Bhairavi (

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...

: भैरवी, ur, , Sindhi: راڳ ڀيروي) 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 ...

heptatonic A heptatonic scale is a musical scale that has seven pitches, or tones, per octave. Examples include the major scale or minor scale; e.g., in C major: C D E F G A B C—and in the relative minor, A minor, natural minor: A B C D E F G A; the m ...

( Sampurna)

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 ...

of Bhairavi thaat. In Western musical terms, raga Bhairavi employs the notes of the Phrygian mode, one of the traditional European

church modes A Gregorian mode (or church mode) is one of the eight systems of pitch organization used in Gregorian chant. History The name of Pope Gregory I was attached to the variety of chant that was to become the dominant variety in medieval western and ...

. Many Indians growing up during 1980s and 1990s will instantly recognize raag Bhairavi as it is the dominant note in popular Doordarshan video 'Mile sur mera tumhara'.

Theory

Raga Bhairavi is often referred to as the queen of morning Ragas. It produces a rich, devotional atmosphere especially suitable for the genres of

Bhajan Bhajan refers to any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root word ''bhaj'' ...

and the light classical form of

Thumri Thumri () is a vocal genre or style of Indian music. The term "thumri" is derived from the Hindi verb ''thumuknaa'', which means "to walk with a dancing gait in such a way that the ankle-bells tinkle." The form is, thus, connected with dance, dr ...

. The Rishabh and Dhaivat used here are oscillating which is strongly recommended in this Raga and it makes the Raag mood intense. Rishabh and Pancham are occasionally skipped in Aaroh like: S G m d P or G m d N S'. But in Avroh, Rishabh and Pancham are Deergh like S' N d P or P m G m r r S. In Avroh, Gandhar is skipped like: G m r S. Madhyam is an important note.

Arohana & 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 Ma Pa Ṡa *

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 ...

: Ṡa Pa Ma Sa

Vadi & Samavadi

* Vadi : ma *

Samavadi The Samavadi 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 samvadi are in most cases a fourth or fifth apart. A ''s ...

: sa

Variants

The rich culture of Bhairavi being the closing Raga for any formal performance has produced, also, many newly explored shades of the Raga: * Shuddha Bhairavi (Bhairavi with no deviations from the prescribed notes and movements) * Sindhu Bhairavi (added Shuddha Dha) * Jangla Bhairavi

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

Detailed analysis and audio samples of Bhairavi from Rajan Parrikar Music Archive

{{Authority control Hindustani ragas