About Rag Lalit
Rag Lalit is a studio recording of North Indian classical music released in 1989. The album features a solo performance by flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia accompanied by tabla player Anindo Chatterjee. The release contains a single extended composition in Rag Lalit, a morning raga associated with the Komal Re and Tivra Ma scales in the Hindustani tradition.
The recording was issued by Nimbus Records on January 1, 1989, in digital media format. The album represents a collaboration between two prominent artists of their generation: Chaurasia, a leading exponent of the bansuri (bamboo flute), and Chatterjee, a noted tabla virtuoso trained in the Farrukhabad gharana. The performance adheres to the alaap-jor-jhala structure followed by a composed gat and improvisations, characteristic of the khayal style.
The sole track, titled Rag Lalit, spans the entire duration of the release. The composition emphasizes the raga’s introspective and melodic qualities, with Chaurasia’s flute exploring the lower and middle octaves while Chatterjee provides rhythmic support through traditional tabla patterns. The recording captures a live-studio ambiance, though specific session details or additional personnel remain undocumented.
As an official release, Rag Lalit contributes to the discography of both artists during a period of increased international recognition for Hindustani classical music. The album’s focus on a single raga aligns with the convention of in-depth raga elaboration in classical recordings. No additional editions, reissues, or alternate versions of this release are confirmed in available sources.