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Its signature phrase (Pakad) is ni-Re-Ga-/Re-Ga/ni-Re-Sa/Pa-Ma-Ga-Re/ni-Re-Sa' (Ma is teevra).
Tonal movements of the notes mostly reflect zigzag motion with gap of one or several notes usually that prefer reverse order very often like DNS' mDN GmD RGm N,GR or MDNS' GmDN RGmD N,RGm D,N,GR etc. Ideally yaman should not use PR combination but can use P~R showing colour of m or G while gliding from P to R, for PR is one of the specific identification of raag kalyaan.
Yaman emerged from the parent musical scale of Kalyan. Considered to be one of the most fundamental and basic ragas in Hindustani tradition, it is thus often one of the first ragas taught to students.
Mechanics
Yaman's Jati is a Sampurna raga (ideally, yaman is audav sampoorna raag because of the structure- N,RGmDNR'S' NDPmGRS) and in some cases Shadav; the ascending Aaroha scale and the descending style of the avroha includes all seven notes in the octave (When it is audav, the Aroha goes like N,RGmDNS', where the fifth note is omitted; Pa but the Avaroha is the same complete octave). All the scale notes (called swaras) in the raga are Shuddha, the exception being Teevra Madhyam or prati madhyamam (sharp fourth). The notes of the raga are considered analogous to the western Lydian mode.
None of the three great treatises of music, accept the existence of tivra ma,[text missing]
Not to be mistaken, Raag Yaman is slightly different from Raag Yaman Kalyan. Both have almost the same base, but they are sung differently. The Aroha and Avaroha of Yaman Kalyan goes like this: SRGmPDNS' S'NDPm GMGRN, RS [clarification needed]
It is wrong to say that Kalyan has no specific phrases or particular features, many musicians avoid Sa and Pa in ascend or treat them very weakly in Yaman. One often applies N0 R G M+ D N S' in ascent and S' N D M+ G R S in descend[1]). Sa is avoided in beginning the ascend such as N0 R G M+ P D N S'
ni-Re-Ga-/Re-Ga/ni-Re-Sa/Pa-Ma-Ga-Re/ni-Re-Sa' (Ma is teevra)
Organization and relationships
There is some discussion as to whether Yaman and Kalyan are just different names for the same raga, or that they are actually two distinct ragas. Joep Bor says "Kalyan (today usually referred to as Yaman)".[2] Kaufmann[3] says that Yaman and Kalyan are just different names, but insists that rāga Yaman-Kalyan is different as natural Ma is occasionally inserted between two Ga, like Ga Ma Ga Re Sa, while in all other instances tivra Ma (Ma+ is used as in Kalyan). S. Bagchee[4] agrees with Kaufmann. As Bor, Kaufmann and Bagchee are not practising, professional and traditional musicians and artistes with training from qualified musicians, their opinions and observations must be accepted with a pinch of salt. An analysis of the raag leads some musicians to believe that the names of the raags Yaman and Kalyan are different, so their tonal movements shall be different (Kalyan is more akin to shuddha Kalyan, not Yaman). People erratically believe that if natural Ma is occasionally added in a concluding figure leading to Sa, the raga is known as Yaman-Kalyan.[2] Practically, yaman has a raganga very different from Kalyan raganga, resembling colours of Shuddha Kalyan. The use of shuddha ma must be restricted as a Vivadi swara (limited use) or grace note for Yaman Kalyan otherwise there is a chance of it becoming Yamani, Yamani Bilawal, Jaimini Kalyan. Moreover, neither of Kalyan or Yaman has Shuddha Ma in its main body thus use of shuddha Ma does not create Yaman Kalyan. Ideally there is no raga at all in Indian music that is recognized as any type of Kalyan because of shuddha Ma, thus raga Yaman Kalyan becomes a misnomer because of Shuddha Ma in the tonal structure of raga Yaman. Kalyan is mixed with several ragas that has either of Kalyan ang or Yaman ang:
Thaat: Kalyan is type raga of Kalyan thaat. In thaat Kalyan, all notes are shuddha (natural) except teevra (sharp) Ma.
Behaviour
Yaman is regarded [by whom?] one of the grandest and most fundamental [peacockprose] ragas in Hindustani music. It is one of the first ragas taught to students but it also has great scope for improvisation. Raag elaboration can focus more on mandra and madhya saptak, thus the key note chosen for yaman is preferred to be a higher tone.
Samay (time)
Ragas in the Kalyan thaat, including Yaman, should be performed during the first quarter of the night.
Rasa
Kalyan is described by Meshakarna (1570) as "lord in white garments and pearl necklace on a splendid lion-throne, under a royal umbrella, fanned with whisk, chewing betel"[2]
This raga promotes romanticism, It sounds romantic, we can see in Bollywood many romantic songs are based on this raga.
