Sitar Samrat Nikhil Banerjee: Raga Marwa, Puriya Kalyan, Mishra Khamaj: Swapan Chaudhuri. Oct 1985.

Live full sitar performances in video of Nikhil Banerjee are very rare, even as his performances of all aspects of Hindustani Classical Ragas are available in sound only, some with great audiophile quality. Many of these latter, have been presented under the undeniable title of The Sitar Samrat, for there is no player who comes close to his sincerity to the ultimate potential of the Sitar and how it can raise a listener to heights unimaginable, within.
The students and lovers of Nikhil Banerjee are greatly indebted to the Legendary Ali Akbhar Khan Sahib and His Vision for preserving the finest in Sarod and Sitar for the world, for allowing us to share this presentation, which happened ion the evening of the Autumn of 1985. In that season on October 12, this program happened which was attended by Khan Sahib himself.
The Ragas of the Marwa Thaat are presented, in great detail and glory by Nikhilda and in conclusion an hour long Raga mala in Mishra Khamaj, Hamsadhwani and Suha Kanada.
15 years have taken a toll on the quality of the video, which can perhaps be improved through professional means.
The current video is slightly improved in the hopes of providing a basis for students all over the world, who have to access to video, if not the Living Master. The program is presented without any advertisement interruptions and no copyright infringements are intended. There is no financial or monetary interest in sharing this video. The sole intent is to revive that great subtle eternal fragrance which spreads every time it is shared, with Love.
Raga Marwa is derived from Marwa Thaat. It is a dusk/ early evening Raga which uses six notes in the ascent and in the descent. Pancham is not used. Marwa uses Tivra (sharp) Madhyam and Komal (flat) Rishabh. All other notes are Shuddha (full). The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of Marwa Thaat.
By the time we enter into the glorious Garden of Mishra Khamaj, Shri Swapan ji is gently there, all along, as the most devoted friend knowing every note of the Master intuitively, as the pair have shared all over the world.
Marva or Marwa is a hexatonic Indian raga; Pa (the fifth tone) is omitted. Marva is the eponymous raga of the Marva thaat.
Arohana: 'Ni Re Ga Ma Dha Ni Re' S'
In the Western scale this would roughly translate to: B D-flat E F-sharp A B D-flat C
Avarohana: Re' Ni Dha Ma Ga Re 'Ni 'Dha Sa
The Ma is actually Ma Tivratara, which is a perfect fourth above Re komal
Marwa is also characterised as quiet, contemplative, representing gentle love.
Thaat: Marwa
Puriya and Sohni have the same tonal material. In Puriya Ni and specially Ga are emphasised.
Purva (also called Purvya) belongs to a cluster of ragas bearing a family resemblance to raga Puriya in terms of swara material, and phraseology, melodic center of gravity, and therefore aural impression.
Swara material
Puriya: S r G M^ D N
Puriya-Dhanashree: S r G M^ P d N
Poorvi: S r G M M^ P d N
Puriya-Kalyan/Purva: S r G M^ P D N
What is common to all of them is komal (flat) Re, shuddha (natural) G, tivra (sharp) Ma, and shuddha (natural) Ni.
Raga Khamaj, the specific improvisational scale based on this mode, has the following structure:
Aroha (ascending structure)-S G M P D N S' Avroha-S'n D P M G R S [1]
If Sa is tuned to C, then this would translate as C B-flat A G F G A E F D C.
There is no universally-accepted pakad for Raga Khamaj, although some consider the phrases
This raga has been explored more in the lighter forms of Hindustani Classical Music such as Thumri, Tappa etc. Yet a few compositions in Dhrupad and Khayal are found as well.

[@girishtabla]

This music is from heaven, Thanks a lot , Pandit Nikhil Benerjee , pandit Swapan Choudhury and this channel , this is divine 🙏🙏🙏🌹🙏🙏🙏

[@deepakraag]

Miss you Nikhilda.

[@DurantaRangan]

Gem! Thank you so very much. Watching him playing is like watching God.

