The Magic of Indian Ragas - Favourite Hindi Songs !

Music gives character and energy to the film. There are people who watch movies only for its songs even though the film script, its casts and director would be not be of their liking. The songs in the movie resonate various moods, stir emotions, and most importantly play a pivotal role in the narrative. It’s not just the song but even the background score that adds to the narrative. Although few directors have experimented and have been fairly successful to showcase movies without songs, but watching a Bollywood movie without good songs is akin to eating food without salt!

Often film songs get popular even before the film is released. There was a time when people would walk humming these songs in theatres and as soon as the song was being played on the screen, people would whistle and sing loudly. But these days you hardly get to see such acts and unfortunately even the film songs albeit released early are seldom alluring and interesting.

But have you ever wondered why the songs composed before 90’s still appeal to us?

Well most of these songs had amazing lyrics, and were sung by legends. Even the lip sync by great actors on the screen appeared surrealistic. These songs were composed by legendary music directors and many of them were based on Indian Ragas. Although there are cases of few music directors plagiarising music from other cultures, but most of their songs were original and continue to remain etched in our memory forever.

While there are many raga based songs sung by the inimitable Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, Suresh Wadkar and other male singers, I have endeavoured to list below some of my favourite songs sung by female singers along with their ragas. These ragas have been borrowed from various blogs. Most of these songs convey various emotions of love, happiness, tranquility, sorrow, lust, longing, devotion, separation, dream etc. These songs transcend not just gender but even generations. Indeed a good song is infectious regardless of language, age, religion, gender, caste and creed.

Before I enumerate the list, let me confess that I know very little about ragas and of course I haven’t even received any formal training in Hindustani classical music. My mother and wife are trained classical singers and whatever little information not knowledge I have gained is through my discussions with them. When I was in primary school, my mother did attempt to teach me harmonium and even introduced me to a Guru who tried his best to teach me classical singing however as a child I preferred the cricket bat and soccer rather than playing with the Tanpura and Tabla. Over the period of time and thanks to Radio and films, I managed to develop a profound liking and appreciation for music including Hindustani classical.

Perhaps one of the reasons why the old songs are still popular is because they tend to liven your mood and this is only possible if the songs are based on Ragas. Whilst the songs are made on many ragas, the most common ragas used in Hindi films are the following:
Pahadi, Khamaj , Pilu, Kirwani, Bhairavi, Yaman , Shivaranjani, , Kedar, Lalit, Jhinjhinoti, Charukeshi, Darbari Kannada, 7. Malkauns, Bihag, Bageshree, Des & Darbari Kanada

Typically Classical music comprises of ‘Sur’, ‘Taal’ and ‘Laya’, based on appropriate 'Raag'. In its simplest form, the Tabla renders ‘Taal’, harmonium/ other instruments - ‘Laya’, while the singer resonates ‘Sur’- meticulously and melodiously bringing the language or expressions to life.

Indian classical music is based on 'Raga' which is a rhythmic expression of a mood. Raga is not a scale or a tune or a mode. It is more like a framework that binds all these things together. Each raga has a name and generally has an associated time of day when it is best performed, depending on the mood it projects. Ragas ‘induce an emotion’ in the song and can be recognised through patterns.

Identifying or appreciating a raga does not require any formal training. The best way to identify a raag is to listen to a song and ask someone to identify its Raga. Learn this raga, by listening to the song and try humming along with it. Then turn off the song, and try humming along the same tune, but with variations. After some practice, you must start searching for songs that may appear similar or have similar pattern to the song whose Raga you have just learnt. The other method is to listen to the instrumental music.

Pakaad or bandish are the most dominating notes of a given raga. Each raga has its own bandish. If two songs sound similar then they would have same bandish and thus belong to the same raga. It is also said that you can recognize the raga of a song while listening to it from a farther distance rather than by listening to it closer. This is because as you go farther from the source of vocal sound, you do not listen to any words from the song, but you only hear the dominating notes or bandish of the song. Once you hear the bandish, you can easily recognize the raga of the song.

