About Raga Nat Bhairav
Raga Nat Bhairav is a studio album featuring North Indian classical music performed by sitarist Manilal Nag and tabla player Samir Chatterjee. The recording centers on Raga Nat Bhairav, a morning raga derived from the Bhairav thaat, and showcases two instrumental interpretations: one on surbahar and the other on sitar.
India Archive Music released the album on compact disc in 2002. The label categorized the work under its classical instrumental series, though specific recording dates and locations remain undocumented in available sources. The release comprises four tracks that progress through the traditional stages of raga elaboration.
The opening track presents Raga Nat Bhairav on surbahar, performed by Manilal Nag. The composition unfolds in three sections: Alap, Jor, and Jhala. Samir Chatterjee accompanies on tabla, maintaining rhythmic support without fixed meter during the Alap phase. The remaining three tracks feature the sitar rendition of the same raga. Nag begins with a second Alap, followed by a Vilambit Gat in Tintal (slow tempo, 16-beat cycle) and concludes with a Drut Gat in the same tala (fast tempo). Chatterjee’s tabla accompaniment adheres to the prescribed rhythmic frameworks of each section.
The album emphasizes the contrast between the deep, resonant tones of the surbahar and the articulate phrasing of the sitar. The liner notes, where present, do not include lyricists, composers, or additional session musicians. The production credits and engineering details for the release are similarly unlisted in public records. Raga Nat Bhairav stands as a documented collaboration between Nag and Chatterjee, capturing their interpretation of a foundational raga in the Hindustani tradition.