About Ahir Bhairav
Ahir Bhairav is a studio recording of Dhrupad by Ustad Mohi Baha’uddin Dagar, released on May 9, 2022. The album presents a rendition of the morning raga Ahir Bhairav in the Dagarbani style, a tradition associated with the Dagar family of Dhrupad singers. The release marks one of the few documented solo performances by Dagar in this raga under an official label.
The album was issued by Black Sweat Records as a digital media release. It contains two tracks that follow the structural progression of Dhrupad: the first track spans the alap, jor, and jhala sections, while the second track features a composition in chowtal, a rhythmic cycle of twelve beats. The recording captures Dagar’s vocal technique, characterized by sustained notes, gamak ornamentations, and the gradual unfolding of the raga’s melodic framework.
Ustad Mohi Baha’uddin Dagar belongs to the 20th generation of the Dagar lineage, known for preserving the Dhrupad tradition. His interpretation of Ahir Bhairav adheres to the gayaki (vocal) style of his predecessors, emphasizing meditative phrasing and microtonal inflections. The album’s production retains the acoustic clarity of the performance, with minimal post-processing to maintain the integrity of the live recording environment.
The release date coincided with the album’s digital distribution on May 9, 2022. No physical formats or alternate editions have been documented. The tracklist omits detailed timings, but the combined duration aligns with conventional Dhrupad performance lengths. Further contextual information about the recording session, accompanying artists, or instrumentation remains unverified in available sources.