Raag Todi

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

The recording showcases Shrivastav’s interpretation of Raga Todi, a morning raga in the Todi thaat known for its emotive depth and intricate melodic phrasing. The performance adheres to the traditional alap-jor-jhala structure, with Shrivastav employing both the sitar and the deeper-toned surbahar to explore the raga’s expansive tonal range. The track spans 15 minutes and 7 seconds, allowing for an extended development of the raga’s thematic motifs.

The album Classical Indian Sitar & Surbahar Ragas compiles Shrivastav’s solo performances across multiple ragas, emphasizing the contrast between the sitar’s agility and the surbahar’s resonant bass. The release date of 1999 positions the work within Shrivastav’s mid-career period, following his establishment as a prominent exponent of the Etah gharana and his collaborations with international artists. The label ARC Music, based in the United Kingdom, specialized in world music recordings during this era, distributing the album in physical CD format.

Notable aspects of the track include Shrivastav’s use of meend (glissando) and gamak (ornamentation) to articulate the raga’s characteristic komal re (flattened second) and tivra ma (sharp fourth). The absence of percussion accompaniment directs focus to the melodic and rhythmic intricacies of the solo performance. Further details about the recording sessions, accompanying artists, or production personnel remain undocumented in available sources.