Raga Puriya Kalyan: Dhrupad In Chautal

Ustad Mohi Baha’uddin Dagar performed Raga Puriya Kalyan: Dhrupad In Chautal as the second track on the 2005 album Raga Puriya Kalyan. The recording features a traditional dhrupad composition rendered in chautal, a 12-beat rhythmic cycle characteristic of the Dagarbani style. The track spans 18 minutes and 29 seconds, showcasing the artist’s mastery of alap, jor, and jhala before the rhythmic exposition.

The album Raga Puriya Kalyan was released by India Archive Music in CD format. The label specializes in archival and contemporary recordings of Indian classical music, preserving performances by eminent artists. Ustad Mohi Baha’uddin Dagar, a prominent exponent of the Dagar vani (school) of dhrupad, belonged to the 19th generation of the Dagar family. His rendition of Raga Puriya Kalyan adheres to the raga’s structural and melodic conventions, emphasizing deep, resonant vocal phrasing and intricate melodic development.

The recording captures a live or studio performance, though the exact session details remain undocumented in available sources. The album focuses exclusively on Raga Puriya Kalyan, a late-evening raga associated with the Kalyan thaat. The composition in chautal follows the traditional four-part dhrupad structure: sthayi, antara, sanchari, and abhog. Accompaniment details, if any, are not specified in the release metadata.

Ustad Mohi Baha’uddin Dagar’s interpretation reflects the Dagarbani tradition’s emphasis on meditative expansion and textual fidelity. The 2005 release contributes to the documented repertoire of the Dagar brothers, though it remains distinct from their earlier collaborative works. The album serves as a reference for students and connoisseurs of dhrupad, particularly those studying the Puriya Kalyan raga within the Dagar parampara.