Attributes of Raga

1. The structure of a raga should contain at least five notes. A raga can be categorised as either (a) Audav (b) Shadav (c) Sampurna.

2. Ragas having five or six notes in the Aroha and seven notes or notes other than used in the Aroha in the Avaroha, could still be called Sampurna according to some musicologısts.

3. A structure of two, three or four notes is called a taan – not a raag.

4. As Aroha and Avroha could either have five, six or seven notes thereby having the elements of Audav, Shadav or Sampurna, every thaat or Mela could have nine varieties of groupings based on the variety of permutations and combinations of these three categories.

5. No raga structure can eliminate both Madhvam and Pancham in Aroha or Avaroha at the same time.

6. An octave is divided into two main sections Purvang i.e., from Sa to Pa and Uttarang i.e., from Ma to Sa.

7. All Ragas of Hindustanı music have been divided into three man sections

a. Sandhi Prakash Ragas
b. Ragas using Shuddha Re & Ga
c. Ragas usng Komal Ga & Ni

These ragas have closely associated with the time of the day or night.

8. Sandhi Prakash ragas are sung at the time of sunrise or sunset. Ragas using Sudh Re, Ga and Dha are performed after these ragas, followed by ragas using Komal Ga and Ni. As Sandhi Prakash occurs twice in a day, this sequence repeats itself twice a day.

9. In Hindustani music “Madhyam” note is considered to be very important. This note assists in determining the time that a particular raga can be performed and denotes the character of the concerned raga.

10. Though there are some ragas using Tivra Madhyam performed during the day time, majority of the ragas (usıng Tivra Madhyam) are performed at night.

11. Ragas performed from 12 O’clock at noon to 12 O’clock at night are known as “Purva Raga” and Ragas performed between 12 at night to 12 at noon, are known as “Uttar Raga”.

12. A Raga is more effective, when performed at its determined time. However traditions have it that this rule could be relaxed when a raga is performed either before a dignitary (Court of a King) or on a concert stage.

In essence, it is correct to say that time prescribed for performance of specific ragas is based on the concept that specific notes are more effective at specific timings.

13. Vadi note in “Purva” Ragas is usually located in Purvang and likewise, Vadi note in “Uttar” Ragas is located in the five notes of “Uttarang”. Hence Purva Ragas are also known as Purvang Vadi Ragas and Uttar Ragas are known as Uttarang Vadi Ragas.

14. As Sa, Ma and Pa exist in both Purvang and Uttarang, Ragas with these notes as Vadi or Samvadi are known as “Sarva-kalik ragas (ragas that can be performed without time theory restrictions).

15. Ragas are subject to (a) Thaat (b) Aroha-Avaroh (c) Vadi (d) Tune theory (e) emotions (Ranjkatva).

16. Every Raga has one Vadi and one Samvadi note. lf Vadi note is in Purvang. Samvadi note is in Uttarang There should be a distance of at least four notes between Vadi and Samvadi notes. Consonance exists between notes having equal Shrutis (Sam shruti). All notes besides Vadi and Samvadi are known as “Anuwadi” notes. Notes which are not used in a Raga are called “Vivadi” notes. However, use of such notes (as an exception) is permitted to increase the effectiveness of a raga. Sometimes the use of Vivadi notes is also permitted to facilitate execution of complex taan patterns.

We notice adjoining Vivadi notes to the basic notes, being used in such executions –
e.g. Before Re – the use of Komal Ga
Before Ga – the use of Ma
Before Ma – the use of Tivra Ma
Before Dha the use of Komal Ni. Etc.
It is evident that Vivadi notes when used in the form of “Kan” do not prejudice the Raga form.

17. Rules do not permit the use of a Komal and Sudh (Tivra) note one after the in case these are used in occasionally unfoldment of a raga, such other instances should be considered as exceptions rather than a rule.

18. An indepth study of Hindustani Music reveals that Ragas usıng Tivra Ma, do not have Komal Ni in their structure. However, there could exist in ragas using both Ma(s) and both Ni(s).

19. Scholars believe that Sandhi Prakash Ragas project Shanta and Karnun Rasas together with basıc emotions of these rasas Ragas using Sudh Re Ga and Dha are believed to enhance the emotions of Sringar and Hasya on the other hand ragas usng Komal Ga and Ni project emotions of Veer, Roudra and Bhayanak. Experiments in this regard are presently being carried out by scholars.

