Miya-ki-Malhar: Ek-tal

Inde du Nord is a studio album of North Indian classical music released in February 1993 by Ocora. The recording features sarod virtuoso Amjad Ali Khan alongside tabla player Shafaat Ahmed Khan and tanpura artist Subhalakshmi Khan. The album presents traditional raga performances in a chamber setting, emphasizing the improvisational and melodic elements of the Hindustani classical tradition.

The third track, Miya-ki-Malhar, spans 6 minutes and 49 seconds and adheres to the ek-tal rhythmic cycle. This composition exemplifies the malhar raga family, historically associated with the monsoon season in Indian classical music. The performance captures the intricate interplay between sarod and tabla, with the tanpura providing a continuous drone foundation. The recording process preserved the acoustic nuances of the instruments, reflecting the live concert aesthetic common to classical Indian releases of the period.

Ocora, a subsidiary of Radio France, produced the album as part of its series documenting global traditional music. The label’s catalog often included field recordings and studio sessions with prominent artists, and Inde du Nord aligned with this focus by showcasing a leading exponent of the sarod. The CD format allowed for high-fidelity reproduction of the performance, catering to audiences interested in both scholarly and recreational listening.

Limited documentation exists regarding the album’s reception or commercial performance. The tracklist and session details remain the primary available records, with no confirmed information about additional musicians, recording locations, or alternate releases. The collaboration between Amjad Ali Khan and Shafaat Ahmed Khan on this track marked one of several recorded interactions between the artists during the 1990s.