Raga Maru Bihag

Maestro’s Choice – Vishwa Mohan Bhatt is a studio album by Indian slide guitarist and Grammy Award winner Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. The release appeared in 2004 on compact disc under an unspecified label. The album features Bhatt performing solo compositions on the mohan veena, a modified archlute designed to accommodate Indian classical music.

The second track, Raga Maru Bihag, spans 31 minutes and 50 seconds. Bhatt explores the raga through alaap, jor, and jhala sections, followed by a rhythmic exposition in teentaal (16-beat cycle). The performance emphasizes the raga’s characteristic phrases, including the komal re (flattened second) and tivra ma (sharp fourth), while maintaining the improvisational framework of the Hindustani tradition. No accompanying artists or percussionists appear on this recording.

The album title suggests a curated selection of Bhatt’s work, though specific criteria for track inclusion remain undocumented. Release details beyond the year and format are not publicly verified. Raga Maru Bihag stands as one of the longer compositions in the collection, showcasing Bhatt’s command of slow, meditative development in instrumental dhrupad-ang style.