There was a phase in my life (2017-20) when I listened almost exclusively to North Indian and Pakistani classical and semi-classical music. On those journeys, I came across many great musicians, and Rashid Khan was perhaps the greatest khayal singer on that list.
Yaman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSEuCJSnu94
A khayal piece. An amazing Tarana (thillana, as its rough equivalent is known in the Carnatic system) begins at 16:30.
Puriya Dhanasree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VB7jujlb5o
Half an hour of great khayal.
Another Puriya Dhanasree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r07elWu_ksA
This is a composition, a bandish, called Payaliya Jhankaar.
Ahir Bhairav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k_QRPlk3w0
This is the composition Albela Saajan Aayo Re.
This is a very popular thumari in Bhairavi, Bajuband Khul Khul Jaye.
This last composition here, Bajuband Khul Khul Jaye, has quite some depth to it. I've been told that it means 'bracelet': from baju. Here, khul jaana means to fall off. Apparently, she or he is so madly in love that she is not eating and their arms have grown frail. Another interpretation is that their bracelets have been taken off by their beloved. The rest of the poem goes: Sawariyan ne kaisa jaadu dala re. What kind of magic has my sawariyan, 'dark-skinned one', brought unto me? This is referring to Krishna, and perhaps the poet or (more likely) poetess is imagining themselves to be a gopika. Jaadu ki pudiyaan pal pal maare, kya karein baid bechara re? The arrows of magic are striking me each moment; what can the helpless doctor do?
