Ragini Puriya Dhanasri

Ragini Puriya Dhanasri is a recording of North Indian classical music performed in the raga Puriya Dhanasri. The composition features sarod maestro Ali Akbar Khan as the primary artist, accompanied by Swapan Chaudhuri on tabla and Alam Khan on tanpura. The performance spans a duration of 58 minutes and 7 seconds.

The recording captures a live or studio rendition of the raga, though the exact date and location remain undocumented in available sources. The album or release format is not explicitly specified, but the work aligns with Khan’s tradition of extended alaap-jor-jhala development followed by composed sections in vilambit (slow) and drut (fast) tempos. The label, if formally released, is not confirmed in public records.

Puriya Dhanasri is a late-evening raga derived from the Puriya thaat, characterized by its use of komal re (flattened second) and komal dha (flattened sixth). Khan’s interpretation emphasizes the raga’s introspective and meditative qualities, with Chaudhuri’s tabla accompaniment providing rhythmic support in teentaal (16-beat cycle) or a related tala. Alam Khan’s tanpura drone sustains the tonal center, a standard practice in Hindustani classical performances.

Notable aspects of the recording include Khan’s intricate meend (glissando) techniques and the gradual unfolding of melodic phrases. The performance likely adheres to the gayaki ang (vocal-style) approach Khan championed on the sarod. Specific track divisions or named compositions within the recording are not detailed in accessible references, though the structure follows conventional raga vadana (raga exposition) conventions.

The collaboration between Khan, Chaudhuri, and Alam Khan reflects a lineage of the Seniya-Maihar gharana, founded by Khan’s father, Allauddin Khan. While the recording’s release year is unverified, it aligns stylistically with Khan’s later career, during which he frequently performed and recorded with Chaudhuri. The work serves as an example of the dhrupad-ang influence in instrumental Hindustani music, balancing technical precision with emotional depth.