Ustad Rais Khan and Pandit Swapan Chowdhury

[Lalitadhawani]

This is Nand Kalyan, not Shankara Bihag

[heavyatheart]

Ustad Rais Khan is the best sitarist....I also like Nikhil Banerjee.

[speriencer]

Yes I agree with Jaganperfect. The use of the MDNS etc. is particular to one version of Bihag. There are several versions of Bihag. And Khansaheb also tunes his sitar to harmonics, not arbitrarily only - again for the purity of shrutis - which are based on harmonics. In his younger days he used to not only use the #4 string but tune the instrument in Eb!!

[BABAMUGHALBABASAHEB]

living legend swapanji.

[SangeitSamrat]

@BABAMUGHALBABASAHEB

Good God I love him <3

[jaganperfect]

These recordings are a treat indeed. Ustad Rais Khan saheb is the most prolific Sitar player to have lived in India, Pakistan and for sometime in US as well. His Raaga rendition is unparalleled, unlike his other more renowned and illustrious Ustads from the same family such as Vilayat Khan Saheb and Imrat Khan Saheb, Ustad Rais Khan Saheb prefers to play the Sitar on # 4 Strings which is a thicker gauge than the usual. Hence, his TONE and Purity of Shrutis are better. MNDN, DNS is fine in Behaag

[affluent111]

It's funny that someone told Ustad Rais Khansaheb that he shouldn't play N D N, M D N S. I love when lay people tell the Ustads and Pandits what to play and what not to on a computer screen.

[classicmusic1000]

One of the best sitar players ever!!!! The amount of 'mithas' in his sitar is beyond compare.

[bbdeshmukh21]

This performance is in Raag Bihag. A wellknown melody. However, in the initial portion of the aalap the Ustad has played the phrases N D N, M D N S which are the phrases of Raag Yaman Kalyan. This is not correct. Such mixup confuses the listener and should not be done

[GatoradeIsNotJuice]

@bbdeshmukh21 this is not even Bihag. 

[sarmalim]

sweet & unique!

[khalidmehmoodjan]

superb

[tablameister]

Superb! I wish he would tour more. He is one of the last of that generation. Swapan-da seems slightly amused by the at-ati-vilambit. It would be nice to see the whole concert. Google needs to get rid of this arbitrary 10 minute rule.

To BinduJoshi: Rais Khan-ji moved from India to Pakistan some time back.

[hussasajj]

Ustadji was born in Indore,India and in 1985 migrated to Pakistan hence the tags.

[bindujoshi]

Wonderful performance by Ustad Rais Khan - Raag Shankara Bihag. Sapan Chaudhari also is simply wonderful. One thing I do not understand as to why the posting has been tagged as 'Pakistan' and 'Pakistani'? Rais Khan is a true Indian Muslim artist.

Bindu

[RangiKhan]

@bindujoshi , ustad bade ghulam ali khan migrated from pakistan to india and he is known as an indian singer, so why this can not apply to rais khan, he migrated from india to pakistan, simple logic

[daz199md]

rais khan definately has his own style! very vocal and dreamy

[aakfan]

Ustad Rais khan sahab is ustad vilyat khan's sister's son,

so basicaly shujaat khan and rais khan are first cousins

this whole family is unbeatable

Rais khan sahab's son is also playing now and is amazing

[nnuhnoh]

My guru was Rais Khan's student: yay, I'm so cool! But my beloved gurujee has passed on. I need a teacher in Chicago. Gurujee Patric is irreplaceable. I miss him. I'm either a good beginner or just intermediate. Know anyone who will take me in? I love sitar.

[vinaypande]

is there a 2nd part to this? this is a fantastic concert..

[ramhelder]

Indhadkhani Garana its DHE BEST..

Kia abat reeeeee

[classicalperformer]

ITS NOT Indhadkhani ..ITS ACTUALLY "IMDADKHANI GHARANA"

[speriencer]

Actually, Ustad Rais Khansaheb's gharana is Mewati Gharana, connected with the singers Ustad Hassu Khan and Haddu Khan. You can find this information from an authorized description of his gharana on his Ek Prakaar ki Todi, and Nand Kalyan/Shankara Bihag CDs. That text was written by his long time friend Amit Adiecha.

[penta15786]

ramhelder - Ustad Rais Khan belongs to Meewat Gharana. His maternal side is of Imdadkhan's Gharana. Late Ustad Vilayat Khan & Ustad Imrat Khan is his mother's two brothers.

[tariqjuneja]

fantastic - thank you.

[ajrahi]

Thanks alot for posting. We need more of postings from Ravi Shankar's students, please. I have alot of respect for Ravi Shankar, espcially that he has produced so many great instrumentalists such as this dude.. Thanks for posting man...

[Itheprosperone]

Rais Khan is not a student of Ravi Shankar. He is from a completely different Gharanna. I actually prefer his style to Shankar's although both are simply amazing.

[J63119]

hahah ravi shankar has nothing to do with good sitar playing...this is imdhadkhani all the way

[Houz23]

such an emotion and atmosphere can only be created by the greatest masters ! Ustad Vilayat Khan and Ustad Rais Khan are both the eternal Sun of the Sitar...

[ajrahi]

It is Shankara Bihag..

[skunkiemonk]

Can we call it: Raag "Raiskhanlihag"?

Thank you, past594!!

[shirishnarkhedkar]

more of bihag;but that really doesn't matter. See the poise & restrain of both of them

[dhyanamusic]

Truly the greatest sitarist in our times...who can create such a vibration and MOOD in his music like Ustadjii....

[BADELI3]

i lisson since my child hood and hear ustaz Rais khan still he same king of indian music he is real great king master all proud of them .

[monoceros9]

Rais Khan is one of the great 20th century sitarists. This recording isn't perfect, but is excellent in that it's probably the only way many people are ever going to hear him. His records have gotten quite hard to find.

[BobbySitarist]

This is an old 'cheej' taught to my dad as well as Ustd RKsaab from Ustd Mohmad Khan saab, Ustd RK's late dad. It goes 'Dekho sakhi...Kanhaiya rokey tharo hai gail!' Slight variance of Maru Bihag.

[sachbhai]

Its definetely Maru Bihag

[sitariya]

There are some non-bihag patterns played here in lower octave.

[boratcheese]

I would call this the 'true' Maru Bihag, consisting of both Madhyams.

[sitariya]

It is certainly not Maru Bihag. I see yaman patterns there. Is it some variance of Bihag ? His own creation ?

[boratcheese]

I am almost 90% sure this is Maru Bihag. When I say 'true' Maru Bihag I mean the old Agra, Jaipur, and Gwalior Maru Bihag, which has much more of a Kalyan (Yaman) flare, as well as same swaras as Yaman Kalyan.

[sitariya]

Wow !! this is awesome. I have not got a chance to see Rais khansaheb in live concert action. Thanks for sharing. It is exciting to see raga developed on sitar in pure khayal vocal style.