Kirwani

Raga Kirwani is a 15-minute and 37-second instrumental track performed by sitarist Pandit Nikhil Banerjee. The composition appears as the third track on the album Immortal Sitar of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, released in 1986 under the Chhanda Dhara label. The album was issued in CD format and showcases Banerjee’s interpretation of classical ragas within the Hindustani tradition.

The recording captures Banerjee’s rendition of Raga Kirwani, a raga associated with the late evening or early night in the thaat system of North Indian classical music. The performance reflects his signature gayaki ang (vocal-style phrasing) and intricate taan patterns, though specific session details—such as accompanying artists or recording location—remain undocumented in widely available sources. The album title positions the work as a posthumous tribute, as Banerjee passed away in 1986, the same year as the release.

Immortal Sitar of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee compiles studio recordings that emphasize his technical precision and emotive depth. While the full tracklist and production credits for the album are not comprehensively archived, Raga Kirwani stands as a representative example of his later-period artistry. The label Chhanda Dhara, based in Kolkata, specialized in classical Indian music during the 1980s and distributed the CD in India and international markets.

No commercial reissues or remastered editions of this specific recording have been officially confirmed. The original 1986 release remains the primary source for this performance, with later compilations or digital platforms occasionally featuring the track under varying metadata standards.