Bhairavī (Jagata Jananī) Dhrupad

Bhairavī (Jagata Jananī) is a dhrupad composition featured as track B1 on the 1973 album A Musical Anthology of the Orient: India III. The recording presents a rendition in raga Bhairavī, a morning raga associated with devotion and solemnity in the Hindustani classical tradition. The performance adheres to the Dagarbani style, characterized by its emphasis on sustained notes, intricate melodic elaboration, and rhythmic precision.

The track includes Nasir Moinuddin Dagar and Nasir Aminuddin Dagar as the primary vocalists, both belonging to the 19th generation of the Dagar family lineage of dhrupad singers. Raja Chattrapati Singh accompanies on the rudra veena, a fretless lute traditionally paired with dhrupad to provide harmonic and rhythmic support. Suraiyā Dagar contributes as a vocal accompanist, reinforcing the melodic phrases and maintaining the cyclic structure of the composition.

The album A Musical Anthology of the Orient: India III was released by the German label Bärenreiter-Musicaphon in a 12\" vinyl format. The compilation forms part of a series documenting classical and folk traditions from Asia, curated for Western audiences during the 1970s. The liner notes and packaging provide contextual details on the artists and the dhrupad genre, though specific recording dates and locations remain undocumented in widely accessible sources.

The composition Jagata Jananī (\"Mother of the Universe\") reflects devotional themes common in dhrupad, often addressing the divine feminine or cosmic principles. The performance structure follows the conventional alap-jor-jhala progression, with the vocalists and instrumentalist engaging in call-and-response patterns. The rendition exemplifies the Dagarbani approach to raga Bhairavī, prioritizing meditative development over ornamental flourishes.

No commercial reissues or digital remasters of this specific track have been confirmed as of the latest available records. The original vinyl release remains a reference for scholars and enthusiasts of the Dagarbani tradition and mid-20th-century field recordings of Indian classical music.