NAVRATRI FARE

With the approach of the Navaratri and Durga Pooja festival, the music market is flooded with dandiya albums and albums devoted to Goddesses Durga, Amba, Sherawali, Ekveera and Santoshi Mata.
We review some albums here.

45 HOT-HOTZ
Tips, Rs. 55
Soon it’s going to be dandiya time and you have music companies ready with their fare for the occasion. This album has 45 recent film and non-film numbers playing non-stop to the accompaniment of dandiya beats. You get to hear Mero chhammak chhallo (Kunwara), Aaja mahiya (Fiza), the title song of Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya, Shukriya shukriya (Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai), Daler Mehndi’s Ek dana, Ye aankhen ye masti (Deewane), Tera pallu sarka (Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge), Ni main samajh gayi (Taal), Rangeela re (Rangeela) and Hans Raj Hans’ Jhanjhar to name a few. It takes some time to get used to hearing these hits with dandiya beats, which seem like unnecessary intrusion. But for those who want to dance to these non-stop hits, it provides for good rhythm. Among the better dandiya albums.

90 NONSTOP FALGUNI PATHAK
Tips, Rs. 55
The name of Falguni Pathak is enough for dandiya freaks to go for this album. After all she is the ‘Dandiya Queen’ and this album has a whopping 90 non-stop numbers sung by the popular singer. Also singing with Falguni are Kishore Manraja, Rajendra Gadhvi, Anil Desai, Sheela Sethia, Hema Pandit and Iqbal Qureshi. The album begins with an ode to Ambe Ma, followed by a mix of traditional Gujarati folk numbers, Hindi numbers and pop numbers. So you have Odhno odhi to, Delhi shaher mein mara ghagra jo ghumye, Nagara vage, Daud hai, Kesariyo rang, Vaku vadu to, Popat jani ne, Dadiya lala, Aaj varshe che, Re Kanha, Mara manada na meet, Garba ma dhum, Pari hoon main, Kukda tari and Mahisagar ni to name a few. This album has stuff that makes up for the essence of Navratri and is a sure hit.

EKVEERA MAAOOLI (MARATHI)
Venus, Rs.30
The album presents 10 devotional songs described as Koligeete (fisherfolk songs) about Goddess Ekveera. Music for five of these songs has been composed by Vijay Kathin, while Shank-Neel have composed two, and of the remainder, one each is by Anand Shinde, Dharmendra-Videsh-Prajyot Mhatre and Shanikumar. The audio opens with Ekveera aai tu dongravari rendered by Shaila Chikhale, and is followed by the title piece Ekveera maaooli sung by Anand Shinde, who has also written the lyric.

The flipside opens with Ekveera aai tujhi paluki go sung by Shaila Chikhale, and is followed by Ekveera aay pavlees ge and Ekveera devicha maay maaoolicha both rendered by Uttara Keljkar. The tunes of some of the songs appear to be familiar, but the musical contents of the album as a whole will go very well with lovers of koli folk music. That the songs have been rendered by well-known singers is an added asset.

25 NON-STOP MARATHI DANDIYA
Sangeet, Rs. 35
Here’s an audio for the ensuing Navratri festival. It offers non-stop 25 dandiya songs in Marathi in the voices of Aparna Mayekar, Chandrashekhar Gadgil, Shrikant Narayan, Madhuri Palkar, Anant Panchal, Nissar and Saikumar. The lyrics have been penned by Anant Panchal, while the concept and music arrangement are credited to Milind Mohite. The renderings have a fast pace and participants in the dandiya dance would find the same most appropriate. The non-stop nature of the proceedings would also enhance the dandiya mood.

GARBA NI RAMZAT (GUJARATI)
Deep Music, Rs. 35
This album timed again for Navratri, offers 50 minutes of non-stop 25 popular garba songs in Rani Verma’s voice. The singer has effectively rendered the songs which include numbers like Maadi tara mandirthama (the opening piece), Pankhida tu udi jaaje, Dholida dhol, Naagar nandjina laal, Aao re albela and Kanuda ni morli. A must for garba revellers.

JAI DURGE SHERAWALI
Tune Music, Rs. 35
An album for devotees of Goddess Durga. The devotional musical fare offered in the audio has been served with appropriate fervour by Anup Jalota, Sonali Bajpeyi, Sangeeta and Preetha. The album opens with a shloka rendered by Anup Jalota and is followed by Shri Durga maa dhun by Sonali Bajpeyi and Shri Durga maa chalisa rendered by Anup Jalota and Sangeeta. The flipside starts with Shri Durga maa aarti by Preetha and ends with the continuous chanting of the Om Durga denyayi namah Mahamantra 108 times, to the accompaniment of chorus voices. A must audio for the devotees of Goddess Durga.

