Rāmtanu Pandey, popularly referred to as Mian Tānsen, or Sangeet Samrāt, was a Hindustani classical musician. Born into a Hindu Gaur Brahmin family in Gwalior, he learnt and perfected his art in the northwest region of modern Madhya Pradesh. He got his first break as musician and composer in the court of Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior and spent most of his adult life in the court and patronage of the Hindu king of Rewa, Raja Ramchandra Singh, where Tānsen's musical abilities and studies gained widespread fame. This reputation brought him to the attention of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, who sent messengers to Raja Ramchandra Singh, requesting Tānsen to join the musicians at the Mughal court. Tansen did not want to go, but Rāja Ramchandra Singh encouraged him to gain a wider audience and sent him along with gifts for Akbar. In 1562, at about the age of 60, the Vaishnav musician Tānsen joined Akbar's court, and his performances became the subject of many court historians.
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.
Madhuvanti is a raga used in Indian classical music. It is a Hindustani music raga, which is reported to have been borrowed into Carnatic music, and is structurally similar to Multani.
"Malhar" is a Hindustani classical raga. Malhar is associated with torrential rains.
Raga Malgunji is a Hindustani classical raga from the Khamaj Thaat. Some say it is a part of the Kafi Thaat too.
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. The Carnatic Music equivalent of this raga is Abheri.
Brindaavani Sarang or Brindaabani Sarang, also known as raga Sarang, is a Hindustani classical raga. It is also called Vridaavani Sarang. This raga falls under the category of Sarang ragas.
Pilu or Peelu is a raga of Hindustani classical music. It is mostly used in light-classical forms, like thumris.
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.
Megh is a Hindustani classical raga. The meaning of megh in Sanskrit is 'cloud'. Hence this raga is mostly sung or played in the monsoon season. Another raga which describes rain is raga Malhar. These two ragas were merged and a new raga developed, raga Megh Malhar. The Carnatic music equivalent of this raga is Madhyamavati.
Miyan ki Todi, often simply referred to as Todi or Darbari Todi, is a Hindustani classical raga which gave its name to the Todi thaat, one of the ten types of classical music according to the musicologist Bhatkhande. Ragas from the Todi raganga include Todi itself, Bilaskhani Todi, Gujari Todi, Desi Todi, Hussaini Todi, Asavari Todi, and Bahaduri Todi.
Madhyamavati (madhyamāvati) is a raga in Carnatic music. It is an audava rāga, as it does not have all the seven musical notes (swaras). It is a janya rāga. The equivalent of Madhyamavati in Hindustani music is Madhumad Sarang. It also has other equivalents in Hindustani music such as ragas Megh and Megh Malhar.
Raga Kedar, also known as Kedara, is a Hindustani classical raga. Named after Lord Shiva, the raga occupies a high pedestal in Indian classical music. It is characterised by many melodious turns. This raga is the repetition of the swaras सा and म. It is generally accepted that it displays much thermal energy and is regarded as the Raagini of Raag Deepak. While preceding from Shuddha Madhyam (m) to Pancham (P), a touch of Gandhar (G) or a smooth passage from Gandhar (G) to Pancham (P) expressed as m G P is the more common way of instant raga manifestation.
Jhinjhoti is a Hindustani classical raga from the Khamaj Thaat. This is a light and playful raga.
Kafi is one of the ten basic thaats of Hindustani music from the Indian subcontinent. It is also the name of a raga (Kharaharapriya) within this thaat.
Gaud Sarang is a raga in Hindustani classical music that combines characteristics of Sarang and the now extinct raga named Gaud. Unlike most other members of the Sarang family of ragas, Gaud Sarang is assigned to the Kalyan thaat rather than the usual Kafi.
Gara is a Hindustani classical raga belonging to the Khamaj Thaat. This raga is similar to raga Jaijaiwanti. Both ragas i.e. raga Jaijaiwanti and raga Gara, have the same svaras. Gara is a rare raga. It is rendered in the late evening. The raga uses all the seven notes, six in the ascent and seven in the descent. Therefore, the Jati of the raga is Shaadav-Sampurna. While some say that seven svaras are played in the ascent and seven in the descent. Therefore, the Jati then becomes Sampurna-Sampurna. It uses both, the Komal (flat) and Shuddha (full) Nishad, komal Ga, and all other notes are Shuddha (full). The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of Khamaj Thaat. Gara belongs to a family of melodic entities, which were apparently derived from folk melodies, and entered art-music in association with the thumri genre. This family includes ragas like Kafi, Piloo, Jangula, Barwa, and Zilla, along with several others. This raga expresses the feeling of happiness and satisfaction of achievement, however it simultaneously conveys the sadness of losing. This raga is also a vivacious and romantic one.
Malhar Ragang and all other ragas falling under this category are ragas in the Hindustani Classical music. Ragang refers to a family of ragas sharing a common melodic kernel. Other similar raga families are the Sarang family and the Kanada family. The Malhar ragas are generally sung in the Rainy season. The word Malhar is associated with torrential rains.
