Raga Ahir Bhairav

"Raga Ahir Bhairav" is an Indian classical instrumental track performed by sitar maestro Vilayat Khan. The recording appears as the first track on the album The Genius of Vilayat Khan. His Master’s Voice released the album in 1966. The format is a 12-inch vinyl record.

Vilayat Khan interprets Raga Ahir Bhairav in this performance. The raga belongs to the Bhairav thaat and is traditionally associated with the early morning hours. The composition follows the characteristic structure of a vilambit (slow) alap, followed by a jor and jhala. The track duration is 16 minutes and 35 seconds.

The album The Genius of Vilayat Khan showcases Khan’s distinctive gayaki ang (vocal-influenced) style on the sitar. This approach emphasizes melodic phrasing and emotional expression over technical virtuosity. The recording captures Khan’s improvisational skill within the framework of the raga’s rules.

His Master’s Voice, a subsidiary of EMI Group, distributed the album. The label was a prominent publisher of Indian classical music during the mid-20th century. The release date of 1966 places the recording within Khan’s mature period, following his establishment as a leading exponent of the Imdadkhani gharana.

No additional musicians are credited on the track. The context does not specify whether the performance includes tabla accompaniment or remains a solo sitar presentation. The album’s liner notes and production details are not provided in the available context.