Raga - Ramkali

Hirabai Barodekar performed Raga Ramkali as the opening track of her compilation album The Great Heritage: Hirabai Barodekar. Saregama released the album on CD in 2011. The recording spans 26 minutes and 37 seconds and showcases Barodekar’s interpretation of the raga within the Kirana gharana tradition.

The album compiles archival material from Barodekar’s career as a Hindustani classical vocalist. Saregama produced the release as part of its series dedicated to preserving and disseminating recordings of 20th-century Indian classical musicians. The label did not disclose the original recording date or session details for Raga Ramkali, leaving the performance’s precise historical context undocumented in the 2011 reissue.

Barodekar trained under Ustad Abdul Karim Khan and Ustad Sawai Gandharva, two central figures of the Kirana gharana. Her rendition of Ramkali reflects the gharana’s emphasis on slow, meditative alaap and systematic development of the raga’s melodic framework. The track omits accompaniment details in the 2011 liner notes, though traditional performances of this scale typically feature tanpura and tabla support.

The Great Heritage: Hirabai Barodekar positions the artist alongside contemporaries like Gangubai Hangal and Bhimsen Joshi in Saregama’s catalog. The compilation targets audiences interested in the Kirana vocal style and the broader legacy of female Hindustani classical singers from the mid-1900s. No additional tracks or alternate takes of Raga Ramkali appear in this release.