It is hypothesized that Yaman or Kalyan is an older Indian raaga that underwent an evolution attributed to Ameer Khusro (1253–1325), who also renamed it from Kalyan to Yaman. Yaman raag finds its roots in the Kalyaan Thaat, which would categorize it as an aasreya raag within the Kalyaan Thaat.
Origins of Yaman
Hindustani vocalist, scholar, and researcher Ramkrishna Das Nadrang suggests that some musicians believe Yaman's origin traces back to Yemen, a country in the Middle East situated at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. However, there exists no historical evidence or record of Yemeni natives practicing the Yaman melody within the context of Hindustani music in India. Consequently, Yemen seems to lack any substantive connection to the raag Yaman.
Within the traditional confines of the Gwalior gharana and certain olden Hindustani music schools, music masters assert that a learner must imbue faith (IMAAN) in their teacher-mentor's words to progress in music. Consequently, they emphasize the importance of "imaan laao (submitting to the aphorism)," making Yaman the starting point for music instruction. As a result, the term "yaman" became synonymous with "iman," aligning it closely with the term "imaan."
Ramkrishna Das posits an alternative hypothesis suggesting that the word "yaman" may be linked to Sanskrit "Yavan" (Muslim). This theory posits that the raag Yaman evolved from Kalyaan, as puritan Hindu musicians began referring to the melody as "kalyaan of the Muslim artistes" or "yavanon kaa kalyaan." Over time, this term transformed into "yavan kalyaan," then "yaman kalyan," and finally, "yaman."
In South Indian Carnatic music, a similar melody is referred to as "yamuna kalyaani," while the Gwalior Paluskar tradition introduced a raag named "Jaimini Kalyaan," which potentially aligns with the Carnatic name. This transformation into "Yaman" was, in a sense, a derogatory term, as it altered the sanctity of Kalyaan due to its intricate tonal movements, characterized by excessive zigzag patterns and internal skips or gaps between notes.
Yaman accentuates notes ni, ga, and ma, with limited use of saa and pa during the ascent. In contrast, Kalyaan emphasizes saa, pa, re, ga, with minimal reliance on ma and ni. Raag Kalyaan also exhibits frequent downward movements, similar to the model of raag shuddha kalyaan.
Attributions to Ameer Khusro and Variations
Some proponents attribute the creation of Yaman to Ameer Khusro (1253–1325), a Sufi saint, poet, singer, and courtier to several Indian rulers. "Raag Vyaakaran" (1975, page 468-470) by Bimalakaanta Roychoudhury presents four varieties of Yaman, among which Khusro's Yaman lacks ni and tivra ma during the ascent, except for magama. This particular melody is penta-hexatonic (SRGPDS'| S'DPGmGRS), with vaadi ga-samvaadi dha. The tonal movements are detailed on page 469 as follows (, = lower octave, ' = upper octave): SRGRS D,S RG PGmG RGRS GRS PDS' G'R'S' DP GmGRG PGRS. This reveals that the contemporary Yaman differs significantly from the 14th-century version.
Evolution and Connection to Yamani
According to Ramkrishna Das, contemporary Yaman is a derivative of an older raag called "yamani," which developed along the banks of the Yamuna River near Mathura-Vrindavan or in the Chaiti dhun of Varanasi. Precisely, Yaman appears to be a part of Yamani due to the name "Yamuna" being associated with it. Notably, the folk melody of the song 'Sautan ghar na jaa/ na jaa more saiyaan (SR SN,S D,N,R--N,RGR G~S--)' features the unique and spontaneous tonal movement "niresaa," an essential element of Yaman, not commonly found in other folk melodies.
The oldest available chaiti song is "Piyaa se milan ham jaayeb ho raamaa piyaa se milana," composed by saint Kabir (1398–1518) of Varanasi. This song exhibits the following tonal structures: N,P,N,N,N,SS SS SR SN.S D,N,R-- N,R GMG- G~S--. Both of these tonal structures mirror essential movements of contemporary raag Yaman, sans the tivra madhyam (sharp fourth). However, the antaraa of the chaiti incorporates tivra ma as an essential part of the melody. Chaitis are popularly recognized as "maanjh khamaaj" (thanks to Pandit Ravishankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Vilayat Khan, Nikhil Banerjee). Otherwise, musicians in Varanasi referred to them as "yamani."
The Influence of Tivra Madhyam
Spontaneous use of tivra madhyam is evident in the tune of raag "janglaa," prevalent in the rasiya singing of Braj-Vrindavan (mPGMPmP NDNS' DNP- nDP GMPmP). However, in Indian folk melodies, tivra ma is rarely and spontaneously employed. Since tivra ma, komal re, and komal dha were not acknowledged in the Naatya Shaastra, Brihaddeshi, and Sangeet Ratnaakar (1245 AD), raag Kalyaan did not exist in the pre-Muqaam or pre-Melakarta system of raags.
