Raga Darbari

Raga Darbari is a khayal performance by Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. The track appears as the seventh composition on the album The Multifaceted, released on 1991 by The Gramophone Company of India Limited (now Saregama India Ltd.). The recording was issued in CD format and features a duration of 6 minutes and 20 seconds.

The album showcases Joshi’s interpretations of traditional ragas, with Raga Darbari representing a slow, meditative exploration of the raga’s characteristic phrases. The composition adheres to the Darbari Kanada thaat and typically employs a contemplative tempo, emphasizing gamak-laden renditions in the lower and middle octaves. The accompanying artists and instrumentalists for this track remain undocumented in widely accessible sources.

The Multifaceted compiles selections from Joshi’s live and studio recordings, though specific session details for Raga Darbari—such as recording location or date—are not publicly verified. The album’s production aligns with Joshi’s late-career phase, during which he consolidated his reputation for emotive, expansive khayal performances. The Gramophone Company of India Limited, the label behind the release, was a dominant producer of Indian classical music recordings throughout the 20th century.

Joshi (1922–2011) belonged to the Kirana gharana and received widespread acclaim for his command over raga development and bol-banao (lyrical improvisation) techniques. His rendition of Raga Darbari in this album exemplifies his ability to balance technical precision with expressive depth, a hallmark of his artistic legacy. No commercial singles or alternate versions of this specific recording have been confirmed.