Gara 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 ...

'' belonging to the

Khamaj Thaat Khamaj () is one of the ten thaats (parent scales) of Hindustani music from the Indian subcontinent. It is also the name of a raga within this thaat. The Khamaj thaat can be obtained by replacing the Shuddha Nishad of Bilaval by Komal Nishad. Th ...

. This raga is similar to raga

Jaijaiwanti Jaijaivanti or Jaijaiwanti is a Hindustani classical ''raga'' belonging to Khamaj Thaat. According to the Guru Granth Sahib, this ''raga'' is a mixture of two others: Bilaval and Sorath. The ''raga'' appears in the latter section in Gurbani, as ...

. Both ragas i.e. raga Jaijaiwanti and raga Gara, have the same

svara Svara or swara (Devanagari: स्वर, generally pronounced as ''swar'') is a Sanskrit word that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave or '' ...

s. Gara is a rare raga. It is rendered in the late evening. The raga uses all the seven notes, six in the ascent and seven in the descent. Therefore the Jati of the raga is ''Shaadav-Sampurna''. While some say that seven svaras are played in the ascent and seven in the descent. Therefore the Jati then becomes ''Sampurna-Sampurna''. It uses both, the Komal (flat) and Shuddha (full)

Nishad The Nishad are a Hindu caste, found in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, the term refers to a group of around 20 communities whose traditional occupations centred on rivers, such as the Mallah. There have been demands for t ...

, and all other notes are Shuddha (full). The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of

. Gara belongs to a family of melodic entities, which were apparently derived from folk melodies, and entered art-music in association with the

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, dra ...

genre. This family includes ragas like

Kafi Kafi ( pa, ਕਾਫ਼ੀ (Gurmukhi), (Shahmukhi), Hindi: काफ़ी, Urdu: کافی, Sindhi:ڪافي) is a classical form of Sufi music mostly in the Siraiki, Punjabi and Sindhi languages and originating from the Punjab, and Sindh ...

Piloo Pilu or Peelu is a ''raga'' of Hindustani classical music. It is mostly used in light-classical forms, like ''thumris''. Arohana and Avarohana Arohana P 'N S g m P N SN S G m P N SS g m P D SS R m P N S Avarohana S' N D P m G m P g R S 'N ...

, Jangula, Barwa, and Zilla, along with several others. This raga expresses the feeling of happiness and satisfaction of achievement, however it simultaneously conveys the sadness of losing. This raga is also a vivacious and romantic one.

Composition

Raga

bears the closest resemblance to Gara. However, some also believe that raga Gara is a combination of

Khamaj Khamaj () is a Hindustani classical Music raga within the Khamaj thaat which is named after it. Many ghazals and thumris are based on Khamaj. It utilises the shuddha (pure) form of Ni on the ascent, and the komala (flat) form of Ni on the desce ...

and

Jhinjhoti Jhinjhoti is a Hindustani classical raga from the Khamaj Thaat. This is a light and playful raga. Theory Aarohana Avaroha Pakad / Chalan Vadi Ga Samavadi Ni Raga description This is a light and playful Raga, apt for instrume ...

. The raga belongs to the Khamaj parent scale, and is characterised by a notional scale-base at Pa of the lower octave, rather than the customary Sa. Sometimes it is considered to be in the Kafi parent scale too. The types of raga Gara can be separated by one, the bright Gara (which gravitates more towards Khamaj thaat and maybe a little into the Bilaval Thaat) from the more somber Gara which is the other type, which gets more into Kafi thaat and even Piloo-ang. Raga Gara can also be influenced by certain ragas like, raga Maand or even raga Bhinna Shadja, raga Pancham se Gara, raga Pahadi, raga

, raga Sindura, raga Zilla and raga Manjh Khamaj in terms of playing

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, dra ...

s or

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'' ...

s (Semi-classical music). But this doesn't include the Raga Vistar (

aalap The Alap (; ) is the opening section of a typical North Indian classical performance. It is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga. In dhrupad singing the alap is unmetered, improvised (within the raga) and unaccompan ...

) or Khyal Gayaki (Classical music) because a ragas original composition and structure doesn't change in the raga vistar. This factor may change in the semi-classical forms of any raga.

Aarohana 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 ...

S G (komal) m P D N S

Avaroha 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 P m G (komal) S

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 ...

/ Chalan R g R S D n P D N S G (komal) M R g R Vadi Ga

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 '' ...

Songs in Raga Gara

(The references of all songs that are given below are - ) Aise To Na Dekho Film - Teen Deviyan Year - 1965 Raga - Gara Tala - Dadra Music Director -

S. D. Burman Sachin Dev Burman (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. A member of the Tripura royal family, he started his career with Bengali films in 1937. He later began composing for Hindi movies and became one o ...

