Raag Explorer

Vakra sampoorna raag of the Asavari thaat (Carnatic parallel Natabhairavi, mela 20). Uses both rishabh and both gandhar; shuddha Dha appears in the ascending turn (P d P D n S) and the descent uses M g r g r S. Meend P->g and r->g; oscillated komal Ga and Dha. Late morning raag, sung 10 a.m.-1 p.m., pensive and serious.

No Pa or Ni. Bright yet tender.

Fast Kanada-family raag; Dha is weak, Ga appears only in descent.

Bhairav ascent with a Kafi-like descent. Early morning.

Parent shuddha scale; komal ni touched in descent. Morning raag.

Shuddha Re Asavari; Ga and Ni omitted in ascent. Late morning.

Pa is largely avoided. Late night, longing mood.

Only five notes; austere and meditative. Very early morning.

Spring raag; ascent leaps to komal Dha and drops to komal Re.

Bhairav's lower half with Bhairavi's upper half.

Komal Re and Dha are sung with a slow oscillation. Dawn raag.

All four komal swaras; concluding raag of a concert.

Re and Dha omitted in ascent. Afternoon raag, plaintive.

Also called Kaunsi Kanada's cousin; no Re or Pa, shuddha Ni.

Audava (5-note) raag, no Ma or Ni. Serene, early night.

Audava Bhairav-family raag; no Ma or Ni. Dawn.

Re and Dha omitted in ascent; teevra Ma used as an ornament.

Bhairavi-based Todi; shuddha Ma, komal Ni.

Malkauns with shuddha Ni. Late night.

Shuddha lower tetrachord with a komal upper one. Borrowed from Carnatic.

Uses both Ma; broad, majestic phrases.

Grave, majestic Kanada with an oscillated komal ga. Late night.

Both Nis; monsoon raag, light and sweet.

Same notes as Bhupali but weighted on the upper tetrachord. Morning raag.

Asavari-family morning raag with a Bilawal-like ascent flavour.

Audava raag without Ga and Ni. Peaceful, devotional.

Zigzag (vakra) raag using both Madhyams.

Only five notes; no Ga or Pa despite the name.

Todi without Pa; austere and intense.

Bhairav-family morning raag; Ga and Ni omitted in ascent.

Both Madhyams; Dha is strongly emphasised. Royal, festive.

Auspicious audava raag, often opens a concert.

Audava raag without Re and Pa. Teevra Ma.

Uses both Ga and both Ni; Dwijavanti's Hindustani cousin.

Asavari with komal ga present in ascent-adjacent phrases.

Light, folk-flavoured raag of the Khamaj family.

Uses both shuddha and komal Ga; robust, late night.

Parent Kafi scale; soft, romantic, used in thumri and holi songs.

Light Bhairav-family raag with a faster, lilting gait.

Both Ma; Ga is skipped in ascent. Zigzag movement.

Uses both shuddha and teevra Ma; Ga is skipped in ascent.

Re omitted in ascent; komal ni in descent. Thumri and light classical.

Harmonic-minor scale; borrowed from Carnatic music.

Asavari sung with komal Re; deeply plaintive.

Uses both Madhyams side by side and omits Pa entirely. Dawn.

Komal Ga with teevra Ma and shuddha Re/Dha. Late afternoon.

Bageshri-like ascent with a Rageshree-flavoured descent; both Gas.

No Re or Pa. Deep, meditative, late night.

Bihag-like with teevra Ma prominent.

Sa is nearly absent; unsettled, twilight raag.

Monsoon raag; no Ga or Dha, komal ni only.

Signature phrase pairs komal ga with both Nis. Monsoon.

Sarang with both Nis and a heavier, slower treatment.

The classic Todi: komal Re, Ga, Dha with teevra Ma. Morning.

Todi notes with Re and Dha omitted in ascent. Afternoon.

Also called Anandi Kalyan. Both Ma, curved phrases.

Bhairav with shuddha Re. Morning.

Kanada family; no Dha, characteristic g M R S.

Kafi with shuddha Ni. Afternoon, melancholic.

Same notes as Marwa, but Ga and Ni carry the weight. Evening.

Same notes as Purvi but Pa-centred with Puriya-like phrasing.

Both Madhyams may appear; sunset raag, serious and rich.

Pa is omitted. Late night, serene.

Brilliant, festive raag; Ma is omitted. Late night.

Audava raag with komal Ga; no Ma or Ni. Pathos.

Re and Pa dominate; Ga and Dha are weak and skipped. Sunset.

Bhupali in ascent, Kalyan in descent.

Sarang family with both Ma; no Ga, shuddha Ni only.

Marwa-family raag centred in the upper octave; Pa absent.

Playful raag ending on the characteristic phrase P N S R G S.

No Re or Dha; both Nis. Light and cheerful.

Only Re, Ma, Pa and both Nis; no Ga or Dha. Midday raag.

Teevra Ma throughout; romantic and devotional. Early night raag.

Yaman with an occasional shuddha Ma in descent.