Raag Nat Bhirav

Raga Nat Bhairav is a 15-minute and 55-second instrumental composition performed by sitar and surbahar virtuoso Baluji Shrivastav. The track appears as the opening piece on the album Classical Indian Sitar & Surbahar Ragas, released on CD by ARC Music in 1999.

The recording showcases Shrivastav’s interpretation of Nat Bhairav, a raga traditionally associated with the early morning hours in the Hindustani classical tradition. The performance employs both the sitar and the surbahar, a bass sitar known for its deep tonal resonance. The album does not specify accompanying artists, leaving the instrumental arrangement focused on Shrivastav’s solo execution.

The release forms part of ARC Music’s catalog of world music recordings, with Classical Indian Sitar & Surbahar Ragas positioned as a collection of traditional raga performances. The track duration reflects the alaap-jor-jhala structure typical of classical Indian music, though the album liner notes or additional metadata do not provide detailed breakdowns of the composition’s sections. The label’s production emphasizes acoustic fidelity, capturing the intricacies of the sitar and surbahar’s timbral qualities.

Beyond this track, the album’s full contents and Shrivastav’s broader contributions to the recording remain partially documented in publicly available sources. The 1999 release date aligns with Shrivastav’s active period as a performer and educator in Indian classical music, though specific tour or promotional details tied to this album are not widely recorded.