Krishna Nee Begane Baaro
Krishna Nee Begane Baaro, the popular and beautiful Kannada composition in Yamuna Kalyani by Vyaasaraaya is a great favourite with many people, me included. It’s been sung by countless singers but very few are able to bring out its goosebump inducing qualities.
KS Chithra’s rendition is sweet and loved by many, but I don’t feel transported by it-there’s something too filmy and sentimental about the instrumentation.
The late ML Vasanthakumari’s raagam taanam pallavis are to die for, but her version seems too stacatto and soulless.
Jon Higgins, the American performer of Carnatic music, sang Krishna Nee in a leisurely, loving way, that I much prefer to faster paced versions. V Thiagarajan, a friend of Jon Higgins, apparently said this to SPAN magazine:
A party of musicians, Jon among them, went to Udipi to see the Krishna temple. The American wore a dhoti and a kurta as was his custom in Madras . . . but he was much too fair complexioned to be an Indian, and the priests would not let him enter the temple…. So Jon stood where Kanakadasa the untouchable had stood centuries ago, to catch a glimpse of the idol from a distance as best he could. His musician friends stood with him, refusing to go inside the temple if Jon was not allowed. Then it occurred to one of them to ask Jon to sing the famous song, “Krishna, nee begane baro,” a composition in Kannada…. When the air was filled with the vibrant melody of his splendid voice there was no keeping away the crowds that gathered around to hear him. The priests, astonished, begged the singer to come in, and what Kanakadasa could not achieve, the foreigner did.
Aside: This is a lovelys tory about Jon Higgins. Not so lovely is of course the attitude of the priests before he sang, nor the fact that Kanakadasa could not get in. End of aside.
(source: http://www.indiangyan.com/clinton/arts_festivals.htm)
Neyveli Santhanagopalan’s version is also leisurely, gentle and moving.
The slower versions may be considered boring by some, but they allow one to savour the compostion more.
KJ Yesudas, of the divine voice, unfortunately sounds as though he’s off to catch a train.
All these versions can be heard here.
Mahrajapuram Santhanam’s version is also on the same page.
In the meanwhile I keep looking for different versions…I’m sure everyone has their own favourite.
Lovely story about Jon. It ended the way it should have.
I always loved the versions my grandma or my assorted aunts sang at poojas.
Have you ever heard “Nagumoomu galavaani” and “Mudaakarata modakam”? I get goose bumps when I listen to these two kirtanas. If you are fond of carnatic music, you must listen to these two.
Yup, loved the story about Jon.
My favourite version is Maharajapuram Santhanam – but I’m a diehard fan of his. And of MS Subbulakshmi. I guess I’m just old-fashioned!
Good Comments. If you need to download carnatic songs of the erstwhile era from AIR, etc please go to http://www.rasikapriya.com/. I also love Alaipayudhe and Bo Sambo by Santhanam. Amazing rendition. He is my favourite and MS Subbalakshmi (Old gen or not the voice simply mesmerises me)
Such an enlightening story about Jon.. Brilliant ending too..
Krishna nee begane has always been one of my favourite songs.. Thanks for that page with all the different singers – very useful. My favourite among those singers is Maharajapuram but all my time favourite is my dance teacher’s version – she just had her own unique style and it stuck in my head because she was the first one to introduce me to that song..
radha
Suj-yes I thought the story was lovely too. But what about Kanakadasa? I love the way my mother and aunt sing classical music.
Keya, yes I have heard Nagumomo, sung both classically and the bluesy version by Susheela Raman. Have also heard the Mudaakarata modakam- many times-by MS-almost hear it every day!
Shyam-I like him very much too, particularly when he sings Saddhinchane o manasa, and I simply LOVE MS. But I haven’t got any recording of her singing Krishna nee.
Arvind thanks very much for the link and the recommendations. I love some old AIR recordings, my mum had a good collection of Hindustani ones.