Singer -

Mohd. Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaginwwacJI Diwana Kahe Ke Aaj Mujhe Phir Pukariye Film - Mulzim Year -1963 Raga - Gara Tala - Dadra Music Director - Ravi Singer -

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDuQcRX6hXg Hamsafar Saath Apna Chhod Chale Film - Aakhri Daao Year -1958 Raga - Gara Tala - Dadra Music Director -

Madan Mohan Madan Mohan is a form of the Hindu god, Krishna. Krishna is celebrated as ''Madan Mohan'', who mesmerizes everyone. His consort, Radha is glorified as Madan Mohan's ''Mohini'', who can even mesmerise Madan Mohan (her Kahn). Radha is known as th ...

Singer -

Asha Bhosle Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the ...

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIZaLYIfPXg Tere Mere Sapne Ab Ek Rang Hain Film - Guide Year - 1965 Raga - Gara Tala - Dadra Music Director -

S.D. Burman Sachin Dev Burman (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. A member of the Tripura royal family, he started his career with Bengali films in 1937. He later began composing for Hindi movies and became one o ...

Singer -

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngch5NKgPh8 Jivan Mein Piya Tera Sath Rahe Film - Gunj Uthi Shehnai Year - 1959 Raga - Gara Tala - Kaherava Music Director -

Vasant Desai Vasant Desai (1912–1975) was an Indian film music composer, most remembered for his score in V. Shantaram films like ''Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje'' (1955), ''Do Aankhen Barah Haath'' (1957), Vijay Bhatt's ''Goonj Uthi Shehnai'' (1959), ''Sampoorn ...

Singers -

Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her cont ...

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10c6TeWZmVE Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalaath Pe Ronaa Aayaa Film - Hum Dono Year - 1961 Raga - Gara Tala - Dadra Music Director - Jaidev Singer -

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzpHlGxDzqE Mohe Panghat Pe Nandalal Ched Gayo Re Film -

Mughal-e-Azam ''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on ...

Year - 1960 Raga - Gara Tala - Dadra Music Director -

Naushad Naushad Ali (25 December 1919 – 5 May 2006) was an Indian music director for Hindi films. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and foremost music directors of the Hindi film industry. He is particularly known for popularising the ...

Singer -

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4y8tXUlJjA Unnai Kaanadhu naan Language - Tamil Movie -

Vishwaroopam ''Vishwaroopam'' (titled ''Vishwaroop'' in Hindi; ) is a 2013 Indian action spy film directed and produced by Kamal Haasan, who also enacts the lead role, and is written by Kamal Hassan, Chakri Toleti and Atul Tiwari. The film has Rahul Bose, ...

Raga - Gara Year - 2013 Composer -

Shankar Shankar may refer to: People * Shankar (name), including a list of people with the name * Sankar (writer) (Mani Shankar Mukherjee), Bengali writer * L. Shankar, Indian violinist *S. Shankar, Indian film director commonly credited as Shankar * San ...

Ehsaan ''Ehsaan'', a Pakistani Urdu black & white film, was another melodious presentation by Waheed Murad & Pervaiz Malik as a duo. The film is a melodious love story, starring Waheed Murad, Zeba, Nirala, Rozina Qureshi, Rozina, Azad and Ibrahim Nafe ...

- Loy Vocal -

Shankar Mahadevan Shankar Mahadevan (born 3 March 1967) is an Indian singer and composer who is part of the Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy trio that writes music for Indian films. Personal life and early career Shankar Mahadevan was born in Chembur, Mumbai into a Tami ...

Kamal Haasan Kamal Haasan (born 7 November 1954) is an Indian actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, playback singer, television presenter and politician who works mainly in Tamil cinema and has also appeared in some Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, Kannada and Bengali l ...

Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram "Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram" (also called Ram Dhun) is a bhajan (devotional song) widely popularised by Mahatma Gandhi and set to tune by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in Raga ''Mishra Gara''. History The precise origins of the song are not enti ...

Raga - Gara Composer -

Tulsidas Tulsidas (; born Rambola Dubey; also known as Goswami Tulsidas; c.1511pp. 23–34.–1623) was a Ramanandi Vaishnava Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. He wrote several popular works in Sanskrit and Awadhi, but ...

or Ramdas Tuned by -

Vishnu Digambar Paluskar Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (18 August 1872 – 21 August 1931) was a Hindustani musician. He sang the original version of the bhajan Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram, and founded the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya on 5 May 1901. He is also credited with ...

Popularised by

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

Chanthu Thottile Film -

Banaras Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic tra ...

Language - Malayalam Year - 2009 Raga - Mishra Gara with touches of

Malhar "Malhar" is a Hindustani classical raga. Malhar is associated with torrential rains. Besides the basic Shuddha Malhar, which was the original Malhar, several Malhar-related ragas use the Malhar signature phrase m (m)R (m)R P, including "Miyan ...

Composer -

M Jayachandran Madhusoodanan Jayachandran is an Indian composer, singer, and musician. He has won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director for a record number of nine times. In 2005, he also won the state award for best male singer. In 2015, he wo ...

Lyricist - Gireesh Puttenchery Vocal -

Shreya Ghoshal Shreya Ghoshal (born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer and television personality. One of the highest-paid and most well-established playback singers of Indian cinema, she has received four National Film Awards, four Kerala State Film Awar ...

References

{{Reflist Hindustani music

Composition

Songs in Raga Gara

See also

References