In this album, Anuradha Kuber presents five lively items, which are uniquely composed by Chaitanya Kunte. These compositions, varying in mood, character and poetic content, are the basis for the further exposition of the Raags. In Multani, a late afternoon Raag, Anuradha sings a Vilambit Khayal in Tilawada. The Bandish is fashioned in the typical style of Gwalior Gharana. This Khayal, ‘Kaise Kar Man Samajhaun’, is redolent with feelings and it means, ‘How can I pacify my mind when I am separated from my beloved? With whom do I share my sorrow? I feel a painful emptiness all around me due to his absence.’ This is followed by a Bandish in a Drut Ektaal, ‘Tapan Laagi Dharaa’, in which Chaitanya elucidates the nature during the summer months – the intensely scorched earth, leafless trees, desiccated rivers, and the hardships of life. Anuradha renders this piece with appropriate, attractive Alap and Bol-Alapas. Raag Gauri in the Thaat Bhairav, is a rare evening melody. In this, Chaitanya frames out a picturesque Bandish – ‘Daamini Dekha Dari’. Here the Nayika says, ‘O Sakhi, there was loud thundering, peacocks were mewing and rain was showering too heavily. The lightening in the sky was so lurid that I fell into the arms of my beloved’. The emotive appeal remains the focus with the easily flowing variations in Anuradha’s rendering of this Bandish. In the two compositions in the pentatonic night Raag Bhinnashadaj, Chaitanya has elaborately shown two entirely different moods. First Bandish, ‘Sukhakar Aai Sawan Ghata’, depicts the happiness which spreads in nature with the coming of rains; on the other hand, the second one, ‘Bairi Badara Jaraye’ is about the anguish of a Virahini. Anuradha’s aesthetic rendering has done justice to both these compositions. A ‘Bandhi Thumri’ in Mishra Kafi – ‘Sapaneme Sajan Aayo’ in Sidharkhani Theka, is a very beautiful example of Chaitanya’s poetic eloquence. This romantic composition means – ‘It was only in my dream that I met my beloved. We had a loving conversation, so I was delighted! But when I wished to touch him, I awoke suddenly. I was distressed on finding that it was but a dream!’ The next Bandish is a ‘Thumari-numa Bandish’ in Drut Ektaal which is a request to the piqued Nayaka to forgive her as she is puerile! Anuradha had added a different flavor in these compositions by singing them with many-hued variations and patterns of Saragam. The last and perhaps the best composition in this album are in Raag Sindha Bhairavi. ‘Kahe Rokat Shyam’ in a rare Sunanda Taal of nine and half beats, is a unique Bandish by Chaitanya. This Bandish is ornately composed with unusual phrasing of flattened and sharp notes. The rhythmic articulation of this Bandish is also enjoyable and Anuradha has rendered this with fore thought and intelligent patterns of Bol-taans and Saragam with tricky rhythmic accent. The Bandish in Drut Tritaal, ‘Jao Re Jao Hathhile Kanha’ is sung briefly with a narrative approach. Both these compositions unfold the traditional subject of Lord Krishna’s ‘Ched-Chad’ – teasing playfulness with Gopis.