Khamaj () is one of the ten

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 scale because t ...

s (parent scales) of

Hindustani music 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 ...

from the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...

. It is also the name of a

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 ...

within this thaat. The Khamaj thaat can be obtained by replacing the Shuddha Nishad of Bilaval by Komal Nishad. The ragas of this thaat are full of Shringara Rasa (romantic) hence this raga is mostly rendered in the form of light classical

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 ...

tappa Tappa is a form of Indian semi-classical vocal music. Its specialty is a rolling pace based on fast, subtle and knotty construction. Its tunes are melodious and sweet, and depict the emotional outbursts of a lover. Tappe (plural) were sung mostly by ...

s, horis,

kajri Kajari is a folk song and dance genre of India. It is a Hindustani classical music genre, performed during the rainy season usually late June to September when lush greenery reappears and agricultural labor begins again. It is often used to de ...

s etc. Its pictorial descriptions in the existing texts are sensuous and even today, the raga

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 ...

is considered to be a 'flirtatious' raag. There is a theory which assumes that in the past, the Khamaj scale found its way in the Ch'in music of late medieval China.

Description

The parent-scale or Thaat of Khamaj, notated in sargam notation, has the following structure: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Sa'. In Western terms, assuming the tonic (Sa) to be at C, the scale would be: C D E F G A B-flat C. Khamaj thaat is thus equivalent to the

mixolydian Mixolydian mode may refer to one of three things: the name applied to one of the ancient Greek ''harmoniai'' or ''tonoi'', based on a particular octave species or scale; one of the medieval church modes; or a modern musical mode or diatonic scal ...

mode Mode ( la, modus meaning "manner, tune, measure, due measure, rhythm, melody") may refer to: Arts and entertainment * '' MO''D''E (magazine)'', a defunct U.S. women's fashion magazine * ''Mode'' magazine, a fictional fashion magazine which is ...

in Western classical music. The

Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...

equivalent of the Khamaj Thaat is '' Harikambhoji'', the 28th

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 generated. A ''melak ...

Ragas

Ragas in Khamaj thaat include: *

Rageshree Rageshree is a raga in Indian classical music, popular in both Carnatic music and Hindustani music. It is from the Khamaj thaat Khamaj () is one of the ten thaats (parent scales) of Hindustani music from the Indian subcontinent. It is also the ...

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 ...

* Desh * Sorath * Manj Khamaj *

Tilang Tilang is a raga in Indian classical music, that belongs to the Khamaj Thaat. Scale * Arohana (ascending scale): * Avarohana (descending scale): This raga has a Ni flat (ni komal) in the descent. Its defining characteristics are: PS' ...

Gara ''Gara'' (Basque: ''We Are'') is a bilingual (Basque/Spanish) newspaper published in the city of Donostia-San Sebastián in the Basque Autonomous Community. The newspaper's target market comprises the area of the Basque Country, but its cir ...

Tilak Kamod Tilak Kamod is a Hindustani classical raga. Origin The raga emerges from Khamaj thaat. Technical description The raga is of Shadava-Sampoorna nature, i.e., in its arohana (ascent) six notes are used (D is excluded), whereas the avarohana ( ...

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, ...

* Khambavati *

Kalavati Kalavati or Kalawati is a modern pentatonic Hindustani classical raga. Svaras Re (the second tone) and Ma (the fourth tone) are strictly omitted (Varjya/Varjit). Kalavati belongs to the Khamaj Thaat. Aroha and avaroha Ārohana S G P D n S' ...

* Khokar * Khamboji * Champak * Deepak * Gavati * Janasammohini

References

{{reflist 2. https://www.parrikar.org/hindustani/khamaj/ Hindustani music theory