Raga Khambaj

Ragas Bhimpalasi, Khambaj & Bhairavi is a studio album by Indian classical shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. The label Chhanda Dhara released the recording in 1994 on CD format. The album features three raga performances, with the second track titled Raga Khambaj spanning 24 minutes and 23 seconds.

The composition adheres to the traditional structure of Raga Khambaj, a raga from the Kafi thaat characterized by its use of komal gandhar and komal nishad. Bismillah Khan performs the raga on the shehnai, accompanied by an unspecified ensemble of tabla and tanpura players. The recording captures the artist’s improvisational alaap-jor-jhala progression followed by a rhythmic exposition in madhyalaya and drut tempos. No additional production credits or session details are documented in available sources.

The album serves as a representative example of Bismillah Khan’s late-career work, emphasizing his command over slow, meditative raga elaborations. The 1994 release aligns with his broader discography under Chhanda Dhara, a label known for archiving performances by classical Indian instrumentalists. The tracklist sequence places Raga Khambaj between Raga Bhimpalasi and Raga Bhairavi, though specific performance dates or live recording contexts remain unverified. The CD format reflects the period’s shift from analog to digital distribution in Indian classical music.

Notable aspects of the Raga Khambaj track include Bismillah Khan’s phrasing in the lower and middle octaves, a hallmark of his interpretive style. The recording omits vocal accompaniment, focusing solely on instrumental rendition. The album cover and liner notes—if originally included—are not described in accessible references. No reissues or remastered editions of this release are confirmed as of the available data.