Bilaskhani Todi: Jhaptal

Raga Bilaskhani Todi (Jhaptal) is a recorded performance of the raga Bilaskhani Todi set in the 10-beat jhaptal rhythmic cycle. Sitarist Kushal Das rendered the composition as the third track on the album Inde du Nord: Sitar, released on March 2000 under the Ocora label. The recording spans 18 minutes and 29 seconds and appears in CD format.

The album Inde du Nord: Sitar features Kushal Das as the primary artist. Ocora, a subsidiary of Radio France specializing in world music and traditional recordings, produced the release. The label cataloged the work as part of its series on North Indian classical music. The tracklist sequence positions Raga Bilaskhani Todi after two preceding compositions, though specific details about accompanying artists or instrumental arrangements remain undocumented in available sources.

Kushal Das adopted the Bilaskhani Todi raga, a variant of the Todi family characterized by its komal re (flattened second) and komal dha (flattened sixth) swaras. The performance adheres to the structural conventions of khayal-influenced instrumental rendition, progressing through alap, jor, and jhala before introducing the jhaptal section. The recording captures the improvisational and developmental aspects typical of the gayaki ang (vocal-style) approach on the sitar.

The 2000 release marked one of several collaborations between Kushal Das and Ocora, contributing to the documentation of the Etah-Bishnupur gharana tradition to which Das belongs. The album cover and liner notes provide contextual information on the raga and the artist’s stylistic lineage, though the exact session details, including recording location and production personnel, are not explicitly stated in public records.