How Diwali’s classical rare raga came to be

How Diwali’s classical rare raga came to be

Diwali has had a relatively limited presence in Hindustani classical music compared with festivals such as Holi. One notable exception is raag Deepavali, created around 1946 by pioneering flautist Pandit Pannalal Ghosh, which evokes the morning and the devotional spirit of the festival but remains relatively rarely performed. Musicians such as Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Pravin Godkhindi and Nayan Ghosh have performed it, while Ghosh’s student Nity…