Shweta performed Hindustani classical vocal music with old and new works at the Jazz School, CA in June 2008. Cosmic Khayals published a pioneer world music experimental CD featuring Shweta's English lyrics sung in north Indian/Hindustani & south Indian/Carnatic Ragas, in 2007. Cosmic Khayals founded in 1999 by Indian vocalist Shweta Jhaveri, is the first music company of its kind, publishing Shweta's original north Indian classical and world music compositions & lyrics. It features Shweta's music from her teenage years and aspires to present her dream music in the fields of Indian vocal classical & world vocal music. Cosmic Khayals (ASCAP) presents Shweta as a North Indian classical vocalist and also as a singer/songwriter/composer, presented under 'Cosmos-21stCentury' since 2003 with its debut CD Avishkar. For more information on CDs click here. Cosmic Khayals, is named after the north Indian classical form 'Khayal' based on Ragas and its universality. It literally means universal ideas. 'Cosmic Khayals & Shweta Jhaveri' presented its debut concert in the year of 2000 with Shweta's north Indian classical recital with world renowned tabla virtuoso Pt.Swapan Chaudhuri & Jayant Bhalodker on harmonium, with a full audience of 900 at the Tagore Mamorial Hall Ahmedabad-India. Review Mission : Voice as its medium, Cosmic Khayals is dedicated to  * preserving the north Indian (Hindustani) classical music traditions.  * exploring World music. Please note : As a Shweta Jhaveri friend & supporter if you wish to contribute, you can make us a gift cheque in the amount of $50 or $100 with the word 'gift' on it and mail it to our contact address. Please note that your gift is not tax deductible. ABOUT KHAYAL Khayal is a north Indian (Hindustani) vocal classical form.The word Khayal means an idea or imagination. Indian classical vocal form Khayal continues to be one of the most enjoyable and accepted forms from the 13th century onwards. A Khayal is a lyric in the Hindi language, composed and sung in various ragas (melodic structures) and talas (rhythms). An Authentic and aesthetically very demanding style, Khayal is built on the imaginative pillars of slow structural improvisation of notes (alaap), accompanied by rhythm (taal), well integrated with lyrics in the Hindi language. Khayals and other Indian classical forms such as Thumari, Tappa, Tarana are composed and sung in ragas. A traditional Khayal is a set of two compositions/lyrics. The first khayal known as Bada-Khayal comprises of well-structured spontaneous aalaap in a slower tempo. The second lyric, known as Drut-Khayal or Chhota-Khayal, weaves intricate speedy vocal patterns with rhythm, a technique known as taan. A Khayal is comprised of various vocal techniques such as : Aalaap (improvisation), Taan (speedy note patterns), Sargam (notation), Meend (glide), Murki (brief quick embellishment), Kan swara (grace note), Khatka (weight between 2 notes), Gamak (structured power shake), Jamjamaa (elegant faster gamak). RAGA is one which colors or pleases the soul. As defined in Sanskrit 'ranjayate iti raga(:)' Raga is a melodic scale comprised of 5, 6 or 7 notes. Raga expresses sentiment known as rasa. The nine sentiments are named : Shringar (romance), Karuna (Pathos), Adbhut (amazement), Raudra (anger), Veera (heroism), Hasya (humour), bhayanaka (fear), bibhatsa (dislike or disgust), Shanta (peace). Find more on vocal music basics in the Naad Handbook. Buy it on our CDs page.