It is conceivable that the frequent use of tivra ma was propagated by followers of Khusro, qawwali singers, and folk musicians, leading to the evolution of Yamani into Yaman while retaining the core tonal movements. Additionally, the advent of the melakarta system in Carnatic schools attributed to Venkatamakhi (~1630), further popularized the raag Kalyaan. Perhaps the name "kalyaan" drew inspiration from the popular tunes of Sanskrit verses recited during evening prayers.
Yaman, or the commonly referred to term "kalyan," accommodates almost all tonal combinations. Renowned sitar maestro Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan used to affirm, "Ye man jo chaahe wahi yaman hai," emphasizing the vast umbrella of possibilities for tonal combinations within Yaman.
Important recordings
Amir Khan – Shuddh Kalyan, Yaman, and Yaman Kalyan
Ghulam Abbas Khan Vilambit and Drut 'Dharohar' by Mystica Music
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.
Svara is a word that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave or saptaka. More comprehensively, it is the ancient Indian concept about the complete dimension of musical pitch. Most of the time a svara is identified as both musical note and tone, but a tone is a precise substitute for sur, related to tunefulness. Traditionally, Indians have just seven svaras/notes with short names, e.g. saa, re/ri, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni which Indian musicians collectively designate as saptak or saptaka. It is one of the reasons why svara is considered a symbolic expression for the number seven.
Bilaval or Bilawal is a raga and the basis for the eponymous thaat in Hindustani classical music. Raga Bilaval is named after Veraval, Gujarat.
Bhairavi is a Hindustani Classical heptatonic (Sampurna) raga of Bhairavi thaat. In Western musical terms, raga Bhairavi employs the notes of the Phrygian mode, one of the traditional European church modes.
Bhoopali, also known as Bhoop, Bhopali, or Bhupali, is a Hindustani classical raga. Bhupālī, is a raag in Kalyan Thaat. It is a pentatonic scale. Most of the songs in this raga are based on Bhakti rasa. Since it uses 5 notes, belongs to the "Audav jaati" of ragas.
Ahir Bhairav is a Hindustani classical raga. It is a mixture of Bhairav and the ancient, rare raga Ahiri or Abhiri, or perhaps a mixture of Bhairav and Kafi.
Raga Bihag is a Hindustani classical raga belonging to the Bilawal thaat. Bihag uses all seven music swars, and both Madhyams are used. The Shuddha Madhyam is more prominent; tivraMadhyama is only used with Panchama in the phrase PA MA' GA MA GA.
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.
Kafi is a raga in Hindustani classical music. It corresponds to Kharaharapriya in Carnatic music and Dorian mode in Western music
Marva or Marwa portrays being with one's lover and is often portrayed in Ragamala paintings as two couples kissing. It is a hexatonic Indian raga; Pa is omitted. Marva is the eponymous raga of the Marva thaat.
Hameer is a nocturnal Hindustani classical raga nominally placed in Kalyan thaat. All the (shuddha swaras along with (teevra madhyam are used in it. Generally, its vaadi swar is dhaivat and the samavaadi swar is gandhar. However, some exponents consider the vaadi swar to be pancham as Hameer is mainly sung in the upper half of an octave and is nocturnal. Pancham is not taken in the aaroh but is taken in avroh. Its jati is "Sampurn Sampurn". "Vadi Svar" is Dhaivat and Samvadi Swar is Gandhar.
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.
Hindol is a Hindustani classical raga from the Kalyan Thaat.
Kalyan is one of the ten basic thaats of Hindustani music from the Indian subcontinent. It is also the name of a raga within this thaat.
Rishabha is the second svara out of the seven svaras of Hindustani music and Carnatic music. Rishabha is the long form of the syllable रे for simplicity while singing the syllable. Rishabha is pronounced as Re and Ri.
Gandhara is the 3rd svara from the seven svaras of Hindustani music and Carnatic music. Gandhara is the long form of the syllable ग. For simplicity in pronouncing while singing the syllable, Gandhara is pronounced as Ga.
Dhaivata is the sixth svara from the seven svaras of Hindustani music and Carnatic music. Dhaivata is the long form of the syllable ध. For simplicity in pronouncing while singing the syllable, Dhaivata is pronounced as Dha.
Nishada is the seventh and last svara in Hindustani music and Carnatic music. Nishada is the long form of the syllable नी. For simplicity in pronouncing while singing the syllable, Nishada is pronounced as Ni.
Madhyam is the fourth svara from the seven svaras of Hindustani music and Carnatic music. This article is written from the Hindustani perspective. Madhyam is the long form of the syllable म. For simplicity in pronouncing while singing the syllable, Madhyam is pronounced as Ma. It is also called as मध्यम in the Devanagri script.
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