Raag ‘Darbari Kanada’ brings patient out of coma

The ‘Darbari Kanada’ raag of Hindustani music (‘Kanada’ in Carnatic music) has been effectively used as a therapy by a Kolkata-based doctor to help a young girl come out of the coma. A video of this has gone viral on social media and it is claimed to be a medical miracle.

Violinist N Rajam’s rendering of ‘Darbari Kanada’ is said to have been successful in curing the girl.

The patient, Sangeetha Das, hails from a village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. She was suffering from dengue and drifted to a coma on November 7. Several treatments failed to yield results and she was shifted to the Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital in Kolkata, where the doctors said that she was in a coma as there was a blood clot in her brain.

Dr Sandip Kar, assistant professor at SSKM Hospital, is a violinist and an artiste at the Akashvani in West Bengal.

Sandeep, who was a cardiovascular anaesthesist, had conducted research on music therapy and treatment in 2011. He decided on music therapy for Sangeetha. He made her listen to the 24-minute ‘Darbari Kanada’ raga thrice a day, along with medical treatment.

The girl’s condition saw slight changes after music therapy and she also started responding to the medicines. She came out of the coma in two weeks.

Speaking to DH, Dr Sandip Kar said he had tried raga treatment during open heart surgeries, with no results. He decided to use the treatment to cure the blood clot in Sangeetha’s brain and the results were encouraging.

“I had attended a music therapy workshop in 2011, after which I started research in the field. I believed that the raga will be effective in curing diseases and for the first time, I have achieved success. I have started receiving accolades from all quarters. Sangeetha will be totally cured in 15 days,” he said.

Rajam told DH, “I am happy hearing about the recovery of Sangeetha. Darbari Kanada has the power to cure ailments.”

“Kanada is a Carnatic raga. The raga was rendered mostly in the durbars (courts) of kings and hence, got the name Darbari Kanada,” said musician Pandit Arun Kumar of Dharwad.