Raag Vishwaranjini - Alap

Vishwaranjini is a studio album by Indian slide guitarist and composer Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, released on March 17, 2015 under the Bihaan Music label. The album appears in CD format and features Bhatt performing on the mohan veena, a modified arch-lute instrument of his design that blends elements of the Hawaiian guitar, the sitar, and the veena.

The opening track, Raag Vishwaranjini – Alap, spans 24 minutes and 25 seconds and serves as the album’s centerpiece. Bhatt explores the eponymous raga through an extended alap, a traditional improvisational form in Hindustani classical music that gradually unfolds the raga’s melodic contours without rhythmic accompaniment. The composition emphasizes the meditative and expansive qualities of the raga, with Bhatt employing meend (glissando) and gamak (ornamentation) techniques characteristic of his instrumental style.

The album title Vishwaranjini derives from the raga’s name, which translates to \"delighter of the universe\" in Sanskrit. Bhatt composed the raga in the late 20th century, drawing from the Kafi thaat (modal framework) while incorporating phrases from allied ragas. The recording captures his solo performance without overtone accompaniment or percussion, aligning with the dhrupad-ang tradition of alap presentation.

Limited public documentation exists regarding the album’s production context, session musicians, or additional tracks beyond the lead composition. The release marks one of Bhatt’s later works following his Grammy Award for the 1993 collaborative album A Meeting by the River with Ry Cooder. Bihaan Music, the issuing label, specializes in North Indian classical and fusion recordings, though specific distribution details for Vishwaranjini remain unconfirmed in widely accessible sources.