About Classical Indian Sitar & Surbahar Ragas
Classical Indian Sitar & Surbahar Ragas is a studio album by sitar and surbahar virtuoso Baluji Shrivastav. Released in 1999 under ARC Music, the album presents a collection of North Indian classical raga performances alongside devotional and folk-inspired compositions. The recording captures Shrivastav’s interpretation of traditional ragas on both sitar and surbahar, a bass variant of the sitar known for its resonant depth in alap (unmetered improvisation).
The album spans ten tracks and features a mix of instrumental raga expositions and vocal-accompanied bhajans. Shrivastav opens with Raga Nat Bhairav, a morning raga characterized by its meditative and solemn mood. The tracklist progresses through Raga Todi, a complex raga associated with introspective expression, and Raga Rageshvari, a lesser-performed raga linked to the Rageshri thaat. The album also includes Folk Melody Based on Raga Des, blending regional folk motifs with classical structure.
Devotional elements appear in tracks such as Bhajan in Dadara, a rhythmic composition in the six-beat dadra tal, and Humak Chala Ta Raaam Chandra, a bhajan dedicated to Lord Rama. Vaishnav Jana to Tene Kamije, a composition popularized by Mahatma Gandhi, is rendered with instrumental and vocal accompaniment. The album further explores Raga Ahir-Bhairav, a variant of Bhairav with distinct melodic phrasing, and Raga Bilas-Khani Todi, a rare Todi derivative attributed to the 19th-century musician Bilas Khan.
Additional raga performances include Raga Shuddha-Sarang, noted for its evening association and use of the pure (shuddha) seventh note, and Raga Pahari, a pentatonic raga traditionally linked to the folk music of the Himalayan region. The album’s production emphasizes acoustic clarity, with Shrivastav’s sitar and surbahar accompanied by tabla and tanpura. The liner notes provide contextual details on each raga’s historical and theoretical background, though specific session musicians or recording locations remain undocumented in available sources.
ARC Music released the album in CD format in 1999 as part of its world music catalog. The recording serves as a representative sample of Shrivastav’s approach to blending classical rigor with accessible devotional and folk repertoire. No reissues or alternate editions have been confirmed as of the latest available information.