Raga Bageshri

Raga Bageshri (1998) is a studio recording of khayal vocal music by Indian classical vocalist Ustad Rashid Khan. Released on January 1, 1998, the album features a single extended performance of Raga Bageshri, a late-evening raga associated with the Kafi thaat in Hindustani classical tradition. The recording spans 40 minutes and 9 seconds and occupies the sole track on the release.

India Archive Music Ltd., a New York-based label specializing in North Indian classical music, produced the album in compact disc (CD) format. The performance captures Khan’s interpretation of the raga, emphasizing alaap, jor, and jhala sections followed by composed bandish (lyrical compositions) in vilambit (slow) and drut (fast) tempos. Accompaniment details remain undocumented in available sources, though traditional khayal performances of this period typically included tabla and tanpura support.

The album exemplifies Khan’s stylistic lineage under the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, characterized by intricate taan patterns and a balance of technical precision with emotional expression. Raga Bageshri holds significance in the Hindustani repertoire for its evocative portrayal of shringar ras (romantic sentiment) and its use of komal ni (flattened seventh) and komal ga (flattened third) swaras. The 1998 release marked one of Khan’s early international recordings under India Archive Music, which later distributed his works alongside artists such as Nikhil Banerjee and Ali Akbar Khan.

No commercial reissues or digital remasters of this specific recording are confirmed in public records. The original CD remains the primary format for distribution, with catalog details managed by India Archive Music. Further information on session musicians, recording location, or alternate takes is not available in standard references.