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 A theory is a systematic and rational form of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the conclusions derived from such thinking. It involves contemplative and logical reasoning, often supported by processes such as observation, experimentation, ...

aspects of Bageshri are as follows:

Scale

Arohana Arohana, Arohanam, Aroh or Aroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the ascending scale of notes in a raga.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, ''Glossary'' pages, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications The pitch increases a ...

: S g m D n S' :

Avarohana An Avarohana, Avarohanam or Avaroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the descending scale of any raga.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, ''Glossary'' pages, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications The notes descend in pitch ...

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

Vadi & Samavadi

: Vadi : Madhyam (Ma) :

Samavadi The samavadi or samvadi is the second-most prominent (though not necessarily second-most played) note of a raga in Indian classical music. The primary note of the raga is the '' vadi''; the vadi and samavadi are in most cases a fourth or fifth a ...

: Shadja (Sa)

Pakad In Hindustani music, a ''pakad'' (Hindi: पकड़) is a generally accepted musical phrase (or set of phrases) thought to encapsulate the essence of a particular raga. The pakad contains the melodic theme of the raga, on listening to the paka ...
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) Kafi () is a ''raga'' in Hindustani classical music. It corresponds to Kharaharapriya in Carnatic music and Dorian mode in Western music Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande classified most ''ragas'' into ten ''Thaats''. Kafi ''Thaat'' is one of them. ...

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 Mēḷakartā is a collection of fundamental musical scales ( ragas) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). ''Mēḷakartā'' ragas are parent ragas (hence known as ''janaka'' ragas) from which other ragas may be derived. A ''melaka ...

Kharaharapriya Kharaharapriya is a rāga in Carnatic music. It is the 22nd ''melakarta'' rāga (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāga system. It is possible that the name of the ragam was originally ''Harapriya'' but it was changed to conform to the Kat ...

.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications This raga is a

janya ''Janya'' is a term meaning "derive". In Carnatic (South Indian) music a ''janya raga'' is one derived from one of the 72 '' melakarta'' ragas (fundamental melodic structures). ''Janya'' ragas are classified into various types based on a vari ...

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 Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cinema a ...

*''Antakanadutarige Kimchittu dayavilla'' by Purandaradasa *''Govindamiha'' by Narayana Theertha *''Kanden Kanden'' by

Arunachala Kavi Arunachala Kavi () (1711–1779) was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu and . The three Tamil composers Arunachala Kavi, Muthu Thandavar and Marimutthu Pillai are cons ...

-Also sung in Vasantha

Film Songs

Language:
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

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