Prem Ki Maar Kalas - Live

Prem Ki Maar Kalas – Live is a live recording of a thumri performance by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, a prominent Hindustani classical vocalist of the Patiala gharana. The track appears as the sixth entry on the compilation album Immortal Thumris – Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali, released on August 31, 2007 by Saregama in digital media format.

The composition spans 9 minutes and 6 seconds and exemplifies Khan’s mastery of thumri, a semi-classical vocal form characterized by expressive phrasing and emotional depth. The recording captures his improvisational techniques, including meend (glissando), gamak (ornamentation), and rhythmic flexibility. The lyrical content revolves around themes of divine and romantic love, a hallmark of the thumri tradition.

The album Immortal Thumris – Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali compiles archival and live performances by Khan, though specific recording dates for individual tracks remain undocumented in publicly available sources. Saregama, the label, specializes in preserving and distributing classical Indian music, and this release aligns with its catalog of historical vocal recordings. The tracklist features other thumris and dadras, but Prem Ki Maar Kalas stands out for its extended duration and intricate melodic development.

Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (1902–1968) received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1962 and remains a foundational figure in 20th-century Hindustani music. His interpretations of thumri influenced subsequent generations of vocalists, and this recording serves as a representative example of his live performance style. The album does not include accompanying instrumentalists’ credits, though traditional thumri performances often feature tabla and harmonium support.