Ahir Bhairav

Last updated
Ahir Bhairav
Thaat Bhairav
Time of dayFirst prahara
Arohana S  G M P D  
Avarohana   D P M G  S
Vadi dha
Samavadi Re

Ahir Bhairav is a Hindustani classical raga . It is a mixture of Bhairav and the ancient, rare raga Ahiri or Abhiri, [1] or perhaps a mixture of Bhairav and Kafi. [2]

Contents

Important traditional Compositions

Some of the most important traditional compositions in Raag Ahir Bhairav are:

  1. Man Rangeele (Teental 32BPM Vilambit)
  2. Shankara Mhaarare (180BPM Drut); popularised by Nagaraja Rao Havaldar
  3. Mohe Chedo Na Giridhaari (170 BPM Drut); popularised by Parveen Sultana

Theory

Arohana and avarohana

Arohana: S  G M P D   [lower-alpha 1]

Avarohana:   D P M G  S [lower-alpha 2]

Key:

S, G, M, P, D: shuddha (natural);

r, n : komal (flat);

Pa and Sa are sometimes avoided in ascending Arohan. The descent can be direct, but is often expressed as S' N d P m, G m Gr ~ S with a slight oscillation on komal re to express the character of Bhairav. [1]

Vadi and samavadi

Vadi: M

Samavadi: S

Pakad or Chalan

S, r G M, G M r, ṇ Ḍ, ṇ r S

| komal Ni, shuddha Dha, komal Ni, komal Re, Sa | is the most characteristic run, where the Ni and Dha belong to the lower octave and the Re and Sa are from the middle octave. Some andolan/oscillation is typically at the flattened second (komal re).

Organization and relationships

It may include impressions of Kafi. The image of Ahir Bhairav is easily maintained with the characteristic passage ṇ Ḍ ṇ/r~ S [1] with the characteristic Bhairav andolan (oscillation) on komal re. Sometimes shuddha ni is used in the lower octave to emphasize the Bhairav character. [3]

The Carnatic music equivalent to this raga is Chakravakam.

Related ragas:

Thaat: Bhairav

Behaviour

Ahir Bhairav is a typical uttarang raga, which means emphasis is on the upper tetrachord.

Performance

It is usually sung as the first Prahr of the morning, around 6:00 am – 9:00 am.

Important recordings

Ravi Shankar, Three Classical Ragas. HMV LP, 1957. and Angel Records CD, 2000.

Hariprasad Chaurasia, Raga Ahir Bhairav and Marriage Song from Uttar Pradesh. Nimbus Records CD, 1987.

Nikhil Banerjee, Raga Ahir Bhairav. Multitone Records, UK Limited, 1995. LP. (Available on iTunes.)

Wasif-ud-din Dagar, Chalo sakhi braj raje. Alap and Composition in Dhamar. Music Today. A97015. Cassette. [4]

Film songs

In Tamil

SongMovieComposerSinger
Ullathil Nalla Ullam Karnan Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sirkazhi Govindarajan
Vanithamani Vikram Ilaiyaraaja S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki, Kamal Haasan
Vaanile Thenila Kaakki Sattai Ilaiyaraaja S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Chalakku Chalakku Chembaruthi Ilaiyaraaja Mano, S. Janaki
Nee Pathi Naan Pathi Keladi Kanmani Ilaiyaraaja K. J. Yesudas, Uma Ramanan
Poonkatrae Friends Ilaiyaraaja Hariharan
Vidu Kathaiya Muthu A. R. Rahman Hariharan
Eechambazham Pavithra A. R. Rahman Shahul Hameed, K.S. Chitra
Vaa Vaa En Veenaiyae Sattam Gangai Amaran S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
Megangal Ennai Thottu Amarkalam Bharadwaj S. P. Balasubrahmanyam

Carnatic music

Chakravakam, the 16th Melakarta raga of Carnatic music, which is a sampurna scale (all seven notes in ascending and descending scale), closely resembles Ahir Bhairav. [5] However, in the modern times Ahir Bhairav raga has been used in a few Carnatic music compositions and many South Indian film songs as well.

Notes

  1. Alternate notations:
    • Carnatic: S R₁ G₃ M₁ P D₂ N₂ 
    • Western: C D E F G A B C
  2. Alternate notations:
    • Carnatic:  N₂ D₂ P M₁ G₃ R₁ S
    • Western: C B A G F E D C

Related Research Articles

A thaat is a "parent scale" in North Indian or Hindustani music. It is the Hindustani equivalent of the term Melakartha raga of Carnatic music. The concept of the thaat is not exactly equivalent to the western musical scale because the primary function of a thaat is not as a tool for music composition, but rather as a basis for classification of ragas. There is not necessarily strict compliance between a raga and its parent thaat; a raga said to 'belong' to a certain thaat need not allow all the notes of the thaat, and might allow other notes. Thaats are generally accepted to be heptatonic by definition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalyani (raga)</span> Musical scale (raga) in Carnatic music

Kalyani is a melakarta raga in the Carnatic music. It was called Kalyan but is now more popularly called Yaman in Hindustani Music. Its Western equivalent is the Lydian mode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khamaj</span> Hindustani classical music raga

Khamaj is a Hindustani classical Music raga within the Khamaj thaat which is named after it.

