A raga (Sanskrit rāga ,, , literally "colour, hue" but also "beauty, melody"; also spelled raag, rag, ragam) is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.

It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga. Non-classical music such as popular Indian film songs and ghazals sometimes use rāgas in their compositions.

The term raga was defined by Joep Bor of the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music as "tonal framework for composition and improvisation." Nazir Jairazbhoy, chairman of UCLA's department of ethnomusicology, characterized ragas as separated by scale, line of ascent and descent, , emphasized notes and register, and intonation and ornaments.

Terminology

The Sanskrit noun rāga is derived from the verbal root rañj "to colour, to dye". It is used in the literal sense of "the act of dyeing", and also "colour, hue, tint", especially "red colour" in the Sanskrit epics. A figurative sense "passion, love, desire, delight" is also found in the Mahabharata. The specialized sense of "loveliness, beauty", especially of voice or song, emerges in Classical Sanskrit, used by Kalidasa and in the Pancatantra.

The term first occurs in a technical context in the Brihaddeshi (dated ca. 5th to 8th century), where it is described as "a combination of tones which, with beautiful illuminating graces, pleases the people in general".

Rāginī (Devanagari: रागिनी) is a term for the "feminine" counterpart or "wife" to a rāga. The rāga-rāgini scheme from about the 14th century aligned 6 'male' rāgas with 6 'wives'.

Nature of rāga

, 19th century]] : योऽसौ ध्वनिविशेषस्तु स्वरवर्णविभूषितः । : रञ्जको जनचित्तानां स च राग उदाहृतः ।।

: "That which is a special dhwani (tune), is bedecked with swara (notes) and varna and is colorful or delightful to the minds of the people, is said to be rāga" - Matanga in the Brihaddeshi.

The basic mode of reference in modern Hindustani practice (known commonly as the shuddha - basic - form) is a set which is equivalent to the Western Ionian mode (the major scale) — this is called Bilawal thaat in Hindustani music (the Carnatic analogue would be Sankarabharanam). In both systems, the ground (or tonic), Shadja, Sa, and a pure fifth above, Pancham, Pa, are fixed and essentially sacrosanct tones. In the Hindustani system, in a given seven-tone mode, the second, third, sixth, and seventh notes can be natural (shuddha, lit. 'pure') or flat (komal, 'soft') but never sharp, and the fourth note can be natural or sharp (tivra) but never flat, making up the twelve notes in the Western equal tempered chromatic scale (Western enharmonic pitch equivalences like, for example, A and B do not apply; e.g. Re tivra may, to a Western musician appear enharmonic to Ga shuddha in that system, but in practice is not.) A Western-style C chromatic scale could therefore theoretically have the notes C, D, D, E, E, F, F, G, A, A, B, B.

The Carnatic system has three versions — a lower, medium, and higher form — of all the notes except Sa, Ma and Pa. Ma has two versions (lower and higher), while Sa and Pa are invariant. Rāgas can also specify microtonal changes to this scale: a flatter second, a sharper seventh, and so forth. Tradition has it that the octave consists of (a division into) 22 microtones ("shrutis"). Furthermore, individual performers treat pitches quite differently, and the precise intonation of a given note depends on melodic context. There is no absolute pitch (such as the modern western standard A = 440 Hz); instead, each performance simply picks a ground note, which also serves as the drone, and the other scale degrees follow relative to the ground note. The Carnatic system embarks from a much different shuddha (fundamental) scalar formation, that is, shuddha here is the lowest-pitched swara.

By comparison, using the common tonic "C" for a western musician:

Rāgas and their seasons

Many Hindustani (North Indian) rāgas are prescribed for the particular time of a day or a season. When performed at the suggested time, the rāga has its maximum effect. For example, many of the Malhar group of rāgas, which are ascribed the magical power to bring rain, are performed during the monsoon. However, these prescriptions are not strictly followed, especially since modern concerts are generally held in the evening. There has also been a growing tendency over the last century for North Indian musicians to adopt South Indian rāgas, which do not come with any particular time associated with them. The result of these various influences is that there is increasing flexibility as to when rāgas may be performed.