Yesterday I was listening to a CD I have of veena recordings by E. Gayathri and she had done one of this song. Although it is instrumental, it definitely has that “goosebump-inducing” quality that you mention. I closed my eyes when it started, and at the end I found I had a huge smile on my face.
I’m also quite fond of Hariharan’s version.
There is also a wonderful (and complete version) at http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit01142002/musicarts1.asp by T Balasaraswathy. My only gripe V Thyagarajan’s dominant violin eats into the piece
lovely, that, abt jon higgins. i listened to his recordings as a child…my parents, like so many others, called him ‘higgins bhagavathar’.
ANOTHER VERSION!
I’ve always loved this song too.
This version is by the Colonial Cousins. Just check the box next to “Krishna” and then click on “Play Selected” to hear the song. Make sure you aren’t blocking Pop-Ups though.
Sorry I forgot to paste the link:
http://www.raaga.com/channels/hindi/various_artist/Colonial%5FCousins.html
Thanks, Veena! I had heard this version many years ago, nice to hear it again.
Hi Ra and other friends,
Iam trying to listen john higgins krishna ne begane and entharo mahanu , unfortunately nothing is available, Could anyone please suggest a best place to buy iam in uk
thanks
Karthik
Hi
Amazing !!! I really enjoyed it. Thanks to Ra. I realy like this forum to be active forever. My heartiest wishes.
Thanks
Karthik
Karthik you can listen to both Krishna Nee and Endaro Mahanubhavulu sung by John Higgins on http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/1/m/artist.78/
You may need real player
You’re welcome!
Nice piece of info…I listened to it…and its pretty good…I’m crazy about music and especially carnatic…
Talking about Carnatic…Listen to this piece of music by Sikkil Gurucharan…He has an amazing…I always loved listening to “Hari Tuma Haro” by MSS…Haricharan has sung it with the feel…and again this is on the slower side which helps you enjoy it even more…The last 20 secs of the song is absolute bliss…
http://www.sikkilgurucharan.com/images/audio/sikkil_gurucharan_01.mp3
Veena, the best thing about the “Krishna Nee Begane” by Colonial cousins is not only the song but also the video…a soulful rendition…
Vish, thanks very much for the link. I’ve always loved “Hari Tum Haro” too.
most of the time we would like to hear the songs.But most of the time before we could get to the right site we are tired.
hey,
I loove krishna nee begane baro, but ive heard this version of unni krishnan?? man.. its pure bliss!!
But the saddest part is. i havent been able to get hold of a copy of the song sung by him or ms.. can any of u please help me out?!! my dads been searchin for this song for ages (sung by unni), and i wanna surprise hm…
Chanced upon your blog when googling for “Krishna nee begane”. I have a Nedunuri Krishnamurthy version from a live concert of his. It’s a patient, introspective rendition. Eminently listenable nevertheless. Let me know you’d like to have it.
hi friends
i am trying really hard to find the song
Bo Shambo by Maharajapuram Santhanam…
Please can anyone tell me the website i can downloadit from or mail me the song at
ramisagenius@yahoo.com
Please help me
Enjoyed reading this. I also like the part when people always disagree about whether it is the Nayika/Yasodha calling out to Krishna here… And I have been asked quite a few times by my (not so carnatic inclined) friends as to why we would be so leisurely in our call for some to be qucik.. nee begane baro?… “Krishna would also take his time”, proclaim these malicious ones…
Heh heh…thanks for visiting and that’s a nice Bharathanatyam blog you have out there!
I loved Jon Higgins’ Endaro Mahanubhavulu in Sri – brilliant renditions despite his alien accent, with excellent adherence to raga and laya. I probably best liked the slow Krishna Nee Begane Baro by Santhanam, as well as a very nice performance by U Srinivas on his Mandolin Duo album.
I love his rendition of Endaro too, it’s one of my favourites. Really stately.