Every Raga is derived from some Thaat or Scale. The ten thaats are Bilawal, Kalyan, Khamaj, Bhairav, Poorvi, Marwa, Kafi, Asavari, Bhairavi and Todi. All the thaats mentioned above are also ragas; and yet a thaat is a very different musical entity from a raga.

Khamaj - Raga Khamaj belongs to Khamaj Thaat and rendered in the late evening.
Bhairav - Raga Bhairav is an early morning Raga and belongs to Bhairav Thaat.
Todi - Raga Todi is a morning Raga and belongs to Todi Thaat.
Bilawal - Raga Bilawal is also a morning Raga and derived from Bilawal Thaat.
Asavari - Raga Asavari is a late morning Raga and belongs to Asavari Thaat.
Poorvi - Raga Poorvi belongs to Poorvi Thaat. It is a Sandhiprakash Raga, and is rendered at dusk, that is the time when the day ends.
Marwa - Raga Marwa is a dusk/ early evening Raga and derived from Marwa Thaat.
Kalyan - Raga Kalyan is an evening Raga and belongs to Kalyan Thaat.
Kafi - Raga Kafi belongs to Kafi Thaat and usually rendered in the late evening.
Bhairavi - Raag Bhairavi belongs to Bhairavi Thaat and is a morning raga.

Exponents of Indian classical music say that an entire life span is too short to learn about Indian classical music. Perhaps that is the beauty of this music. Nonetheless lets not stop ourselves from delving into it and the best way to immerse and appreciate is by listening to film songs based on ragas. Here’s my favourite list of raga based film songs:

1. Piya Banwari - Raaga Bihagda - sung by one of my all time favourite singer Asha Bhosle, Gulzhar’s lyrics, Panchamda’s melliflous music and filmed on the irrestible Diva and Queen of Bollywood- Rekha.
2. Jaise Radha Ne Mala Japi – Raag Bhairavi - Lata’s honeyed voice and Mumtaz looks incredibly beautiful and sensous.
3. Ajeeb dastan Hai Yeh – Raag Puria dhanshree
4. Zulmi Sangh aakh ladi – Raag Pahadi need to be verified
5. Aaj kaal Paaon Zameen Par Nahi Padte Mere – Raag Lalit
6. Rim Jhim Gire Sawan – Raag Pilu
7. Silli Hawa Choo Gayi – Raag Puria Dhanshree
8. Raina Biti Jaye, Shyam Na Aye - Raag Lalit
9. O Sajna, Barakha Bahara Ayi – Raag Khammaj
10. Naa, Jiyaa Laage Naa Tere Bina Mera Kahin - Raag Malgunji – sung by Lata didi in Hindi and Bengali. Salil Choudhary’s masterful composition in both the language.

11. Jaa Re, Jaa Re Ud Jaa Re Panchhi- Raag Bhairavi – Lata Mangeshkar soulful singing. Another Salil Choudhary masterpiece. Also check out original composition sung by Lata in Bengali
12. Tujhse Naaraj Nahi Zindagi Hairan hu main – Lata – Raag Pilu…Although the male version of Anup Ghosal is more soothing.
13. Aja Re, Paradesi - Raag Bageshri
14. Bainya Na Dharo- Raag Charukesi
15. Tu jahan jahan chalega, mera saya saath hoga - Raga Nand (or Anandi)
16. Is Mod Se Jate Hai - Raag Kalyan
17. Jane Kya Baat Hai – Lata – Raag Bhairav
18. Aur Kya Ehde Wafa Hote Hain – no idea about the Raga
19. Roz Roz Daali Daali Kya Likh Jaye.... Raag Kalyan.
20. Prabhu tero nam jo gae phal - Hum Dono Raga: Dhani
21. Tere Bina Jiya Jaaye na- Ghar – Raag Kalyani – Duet but Kishore only sings one stanza
22. Mose chal kiye jaye hai re hai hai dekho saiyan beiman – Raga: Jhinjhoti
23. Chura liya hai tum ne jo dil ko, nazar nahin churana sanam........Raag Pilu
24. Ye Dil Aur Unki – Raag Pahadi
25. Bada Natkhat Hai Re Krishna Kahaiya – Raag Khammaj
26. Jhoothay naina bolay - Raga: Bilaskhani Todi
27. Mora Gora Ang Lai ley – Raga – you should tell me ?


