Kaku

Kaku is a concept which deals with intonational variations and modulations in sound and voice. Voice is such a powerful instrument which can convey shades of feelings. This is evident in nature itself from the soothing sound of waves and the crashing of tidal waves in a tsunami or the pleasant wind and the gusty winds during a storm. Animals too employ kaku when they are happy, sad and angry which is conveyed by both actions and sounds made. The Human voice is considered as the best instrument for its ability to bring a variety of emotions and feelings with ease. The voice can convey subtle emotions which stems from the heart. 

This plays an important role in conveying an infinite variety of shades of feelings and emotions in music. Appeal of music lies in its aesthetics and emotional experience. When various musical phrases are employed in music to give a range of tonal colors a variety of feelings and emotions emerge. Kaku is emotional expression. It is used in drama and music. 

Bharat has dealt in great detail about kaku in the 17th Chapter of Natya Shastra. He has explained kaku from the viewpoint of the artiste while performing abhinaya or dialogues to make it more impactful. He has talked of two types of Kaku – Saakaanksh and Niraakaanksh. Various elements of music such as pitch, tempo is used to evoke various rasas as suitable for the lyrical or non lyrical melody.

Sharangev has treated kaku in Chaya sthaya under the ten different varieities of sthaya in the prakirna adhyaya. Chaya means shadow, used in the sense of complexion, shade or blending of colors or notes which makes a raga a living experience. 

Kaku is derived from the root word Kak which means flexibility of voice or warmth of emotion. Kaku is defined as Kakudhwanervikaar meaning variation or modulation of sound in the intonation. In the Amarkosha it is defined as 

Kakuh Striyaam Vikaaro yah Shokabhtyiaadirbhidhwaneh

Kaku is feminine in gender and is stands for modulation in voice under the influence of various rasas and emotions. 

Kaku described by Bharata:

The word kaku is common to both drama and musical literature. Bharata in connection with Pathya or dramatic dialogues outlines six salient features which contribute to emotional expression. 

Uccho Deeptascha Mandrasch Neecho Drutavilambitau

Paatyasyaite hyalankaaraa lashanam cha vibodhataa

Six limbs of Kaku:

Bharat also explains the six limbs of Kaku which are helpful in giving expression to various emotions.

1. Viccheda

It is the pause given after words or phrases in accordance with the sense of the sentence. Sometimes a pause is more expressive than the word. Similarly, in music, a pause in a proper place can convery the intended meaning of a phrase. 

2. Anubandha

This means continuity. In terms of music, this means continuous enunciation of notes which go naturally together in the framework of a raga. The means phrases of raga which cannot be broken like in yaman – Ni Dha Ni Re Ga, Pa Re Sa or Ga Ma Dha Ni Dha Pa Ma Re Ga. If broken it cannot give the intented mood

3. Arpana 

Art of presentation. It means reciting something by filling the auditorium with uncontrained, sweet and graceful modulation of voice that it may go on ringing in the ears of listener for some time.

4. Visarga

Visarga is to be understood as the finishing of a sentence. Bharata has probably meant that words should be emphasized properly so that the meaningof the entire sentence is conveyed. In music it would mean to emphasie on the proper notes which bring out the essence of raga. 

5. Dipanam

Gradual rising of notes in a crescendo. 

6. Prasamanam

Gradual fall of notes in diminuendo. 

Sharangdev has described Kaku as on the varieties of Sthaya. The word Chaya has been used synonymously for kaku. It is related to Swara, Raga, anya-Raga, Desh, Kshetra, Yantra Kaku.

Swar Kaku

When by adding up or shedding of shruthis, a note enters the threshold of another note and thus acquires its complexion by proximity. Thus Swar kaku denotes the particular tonal shades which a note acquires in different ragas and phrases. This brings out the essence of a particular swar in a phrase of a raga. This makes it a fundamental factor which leads to innumerable possibilities for a vast range of delicate shades and grades in intonation and blending of notes in such a manner that it expresses the raga-bhava. Ragas with similar melodic configuration are portrayed differently due to this. Eg. Komal Ga in Todi is sung from komal Re  and in Multani it is sung from Tevra Ma. Kan, Meend Khatka, mukri are all ornaments which bring out the swar kaku as there is a main swar which is ornamented.

