In India, the common house crow (kaga or kagwa in hindi) is a widespread resident, except in high altitudes and dense forests. It is wholly dependent on human habitation for it’s survival. This highly vocal bird is seemingly unafraid of humans. Aggressive, it will attack and chase off any large bird of prey. Strangely, the crow has been given a place of pride in our classical music. For reasons unknown it has played the role of a lover’s messenger (“Ja Kaga Ja“), which in many a lyrical khayals, is even promised a ‘gold plated beak’ in return of favours rendered (“Ab Ke Sawan Ghar Aaja“). Pigeons, the otherwise commonly known messenger birds, have been given a back seat here.
Vilayat Hussain Khan – Raga Bageshri Bahar : (Download)
Bade Ghulam Ali Khan – Raga Desi : (Download)
Begum Akhtar – Raga Pahadi : (Download)
Pandit Jasraj – Raga Bilaskhani Todi : (Download)
Shruti Sadolikar – Raga Desi : (Download)
Parween Sultana – Raga Pahadi : (Download)
Almost all vocalists have pleaded with this glossy black bird to pass on a message, in all Ragas possible, Raga Desi, Bageshri and Pahadi being the more common ones, although other Ragas are not being discounted.
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