Notations

Although notes are an important part of rāga practice, they alone do not make the rāga. A rāga is more than a scale, and many rāgas share the same scale. The underlying scale may have five, six or seven tones made up of swaras. Rāgas that have five swaras are called audava (औडव) rāgas; those with six, shaadava (षाडव); and with seven, sampurna (संपूर्ण, Sanskrit for 'complete'). Those rāgas that do not follow the strict ascending or descending order of swaras are called vakra (वक्र) ('crooked') rāgas.

The mood of the rāga and the way the notes are approached and used are more important than the notes it uses. For example, Darbari Kanada and Jaunpuri share the same notes but are entirely different in their renderings. Similarly, although Bilaskhani Todi is classified under the Bhairavi thaat because of the notes it uses, it is actually closer to Todi than to Bhairavi.

Northern and southern differences

The two streams of Indian classical music, Carnatic music and Hindustani music, have independent sets of rāgas. There is some overlap, but more "false friendship" (where rāga names overlap, but rāga form does not). In north India, the rāgas have been categorised into ten thaats or parent scales (by Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, 1860-1936); South India uses an older, more systematic classification scheme called the melakarta classification, with 72 parent (melakarta) rāgas. Overall there is a greater identification of rāga with scale in the south than in the north, where such an identification is impossible. Rāgas in north Indian music system follow the 'law of consonances' established by Bharata in his Natyashastra, which does not tolerate deviation even at the shruti level.

As rāgas were transmitted orally from teacher to student, some rāgas can vary greatly across regions, traditions and styles. There have been efforts to codify and standardise rāga performance in theory from their first mention in Matanga's Brihaddeshi (c. tenth century).

Carnatic rāga

In Carnatic music, rāgas are classified as Janaka rāgas and Janya rāgas. Janaka rāgas are the rāgas from which the Janya rāgas are created. Janaka rāgas are grouped together using a scheme called Katapayadi sutra and are organised as Melakarta rāgas. A Melakarta rāga is one which has all seven notes in both the ārōhanam (ascending scale) and avarōhanam (descending scale). Some Melakarta rāgas are Harikambhoji, Kalyani, Kharaharapriya, Mayamalavagowla, Sankarabharanam and Todi.

Janya rāgas are derived from the Janaka rāgas using a combination of the swarams (usually a subset of swarams) from the parent rāga. Some janya rāgas are Abheri, Abhogi, Bhairavi, Hindolam and Kambhoji. See the full List of Janya Ragas for more.

Each rāga has a definite collection and orders of swaras (the basic notes). In Carnatic music, there are 7 basic notes of which there are 12 varieties. The seven basic swarams of Carnatic music are: Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni.

Related rāgas

Even though Janya rāgas are subsets of Janaka rāgas in notation and representation, the differences between the child ragas are clear due to the differences like

some notes that figure more in a particular rāga compared to another, while other notes used sparingly

some notes may be sung with gamaka, stress, elongation, etc., in one rāga compared to other

specific phrases used and other phrases to be avoided in a rāga (so as to avoid deviation into another rāga's domain)

the scales of some ragas may contain at least one swara that does not figure in their janaka ragas. Such ragas are termed as bhashanga ragas. Ragas such as Bhairavi, Kambhoji, Bilahari, Devagandhari, and Neelambari fall under this category.

The effect of the rāgas are different from each other, even if they notationally use same swarams (or subset of swarams between each other) due to above subjective differences related to bhava and rasa (mood caused in the listener). The artists have to ensure the same when elaborating on a rāga, as has been followed and expected on each rāga, without digressing into the phrases of another related rāga.

Rāga-rāgini

The rāga-rāgini scheme is a classification scheme used from the 14th century to the 19th century. It usually consists of 6 'male' rāgas each with 6 'wives' (rāginis) and a number of sons (putras) and even 'daughters-in-law'. As it did not agree with various other schemes, and the 'related' rāgas had very little or no similarity, the rāga-rāgini scheme is no longer very popular.

Rāgas and rāginis were often pictured as Hindu gods, Rajput princes and aristocratic women in an eternal cycle of love, longing and fulfilment.

Literature

{{ Citation

| last=Bhatkhande | first=Vishnu Narayan | title=Kramika Pustaka Malika | publisher=Sangeet Karyalaya | place=Hathras | year=1968-73 }}.

