Hindustani

Hindustani on vinyl: ragas from northern India

In short: Hindustani is the classical music of northern India: a raga sets the notes, characteristic phrases and mood, a tala the rhythmic cycle – played on sitar, sarod and tabla or sung. Ravi Shankar made this music known to a wide Western audience, especially in the sixties. Under this style tag we also have soundtracks from Bollywood. The Vinyl Room currently has 13 Hindustani records.

What is Hindustani?

Music that unfolds: Ravi Shankar is represented with “Improvisations & Theme From Pather Panchali” and with ragas he recorded with tabla player Alla Rakha. Singer Pandit Pran Nath shows the art of vocal music on “Earth Groove”.

Ravi Shankar’s daughter Anoushka Shankar carries the sitar into the present – here with “Love Letters” and the music for the series “A Suitable Boy”. Plus film music by great Bollywood composers such as R. D. Burman, Naushad and Laxmikant-Pyarelal.

What to look for

Many Bollywood soundtracks came out in India; label, catalogue number and country of release help you tell which edition you have – it’s noted with each copy.

From our stock

First pressings

New in

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FAQ

What is Hindustani? The classical music of northern India, built on raga and tala.

What is a raga? A melodic framework with characteristic notes, phrases and a particular mood – the basis for composition and improvisation.

Who made Hindustani music especially well known in the West? Above all sitar player Ravi Shankar, who reached a wide Western audience in the sixties.

Why is Bollywood here? Because many Indian film soundtracks are filed under this style tag in our shop.