Raga: Marwa (Gat In Jhaptal)

Raga Marwa (Gat in Jhaptal) is a track from the album Ragas on the Santoor, released on May 19, 2010, under the label Aimrec. The composition features a 16-minute and 41-second performance in the raga Marwa, set to the 10-beat jhaptal rhythmic cycle. The track is the second on the album and showcases the santoor, a trapezoidal hammered dulcimer central to Kashmiri and North Indian classical traditions.

Pandit Bhajan Sopori, a prominent exponent of the santoor and a disciple of the Sufiana gharana, performs the lead gat (instrumental composition). Sopori’s rendition emphasizes the raga’s characteristic komal re (flattened second) and tivra ma (sharp fourth), aligning with Marwa’s structural and emotional contours. Accompanying Sopori is Enayet Hossain on the tabla, providing rhythmic support and improvisational interplay within the jhaptal framework.

The album Ragas on the Santoor presents a collection of instrumental renditions in the Hindustani classical tradition. The CD format release includes multiple ragas, though specific tracklist details beyond this recording remain partially undocumented. Aimrec, the producing label, specializes in classical and devotional music from the Indian subcontinent, with this album contributing to the broader discourse on santoor adaptations of vocal-centric ragas.

Notable aspects of the track include the alaap-style elaboration preceding the gat, a common feature in Sopori’s performances that highlights the raga’s melodic development. The interaction between the santoor and tabla follows the improvisational conventions of Hindustani classical music, with Hossain’s percussive responses complementing Sopori’s phrasing. The recording captures the acoustic nuances of the instruments, preserving the dynamic range typical of live classical performances.

The release date and label information confirm the track’s placement within Sopori’s discography during the early 2010s, a period marked by his efforts to expand the santoor’s repertoire in classical and fusion contexts. Further details on the album’s production, additional contributing artists, or critical reception are not provided in available sources.