Raga Bhattyar

Raga Bhattyar is a recorded performance of the eponymous raga in the Hindustani classical tradition. The track appears as the opening piece on Morning Ragas Volume 2, a compilation released by Music Today in an unspecified year. The label issued the album in cassette format.

The composition features a collaboration between three prominent artists: Ustad Amjad Ali Khan on sarod, Pandit Jasraj on vocals, and Shruti Sadolikar, also contributing vocals. The recording spans 14 minutes and 59 seconds. The performance adheres to the structural conventions of the raga, characterized by its early-morning (pratah) association in the Hindustani system.

The album Morning Ragas Volume 2 forms part of a series curated by Music Today, focusing on ragas traditionally performed during the morning hours. The series aims to present renditions by established classical musicians. The exact release date of the volume remains undocumented in available sources. No additional production credits or session details are publicly confirmed.

The track Raga Bhattyar exemplifies the khayal and instrumental fusion typical of collaborative Hindustani recordings from the late 20th century. The raga itself belongs to the Bhairav thaat and employs a shuddha dhaivat (natural sixth) in its aroha-avroha (ascent-descent) framework. The performance structure likely includes an alaap, followed by a composed bandish and improvisational elaborations, though the specific composition or taal (rhythmic cycle) used is not explicitly noted in the release metadata.

Music Today, the label behind the release, operated as a subsidiary of India Today Group and specialized in classical, devotional, and folk music recordings during the cassette era. The label’s catalog often featured live concert recordings and studio sessions by leading Indian classical artists of the time.