Together with arguably, the greatest tabla (drums) player alive, he recreated the same magic the duo is known for. The enchanted evening draped in Hariharan’s soulful voice and the incredible tabla beats from Ustad Zakir Hussain would be hard to forget for the auspicious Doha audience.
Flaring the evening up with the reverberation of his vocals, Hariharan chose to give voice to the verses from some of the masters of ghazal poetry in Urdu in the spirit of a pure classical music tradition. Selection of poetry is one trait that distinguishes a great ghazal singer. And Hariharan sure belongs to that fraternity.
One of the foremost Indian ghazal singers and composers with more than thirty albums to his credit, Hariharan holds Padma Shri awarded by the Government of India and is a two-time National Award winner.
He brought one of his most famous albums, Hazir 2, in a concert with tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain to Doha.
He possesses a remarkably deep knowledge of Urdu language, a greater understanding of classical and semi-classical music and demonstrates an incredible control over his vocal chords.
With his captivating alaap (gradual exposition of a raag in slow tempo coming mostly at the beginning of a ghazal) and a unique style of mixing deep bass with throated sounds in his renditions, Hariharan’s voice is always a treat to ears. His jugalbandi (an entwined duet) with the Ustad would bring a smile to your face.
Coming from a musical family, Hariharan says he has grown up listening to Urdu ghazals and learned Hindustani (language).
“I come from a family of musicians so I was into classical music from a very early age. When I was about 16, I started singing Hindustani. My teacher Ustad Mustafa Khan was a khyal (a modern genre of classical music), but he used to sing ghazals also, so I too, got introduced to proper training of ghazal singing,” Hariharan tells Community in a chat before the start of his concert at Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).
He got attracted to Urdu poetry and learned Urdu language properly to be able to get to the depth of the poetry. All this training and learning made it easy for Hariharan to master ghazal singing.
From Mumtaz Rashid to Ahmad Faraz and other contemporary poets of India and Pakistan, he has sung a variety of poetry. Faraz, he holds as one of the poets that personally fascinated him. Sheheryar from Aligarh in India is the other.
It is generally held singing the short beher (meter of a couplet in a ghazal) ghazals is the most difficult. The maestro, however, rejects the conception.
“It is not so. I have sung the shortest beher ghazals with the same ease. Consider this one; Shidat-e-gham hai, beqarari hai, Raat guzri nahin, guzari hai, from Naqsh Laal Puri. It is all about giving a suitable rhythm to the short beher ghazal,” observes the maestro.
Like his contemporaries, Hariharan also popularised ghazal and took it to the younger audience that was increasingly more interested in popular music. He often mixes popular music with the traditional ghazal music.
“I have done it more than anybody else. And I have started a new genre called Urdu Blues. I have an album called Kaash on it. I have found the patent for it as I have invented it. I believe you can use the instruments of today in ghazal,” says Hariharan.
The singer believes there is a good audience for ghazal singing even today; however, he acknowledges that not many upcoming and younger singers are attracted to ghazal. And there is a reason for it.
“It is not a genre that media supports. You do not find ghazals or their videos on TV, for instance. So the only platform that you are left with to popularise it live concerts. And to do live concerts, you have to be a renowned name. So it is a catch 22 kind of situation,” says the maestro.
If you are a newcomer to ghazal singing, it is very difficult to get popular. You need to have tenacity and dedication besides support, he adds.
Hariharan has been singing ghazals for years now. Over time, he has made friends with many poets. And whenever they come up with new poetry, they share it with him as well. This is one way of selecting the lyrics for his ghazals.
He also discusses with people, who are learned in Urdu literature and language and gets recommendations from them. In India, he says, the quality of Urdu poetry being produced is still very high. Hariharan thinks highly of his partner in Hazir 2, the tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain.
“Zakir Hussain is a magician. He is a great human being and an amazing talent. He is an inspiration for me. Whenever I perform with him, it is a like a battery-charger for me,” says Hariharan.
On selecting instruments in his orchestra, he says the instruments should not be overpowering. “An instrument should add to harmony and melody because ghazal singing itself is intricate. We were a whole kind of orchestra with our voices as well,” says the ghazal singer.
Hariharan has also sang for a number of TV serials and films. He was judged best male playback singer in the 1995 Tamil Nadu State Government Film Awards. In 1998, Hariharan won the national award for the best playback singer.
“Playback singing has its own charm. But today, I think the importance of a song in films has eroded. It is no longer woven in the story. It is just for the sake of including a song in the film,” says Hariharan.
He has toured USA in 2002, 2004 and 2007, performing ghazal concerts at more than 15 cities each time. Hariharan also collaborated with Pakistan-based band Strings for a track called Bolo Bolo. His ghazal album Lahore Ke Rang, Hari Ke Sang with renowned ghazal composers from Pakistan won him rave reviews and critical acclaim inside and outside India.
Hariharan says he has enjoyed performing in parts of USA besides India and Pakistan. Professional singer for 34 years counting and having sung over 5,000 songs in various languages, Hariharan is always ready to experiment and explore with a new style to create soulful music.
VETERAN: With more than thirty albums to his credit, Hariharan holds Padma Shri awarded by the Government of India and is a two-time National Award winner. Photos by Umer Nangiana
Hariharan
