Raga Bhimpalasi

Raga Bhimpalasi is a khayal performance by Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. The track appears as the second composition on the album Begun Gun Gave, released on CD by Venus Records in 1993. The recording spans 29 minutes and 46 seconds, showcasing Joshi’s interpretation of the late afternoon raga Bhimpalasi, a raga traditionally associated with the Kafi thaat and characterized by its use of komal ni (flattened seventh) and shuddha ma (pure fourth).

Joshi renders the raga in the khayal style, employing vilambit (slow) and drut (fast) tempos. The performance follows the conventional structure of alaap, jor, and jhala in the initial elaboration, transitioning into composed bandish (lyrical composition) with improvisational taans (melodic phrases). Accompaniment details for this track remain undocumented in available sources, though Hindustani classical recordings of this period typically feature tabla and tanpura support. The album title Begun Gun Gave translates roughly to \"the virtues of the begun (aubergine) in song,\" though the thematic connection to the musical content is not explicitly clarified in the release.

The 1993 release marks one of Joshi’s commercial recordings during the latter phase of his career, following his establishment as a leading exponent of the Kirana gharana. The album format and production quality reflect the era’s shift toward digital recording standards in Indian classical music dissemination. No additional metadata regarding session musicians, recording location, or alternate takes is publicly accessible. The track stands as a representative example of Joshi’s approach to raga Bhimpalasi, balancing technical precision with emotional depth in the khayal tradition.