{{ Citation

| last=Bor | first=Joep | title=The Rāga Guide | publisher=Nimbus Records | place=Charlottesville,Virginia | year=1999 }}

{{ Citation

| last=Daniélou | first=Alain | authorlink=Alain Daniélou | title=Northern Indian Music | publisher=Visva Bharati | place=Calcutta | year=1949 }}

{{ Citation

| last=Jairazbhoy | first=N.A. | authorlink=Nazir Jairazbhoy | title=The Rags of North Indian Music: Their Structure & Evolution | publisher=Popular Prakashan | place=Bombay | year=1995 }}

{{ Citation

| last=Kaufmann | first=Walter | authorlink=Walter Kaufmann (composer) | title=The Ragas of North India | publisher=Oxford & IBH Publishing Company | place=Calcutta | year=1968 }} .

Some Ragamala paintings can be found in:

{{ Citation

| last=Bautze | first=J | title=Indian Miniature Paintings c:1590 to c. 1850 | publisher=Galerie Saundarya Lahari | place=Amsterdam | year=1987 | isbn=90-72085-01-9 }}.

{{ Citation

| last=Gangoly | first=O.C. | title=Rāgas and Rāginis | place=Calcutta | year=1934 }}.

See also

Echos

Arabic maqam

Makam

Melody type

Muqam

Nava rasas

Rāga, a documentary about the life and music of Ravi Shankar

List of rāgas

Notes

External links

Comprehensive reference on raagas

Krsna Kirtana Songs Ragamala — an informative database with over ninety rāgas (audio clips coming soon), tutorial on the North Indian notation system, rāga classification, and explanation of how rāgas work.

Online quick reference of rāgams in Carnatic music.

Raga Surabhi's guide to identifying Ragas in Carnatic Music a carnatic music website for beginners with audio clips and articles

Category:Hindustani music Category:Carnatic music

Category:Modes

Name	Krishna Bhatt
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Origin	Jaipur, India
Instrument	sitar
Genre	Indian classical music
Associated acts	Vishwa Mohan Bhatt

Krishna Mohan Bhatt () (born 1949) is a sitar player, teacher and scholar from Jaipur, India.

He comes from a family of musicians in Jaipur. His father, the late Shashi Mohan Bhatt, a sitarist of great repute and a professor at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur trained many musicians in the family including Krishna Bhatt, Manju Mehta in Ahmedabad and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Krishna Bhatt’s forefathers migrated from the south of India (Andhra Pradesh) to the state of Rajasthan in the northwest, a princely state then, to seek employment in the “Gunijankhānā” (department of learned scholars) of the Maharaja of Jaipur. They were Sanskrit scholars, poets, and musicians.

In his teens, Krishna’s musical grooming was further enhanced by many years of study under the tutelage of his Guru Pt. Ravi Shankar, and musicians Pt. Nikhil Banerjee and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, who had a strong impact on Krishna's musical growth. While developing his own individual style, Krishna’s music was greatly influenced by twentieth century stalwarts such as the vocalists Amir Khan, Bade Gulam Ali Khan, Abdul Karim Khan, Begum Akhtar, Shobha Gurtu as well as folk singers of Rajasthan. Krishna’s repertoire in performance includes a wide variety of rare and old traditional compositions from these masters of music.

Krishna Bhatt has received numerous awards and honors including the Sangeet Kalaratna (Jewel of Music) in 2009. He was also presented the “Gunijan” award by the President of India Mrs. Pratibha Patil in 2005 and was conferred the “Kalashiroman” samman by the Maharaja of Jodhpur Shri Gajsinghji and Shri John Singhji of Jaipur Virasat Foundation in 2007 in Rajasthan, India. Krishna Bhatt has been twice the recipient of the AIIS fellowship awards in 1998 and 2004 in the category of performing arts.

In addition to performing Hindustani classical music, Bhatt has also performed and recorded with the American composer Terry Riley (working on the score for the Alain Tanner film No Man's Land), Zakir Hussain, the Kronos Quartet, Jody Stecher, jazz saxophonist George Brooks, and Rajasthani folk musicians.

He divides his time between Jaipur, Rajasthan and New York City, where he continues to perform and teach.