Raga Kaku

This variety refers to the phrases and idioms already enriched with swar kaku and arranged in such a manner that it establishes the identity of the raga. Ragangas and pakads and chalan of ragas are filled with swar kaku and raga kaku. Both swar sthan and uccharan are important to bring out the mood of the raga. For e.g in Todi, Ni Sa Re Ga has no meaning compared to Dha Ni Sa Re Ga, Re Ga Re Sa. The use of the phrase Ga Ma Re Sa in Kanada or Malhar prakar Ragas is different due to the special uccharan of Swars within the same phrase.

Anya-Raga Kaku

while elaborating a raga, there might be shadows of other raga then it is called anya-rgaa kaku. For e.g in Basant we can see Chaya of puriya dhanasree or lalit in certain phrases as the notes and certain phrases are common between the ragas. Therefore this can be done purposefully or has to be avoided. Concept of tirobhav-avirbhav is used in this kaku.

Desh Kaku

This deals with the effect of region of living and its culture and tradition in the tonal quality of musical utterance. 

(i) regional variety or versions of ragas 

(ii) regional peculiatrity in intonation due to accent of a language and typical manner of vocal utterance. Gharana, gayaki, Lok sangeet mainly developed on the lines of Desh kaku. 

Kshetra Kaku

Kshetra means human body. It refers to the individuality of the human voice. Every person’s voice is unique. This also affects ones rendering of a raga. Even a given instrument played by different people will sound different. Gayaki  developed on these lines along with other factors.

Yantra Kaku

This is the tonal color of instruments such as veena, flute, sarangi etc. it also refers to differences between two instruments of same class. This depends on the shape, size, material, harmonics. 

Hence for the experience of rasa in raga-sangeet, understanding of kaku is very fundamental. Hence each swar has to be treated with grace and bhava to bring out the beauty of the raga. 

Kaku plays an important role in drama and dance where each role and scene has a specific dialogue delivery and music which is done so to achieve the desired rasa. 

Dhrupad is an ancient style of singing in the north. Gharanedar gayaks would always teach dhrupad first to their students to develop true knowledge of swar, laya, raga. The Nom-tom Alaap is performed in 4 phases and proper enounciation of swar is important – swar kaku. In the second phase Alaap is done in laya and then gamakas are used which is kaku. The various styles in dhrupad or banis use different types of kaku which resulted in the difference in bani such as dagar, gobarhari, khandar etc. The veer, adbhut, shant rasa are brought out by the correct usage of kaku.

With the advent of khayal sangeet it slowly replaced dhrupad as it was more captivating than dhrupad. There are few words and the musician has to use his power of thought and creativity to explore the various facets of raga and the composition. The whole performance is divided into three, starting with the bada-khayal then the chota khayal and then tarana or thumri or bhajan. Here the raga Alaap is performed then the sthayi antara is sung. Then various forms of Alaap-swar, bol, akaar Alaap, Alaap taan, behelava are performed. Then Sargam, akaar, bol taan are sung to end the bada khayal. The chota khayal is sung in a similar fashion. One can explore the various facets of raga in low, medium and drut tempo generating a variety of rasa such as gambhirata of the bada khayal to the chanchalata of the chota khayal. The swar ang raga kaku are employed to a great extent in this form. But all forms of Kaku are used in khayal. Some personalities have left a great impression with their voice that itself became a gharana (kshetra Kaku) such as Bhimsen joshi, kumar gandharv, amir khan. Desh kaku is also visible in the styles of maharastras taan, bengals caressing of words, nuances of voice of Punjab.

Thumri was an art form developed to express shringaar ras and accompany the kathak dance. Here there is no strict adherence to rules of classical music and the musician must make use of every swar samoohs to bring out the beauty of the words. There are mainly two forms (i) Bol-Banav (ii) Bol Baant. The Bol-banav thumri is benarasi thumri. Most singers sing thumri in Bhojpuri. The language itself lends to adding beauty and softness. The concept of bol-banav uses kaku. Swar-kaku, raga-kaku and anya-raga kaku are used in bol-banav when shades of other ragas are used in thumri. The Punjab ang thumri applies the desh kaku as its style is quite different from benaras.

In the bol-bant thumri, there is much use of words and laya. It uses taan like samoohs. There is much use of syncopation between words and laya. This is also known as bandish ki thumri. 

Tappa is a style which was brought into classical music my miyan shori. It is sung in the Punjabi dialet and uses a lot of Taaan and musical ornaments like khatka, murkhi, zamzama, ghitkari in every word of the bandish. It is a difficult art to sing, hence employs raga kaku, kshetra kaku.