THUMRI: Much beyond a light classical music expression
The Thumri is a much-loved format of light music that appeals to common music lovers and connoisseurs alike. The literal meaning of the word Thumri has its roots in Thumakna which can be loosely translated as walking with dancing steps to trigger an echo emanating from ankle bell’s.
The roots of the Thumri can be found in the Harivamsha ( 400 CE) which mentions the Chalikya a musical presentation suffused with poetry , dance and dramatic gestures. Dombika Gayan, another relatable format emerges in the later stages. Tripadi a musical composition in three lines were love songs rendered by women centering around love and longing. Reference to Jhumri in CE 1500 also is indicative of the earliest forms of the Thumri. Wajid Ali Shah offered good patronage to the Thumri in Lucknow. The melody has nuances of eroticism with the present form evolving over years through societal and cultural changes.
Sthayee and the Antara are the 2 stages that bring out this evocative rendition that is usually constructed in Rupak, Adda Punjabi and Deepchandi Taal. The most commonly used ragas for a thumri include the Khamaj, Pahadi, Kafi, Bhairavi. This is largely due to the free nature of the ragas that encourages improvisations, making the artist carve their niche within the elastic framework.
Bol Bant; a style that conjures melodic lilting patterns. Bol Banav; where subtlety matters and is evoked through a mix of words and meaningful music phrases and
ehancing a mood through non-verbal expression are the 3 in vogue strategies adopted by Thumri singers.
When it comes to the expression the Thumri is peerless. It is one of the few formats that prioritizes emotion over the rigid raga adherence. This flexibility is referred to as Kakubhed.
To navigate the “Kakubhed” without losing the raga’s essence, and to evoke profound eroticism or devotion without becoming kitsch, requires a lifetime of riyaz (practice). The evolution of the Thumri through societal and cultural shifts has transformed it into a peerless format of expression. It is not “lightweight” music; it is the “distilled essence” of Hindustani music crystallized to let the human soul speak.
It has been a kind of jaundiced attitude toward the Thumri that it is often disparagingly referred to as “light music” as against the classical forms. This needs correction. It is erroneous thinking to theorize that performing the Thumri is easier and can be mastered by putting in lesser effort. Nothing could be further from the truth. To dismiss it as semiclassical and therefore, lightweight is deplorable.
Siddheshwari Devi a towering figure of the Banaras Ang of Thumri has been a champion of the form in its pristine mode. She has emphasized on the spiritual weight behind the romance.”In Thumri, when we sing of the lover, we are often singing of the Divine. The ‘Shyam’ we call out to is both the boy in the street and the god in the temple.”
Girija Devi often referred to as the Queen of the Thumri had this to offer about the Thumri. “The Thumri, she averred, is not just singing; it is the art of telling a story through a single word. If you cannot make the listener feel the pain of a lover or the joy of spring in just one note, you haven’t mastered the Thumri.”
Presently, this eloquent form is making inroads into formal academia with universities and dedicated music schools across the globe. The wide palette of expressions it offers
The future of Thumri lies in its ability to remain “peerless in expression.” As long as humans experience the “love and longing” described in the Tripadi over a thousand years ago, the Thumri will remain relevant. It is not just a musical form; it is a psychological outlet for the “ten or twenty men” we all carry within us.
Vibhav Rao