About Ragas Bhimpalasi, Khambaj & Bhairavi
Ragas Bhimpalasi, Khambaj & Bhairavi is a studio album by Indian classical shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. The label Chhanda Dhara released the recording in 1994 on compact disc as part of its classical music catalog. The album features three extended renditions of North Indian (Hindustani) ragas, showcasing Khan’s signature shehnai performance style.
The album comprises three tracks, each dedicated to a distinct raga. Ustad Bismillah Khan performs Raga Bhimpalasi, a late afternoon raga associated with the Kafi thaat, followed by Raga Khambaj, a shringara (romantic) raga traditionally rendered in the evening. The final track presents Raga Bhairavi, a morning raga often used to conclude classical recitals. The recordings capture Khan’s improvisational alaps, jor-jhala segments, and rhythmic elaborations accompanied by tabla and tanpura, though specific accompanying artists remain undocumented in available sources.
The 1994 release aligns with Ustad Bismillah Khan’s late-career discography, a period during which he consolidated his reputation as a preeminent exponent of the shehnai in Hindustani classical music. The album’s production reflects the technical standards of mid-1990s classical recordings in India, with an emphasis on acoustic clarity and minimal post-production intervention. Chhanda Dhara, the issuing label, specialized in traditional Indian music and distributed the CD through domestic and international channels, though precise sales figures or reissue details are not publicly verified.
Notable for its adherence to the gayaki ang (vocal-style phrasing) characteristic of Khan’s shehnai playing, the album exemplifies the Benaras gharana’s interpretive approach to raga presentation. The absence of liner notes or detailed session documentation limits additional context about the recording location, engineers, or specific performance dates. The tracks adhere to conventional classical concert durations, with each raga exploration spanning approximately 20–30 minutes.