Kamal Music Center

Rag Malkauns (A.K.A. Malkosh) is a very popular rag in the North Indian system (Hindustani Sangeet).  In the South it is known asHindolam.  It is a pentatonic rag that has has the five notes Sa, Komal Ga, Ma, Komal Dha, and Komal Ni. (continue reading…)

Rag Marwa is considered to be the most fundamental rag in Marwa That.  It is an evening rag that is quite popular.  This rag is unusual in that the tonic is not harmonically well defined; there is no pancham (5th) and the madhyam is tivra rather than shuddha (i.e., there is no natural 4th).  It is this harmonic imbalance that gives marwa its peculiar character.  Considering this imbalance, rag marwa has a surprisingly simple structure.  Reis the vadi and Dha is the samvadi.  It is shadav – shadav due to the total exclusion of pancham (the 5th).  One well known song in this rag is “Payalia Banwari Bhaje“.  Marwa’s characteristics are:

Arohana

Avarohana

Jati

Shadav – Shadav

Time

Evening

That

Marwa That

Drone

Sa – Dha

Todi, also known as Mian-ki-Todi (Miyan-ki-Thodi), is a very common morning rag.  However, there is a certain disagreement as to its structure.  According to some, all seven notes are used in both the ascending and descending structures; according to this approach, this rag is sampurna – sampurna. (continue reading…)

Purvi is considered to be the fundamental rag in Purvi That.  It is performed around sunset (Sandhi Prakash).  There are two philosophies concerning this rag. (continue reading…)

The structure of Tilak Kamod is quite pleasant.  Some musicians maintain that the vadi is Sa and the samvadi is Pa.  Others claim that Re is thevadi.  It is Shadav-Sampurna due to the omission of Dha in the arohana.  It is performed in the second part of the night. (continue reading…)

Description

This is an old rag.  It is characterized by the use of Komal Re and Komal Ni.  This mode does not belong to any of the 10 thats put forward by Bhatkhande; however for some inexplicable reason, he ascribed this rag to Bhairav That.   Often times, this rag is referred to by its south Indianname of Chakravaka.  This is an early morning rag.  For those who are still inclined towords the Vadi / Savadi theory it has been suggested thatMa is its vadi and Sa as its samvadi.

Ahir Bhairav is very well known through old film songs such as “Pucho Na Kaise” and “Meri Bina Tum Bin Roye Sajana“.  There are actually so many film songs in Ahir Bhairav that it is not really possible to go over them here.

There are two approaches to this rag (Rao 1980).  The first type omits Ni in the arohana: it is therefore shadav – sampurna.  The second approach does not omit any note; therefore it is sampurna – sampurna.  However, since no other rag shares the same modality, one need not worry too much about impinging upon a differnt rag.

Jati

Sampurna – Sampurna (disputed) - (general discussion of jati)

Time

Early Morning - (general discussion of time and rag)

That

Chakravaka Mela (not one of Bhatkhande’s thats) -

Drone

Sa – Pa -

Description

Rag Asawari is considered to be the fundamental rag in Asawari that.  There are several film songs in Asavari; one common one is “Mujhe Gale Se Laga Lo Bahut Udas Hun Main “.  Asawvari is a morning rag.  It is Audav – Sampurna due to the ommission of the Ga and Ni in theascending structure.  For those who still adhere to the Vadi/ Samvadi theory, it has been suggested that the vadi is Dha and the samvadi is Ga. (continue reading…)

Description

Bahar is a very popular springtime rag.  During the spring, it may be sung at any time of the day.  There are a number of film songs which use thisrag; “Chham Chham Nachat Ayi Bahar” and “Sakal Bana Gagan Chalat Puravai” are two examples (more examples).  However during any other season, it is a night time rag.  Bahar has a very distinctive character.  It uses both Nishads; it uses shuddha Ni (natural 7th) in the arohanaand the komal Ni in the avarohana.  For those who are still inclined towards the Vadi / Samvadi theory, it has been suggested that Ma is the vadiand Sa is the samvadi.  This rag cannot be performed straight but must be executed in a vakra fashion; for it is the characteristic twists which give this rag its form.  The pakad is therefore extremely important.

Arohana

Avarohana

Jati

Shadav – Sampurna - (general discussion of jati)

Time

Spring

That

Kafi That

Description

This rag is the main representative of Bhairavi That.  It has traditionally been performed in the early morning hours.  However, due to the fact that performances lasted all night, it has now become common to consider Bhairavi to be the finale.  Today this rag is performed at any time provided it is the concluding piece.  A few common songs in this rag are, “Babul Mora Naihar Chutohe Jai”, “Jyot Se Jyot Jagate Chalo”, and “Laga Chunari Me Dag Chupaun Kaise“.  Please check Film Songs in Rags (Bhairavi).

There are two approaches to the performance of Bhairavi: Shuddha Bhairavi and Sindhi (Sindhu) Bhairavi.  In Shuddha Bhairavi, only the notes of Bhairavi That are used.  In Sindhu Bhairavi, all of the swar, both komal and tivra are used.  These are opposite extremes in philosophy.  Contemporary practice tends to flow somewhere in between these two approaches, although the degree seems to be a question of individual artistic interpretation.

The Vadi / Samvadi system is generally discounted by modern musicologists; those who still adhere to this theory find Bhairavi to be particularly problematic.  The vadi is usually considered to be Ma and the samvadi is usually considered to be Sa.  However, Ga, Dha, and Pahave also been suggested as important notes.

Arohana

Avarohana

Jati

Sampurna

Time

Early morning or conclusion of performance

That

Bhairavi That

PAKAD

Description

Bhimpalasi (a.k.a., Bhimpilasi or Bheempalasi) is a rag which is very much associated with a hot Indian afternoon.  It has five notes ascending and seven notes descending.

Bhimpalasi is derived from Kafi that.  This that is very crowded with numerous similar rags, so it is very important to pay attention to theirpakads, otherwise one may inadvertently impinge upon them, and thus spoil the performance.

Arohana

Avarohana

Jati

Audav – Sampurna - (general discussion of jati)

Vadi

Ma

Samvadi

Sa -

Time

Afternoon - (general discussion of time and rag)

That

Kafi That

Drone

Sa – Pa