Raga Chandrakauns

Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar performed Raga Chandrakauns as part of his Rudra Veena Recital, released in 1974. The recording appeared on a 12\" vinyl LP under the His Master’s Voice label. The track occupies the A-side of the album and showcases Dagar’s mastery of the rudra veena, a fretless string instrument central to the Dhrupad tradition of North Indian classical music.

Dagar belonged to the Dagarvani lineage, a prominent school of Dhrupad known for its emphasis on vocal precision and meditative phrasing. His interpretation of Chandrakauns reflects the raga’s characteristic use of the komal ni (flattened seventh) and the omission of the pancham (fifth note), creating a melancholic and introspective mood. The performance adheres to the alaap-jor-jhala structure, a hallmark of Dhrupad renditions, where the artist gradually unfolds the raga through slow, deliberate improvisation.

The 1974 release captures a live or studio recording—specific session details remain undocumented. His Master’s Voice, a subsidiary of EMI India, produced the vinyl as part of its classical music catalog, which included recordings by eminent artists of the era. The album’s liner notes, if present, are not widely archived, and no additional tracks or accompanying artists are confirmed from available sources.

Dagar’s contribution to the preservation and propagation of the rudra veena and Dhrupad tradition earned recognition in Indian classical music circles. This recording serves as a representative example of his work during the mid-20th century, a period marked by renewed interest in instrumental Dhrupad performances. The vinyl format, standard for commercial releases of the time, limited wider distribution compared to later digital reissues, though the recording remains referenced in discourses on Dhrupad and the Dagar family’s legacy.