Each song mentioned above is incredibly beautiful. Whilst everyone will have their own favourites, there is a possibility that some of these songs will be part of your favourites as well. There will be many good songs which I may have inadvertently missed but please do let me know so as to add in the list. While it has been little challenging to list down which is the best song amongst all, however based on the some combination like the quality of rendition, the degree of semi classical / classical music, lyrics, singer, the ragas and variations used including the actors on whom the song is screened, I have been able to identify my preference. The main purpose of listing these songs is merely to listen to them again and again ...so as to enhance my knowledge on ragas.

Like movies and books, music is one of those enriching, expensive trans-generational tools that anybody can appreciate. So next time you hear a song, try and hum it and search for a similar song so as to identify its raga.


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SCAMPER For Creativity !...

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

While most people associate creativity with art, design or building complex structures, algorithm and software codes, however being creative really means improvisation. It also means ability to trouble shoot, solve problems and think of innovative ways of doing things.

Problem-solving and decision-making are closely linked, and each requires creativity in identifying and developing options. Generally a problem is a situation, or issue that remains unresolved and makes it difficult to accomplish a desired result. A problem is typically perceived when an individual, group, or organization becomes aware of a significant difference between what is desired and what actually is.

Creative problem solving process is often characterized by the divergent nature of human thought and action. Divergent thinking is thinking outwards. It is the ability to be imaginative, develop original, unique ideas and then come up with a solution or results. Divergent thinking generates numerous creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. It is often used in conjunction with convergent thinking. Convergent thinking is based on collection of facts and data from various sources to arrive at particular logical solution. Both divergent and convergent thinking is required to solve problems.

Problem solving is the process by which a situation is analyzed, a workable solution is determined, and corrective action is taken. The common milestones of problem solving
are:

• Define (or clarify) the problem
• Analyze causes
• Generate ideas (identify alternatives)
• Evaluate or Weigh up ideas (assess alternatives)
• Choose or Make a decision (select an alternative)
• Determine next steps to implement the solution
• Evaluate whether the problem was solved or not

To gain Competitive advantage, every organization is striving for innovation, yet very few organizations like Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Tata, 3M etc are able to come up with breakthrough or disruptive innovations.

There is no dearth of creativity and problem solving training. Interestingly organizations spend considerable resource to gauge convergent thinking - Standard IQ tests, Pattern recognition, testing knowledge, logic thought flow and ability to solve problems etc. However there aren’t any tests to measure divergent thinking process. Since creativity requires both convergent and divergent thinking skills, progressive organizations are now encouraging their employees to undergo various trainings to improve both these types of thinking skills.

Apparently creativity can be learnt. Often it requires a specific or different approach to make us think outside of our traditional thinking patterns. There are various techniques of problem solving, lateral thinking and even developing creativity.

Let me share a simple and yet powerful technique to spark creativity and problem solving abilities. The technique is called SCAMPER.

SCAMPER was conceived by Bob Earle and is an acronym that is made up of the fundamental concepts of gathering additional information:

S - Substitute
C- Combine
A – Adapt
M – Modify/ Magnify
P- Purpose
E – Eliminate
R – Rearrange/ Reverse

SCAMPER is based on the notion that creative work, original ideas and everything you define as "new" is nothing else but a remix of something that is already out there. The SCAMPER method allows anyone to strengthen their ability to question, imagine, and adapt even in situations where it would seem that there are no more creative options available. At its very essence, SCAMPER is a powerful checklist of suggestions that prompts to think and look at things in different ways.

