Anupama Roy's video: Thumri in Raag Desh - Bheegi Jaun Main Piya - Dadra - by Anupama Roy Hindustani Classical Music

The Hindi word 'Thumari' is said to be derived from - 'Thumakna' meaning an attractive gait. So, literary meaning is 'a song having an attractive - rather sensuous, gait of melody and rhythm'. The content of "Shringaar Ras" is the main emotive basis in Thumari, though there are many compositions of Thumari depicting the spiritual or devotional aspect. The lines of poetry, though few, are repeated many a times in different tunes to depict the varied array of emotions they connote. This Thumri depicts the coy call of a woman to her beloved, to come and save her from the falling rain that has drenched her to a forlorn state of shyness: "Bheegi Jaoon Main Piya, Bachaye Laiho Jharan Laagi Badariya" ~ I am getting drenched, o my lover, rescue me! The clouds have burst into showers of rain ~ "Chunar mori bheejan laagi, laaj aawat dekhat naari Binati karat chhupaaye laiho" ~ My scarf is getting wet, and see, I'm a woman, overcome by shyness, I pray to you, come and hide me in your arms ~ Performed by Anupama Roy in Raag Des at the Swatantrya Veer Swarkar auditorium, Mumbai. Flute: Raghavendra Baliga Harmonium: Vinod Pagde Tabla: Hemant Bhosle Heartfelt pranaam to my Guru Dr. Aditi Banerjee who taught me this mesmerising thumri.