Raga Sindhu Bhairavi (Rupak Taal)

Raga Sindhu Bhairavi (Rupak Taal) is a classical instrumental track performed by flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia. The composition appears as the second track on Side A of the album Flute Recital, released in 1970. The recording label His Master’s Voice issued the work on a 12\" vinyl format.

The track renders Raga Sindhu Bhairavi, a morning raga in the Hindustani classical tradition, set to Rupak Taal, a seven-beat rhythmic cycle. Chaurasia’s interpretation showcases the bansuri (North Indian bamboo flute) as the primary instrument. The album Flute Recital marked an early commercial release in Chaurasia’s career, contributing to his recognition as a leading exponent of the flute in Indian classical music.

The 1970 vinyl release included no publicly documented session musicians or accompanying artists for this track. The album cover and liner notes from the original pressing provide minimal additional context about the recording location or production team. The track duration remains unconfirmed in available sources, though standard vinyl side lengths of the era typically accommodated 15–20 minutes per side.

Flute Recital exemplifies the solo instrumental format prevalent in Hindustani classical recordings of the period. Chaurasia’s rendition of Sindhu Bhairavi adheres to the raga’s characteristic phrases, emphasizing the komal re (flattened second) and komal dha (flattened sixth) swaras. The performance structure follows the conventional alaap-jor-jhala progression before the rhythmic section in Rupak Taal.

No reissues or digital remasters of this specific track have been officially cataloged under the original 1970 release metadata. Later compilations by Chaurasia may feature alternate recordings of Raga Sindhu Bhairavi, but their relation to this version remains undocumented.