Transport yourself into India through the sounds of the bansuri (flute). The charismatic duo, Godkhindi and Shashank, a household name in south India and a Grammy nominated flute maestro respectively, unravel romantic morning ragas. Make no mistake that this humble flute, made from bamboo, posses...

Transport yourself into India through the sounds of the bansuri (flute). The charismatic duo, Godkhindi and Shashank, a household name in south India and a Grammy nominated flute maestro respectively, unravel romantic morning ragas. Make no mistake that this humble flute, made from bamboo, posses...

Transport yourself into India through the sounds of the bansuri (flute). The charismatic duo, Godkhindi and Shashank, a household name in south India and a Grammy nominated flute maestro respectively, unravel romantic morning ragas. Make no mistake that this humble flute, made from bamboo, posses...

Ustad Nishat Khan presents two ragas – Darbari Kanada and Bhairavi in this concert. He represents an unbroken lineage of 7 generations of sitar and surbahar players. His father is the legendary Ustad Imrat Khan, a surbahar maestro and his uncle is none other than Ustad Vilayat Khan.

Ustad Khan...

Dhrupad is the foremost improvisational classical system from India, rooted in its micro tonal slow to fast development. The primal sounds of the rudra veena comes alive in the hands of Hegde as she micro bends the raga (melody) notes. One of the slowest forms of Indian classical music styles, al...

Special performance filmed in an empty auditorium during Darbar Festival.
Chaurasia is a true exponent of the therapeutic impact of the bansuri, “The notes have to do something within your system so it affects your chakras and your mind frame,” he explains, adding that the correct timing (also kn...

Dharwad is regarded as the Mecca of north Indian classical vocalists. The father of the Kirana gharana, Ustad Abdul Karim Khan (1872-1947), settled here and nurtured many musical luminaries and created a deep connection between north Indian and Carnatic music. Hailing from the same region, Pandit...

In 2006, Darbar presented Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty in an exclusive evening in his semi-classical avatar. The semi-classical or lighter segment is a by-product of folk music and an off-shoot of pure classical music that consists of a deluge of forms in which Pandit Chakraborty holds a position of r...

Raag Charukeshi is a recent Carnatic import into the Hindustani genre. It has primarily been a show-stopper in lengthy, pure Hindustani or Carnatic classical concerts. But this recital might take one by a pleasant surprise with Charukeshi hopping over from the pure classical arena to that of ligh...

Raag Bhoopkali is also known as Bhoopeshwari. It is believed to be a creation of Ustad Alladiya Khan of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. However, its emergence almost forty years after his death (1945) makes this information confusing. In the subsequent years of its soaring to popularity in music frat...

Pandit Kushal Das' performance of raag Jaunpuri from the Darbar Festival 2021

Ramkali is an early morning raga, often associated with Sikh devotional cultures. Many Sikh saints have set 'shabads' (spiritual verses) to the tune of this raga.

In the sprawling premises of the Bawali Rajbari, the 265-year-old heritage mansion-palace situated 35 kilometres outside of Kolkat...

Begum Parveen Sultana gives an outstanding performance of this morning raga, Gurjari Todi, at the Darbar Festival 2007. After a last-minute visa-related issue of the scheduled artists leading to a cancellation of their concerts, she generously agreed to fill the morning slot at the Phoenix theatr...

Parvez begins with a serene alap of this morning raga, delineating its contours with expressive embellishments over his murkis and meends of varying weights. From the calming effect of the alap, he traverses towards a stunning jod, combining the technical virtuosity of tantrakari with profound an...

Recorded live at the Phoenix Hall, Leicester, UK at Darbar Festival on 13th April 2007.

Musicians:
- Harjinderpal Singh (Santoor)
- Shahbaz Hussain (Tabla)
- Ranjana Ghatak (Tanpura)

Music Pieces:
- Raag Bhoopal Todi, Thaat: Bhairavi, Samay: Morning
- Alaap, jor, jhalla and gat in rupak taal (7...

As suggested by the name, Ahir Bhairav is a blend of two ragas –Bhairav, a primordial scale and Ahiri that owes its origin to a folk melody belonging to ‘Ahir’ or cowherds' communities residing on the fertile plains of the two Indian rivers – Ganga and Yamuna.    

Arati Ankalikar connects three...

This wonderful excerpt is from our Director’s Cut trove – a repository of some of the most special artists that the Darbar Festival has presented. In this clip, Sahasrabuddhe performs a tarana in Raag Ahir Bhairav with uncompromising clarity and delicacy. This concert being her last one in the UK...

Parvez’s portrayal of Bhairavi is deeply profound; In this piece from the Darbar Festival 2007, he concludes his recital with this composition set to a rhythmic cycle of 6 beats (Dadra). Pandit Yogesh Samsi gives a mellowed accompaniment on the tabla, suited against the devotional mood and pathos...

Recoded on location in Mulshi, Maharashtra, India.

Musician:
- Jayateerth Mevundi (khayal vocal)

Raag Bhilaskhani Todi; Thaat: Bhairavi; Samay: Late Morning
Raag Bhairavi; Thaat: Bhairavi; Samay: Morning

Jayateerth Mevundi is one of the Kirana gharana’s leading vocalists. Born in Hubli, he rec...

Raag Jaunpuri is said to be a creation of King Hussain Shah of the Sharqi dynasty, the Islamic state that ruled northern India between 1394 and 1479. Their capital was Jaunpur, a city that still exists by the same name in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Hussain Shah had christened t...

A special performance against the Bay of Bengal beach, Shashank perfoms Raag Ahir Bhairav. Born to a biochemist father in the extraordinarily musical village of Rudrapatna, Shashank Subramanyam started learning early in life. He mastered all 72 Melakarta scales by the age of two-and-a-half, promp...

Kaushiki sings the evocative Raag Jaunpuri in the Kolkata botanic gardens at sunrise for an exclusive Darbar on location shoot. Despite being bitten by mosquitos her focus remained unwavered as she meanders through the alaap to the bandish. During the recording a crowd of regular walkers and runn...

Recorded at Darbar Festival 2012, on 30th September, at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London.

Musicians:
- Shujaat Khan (sitar)
- Swapan Chaudhuri (tabla)

Raag Aliya Bilawal; Thaat: Bilawal; Samay: Morning

In the true cadence of the Etawah gharana, Khan plays a resounding Aliya Bilawal...

Virdee is the son of Bhai Gurmit Singh Ji Virdee in who’s memory, his brother Sandeep Virdee OBE is the founder of the Darbar Festival. Virdee brings in a breath of fresh air with his choice of Ahiri, a Carnatic raga, which he plays in pure Hindustani style. He plays a heartfelt alap, skilfully e...