Thumri rang: Ajoy Chakraborty

The video presents an audio recording of a thumri performed at the Thumri Rang music festival by the master vocalist Ajoy Chakraborty in Kolkata in 2008. The thumri ‘Mira bai ki malhaar’ is performed in Raga Mishra which is quite unique for this piece as this raga is usually not preferred in a live performance. It is set to a 16-beat Jat Tal. The vocalist is accompanied by Yogesh Samshi on the tabla and Brajeshwar Mukherjee on the harmonium. Ajoy Chakraborty is a celebrated Hindustani classical music vocalist from Kolkata. His vocal range covers three octaves and he mainly performs the thumri and khayal styles of vocal music. He is considered to be one of the most respected exponents of the Patiala gharana (school or style of music), as he is the disciple of Ustad Munawwar Ali Khan, the son of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, the legendary vocalist of the Patiala gharana.