Raag Gorakh Kalyan (in Rupak taal & Teentaal)

A Soul of Benares is a studio album of North Indian classical music released in 2013 under the Bihaan Music label. The recording features a 37-minute-37-second rendition of Raag Gorakh Kalyan as its sole track. The performance employs Rupak taal and Teentaal rhythmic cycles.

Sitarist Shivnath Mishra leads the performance with vocal support from Deobrat Mishra and Prashant Mishra. The album title references the cultural heritage of Benares (Varanasi), a historic center for Hindustani classical tradition. The track structure follows the alaap-jor-jhala progression typical of instrumental khayal presentations, though specific compositional details remain undocumented in available sources.

The release format includes physical and digital distributions, though exact editions (CD, vinyl, or streaming exclusives) are not specified in the provided context. Bihaan Music, the producing label, specializes in traditional Indian classical and folk recordings. No additional tracks, alternate takes, or reissues of this album are confirmed in the given information.

Notable aspects of the performance include the extended duration, which allows for elaborate taan (melodic improvisation) sequences and rhythmic interplay between the artists. The collaboration between Shivnath Mishra and the Mishra vocalists reflects the guru-shishya parampara (teacher-disciple lineage) common in Benares musical circles, though direct familial or pedagogical relationships are not explicitly stated in the available data.