Raga Abhogi

Ragas Abhogi & Vardhani (Rudra Veena // Seattle // 9 March 1986) is a live album by Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, released posthumously on 14 May 2018 under the label Ideologic Organ. The recording captures a solo performance on the rudra veena, a fretless lute associated with the Dhrupad tradition of Hindustani classical music. The album preserves a concert held in Seattle on 9 March 1986 and was issued in digital media format.

The album opens with Raga Abhogi, a 43-minute-4-second rendition that occupies the first track. The performance exemplifies Dagar’s mastery of the Dagarbani style, characterized by sustained notes, intricate gamakas (ornamentations), and a meditative exploration of the raga’s melodic framework. The recording documents the artist’s use of the rudra veena’s deep, resonant timbre to interpret the raga’s ascending and descending phrases. No accompanying instruments or vocal support feature in this track, emphasizing the solo nature of the recital.

Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (1929–1990) belonged to the Dagar gharana, a lineage renowned for its vocal and instrumental contributions to Dhrupad. His performance in Seattle occurred during a period when he actively promoted the rudra veena through international concerts and workshops. The album’s release in 2018 introduced the 1986 recording to contemporary audiences, offering a historical document of Dagar’s late-career artistry. Additional details about the second track, Raga Vardhani, remain undocumented in the provided context.

The label Ideologic Organ specializes in archival and experimental music releases. The album’s production credits and engineering specifics are not listed in the available information. The cover art, liner notes, or additional session details are similarly unconfirmed.