Bilaval or Bilawal () is a

raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

and the basis for the eponymous ''

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 ...

'' (

musical mode In music theory, the term mode or ''modus'' is used in a number of distinct senses, depending on context. Its most common use may be described as a type of musical scale coupled with a set of characteristic melodic and harmonic behaviors. It ...

) in

Hindustani classical music Hindustani classical music is the Indian classical music, classical music of the Indian subcontinent's northern regions. It may also be called North Indian classical music or ''Uttar Bhartiya shastriya sangeet''. The term ''shastriya sangeet'' ...

. Raga Bilaval is named after Veraval,

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

. Bilaval has been the standard for North Indian music since the early 19th century. Its tonal relationships are comparable to the Western music

C major C major is a major scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. C major is one of the most common keys used in music. Its key signature has no flats or sharps. Its relative minor is A minor and its parallel min ...

scale. Bilaval appears in the '' Ragamala'' as a ragini of Bhairav but today it is the head of the Bilaval thaat. The Ragamala names Bilaval as a Putra (son) of Bhairav but no relationship between these two ragas are made today. Bilaval is a morning raga that is intended to be sung with a feeling of deep devotion and repose and is often performed during the hot months. The Bilaval is equivalent to the Carnatic raga melakarta, Sankarabharanam, as well as the Western

Ionian mode The Ionian mode is a Mode (music), musical mode or, in modern usage, a diatonic scale also called the major scale. It is named after the Ionians, Ionian Greeks. It is the name assigned by Heinrich Glarean in 1547 to his new Gregorian mode#Authent ...

(major scale), and contains the

notes Note, notes, or NOTE may refer to: Music and entertainment * Musical note, a pitched sound (or a symbol for a sound) in music * ''Notes'' (album), a 1987 album by Paul Bley and Paul Motian * ''Notes'', a common (yet unofficial) shortened versi ...

S R G M P D N S'. The pitches of Bilaval thaat are all ' (natural). Flat () or sharp () pitches always occur regarding the interval pattern in Bilaval thaat. Bilaval raga is in the

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

tradition of

northern India North India is a geographical region, loosely defined as a cultural region comprising the northern part of India (or historically, the Indian subcontinent) wherein Indo-Aryans (speaking Indo-Aryan languages) form the prominent majority populati ...

and is part of the Sikh holy scripture '' Granth'', the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Every raga has a set of strict rules that govern the number of notes that can be used, which notes can be used, and their interplay that must be adhered to for the composition of a tune. Bilaval is the thirty-fourth raga to appear in the series of sixty compositions in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The composition in this raga appears on 64 pages from page numbers 795 to 859.

Aroha and avaroha

Arohana/Arohi: Sa, Re, Ga, ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa'

Avrohana 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 ...

/Avarahi: Sa' Ni Dha, Pa, ma Ga, Ma, Re Sa

Vadi and samavadi

Vadi: Dha Samavadi: Ga

Pakad or chalan

#Ga Re, Ga Ma Dha Pa, Ma Ga, Ma Re Sa #Ga Pa Ni Dha Ni Sa #Ga Re Ga Pa, Ni Dha Ni Sa #Sa Ni Dha Pa Ga Ma Re Sa #Ga Re Ga Pa Dha Ni Dha Ni Sa #Ga Re Ga Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa

Samay (time)

Morning: ''First pahar of the day (4-7 AM)''

Film songs in Tamil

Notes

References

* Bor, Joep ''(ed).'' Rao, Suvarnalata; der Meer, Wim van; Harvey, Jane ''(co-authors)'' ''The Raga Guide: A Survey of 74 Hindustani Ragas''. Zenith Media, London: 1999.

External links

SRA on Samay and Ragas
{{Rāgas as per Performance Time Gujarati music Hindustani ragas Ragas in the Guru Granth Sahib