Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
A blend of Carnatic and Western classical music, Field of Dharma is grounded in the Bhagavad Gita. Movement II, Field of Battle (Anupallavi in raga Charukesi): Drums and trumpets resound across the field of Kurukshetra as the armies face each other. The young warriors are eager to prove themselves, while veterans are more somber. They know what it means to fall on these fields; they know what Kurukshetra will look like after eighteen days. The Pandava prince Arjuna, finding himself at the center of a battle both physical and metaphysical, looks out across the battlefield, sinks into his chariot, and lets his bow and arrows clatter down beside him. He turns to his charioteer, the Lord Krishna, and says: “I am unstrung.”
This original composition in 4 movements is from the album Confluence: Raga and Counterpoint. The album's music brings the intricacy of Carnatic ragas and gamakas (expressive inflections and curves) into the architecture of Baroque counterpoint and Western harmony. (Counterpoint is the combination of multiple independent melodic lines.)
Field of Dharma draws on the structure of both the Carnatic kriti and the Western concerto. It features interaction between soloists within an orchestral setting, with counterpoint often shaping their exchange. The other work in the album is Fugue-Kriti.
Visit shankerkrishnanmusic.com for historical context, details about the music, compositional approach, and what's different about this project.
Composer: Shanker Krishnan
Released by IndianRaga
Co-producer: Geetha Raja
Soloists: Shraddha Ravindran (violin), K.R. Shrievats (veena)
Artwork: Shanthi Chandrasekar
To learn classical music with a popular twist, sign up at indianraga.com/ragalabs
To feature in an IndianRaga production, apply to be an IndianRaga Fellow at indianraga.com/fellowship
IndianRaga brings together the best musicians and dancers across 60 international cities to collaborate on high quality music videos viewed by millions of people globally. The genres we work with are rooted in Indian classical performing arts and include Carnatic music (South Indian classical music), Hindustani music (North Indian classical music), semi-classical music, contemporary and fusion music, Indian classical dances including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kathak, and also ballet, tap, contemporary dance. Our productions also include a wide range of instruments including mridangam, tabla, sitar, violin, flute/bansuri, veena, ghatam, and new-age categories like music arrangement and production with EDM, Trap, Pop amongst others. Our most popular innovations include classical cover songs, a cappella, mashups and remixes of the latest viral pop hits in both western and Indian music. Anyone can apply to join our collaborations, and you can visit indianraga.com for more details and application process.
A blend of Carnatic and Western classical music, Field of Dharma is grounded in the Bhagavad Gita. Movement II, Field of Battle (Anupallavi in raga Charukesi): Drums and trumpets resound across the field of Kurukshetra as the armies face each other. The young warriors are eager to prove themselves, while veterans are more somber. They know what it means to fall on these fields; they know what Kurukshetra will look like after eighteen days. The Pandava prince Arjuna, finding himself at the center of a battle both physical and metaphysical, looks out across the battlefield, sinks into his chariot, and lets his bow and arrows clatter down beside him. He turns to his charioteer, the Lord Krishna, and says: “I am unstrung.”
This original composition in 4 movements is from the album Confluence: Raga and Counterpoint. The album's music brings the intricacy of Carnatic ragas and gamakas (expressive inflections and curves) into the architecture of Baroque counterpoint and Western harmony. (Counterpoint is the combination of multiple independent melodic lines.)
Field of Dharma draws on the structure of both the Carnatic kriti and the Western concerto. It features interaction between soloists within an orchestral setting, with counterpoint often shaping their exchange. The other work in the album is Fugue-Kriti.
Visit shankerkrishnanmusic.com for historical context, details about the music, compositional approach, and what's different about this project.
Composer: Shanker Krishnan
Released by IndianRaga
Co-producer: Geetha Raja
Soloists: Shraddha Ravindran (violin), K.R. Shrievats (veena)
Artwork: Shanthi Chandrasekar
To learn classical music with a popular twist, sign up at indianraga.com/ragalabs
To feature in an IndianRaga production, apply to be an IndianRaga Fellow at indianraga.com/fellowship
IndianRaga brings together the best musicians and dancers across 60 international cities to collaborate on high quality music videos viewed by millions of people globally. The genres we work with are rooted in Indian classical performing arts and include Carnatic music (South Indian classical music), Hindustani music (North Indian classical music), semi-classical music, contemporary and fusion music, Indian classical dances including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kathak, and also ballet, tap, contemporary dance. Our productions also include a wide range of instruments including mridangam, tabla, sitar, violin, flute/bansuri, veena, ghatam, and new-age categories like music arrangement and production with EDM, Trap, Pop amongst others. Our most popular innovations include classical cover songs, a cappella, mashups and remixes of the latest viral pop hits in both western and Indian music. Anyone can apply to join our collaborations, and you can visit indianraga.com for more details and application process.
