Raga Hindol Bahar

Raga Hindol Bahar is a khayal performance by vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi featured as the second track on the 2002 cassette release Sangeet Sartaj – Volume I and II. The recording spans 14 minutes and 52 seconds and showcases Joshi’s interpretation of the morning raga Hindol Bahar, a blend of Raga Hindol and Raga Bahar characterized by its use of shuddha dhaivat and komal nishad in ascent and descent.

The album Sangeet Sartaj – Volume I and II compiles live and studio recordings by Joshi, issued posthumously under an unspecified label. The cassette format release includes traditional Hindustani classical compositions, with Raga Hindol Bahar serving as a representative example of Joshi’s gayaki (vocal style) marked by expansive alaap, intricate taan patterns, and rhythmic improvisation. The track adheres to the vilambit (slow) and drut (fast) tempo sections typical of khayal performances, accompanied by tabla and tanpura, though specific accompanying artists remain undocumented in available sources.

Joshi recorded the performance in an unidentified session, with the 2002 compilation curating selections from his repertoire. The raga’s structure follows the Thaat Kafi framework, and Joshi’s rendition emphasizes the gandhar and nishad swaras to evoke its distinctive melodic contour. The cassette release lacks digital remastering notes, and no alternate versions of this specific recording have been confirmed in commercial distributions.

Critical reception of Sangeet Sartaj – Volume I and II is not widely archived, but the album aligns with Joshi’s broader discography as a recipient of the Bharat Ratna (2008) and a defining figure of the Kirana gharana. The track Raga Hindol Bahar exemplifies his late-career work, though the exact recording date and venue—if performed live—are not specified in the release documentation.