Online Sarod Course for Senior Learners

This course is for dedicated Sarod students who want to go beyond the basics and develop into confident, expressive performers. You'll focus on how ragas are built, how rhythm works within them, and how to bring your own creativity into your playing.

Learning Advanced Ragas

You’ll study ragas like Darbari Kanada, Marwa, and Raga Shree, which are known for their rich moods and complex structures. In each raga, you'll learn how to play the different parts—alap, jor, jhala, and gat—with clarity and feeling. You'll also explore the unique mood of each raga and the best time of day to perform it.

Developing Rhythm and Timing

This part of the course will help you become more confident with rhythm. You’ll learn layakari, which means playing with rhythmic patterns and timing. You'll also practice tihais, which are phrases repeated three times to end a section of music in an exciting way. By working closely with the tabla, you’ll learn how to stay in rhythm while adding your own creativity.

Speed and Technique

To improve your speed and control, you’ll practice fast musical phrases called taans and work on building energetic endings called jhala. These techniques will help you play quickly and cleanly, while still keeping a sweet, clear sound.

Learning Dhrupad-Style Compositions

You’ll explore dhrupad-style gats, which are slower, more powerful compositions from one of the oldest styles of Indian classical music. These gats will help you develop patience, depth, and a meditative quality in your playing. You’ll also understand how these older styles can be combined with modern performance techniques.

Understanding the Mood of a Raga

You’ll learn how different ragas express different emotions—like calmness, devotion, sadness, or joy. You’ll practice how to shape your phrases in a way that tells a story or creates a mood. This will make your improvisation more expressive and meaningful.

Getting Ready for the Stage - This part of the course helps you prepare to perform. You’ll learn how to put together a full raga performance from start to finish. You’ll build a strong set of pieces to use in concerts. You’ll also work on your confidence, stage presence, and how to connect with an audience during a performance.

About the Teacher

Mallar Rakshit is a distinguished Sarod artist and professor at Rabindra Bharati University, known for his dedication to Indian classical music and contributions to music education. A senior disciple of Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta, he upholds the Senia Shahjahanpur Gharana tradition with both authenticity and innovation.

Trained in the rigorous guru-shishya tradition, his playing blends technical precision with lyrical expression. His performances are celebrated for their melodic clarity, emotive depth, and mastery over both traditional and contemporary compositions.

As an educator, Rakshit has mentored numerous students, combining practical training with academic insight. His teaching bridges classical methods with modern pedagogy, and he has shared his expertise globally through lectures and masterclasses across Europe and North America.

Rakshit has also played a key role in modernizing music curricula, integrating theory, performance, and cross-cultural perspectives. He stands as a unique blend of performer, scholar, and visionary, shaping the future of Sarod and Indian classical music.