Raga Maru Bihag

Raga Maru Bihag is a 25-minute-57-second instrumental composition performed by Vishwa Mohan Bhatt on the mohan veena, a modified archlute. The track opens Maestro’s Choice – Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, a studio album released in 2004 on compact disc. The recording showcases Bhatt’s interpretation of the evening raga Maru Bihag, a melodic framework associated with the Khamaj thaat in Hindustani classical music.

The album Maestro’s Choice – Vishwa Mohan Bhatt compiles solo performances by Bhatt, emphasizing his improvisational approach to raga elaboration. The label and additional production details remain undocumented in available sources. Bhatt’s rendition of Maru Bihag follows the traditional alap-jor-jhala structure, transitioning into a rhythmic section accompanied by tabla. The track exemplifies his fusion of classical technique with the resonant timbral qualities of the mohan veena.

Vishwa Mohan Bhatt gained recognition for adapting the Hawaiian slide guitar into the mohan veena, an instrument he developed in collaboration with luthiers in the 1980s. His 1994 collaboration with Ry Cooder on A Meeting by the River earned a Grammy Award, establishing his presence in global fusion projects. Maestro’s Choice reflects his later work, focusing on unaccompanied or minimally accompanied raga performances. No further track-specific annotations or alternate releases of this recording are verified.