Raga Marwa: Gat - drut Tintal

Raga Marwa is a studio album by sitarist Imrat Khan, released on CD by Nimbus Records in 1992. The recording centers on the raga Marwa, a morning raga in Hindustani classical music characterized by its use of the komal re (flattened second) and tivra ma (sharp fourth). The album features Khan’s interpretation of the raga in the gat style, accompanied by tabla.

The fourth track, titled Raga Marwa: Gat – drut Tintal, spans 15 minutes and 24 seconds. Khan performs the composition in drut tintal, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle played at a fast tempo. The track showcases his command of the vilambit (slow) and drut (fast) sections, with elaborate taans (melodic phrases) and jhala (rhythmic strumming) in the concluding segment. The recording captures the intricate interplay between Khan’s sitar and the accompanying percussion, adhering to the structural conventions of North Indian classical performance.

The album reflects Khan’s lineage as a member of the Imdadkhani gharana (Etahwah gharana), a school known for its emphasis on gayaki ang (vocal-style phrasing) in instrumental music. While specific details about the accompanying tabla artist and recording location remain undocumented in available sources, the release aligns with Khan’s broader discography of raga-based albums from the 1980s and 1990s. Raga Marwa serves as a representative example of his approach to solo sitar recitals during this period.