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Savari Surat (The dark visaged one has stolen my heart)

Rakesh Yankaran
Audio
Savari Surat (The dark visaged one has stolen my heart)
During the early years of the 20th century, a distinctive form of song emerged in Trinidad known as local classical or tan singing. Rakesh Yankaran’s father, Isaac Yankaran, was one of the leading exponents of Trinidadian local classical singing during the 20th century. Here Rakesh Yankaran sings a devotional thumari, about Krishna . This begins with a well known doha, following the structure of a Trinidadian thumri. The melody shows definite influences of Hindi film music, an important ingredient of the music of chutney. The text sings of the dark visaged savari surat a popular epithet for Krishna who is a stealer of hearts.