"SONA RUPA CD: INSTRUMENTAL FLUTE. Rakesh Chaurasia – Call of Shiva - Raag Malkauns. One of the most ancient of Raags of the North Indian classical music system, this beautiful and popular Malkauns belongs to Bhairavi Thaat. It is said to have evolved when the supreme celestial dancer, Lord Shiva, performed the Taandav dance. It is a majestic pentatonic raag that is performed late at night. Though a simple raag in structure, it requires great skills to convey and evoke the mood of a deeply meditative and devotional nature, a sense of conquering the self and reaching a state of inner satisfaction. In paying homage to Lord Shiva, Rakesh Chaurasia opens with an Alap, gradually unfolding, evolving and defining the divine character and the devotional mood of the raag. The accompaniment in second part, Jod, begins with Pandit Bhavani Shankar’s masterful solo opening on the Pakhawaj, the ancient long single-barrelled drum that is so much identified with Lord Shiva’s Taandav dance. In the third part, Jhalla, young tabla wizard, Satyajit Talwalkar joins in an exquisite combination in Matta Taal, a unique 9 beat cycle. The finale brings all three in an ensemble, with masterful and intricate combinations in Drut Teen Taal (16 beat cycle) that ends in a rapturous heavenly crescendo truly touching one’s inner self! ARTISTS: FLUTE BY RAKESH CHAURASIA, PAKHAWAJ BY PANDIT BHAVANI SHANKAR, TABLA BY SATYAJIT TALWALKAR. "