Pandit Prem Kumar Mallick and his son Prashant Mallick are a gifted father and son duo. Their commitment to dhrupad comes as a force visible in their stunning performances. They sing a traditional bandish from the Darbhanga gharana in Raag Bhimpalasi in this recital set to Dhamar taal.

After a...

Raag Bhoop Kalyan is also known as Shuddh Kalyan. Its ascending notes have the same notes as Raag Bhopali and its descending notes are exactly like that of Yaman. In the spectacular and imposing backyard of Bawali Rajbari – a 265-year-old palatial mansion situated 40 kilometres outside of Kolkata...

Bhawalkar belongs to a handful of dhrupad singers who have made this form popular and also inspired young students to take it up.

Each year, we try to give a full circle presentation of all the repertoires of Indian classical music of which, dhrupad plays a pivotal role. In fact, one of the d...

It is said that the ancestors of the Mallick family, Darbhanga court musicians, once ended a drought in the area through singing the rain-bringing Raag Megh.

Pandit Ramkumar and Samit Mallick are leading exponents of the Darbhanga dhrupad court music tradition, named for a former state near the ...

Dagar immerses himself in Khamboji, developing the jor and jhala with from delicate to monumental gamaks highlighting each note precisely and with profundity. In this episode, he also shares his experiences on guru-shishya parampara and dhrupad nuances in a short interview. This is followed by a ...

Set against the sunset over Lake Mulshi in Maharashtra, Pelva Naik sings Raag Maru which is considered as a Raāgputra of Malkauns but opinions differ among scholars. It's not sung much being too similar to Yaman and also Maru Behag being more popular. The notes go- Sa Ga ma (sharp) pa ni sa. Sa ...

Pandit Ramkumar and Samit Mallick are leading exponents of the Darbhanga dhrupad court music tradition, named for a former state near the Nepalese border. It is said that their ancestors once ended a drought in the area through singing the rain-bringing Raag Megh, and the family still live on lan...

Ahir Bhairav is a blend of two ragas – Bhairav, an ancient 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.

Ahir Bhairav is coloured with the pensive, early morning flavo...

In India, the opulent courts of the Islamic sultans between the 13th and 16th centuries resonated with dhrupad music. ‘Beenkars’ (veena players) held as much precedence as the vocalists and often engaged in duets, enthralling a court full of discerning listeners.

The first historical duet betwee...

Young dhrupad singer Pelva Naik sings a candlelit solo rendition of Raag Jog, replete with slow slides, meditative microtones, and patient melodic elaboration. At age 17 she found an instant bond with dhrupad when Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar gave a workshop at her school

Ustad Bahauddin Dagar plays the Been at London's Victoria & Albert Museum