Search - Tripti Mukherjee :: Melodious Bhajans

That smooth, mellow Bhajan sound - yeesssssss!

Indian music lover | Portland, Oregon | 08/04/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am a big fan of Bhajans, which are Hindu devotional songs. They are usually 8 to 10 minutes in length and very melodious, which makes them a nice, easy break from the longer, traditional ragas. Tripti Mukherjee studied with the great classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj and she has a sweet, lovely voice that is perfectly suited to the Bhajan form. The arrangements are subtle and varied, employing the santoor (similar to the hammer dulcimer), the sarangi (a bowed instrument with a somewhat darker color then the violin), and the bansuri (wooden flute), along with the usual tabla and tanpura.



This is very pleasing music: the sort of thing you put on when you have friends over. Inevitably, they ask what it is and then exclaim that they did not know Indian music could be so pleasant, which is not to say that the music is light weight. Bhajans are very much part of the classical Indian tradition. The only reason it does not get 5 stars is because I save that for music that really overwhelms me. If that is what you are seeking and you are especially interested in North Indian female vocals, check out the CDs of living-legend Kishori Amonkar, acclaimed by many (including me) as the greatest of our time."