Bilaskhani Todi is a

Hindustani classical Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sita ...

raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...

. It is a blend of the ragas Asavari and

Todi Todi () is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) of the province of Perugia (region of Umbria) in central Italy. It is perched on a tall two-crested hill overlooking the east bank of the river Tiber, commanding distant views in every direction. I ...

, and has a close affinity with

Komal Rishabh Asavari Komal Rishabh Asavari (), often simply called Asavari, is a raga in Hindustani classical music. As its name suggests, it differs from the raga Shuddh Rishabh Asavari by using a ''komal'' ("flat") ''re'' () while Asavari uses a shuddha (natural) ...

Theory

The Hindustani classical raga Bilaskhani Todi is an example of the flaws of the Bhatkhande thaat system because it is classified under the Bhairavi thaat based on the notes it uses, but it is actually a type of Todi, and permitting any Bhairavi during a performance kills the raga.

Arohana and avarohana

Arohana Arohana, Arohanam 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 as we ...

: Sa re ga Pa dha Sa * Avarohana: re ni dha Ma ga re Sa

Vadi and samavadi

* Vadi: dha * Samavadi: ga

Organization and relationships

Thaat: Bhairavi

Samay (Time)

Morning, between 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Seasonality

Certain ragas have seasonal associations.

Rasa

Devotional, Bhakti

Historical information

Origins

Legend has it that this raga was created by Bilas Khan, son of

Miyan Tansen Tansen ( – 26 April 1589), also referred to and commonly known as Sangeet Samrat () , was a Hindustani classical musician. Born in a Hindu Gaur Brahmin family, he learnt and perfected his art in the northwest region of modern Madhya Pra ...

, after his father's death. It is said that while trying to sing Todi, his father's favorite raga, in the wake of his father, Bilas was so grief-stricken that he mixed up his notes. That gave birth to this raga, and that Tansen's corpse moved one hand in approval of the new melody. (There is a similar legend, differing only in detail, about Tansen's Todi.)

Important recordings

* Amir Khan, Ragas Bilaskhani Todi and Abhogi,

HMV Sunrise Records and Entertainment, trading as HMV (for His Master's Voice), is a British music and entertainment retailer, currently operating exclusively in the United Kingdom. The first HMV-branded store was opened by the Gramophone Company ...

/ AIR LP (long-playing record), EMI-ECLP2765 *

Nikhil Banerjee Pandit Nikhil Ranjan Banerjee (14 October 1931 – 27 January 1986) was an Indian classical sitarist of the Maihar Gharana. Along with Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Vilayat Khan, he emerged as one of the leading exponents of the sitar. He ...

, Morning Ragas, Bombay 1965,

LP record The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a ...

, Raga Records. ( Audio CD released June 1996;

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

2000). *

Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North Ind ...

, from the 1950s

Film songs

Tamil

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

Rajan Parrikar on Ragas

Film Songs in Bilaskhani Todi
Tp {{India-music-stub