Monsoon

Monsoon is a solo instrumental track by sitar player Anoushka Shankar. The composition appears on her 2005 studio album Rise. The piece lasts 3 minutes and 40 seconds. Anoushka Shankar performs the sitar throughout, accompanied by percussion and electronic textures. The track blends Hindustani classical raga structures with ambient and electronic elements. The label Angel Records released the album in June 2005. Monsoon serves as the opening track of Rise and establishes the album’s fusion of traditional and contemporary sounds.

The composition begins with a slow, meditative alap section on the sitar. Anoushka Shankar introduces the raga’s melodic framework without rhythmic accompaniment. Tabla player Tanmoy Bose joins midway, providing a steady rhythmic cycle. Electronic producer and collaborator Gaurav Raina contributes programmed beats and atmospheric layers. The track progresses through gradual intensification, incorporating call-and-response interplay between the sitar and percussion. Monsoon does not follow a fixed raga but draws from multiple Hindustani classical traditions.

Anoushka Shankar recorded Rise in London and Mumbai. The album features contributions from multiple musicians, including percussionist Bickram Ghosh and vocalist Sunidhi Chauhan. Monsoon remains one of the album’s most frequently performed tracks in Shankar’s live concerts. The piece exemplifies her approach to expanding the sitar’s role beyond traditional classical contexts. No official single or music video was released for Monsoon.