(Left) Pandit Chhannulal Mishra and (Right) Pandit Pannalal Ghosh

O ne of the more unusual intersections of Diwali and Hindustani classical music is raag Deepavali, created by the pioneering flautist Pandit Pannalal Ghosh, disciple of Ustad Allauddin Khan, founder of the Maihar gharana, a guru to Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pt Ravi Shankar and Annapurna Devi.

While festivals have long inspired the classical music repertoire, Holi, in particular, has found rich expression in compositions. But Diwali has had relatively few compositions or representations in the Hindustani classical tradition.

Ghosh is credited with transforming a largely folk instrument into one capable of rendering the complexities of Hindustani classical music. Among his several innovations was the creation of raag Deepavali, which he reportedly composed around 1946.

The raga is known to create an aura of the morning, an ode to the gods who represent Diwali.…