Darbari Kanada, or simply Raga Darbari, is a raga in Carnatic music. It is a janya ragam of 20th Melakarta raga Natabhairavi. Being an ancient raga, its original name is unknown. It is believed to be borrowed into Hindustani classical music by Miyan Tansen, the famous 16th-century composer in emperor Akbar's court. It belongs to the Kanada family. This tradition is reflected in the name itself; Darbar is the Persian derived word in Hindi meaning "court." As the most familiar raga in the Kanada family, it may sometimes also be called Shuddha Kanada or pure Kanada. It belongs to the Asavari thaat. This raag is called raaga Kaanada in Yakshagana Karnataka state dance. It is also sometimes written as Durbari and Durbarikanada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asavari</span>

Asavari is a minor character from the Stri Parva in Mahabharata, the love life of Karna but due to her father's arrogance, the marriage did not take place. She belongs to the Asavari thaat kingdom.

Bahar is a Hindustani classical raga. This raga is very similar to raga Malhar. This raga is from the Kafi Thaat.

Bhimpalasi or Bheempalasi is a Hindustani classical raga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purvi</span> Raga in Hindustani classical music

Purvi or Poorvi is a raga in Hindustani classical music that exemplifies its own thaat, the Poorvi thaat. Purvi has a deeply serious, quiet and somewhat mystical character. It is uncommon in performances nowadays.

Adana is an Indian raag. It is also called Adana Kanada. It is often sung or played in drut laya after a vilambit composition in raga Darbari Kanada, as Adana is straighter than Darbari in its chalan, thus allowing faster passages. The flow of this raga is similar to a mix of Madhumad Sarang / Megh and Darbari. Another common vivadi some artists use sparingly is shuddha nishad which enhances the Saranga mood of the raga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chakravakam (raga)</span>

Chakravakam or Chakravaham is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is the 16th Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. According to the Muthuswami Dikshitar school, this rāgam is called Tōyavēgavāhini. Chakravakam is similar to Raga Ahir bhairav in Hindustani music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ganamurti</span>

Ganamurti is a ragam in Carnatic music. It is the 3rd Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senavati</span>

Senavati is a ragam in Carnatic music. It is the 7th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Senāgrani in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yaman (raga)</span> Hindustani raga

Yaman is a heptatonic (Sampurna) Indian classical raga of Kalyan Thaat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revati (raga)</span> A Janya raga of Carnatic music

Revati is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is an audava rāgam. It is a janya rāgam, as it does not have all the seven swaras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shivaranjani</span> A Janya raga of Carnatic music, also used in Hindustani classical music

Shivaranjani or Sivaranjani is a musical scale used in Indian classical music. There are two scales, one in Hindustani music and one in Carnatic music. The Hindustani rāga is a pentatonic scale, as is the Carnatic scale categorized as Audava-Audava resulting in 5 notes in the Arohanam and 5 in the Avarohanam.

Kalavati or Kalawati is a modern pentatonic Hindustani classical raga. Svaras Re and Ma are strictly omitted (Varjya/Varjit). Kalavati belongs to the Khamaj Thaat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asaveri</span> A Janya raga of Carnatic music

Asaveri (asāvēri) is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is a janya rāgam from the 8th melakarta scale Hanumatodi. It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras in the ascending scale, and has a vakra (zigzag) descending scale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaula (raga)</span> A Janya raga of Carnatic music

Gaula or Gowla is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is a janya rāgam from the 15th melakarta scale Mayamalavagowla. It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras in the ascending and descending scale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Varali</span> A Janya raga of Carnatic music

Varali or Varaali is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is classified either as the 39th mela kartha raga or as a janya rāgam of the 39th melakarta scale Jhalavarali. Even though it is a mela kartha, the scale is most often rendered with a vakra scale in the ascending scale.

Komal Rishabh Asavari, often simply called Asavari, is a raga in Hindustani classical music. As its name suggests, it differs from the raga Shuddh Rishabh Asavari by using a komal ("flat") re while Asavari uses a shuddha (natural) re. It is believed that Komal Rishabh Asavari was the original form of Asavari.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bor 1999
  2. Kaufmann 1968, p.250
  3. Kaufmann 1968, p.251
  4. Bagchee 1998
  5. Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras

Sources

(most) entries due to: