Indian Ocean Songs: Kandisa, Ma Rewa, Bandeh, Jhini, Des

20 essential Indian Ocean songs on Apple Music India, from Desert Rain and Kandisa to Bandeh, Des Mera, Tandanu and Bol Ari (2026), with dates.

Indian Ocean are the Delhi band who showed that Indian rock could be built from folk songs, chants and long, free-flowing jams. Since the 1990s they have given Indian music songs like "Kandisa", "Ma Rewa", "Jhini", "Bandeh" and "Des Mera". This guide walks through the best Indian Ocean songs on Apple Music India, album by album, with release dates and where to start. It covers released tracks only and does not reprint lyrics.

How we checked. All dates come from Apple Music India (iTunes catalogue, country IN), checked on 28 October 2026. Many Indian Ocean songs appear on several compilations; we date each song from its original album on Apple. For album-by-album detail, see our Indian Ocean albums guide. For the band's story and members, see the Indian Ocean band page.

Quick answer: 20 essential Indian Ocean songs

"Desert Rain" (live, Desert Rain, 1997)
"Kandisa" (Kandisa, 2000)
"Ma Rewa" (Kandisa, 2000)
"Hille Re" (Kandisa, 2000)
"Khajuraho" (Kandisa, 2000)
"Kaun" (Kandisa, 2000)
"Jhini" (Jhini, 2003)
"Des Mera" (Jhini, 2003)
"Bhor" (Jhini, 2003)
"Bandeh" (Black Friday, 2005)
"Bharam Paap Ke" (Black Friday, 2005)
"Zindagi Se Darte Ho" (Peepli Live, 2010)
"Bula Raha" (16/330 Khajoor Road, 2010)
"Chand" (16/330 Khajoor Road, 2010)
"Sone Ki Nagri" (16/330 Khajoor Road, 2010)
"Tandanu" (Tandanu, 2014)
"Behney Do" (Tandanu, 2014)
"Jaadu Maaya" (Tu Hai, 2023)
"Baagh Aayore" (single, 2023)
"Bol Ari" (single, 2026)

The early live years: Desert Rain (1997)

Apple Music India dates the live album Desert Rain to 1 January 1997. It has seven tracks: "Desert Rain", "Melancholic Ecstasy", "Euphoria", "Village Damsel", "From The Ruins", "Boll Weevil" and "Going To ITO". These are long, mostly instrumental pieces that show the band's jam roots. Start with the title track.

The Kandisa songs (2000)

Kandisa is dated 1 March 2000 on Apple and is the album most people know.

"Kandisa". The title track and the band's signature song: a soaring, chant-led rock piece. (A separate meaning page is not part of this guide.)

"Ma Rewa". A song for the Narmada river, rooted in folk melody, and one of the band's most loved tracks.

"Hille Re". A folk-based song with a rolling groove. Some editions spell it "Hille Le".

"Khajuraho", "Kya Maloom", "Leaving Home" and "Kaun". The rest of the album moves between instrumental passages and sung songs. "Leaving Home" also turns up on compilations such as Fusion Flavours and Best Of Indian Ocean.

The Jhini songs (2003)

Jhini is dated 1 January 2003 and has seven songs: "Jhini", "Des Mera", "Nam Myo Ho", "After The War", "Let Me Speak", "Torrent" and "Bhor".

"Jhini". The title song, set to verse in the folk tradition, and the second song after "Kandisa" that defines the band.

"Des Mera". First released here in 2003. In 2010 the band recorded new versions for the Peepli Live soundtrack, which is how many people met the song.

"Bhor". A slow, early-morning piece that closes the album.

Black Friday (2004–2005)

The band scored Anurag Kashyap's film Black Friday. Apple dates the instrumental cues, such as "RDX", "Memon House", "Training", "Bomb Planting" and "Badshah In Jail" (with Piyush Mishra), to 1 June 2004, and the two big songs to 3 May 2005.

"Bandeh". One of the band's best-known songs, a fierce, rising rock song from the film. It has since been remixed several times; Apple lists a LoFi version (13 August 2026) and a techno remix (11 September 2026).

"Bharam Paap Ke". The film's other key song, with Piyush Mishra.

Peepli Live and 16/330 Khajoor Road (2010)

The Peepli Live soundtrack EP (10 July 2010) carries "Des Mera" in two versions and "Zindagi Se Darte Ho".

Two weeks later came 16/330 Khajoor Road (25 July 2010). Its seven songs are "Bula Raha", "Darte Ho", "Chand", "Shoonya", "Bondhu", "Jogiya" and "Sone Ki Nagri", which features Rajasthani folk singers Nathulal Solanki, Chugge Khan and Asin Khan. Start with "Bula Raha" and "Chand".

Tandanu (2014)

Tandanu was released one song at a time from April to August 2014, each track with a guest. Apple dates "Gar Ho Sake" (with Shubha Mudgal) to 27 April, "Behney Do" (with Karsh Kale) to 3 May, "Tandanu" (with Shankar Mahadevan) to 10 May, "Longing" (with Kumaresh Rajagopalan) to 17 May, "Chitu" (with V Selvaganesh) to 31 May, "Roday" (with Vishal Dadlani) to 7 June and "Charkha" (with Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt) to 20 August 2014.

Tu Hai and after (2018–2026)

Between albums came the singles "Lohe Ki Ye Naaginiyaa" (30 October 2018) and "Akhiyan Udeek Diyan" (17 April 2020).

Tu Hai followed in April–May 2023, again released in parts: "Jaadu Maaya" (14 April 2023), "Jungle" with George Brooks (21 April), "Iss Tan Dhan" with Vikku Vinayakram (28 April), and "Rebirth", "Tu Hai, Pt. 01" and "Tu Hai, Pt. 02" (5 May 2023).

Since then: "Baagh Aayore" (15 December 2023), the Bindiya Ke Bahubali soundtrack EP (11 September 2025), the "Real Kashmir Football Club Anthem" (3 December 2025), "Bol Ari" (17 September 2026) and "Vaishnav Jan" (2 October 2026).