About Raga Mangeyabushan
Raga Mangeyabushan is a 1974 studio recording by dhrupad vocalist Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. The release captures a live-to-tape performance of the eponymous raga in the Dagarbani style, a tradition associated with the Dagar family of dhrupad singers. The album appeared as a 12\" vinyl LP under the French label Disques Alvarès, marking one of the early international releases dedicated to North Indian classical vocal music.
Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar performed the entire composition solo, accompanying himself on the tanpura. The recording spans two tracks: the primary exposition of Raga Mangeyabushan and a concluding segment titled Raga Mangeyabushan (Fin). The performance adheres to the alap-jor-jhala structure characteristic of dhrupad, with extended melodic elaboration in the lower and middle octaves. The raga belongs to the Kafi thaat and features komal gandhar and komal nishad, though specific compositional details or lyrical content remain undocumented in available sources.
Disques Alvarès issued the vinyl in 1974 without supplementary liner notes or session details. The label specialized in world music and avant-garde recordings during the 1970s, and this release formed part of its limited catalog of Indian classical works. The original pressing included no reissues or digital remasters as of the available records. The artwork, if any, and production credits for the recording remain unverified in public archives.
The album serves as a documented example of Zia Mohiuddin Dagar’s interpretation of the Dagarbani repertoire during his mid-career period. His approach emphasizes sustained tonal exploration and microtonal inflections, aligning with the dhrupad tradition’s focus on meditative development. No commercial charts, sales data, or contemporary reviews of the release are accessible, and its reception history remains unrecorded.