which leaves an indelible experience of absolute ecstasy. It is a comprehensive form of music, which carries all the essential qualities of a vocal and instrumental recital; it is a powerful medium for the delineation of Rasa (aesthetics).




The Dagar Tradition
Baba Behram Khan (?–1878) is regarded as the founder of the Dagar-vani — or Dagar tradition. His father, Gopal Das Pandey (alias Imaan Khan), was also a dhrupad singer. However, it was Behram Khan who developed, refined and established this repertoire of singing and playing.Alap plays a very important role in the melodic improvisation of the Dagar-vani. This tradition has a very intricate and complex system of rhythmic improvisation, in conformity with the mood of melody and song-text. The whole process of alap in the Dagar tradition is like a meditation, immerging into the mood of the melody through extempore manifestation of creativity. In course of alap, endless myriad total patterns are created by the application of intonation and variable micro-tones. The emphasis is on developing each note with purity and clarity. To quote Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar:
“Alap entails the search to get the most perfect pitch of every note. It takes you into a sort of meditation in which you are lost in the waves of sound and forget everything. There remains only sound.”
Voice culture is an essential discipline of this tradition with the first course of practice starting pre-dawn and usually finishing before sunrise. Prescribed methods and courses are followed at different times of the day for efficient voice training. In the Dagar tradition, singing and playing both are practiced with equal importance, voice and the rudraveena (a lute instrument), complement each other. According to the principles of the Dagar tradition, voice is considered to be a sort of veena and is termed gatra-veena. Right intonation, application of micro-tones appropriated for the melodic mood is another significant feature of the Dagar-vani.


Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar teaching.

                Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar belongs to the illustrious family of Dhrupad musicians who are responsible for saving this ancient and noble art from disappearing. He represents the musical tradition of a family that is believed to have preserved and nurtured Dhrupad music for the last 20 unbroken generations. He was born in Udaipur, Indian, where his father Ustad Ziauddin Khan Dagar was the court musician of the Maharajah of Udaipur. He was taught Dhrupad style of vocal and instrumental (Veena and Sitar) music by his father and later by his elder brother, Late Ustad Zia Mohiuddinn Dagar, who is one of the greatest rudra veena players of our times.

Ustad is responsible to a great extent for popularizing Dhrupad music by his numerous concerts and workshops. He has traveled and performed widely in India and abroad. In recognition of his immense contribution to the classical music of India, Ustad has been bestowed with the most prestigious awards of the country like Tansen Award of M.P. Government, Sangeet Natak Academy Award.

Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar has a remarkable command over microtones (Swara-Bhed ) and various Gamakas, which makes his music very special. His gradual development of Alap through Vilambit, Madhya and Drut Laya adds a very interesting phenomena in his presentation of Dhrupad Music.