The first step in using the SCAMPER technique is by clearly stating the problem or the idea that is being developed. This technique can be applied to any problems whether its product, service or process improvement or even in personal life.

Consider, for instance, the problem "How can I increase sales in the business?"

Following the SCAMPER recipe, here are a few questions one could ask:

S (Substitute): "What can I substitute in my selling process?"
C (Combine): "How can I combine selling with other activities?"
A (Adapt): "What can I adapt or copy from someone else’s selling process?"
M (Magnify): "What can I magnify or put more emphasis on when selling?"
P (Put to Other Uses): "How can I put my selling to other uses?"
E (Eliminate): "What can I eliminate or simplify in my selling process?"
R (Rearrange): "How can I change, reorder or reverse the way I sell?"

There are many ways to use SCAMPER. For example, one can sequentially go through all the questions or focus on each question until all possibilities are exhausted.

One can generate multiple questions using SCAMPER acronym. For instance Substitution can mean materials, resources, persons, even timelines or facilities. Combination is key when working with objects and creating new items or even an alliance or partnership. Adaptation is working around problems or changing the process or function of the issue to work within the necessary structures. Modifications are changes to the situation that forces you to think of it in a completely different light. You can put the item to other purposes or redirect energies by applying the next step. Eliminating waste and extraneous detail will help you get to the heart of the work at hand. Reversal and rearrangement allows you to more easily wrap your mind around the item and look at it from different angles.

So what are you waiting for, just use this technique and SCAMPER your way to developing creativity!
"The choices we make dictate the lives we lead.” - Danny De Vito (Renaissance Man)

Promoting Core Culture While Retaining Sub Cultures !...

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Organisational Culture reflects the personality of any organisation. Different cultures reflect different norms of behaviours which are determined by tasks, habits, environment and different types of personalities. There are various definitions in the literature, but in essence, Organisational culture is the sum of values, habits, and rules that influence how things get done within the organization.
Generally culture is obsrved at three levels in any organisation. The first being Physical. This is observed through dress code, building, office layout, the technology used, forms, templates, systems, process, recreational and welfare facilities etc. The second level consists of Values. Values are reflected through employee behaviours. The third and deepest level is the Beliefs.

Differentiated Culture – Sub Cultures and Counter Cultures
While we are discussing about culture, it is important to understand sub cultures and counter cultures and both play a pivotal role in shaping organisational culture.
Every organization has a differentiated culture which indicates a system of sub cultures. The term “subculture” is normally associated with images of deviants, delinquents, gangs, and other nonconformists such as hippies, punk teenagers, or occult members. But subcultures also represent tolerated deviations that do not disrupt the normative solidarity of the larger culture’s values. Organizational sub cultures may be based on affiliations to various groups such as departments, workgroups like software developers, sales, customer support teams, operations and service groups, line and support functions, organisational hierarchies, such as management and executive staff; professional and occupational affiliations; socio-demographic categories such as sex, ethnicity, age, or nationality; informal groups; or even atmosphere in work groups e.g. loud and gregarious, subdued and quiet, studious and focused; styles of social interaction e.g. debating ideas, accepting direction, conforming to one voice, chattering during meetings etc.

Countercultures are often unacceptable to members of the larger organization. Members of countercultures hold discordant values and, by virtue of their membership, explicitly oppose certain aspects of the larger culture.

The main difference between cultures and sub cultures is that a culture is a unitary whole while subcultures paint a picture of multiple small cultures coexisting within the same organization.

Having different subcultures is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact its existence often induces diversity, adds vitality to various operating units. As organisations expand globally, exporting an organisation’s culture needs more than exporting formats or setting up offices and factories abroad. Globally operated organisations accept that certain aspects of corporate culture may not gel well in some countries. Thus, an amalgamation of core culture with regional sub culture is apt. The glue that binds all threads of the organisation across geographies – is the core culture built on core values- merging with different sub cultures. For instance large Groups like Tata’s have numerous companies, each having its distinct characteristics, sub cultures and yet all these companies embody the shared Tata Values and Code of Conduct. Similarly Google has different sub cultures across geography and within various teams but what binds all Googlers and their stakeholders are their ‘Ten guiding core principles’.

