Raag Shyam Kedar : Gat In Teental

Raag Shyam Kedar: Gat in Teental is a 23-minute and 12-second instrumental composition performed by sitarist Pandit Nikhil Banerjee. The track appears as the third piece on the album The Genius Of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee – Volume 1, released on CD by Chhanda Dhara in 1994.

The recording showcases Banerjee’s interpretation of Raag Shyam Kedar, a raga associated with the late evening or early night in the Hindustani classical tradition. The performance follows the gat format, a fixed melodic composition set in Teental, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle. The track exemplifies Banerjee’s technical precision and expressive phrasing, characteristic of his contributions to the Imdadkhani gharana (Etahwah school) of sitar playing.

The album The Genius Of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee – Volume 1 compiles archival and studio recordings of Banerjee’s work, though the specific recording date and location of this track remain undocumented in available sources. The release forms part of a multi-volume series dedicated to his legacy, issued posthumously following his death in 1986. The label Chhanda Dhara, based in Kolkata, specialized in classical Indian music during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Notable aspects of the performance include the elaboration of the alaap (unmetered introductory section) preceding the gat, though the album’s liner notes do not detail accompanying artists for this track. Banerjee’s use of meend (glissando) and gamak (ornamentation) in the raga’s development reflects his mastery of the instrument’s melodic and rhythmic possibilities. The composition adheres to the structural conventions of North Indian classical music, balancing improvisation with thematic repetition.

The 1994 CD release marked one of several reissues of Banerjee’s recordings, contributing to the preservation of his work for later generations. The track’s duration and depth of exploration align with the extended improvisational forms typical of concert performances in the genre. Further contextual details, such as the original performance setting or collaborating tabla player, are not provided in the album documentation.