20. Ragas using Sa Ma and Pa notes as Vadi notes project Gambhir Rasa.

21. Generally speaking in Hindustanı Music System, Ragas entering from one “Prahar” to another prahar, gradually se notes used in both the prahars e.g. Ragas using Komal Ga and NI while entering a different Prahar start utilising both Ga and Ni used in Khamaj Thaat Ragas. Such “mid’ Ragas are known as “Parmel Praveshak” ragas, i.e. Ragas entering from one mela to other.

22. Purva Ragas and Uttar Ragas, (according to some) are juxtaposed as counterparts of each other e.g. Bilaval is sometimes called Kalyan of the day and Sarang as the Kannada of the day. However, such issues are subject to difference of opinions and one cannot generalise this concept as a rule.

23. Every thaat comprises of Uttar and Purva Ragas. One can transfer Ragas belonging to one “ang” to the other by changing the Vadi or Samvadi notes of the concerned ragas resulting into different Raga Swarup or raga structures.

24. Morning Ragas use prominently Komal Re and Komal Dha. Similarly evening ragas use Sudh Ga and Ni prominently.

25. Komal or Sudh Madhyam is seldom used in evening Sandhi Prakash Ragas. Similarly Tivra Madhyam is seldom used in morning Sandhi Prakash Ragas.

26. The terms Prabal Durbal or Sam (Saman) are related to the emphasis with which notes are projected in Raga elaboration The term Durbal does not imply elimination of the concerned note.

27. Apart from Vadi note, intermittent judicious use of other notes also play a role to further beautify raga presentation However, such use should be done discreetly. “Kan” has an important role to play in Hindustani music. Subtle use of “Kans” can assist in distinguishing one raga from other.

28. Sudh Madhyam is used in Aroha and Avaroha when both Madhyams are used in ragas performed in the first “Prahar of the night Tivra Madhyam in such cases is seldom used in Aroha In old Sanskrit treatises we do not come across ragas using both the Madhyams. lf at all, these ragas will be described differently.

29. In ragas using both the Madhyams and performed in the first Prahar of the night, the note Ni is Vakra in the Aroha and the note Ga is Vakra in the Avroha. This is a general principle. In such ragas the note Ni is usually Durbal.

30. The Antara-s of the ragas using both Madhyams are very similar in structure. The difference between the structures of such ragas is revealed in Aroha movement.

31. The differences between the structures of various Uttar ragas can be identified through Avroha on the other hand in Purva ragas such differences can be identified in through Aroha.

32. The phrase Ni Sa Re (Komal) Ga instantly projects the structure of Sandhi Prakash ragas. The note Madhyam is very important and significant in such ragas.

33. In the ragas of the evening, the use of taar – Sa should not be over emphasized. On the other hand it could be prominently used in morning ragas.

34. The use of notes Sa Ma and Pa achieve increasing importance in the ragas performed after 12 O’clock (noon time). Similar is the case in ragas sung after 12 O’ clock at night. The notes Re and Dha are either avoided or are “Durbal in ragas performed during other time frames Re and Ni are prominent in ragas performed in the afternoon.

35. The notes Sa and Pa are important in Purva ragas. In Uttar ragas the notes Pa (upper octave) are important. As a result, important four note phrase and Sa Re Ga Ma in Purva ragas is placed by the four note phrase Pa Da Ni Sa in Uttar ragas.

36. Ragas which lend themselves to detailed elaboration in Mandra Saptaks are usually serious and introspective in nature. Detailed treatment in Mandra Saptaks in ragas which project lighter moods is neither recommended nor is appreciated.

37. Ragas using the notes Dha and Pa indicate that they are morning ragas. The use of these notes create a special atmosphere in Uttarang ragas.

38. Ragas using Komal Dha and Shuddha Ga, rarely omit the use of Pa. ln such rare cases, where Pa is omitted usually both the Madhyams are used.

39. Ragas using Komal Ni, frequently use Shuddha Ni in Aroha. Such structuring is usually found in Ragas like Kafi and Khamaj.

40. The Antara portion of ragas using Tivra Ma usually start from the note Ga.