Ethnocentrism & Parochialism
While conducting business globally, one cannot completely avoid the existence of ethnocentrism and parochialism. Ethnocentrism and Parochial attitude is the result of interaction with a different culture.
Everybody can be accused on ethnocentrism at least once in their lives. Every dominant culture tends to think of itself as supreme and centre of the world. For example, during the reign of the Chinese empire, China believed that it was ‘The middle kingdom’ and even the Japanese, Koreans and Cambodians - all referred to China as the middle kingdom. The British Empire drew the modern world maps with the Zero longitude passing through London - thus making England as the center of the world. US today refer to non-Americans as "Aliens" - a term which shows the ethnocentric attitude.
Ethnocentrism results when managers recognize the differences in cultures - but have a tendency to think that their culture and their way of doing things is - the right way, the only way and the best way. Any deviation from their culture or from their way of doing things is seen as "distortion" or as a "mistake" or as "Wrong way".
Parochial attitude refers to a person’s inability to see cultural differences. This is exactly the opposite of ethnocentrism. Managers who are sent abroad often meet people who are also dressed in suits and speak their language - this prompts them to ignore all other cultural differences and make them think that all others are "just like us".
Apparently ethnocentrism can be both a bad and good thing. It is good to be proud of one's heritage, country, and culture. Ethnocentrism can lead to social integration and strong personal, patriotism, and group ties. However, like anything in life, extremes are bad. Therefore extreme ethnocentrism can breed racism, hate crimes, and even wars.

Shared Values
The bedrock of culture is shared values. In any firm, along with the clearly articulated company goals and values, employees are also inadvertently guided with a set of widely held informal beliefs, attitudes, behaviours and principles that develops over a period of time. Consistent, reinforced behaviors evolve into habits. And habits are a powerful force in defining how employees do their work. Rules in this definition are those policies and procedures that are generally respected and followed within the organization. All these factors combine to influence "how things are done around here." One has to go beyond merely posting Values on the wall or talking about them; one has to live them.

Communication is the mortar in building a strong firm culture. Reward schemes should encourage employees who embody firm's core values. Few things will undermine culture more than having leaders and managers who fail to operate by the firm's values. Managers often get blinded by impressive resumes. But it is critical to focus on candidate's personality, values, accomplishments, and work habits. Hiring for cultural fitment has assumed greater importance. That does not mean only hiring people from competitor or similar industry. Good organisations always scout talent from different walks of life and ensure that candidates are willing to espouse organisational values.

The Importance of Organizational Alignment
Organisational culture is nothing less than the basic DNA of an organization and acts as a foundation for the structures, systems, processes and actions that support business strategy. Donald Tosti and Stephanie Jackson describe two prevalent forces shaping corporate activity and results: (1) strategy and (2) culture. The Strategy path defines what needs to be done and defines guidelines for setting goals, objectives, doing activities to obtain desired results. The Culture path emphasizes how things are normally done. Culture emerges from values, practices and behaviours required to produce desired results. The best firms strive to maintain an alignment between the two paths.

Conclusion
Every firm has a characteristic culture and no two are the same. Apparently, there are no right or wrong cultures, only functional and dysfunctional ones. Some organisational cultures are well defined while others evolve serendipitously. The strongest corporate cultures are designed and shaped intentionally by management and employees working together. The firm's leadership obviously exerts strong influence on its culture and often reflects some degree of the personality and values of the firm's leaders. Operating effectively with or in different cultures often requires a significant change in leadership style and behaviour. Embracing diversity helps executives learn to work with unfamiliar environments. Managing and promoting the right core culture and retaining sub cultures is the single most important challenge for leaders and employees across all levels.