[@krdc85]

This is beyond music, and there are few words to express what it is.. If this is how it sounds in a recording, what must it have been for the listeners present

[@burkabandar3393]

Bhogobaan. Loke chinloi na thik moto

[@astralcourtmusician]

well said

[@mahuaraybannerjee8583]

Quality recording. Thanks

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

Pink gold ! His Sitar and His Music and His Conveyance of His Love for all Listeners.

[@associazionemusadistefanog2058]

Marvellous and rare video of one of the greatest sitar Maestros. Thank you for sharing. Pranam.

[@supportsquid]

Fantastic! Thank you for posting this.

[@sapnahazarika3127]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@chandanbhattacharya783]

Great music by a Great Musician. No wonder he is titled Sitar Samrat.

[@urmilaapte9853]

Humble bow to the great artist pandit Nikhil Banerjee for his divine sitar playing !!!🎶😔🙏🎼😔🙏🎵😔🙏💐

[@rupadhye]

This is beyond words, serene, pure, intense and emotive...

[@paullarnce2167]

God truly blessed this man with a gift.

[@samsam77104]

Thank you for sharing for the love of music only, great respect in that !! Love from France

[@sumitmazumder5726]

the king of the kings

[@GraceComet3417]

“A GRACE of The Infinite☝🏻 - To Have Heard Such a Wondrous Master of Sound… This is Musical PRANA…”

[@astralcourtmusician]

Nikhil-da plays some beautiful hamsadhwani towards the end.

[@martindegaard1444]

No one else played like them. I was never able to see why

[@skroy131]

This is the sound of the heavens descending on earth. Coming - as it is - like gentle rain on the auspicious Vijayadashami. Thank you! 🙏

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

Beautiful words Soumya Ji. Yes, a very wonderful gift on a very auspicious time for all. May the Celestial Beings bless all who connect with the divine through his eternal bhaav in his music.

[@parthaaditya5225]

Whenever listens to him, it's a heavenly experience. Can't describe in words.

[@andresbonillatorres4655]

🙂✨️💓🎶🔅🏵🔅🎶💓✨️

[@gccc830]

Why people tell him Samrat ?? He is God of siter........ & his music is heavenly....... Swadeshe pujjote raja vidyan sorbottro pujjote ....... Uni sei vidyan jini sorbotro pujito hon.....

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

Samrat in the relative world. God is an internal invisble connection. That God exists within you too. And it is easy to realise that.

[@gautamsen6423]

Rightly commented on a musician ,as a true sitarist, who was respected everywhere for his sincere and devoted performance of recital before the audience.

[@burkabandar3393]

Ini to sitar diye bhogoban dorshon korechhilen

[@7wardie]

According to the tuner he is tuned Sa as D with the tuner set to about 432hz, given the audio quility could affect the pitch. Having said that would he tune Marwa, the open playing strings to G# D (somthing other than A a 5th) maybe B,then low sa D? Nikhil has not, you can clearly hear the Pa string is an A. But what about the chikari? G#? it sounds a bit dissonant but that note is in the scale? Or are the playing strings kept separate and only sympathetics are tuned according to raga? It is very hard to hear i find. Someone please help this little sitar player in New Zealand!

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

On Facebook , there are 2 major groups of fans of Nikhil Banerjee. There you will find someone to help you and guide you. Best wishes.

[@jmmarino88]

Good ear.. It does sound like he has tuned the Pancham string (3rd string) to Pa, and you can see by his playing Da (without meend) on the second fret that this is the case (see 11:40). You can hear the Pa slightly when he strums at certain points between 12:00-14:00. For Marwa, I tune my Pancham string to Tivra Ma and my 3rd chikari to Da, as taught by my teacher. Thanks for pointing this out! I did not know he tuned his Pancham string to Pa for this raga. All the best.

[@theanigos]

@@jmmarino88 that was his default choice for most of the time. Pancham was set to A.

[@gauravbabar423]

Rasa Rishi

[@user-bc4ry2ei2d]

Excuse me, do you know where is the beginning of the hamsadhwani?

[@debiprasadsadhu1017]

Above all comments

[@kamaliccaghosh7017]

Where was the program held?

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

San Rafael California.