KHELAIYYA
Venus, Rs. 30
The audio is a non-stop Disco Dandiya 2000 presentation by Bamboo Beats, offering 27 songs in shortened versions. Written by Shravan Sinha, the songs have been rendered by Shiva and Nisha Upadhyaya with a musical score by Kirti-Girish. Deserving special mention are numbers like Dholida dholida, Swapnasundari, Zanzarwali, Tujhko hai kasam, Pankhida hai dil, Darte nahin hai duniya se and Garba prem se naacho.

KHELO DANDIYA CROREPATI KE SAATH
Venus, Rs. 35
This is again a Bamboo Beats presentation of non-stop Disco Dandiya 2000, version album comprising the opening lines of 38 popular songs from Amitabh Bachchan-starrers. The songs have been renderd by Sudesh Bhosle and Bela Sulakhe, while the music is credited to Kirti-Girish. To mention just a few of these songs, Dekha ek khwaab, Loote koi man ka, Bachke rahena re, Mach gaya shor, and Khaike paan Banaraswala on Side A and O saathi re, Meet na mila ye manaka, Tu maike mat jaiyo, Jhumma chumma dede and Yamma yamma.

RAMO KHELAIYYA
JOSHMAA (GUJARATI)
Venus, Rs. 30
Yet another Bamboo Beats presentation of the non-stop Disco Raas-Garba 2000, this version album offers the opening lines of 37 popular songs in Gujarati. The singers are Vatsala Patil, Nisha Upadhyaya and Shailendra Bharti. The music is credited to Kirti-Girish. Side A opens with the title number Ramo khelaiyya joshma and includes Kon halawe limbdi, Jamkudi re jamkudi, Anjwani raatladi and Ghammar ghammar. Among the flipside numbers are Jamunane kaathe, Jode rahejo raaj, Rangdaar chudlo, Hoon to waari re Girdharlal and Doodhe te bhari talawadi.

DHAMMAAL DANDIYA (MARATHI)
Krunal, Rs. 35
This is also a version album of the opening lines of popular 35 Marathi songs presented in non-stop fashion. The songs are in the voices of Shrikant Narayan, Vijay Sartape, Lahu Panchal, Vijaykumar Gaikwad, Shashi Mumbre, Madhuri Wilson, Milanrao, Vaishali Samant, Prema Mayekar and Devyani Girdhar, with Ashok Waingankar as music arranger. The songs include Aaj Gokulaat rang, Chal ga sakhe, Naachre mora, Bugdi maajhi saandli ga, Hirvya hirvya rangachi, bhatukleechya khelamadhali, Latpatlatpat, Mee raat takali, Ruperi waaloot and Thakale re Nandlala.

AMBE MAA
Venus, Rs. 28
An audio of seven devotional songs on Goddess Amba rendered by Pushp Rangeela. The lyrics have been written by Prem Khatri and Das G Das, and set to music by Bal Kishan and Bimla Rani. The album opens with Tere darshan ko daati and is followed by Ambe maa mile na, Bol maiyya ka Jaykara and Aake darsh dikha gayee. The flipside offers Sachha hai darbar, Meri daati ka sachha and Maiyaa ji meri binati par.

JAI SANTOSHI MAA (DHUN)
Venus, Rs. 30
Side A and Side B of this devotional album comprise of a continuous chant or dhun of Jai Santoshi maa, jai jai Devi maa rendered by Usha Mangeshkar, who, listeners may recall, had rendered the superhit songs of the superhit film of the 70s, Jai Santoshi Maa. With appropriate voice variations and devotional fervour, the singer has presented the chant which will keep the listeners involved.

MERI AMBE MAA
Venus, Rs. 28
Yet another album of eight musical numbers in the nature of devotional offerings to Goddess Amba. The singer is Navin Chanchal, who has rendered the songs with devout fervour. The audio opens with Sherawali maiyya de and is followed by Swarg nark jo log, Der nahin karti and Aaj rah-rah ke. The flipside consists of Tan nirmal hota hai, Ambar mein nou graha, Man mandir and Teerath sabse pyaara.

JAI SANTOSHI MAA JAI JAI DEVI MAA
Venus, Rs. 30
Another audio which will be of special interest to the devotees of Santoshi Maa, as it informs them of the rituals (Vrata) to be observed on Shukrawaar(Friday), the day being most propitious for offering prayers to the Goddess. The musical renderings in this album are also by Usha Mangeshkar. The lyrics have been written by Pt Kiran Mishra and set to music by Triveni-Bhavani. The narrator of the Vratakatha is Minalini Sinha. Added attractions of the audio are the Santoshi Maa aarti and Santoshi chalisa.

Reviewed By Salma Khatib And Pandit Shimpi