Ustad Bismillah Khan (Vol-1)

This doughty musician from India's holiest city, Varanasi, would play his auspicious Shehnai (Indian oboe) each morning at the gate of Varanasi's most important temple, Kashi Vishwanath. Over the decades he raised the status of the Shehnai from its limited role as 'Mangal Dhwani' (auspicious sound) at weddings to that of a solo concert instrument. Bharat Ratna Series offer a splendid selection from its archives. Highlight of this compilation is Raga Purya Dhanashree which the artiste played inside Diwan-e-Aam of the Red Fort on 50th Anniversary of Independence in 1997.