Raga Bageshri (Jod and Jhalla)

Raga Bageshri (Jod and Jhalla) is a track from the album Mohan’s Veena, released on January 25, 2005. The composition features a collaborative performance by sitarist Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, slide guitarist Salil V. Bhatt, and an accompanying artist credited as Sandeep (role unspecified in available sources). The piece spans 10 minutes and 57 seconds and serves as the second track on the album.

The recording showcases the jod and jhalla sections of Raga Bageshri, a late-night raga in the Kafi thaat traditionally associated with themes of longing and devotion. The performance emphasizes the interplay between Bhatt’s modified arch-top guitar (the mohan veena) and Salil Bhatt’s slide guitar, blending North Indian classical techniques with instrumental adaptations. The album Mohan’s Veena was distributed in digital media format, though the original label remains undocumented in accessible records.

Vishwa Mohan Bhatt developed the mohan veena as a hybrid instrument to expand the expressive range of Hindustani classical music. His collaboration with Salil V. Bhatt, his son and a disciple of the gayaki ang (vocal-style) tradition, reflects a generational continuity in instrumental innovation. The track’s structure adheres to the improvisational framework of alaap-jod-jhalla, with the jod section introducing rhythmic patterns and the jhalla accelerating into a climactic, percussive finale. No lyricist or composer is credited separately for the raga, as it follows the standard classical repertoire.

The album’s release date aligns with Bhatt’s broader discography, which includes Grammy-winning works like A Meeting by the River (1994) with Ry Cooder. While Mohan’s Veena focuses on solo and duo performances, this track highlights the dynamic between two lead instrumentalists. Further details about the recording sessions, production personnel, or Sandeep’s specific contribution are not publicly verified.