Stringer Soul: Raaga in Indian Classical Music

Raaga in Indian Classical Music

The Indian Classical music mainly consists of Raaga. The system in Indian music is known as Raaga Sangeetha which can be traced back nearly two thousand years back in the Vedic scripture of SAAMAVEDA.

Indian Classical Music is religious kind and is spiritual discipline on path of self-realization.

Raaga cannot be explained in few words, it should be experienced.

A raga is a scientific, precise, subtle and aesthetic melodic form with its own peculiar ascending and descending movement consisting of either a full seven note octave, or a series of six or five notes (or a combination of any of these) in a rising or falling structure called the Arohana and Avarohana.

The performing arts in India - music, dance, drama, and poetry - are based on the concept of Nava Rasa, or the "nine sentiments." Literally, rasa means "juice" or "extract" but here in this context, we take it to mean "emotion" or "sentiment." The acknowledged order of these sentiments is as follows: Shringara (romantic and erotic): Hasya (humorous): Karuna (pathetic): Raudra (anger): Veera (heroic): Bhayanaka (fearful): Vibhatsa (disgustful): Adbhuta (amazement): Shanta (peaceful).

Each raga is dominated by navarasa.

There are different raagas for early morning, afternoon, evening, night .

There are 72 melakarta raaga from which more than 2000 raagas have been derived.

Here is the chart of all 72 melakarta raaga.