Discography

With Zakir Hussain

1997 - Kirwani: Essence of a Raag (Amiata)

With Terry Riley

1996 - No Man's Land (Plainisphare)

References

External links

Pandit Krishna Mohan Bhatt

Category:1949 births Category:Hindustani instrumentalists Category:Living people Category:People from Jaipur Category:Sitar players Category:Date of birth missing (living people)

Name	Ustad Rashid Khan
Background	solo_singer
Born	July 01, 1966
Origin	Badayun, UP, India
Genre	Hindustani classical music, Rampur-Sahaswan gharana
Occupation	Classical Vocalist
Years active	1977–present

Ustad Rashid Khan (born 1 July 1966) is an Indian classical musician in the Hindustani music tradition. He belongs to the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana, and is the great grandson of Gharana founder Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan.

In a story told in several versions, it appears that Pandit Bhimsen Joshi said at one point, that Rashid Khan was the "assurance for the future of Indian vocal music". He was awarded the Padma Shri, as well as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2006.

Early life

Born in Badayun, Uttar Pradesh. He received his initial training from his maternal grand-uncle, Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan (1909–1993). He is also the nephew of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan.

As a child he had little interest in music. His uncle Ghulam Mustafa Khan was among the first to note his musical talents, and for some time trained him in Mumbai. However, he received his main training from Nissar Hussain Khan, initially at his house in Badayun. A strict disciplinarian, Nissar Hussain Khan would insist on voice training (sur sAdhanA) from four in the morning, and make Rashid practice one note of the scale for hours on end. A whole day would be spent on practising just a single note. Although Rashid detested these lessons as a child, but the disciplined training shows in his easy mastery of taan (glissandos) and layakaari today. It was not until he was 18 that Rashid began to truly enjoy his musical training.

Career

Rashid Khan gave his first concert at age eleven, and the following year, 1978, he performed at an ITC concert in Delhi. In April 1980, when Nissar Hussain Khan moved to the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (SRA), Calcutta, Rashid Khan also joined the academy at the age of 14. By 1994, he was acknowledged as a musician (a formal process) at the academy.

Musical style

The Rampur-Sahaswan gayaki (style of singing) is closely related to the Gwalior Gharana, which features medium-slow tempos, a full-throated voice and intricate rhythmic play. Rashid Khan includes the slow elaboration in his vilambit khayals in the manner of his maternal grand-uncle and also developed exceptional expertise in the use of sargams and sargam taankari (play on the scale).

He is also a master of the tarana like his guru but sings them in his own manner, preferring the khayal style rather than the instrumental stroke-based style for which Nissar Hussain was famous. There is no imitation of instrumental tone. His mastery of all aspects tonal variations, dynamics and timbre adjustment leave very little to be desired in the realm of voice culture.

His renderings stand out for the emotional overtones in his melodic elaboration. He says: "The emotional content may be in the alaap, sometimes while singing the bandish, or while giving expression to the meaning of the lyrics." This brings a touch of modernity to his style, as compared to the older maestros, who placed greater emphasis on impressive technique and skillful execution of difficult passages.

Rashid Khan has also experimented with fusing pure Hindustani music with lighter musical genres, e.g. in the Sufi fusion recording Naina Piya Se (songs of Amir Khusro), or in experimental concerts with western instrumentalist Louis Banks. He also performs jugalbandis, along with sitarist Shahid Parvez and others.

Discography

Aao Ge Jab - Jab We Met

The Song of Shiva

Morning Mantra

Allah Hi Rahem - My Name Is Khan

Yatra - A Journey of Rabindrasangeet & Hindustani Classical Bandish, with Nachiketa Chakraborty

Raga Bageshri / Desh (1991)

Raga Yaman / Raga Kirwani (1994)

Khyal (1996)

Live In Concert: Moreton Centre (2000)

The Genius of Rashid Khan (2000)

The Song of Shiva (2000)

In London (2000)

Voice of India (2002)

Morning Mantra (2003)

Yearning (2006)

Reflection (2006)

Awards

Padma Shri (2006)

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2006)

Global Indian Music Awards (GIMA) (2010)

References

Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Hindustani singers Category:People from Badaun Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award

Pandit Anindo Chatterjee is an Indian tabla player. He performed at Rashtrapati Bhavan when US president Barack Obama visited India in November 2010.

References

External links

Official site

Category:Living people Category:Tabla players Category:Hindustani instrumentalists Category:Indian drummers Category:Year of birth missing (living people)