Raga Bageshri or Bageshree () is a Hindustani raga. It is meant to depict the emotion of waiting for reunion with one's lover. Being a very melodic raga it has gained popularity over the centuries. Like all ragas, Raga Bageshri traces its origins to the Samaveda, a sacred Hindu text with roots that likely date back to around 1500 BCE, though its oral tradition could be much older. Raga Bageshri is a night time raga (''madhya raatri'' Ragsamaya), written in '' Kaafi''

thaat 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 scal ...

, ''Ma'' Vadi, ''Sa'' Samvadi, 5/7 Jati, Hasya Rasa (associated with joyful, the comic, and happy emotions). In modern days, people like the popular Hindi music director C.Ramchandra favour composing songs in Bageshri, as he found it simple. In a 1978 interview at BBC studios with Mahendra Kaul, he explained this, while playing songs like ( Radha na bole – Azad, 1955) that were set to Bageshri.

Theory

The theoretical aspects of Bageshri are as follows:

Scale

: Arohana : S g m D n S' : Avarohana : S' n D m P D g m g R S

Vadi & Samavadi

: Vadi : Madhyam (Ma) : Samavadi: Shadja (Sa)

Pakad or Chalan

D n s, m, m P D, m g R S :Varjit Swara – P & R in Aaroh :Jati : – Audav-Sampoorna (Vakra)

Organization & Relationships

Thaat 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 scal ...

: Kafi (raga)

Samayā (Time)

The time for this raaga is (middle of the night).

Carnatic music

Bageshri raga a popular raga. It is derived from the 22nd Melakarta, Kharaharapriya.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications This raga is a janya raga (derived) as it does not have all the seven notes in the ascending scale.

Structure and Lakshana

Bageshri is an asymmetric scale that does not contain ''panchamam'' or ''rishabam'' in the ascending scale. It is called a ''audava-sampurna'' rāgam, in Carnatic music classification (as it has 5 notes in ascending and 7 notes in descending scale). Its ' structure is as follows (see ''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms): * : * : This scale uses the notes , and .

Popular compositions

Bageshri is a very melodic raga in Carnatic music. So, even though this scale has been used only in a few krithis (compositions), many devaranamas, ashtapadis, thiruppugazhs, and other lyrics have been set to tune in this raga. It is typically sung in concerts after the main piece, in ''viruttams'', ''padams'', ''bhajans'', and ragamalika. Here are some popular compositions in ''Bageshri''. *''Eru mayil eri vilayadu'' composed by

Arunagirinathar Arunagirinathar (', ) was a Tamil language, Tamil Shaivism, Shaiva saint-poet who lived during the 14th century in Tamil Nadu, India. In his treatise ''A History of Indian Literature'' (1974), Czechs, Czech Indologist Kamil Zvelebil places Aru ...

*''Sagarasayana'' by M. D. Ramanathan *''Maname Ariyen'' by Papanasam Sivan *''Antakanadutarige Kimchittu dayavilla'' by Purandaradasa *''Govindamiha'' by Narayana Theertha *''Kanden Kanden'' by Arunachala Kavi-Also sung in Vasantha

Film Songs

Language: Tamil

Language: Hindi

Language: Kannada

Notes

References

Sources

External links

SRA on Samay and RagasRajan Parrikar on RagasRajan Parrikar on BageshreeFilm Songs in Rag Bageshree
{{Rāgas as per Performance Time Hindustani ragas Janya ragas