My favorite Krishna-nee-begane-baro is from an episode in the TV Serial Malgudi days. This episode was based on an R.K. Narayan short story. The plot goes like this. There is a young, school going, girl whose father falls into bad economic times. He is convinced that allowing his daughter to act in movies would be his best way out of financial woes. Daughter and her mother are not at all interested, but due to the father’s insistence they play along. A film producer shows up at their house for an audition and the girl dances to and sings Krishna-nee-begane-baro. It was a fantastic rendition that left a mark in me – I remember that episode of malgudi days every time I hear that song. Want to know how the story ends?
I read Malgudi days eons ago. Yes, of course I want to know the end of the story!
Story continues … The day after this ‘audition’, the girl disappears. Parents search everywhere and cannot locate her. Father feels bad about pushing his daughter and finally it turns out the girl, feeling unhappy, had actually gone inside an old pirate’s chest and dozed off. she is eventually found and the father drops film idea. all’s well that ends well.
Of course I summarized it rather unartistically – read the original story, if you can find it.
What a lovely story. Thanks. Will definitely read the original.
I managed to find the video of my favorite Krishna Nee Begane Baro in my recent trip to Chennai. I have uploaded the video in YouTube and have a post about it in my blog. See http://naastik.wordpress.com/2008/12/29/krishna-nee-begane-baro/. Thanks for motivating me to find this!
not sure if he is the best but i love to hear this in unnikrishnan’s. maharajapuram is always best.
Hi – I wandered my way to your post through a desipundit link. You *have* to listen to KV Narayanaswamy’s rendition of Krishna Nee Begane Baaro – pick up any live concert recording of his from the ’60s or ’70s – if Santhanam and Unnikrishnan are considered good, do listen to KVN’s version – you may want to rethink this! I think you can find a few concerts here – http://www.sangeethapriya.org/ – bootlegged versions, but worth the white noise! Enjoy.
Sumathi, I have heard it and love it. I love KVN’s gentle approach overall anyway!
What a lovely story!
Yes, I completely agree with you, Krishna Nee Begane Baro has to be sung s-l-o-w-l-y, even if the devotee is asking Krishna to come to her quickly!
And to watch Balasaraswathi dance to it was to be transported to a whole new level.
In a way the story also makes me sad – why didn’t they let Kanakadasa in? I feel sure his singing would have been no less mesmerising than Higgins’. Of course that happened at a different time, when customs were perhaps more rigid. But we sometimes treat foreigners better than our own people, don’t we?
Very true V, that’s what I thought too, why didn’t they let him in? Apparently there is a story about Kanakadasa too, and how the idol turned to face him or something-I wonder why after they say that happened they STILL didn’t let people in.
Krishna Nee Begane is indeed a pretty hyped up song.In CM circles.
Thanks to , T Balasaraswathi,KVNarayanswamy and Higgins.
Almost everyone I have heard , fail miserably in bringing out the spirit of this song.
Well almost everybody.
T Viswanathan in his concert for the Music Academy , plays a version
that would make the early risers in the concert hall, stay glued to their seats .
Listen to the alapana and one does not realise when exactly he has started the song.
makes you float.
http://www.mediafire.com/?knwazybvg2e
and more recently
Rajesh Vaidya in his album for sagarmusic titled Silken Strings
http://sagarmusicindia.com/sagarcassettes.htm
He has played a fusion version too , which is a poor effort.
But this track is a real beauty.
BTW the singer for the famous Doordarshan Video by Bala had got the lyrics wrong ,too…
Baro … the song keeps rhyming and the singer ends up singing
Thayige Bayalli jagavanne Toro ( show me the universe in your mouth) to rhyme with it.
Whereas it should have been Bayalli Torida ( hey you come.. the one who showed the Universe in your mouth).
Kulkarniji thanks for the download, am having trouble getting it at the moment-think its my browser. Yes, very few people have managed to sing it in a soul stirring way!