Ali Meri Kaun Sune - Khayal Vilambhit In Ektal

Girija Devi performed Raga Puria Dhanashri in the khayal form as part of her 2008 album Classical Encounter. The label EMI released the recording on CD. The album opens with Ali Meri Kaun Sune, a vilambit (slow-tempo) composition spanning 27 minutes and 47 seconds. The track exemplifies Devi’s interpretation of the Banaras gharana style, though specific performance details beyond the recording remain undocumented.

Girija Devi (1929–2017) established herself as a leading exponent of the thumri and khayal traditions within the Banaras gharana. Her rendition of Raga Puria Dhanashri on this album reflects her command of layakari (rhythmic play) and bol-banao (lyrical improvisation). The accompanying artists and instrumentalists for this session are not credited in the available release metadata. The album Classical Encounter compiles live and studio recordings, though the exact recording date and venue for this track remain unverified.

The composition Ali Meri Kaun Sune adheres to the structural conventions of vilambit khayal, featuring an alaap (unmetered prelude) followed by the bandish (fixed composition) in ektaal (12-beat cycle). Devi’s treatment of the raga emphasizes the komal re (flattened second) and shuddha ma (natural fourth), characteristic of Puria Dhanashri. The album received distribution through EMI’s classical music catalog, targeting audiences of North Indian classical vocal music. No additional editions or reissues of this specific recording are confirmed.