A huge canvas offered by a pentatonic melody is quite common in raga music. Bhoopaali, an ancient and popular raga, is another such example. Mohanam in Carnatic stream is a similar raga but different treatments etch them differently.
Thhaat (parent scale)
Kalyan
Jaati:
Audav (5-notes in both ascent and descent)
Vaadi:
Gandhar (G)
Samvaadi:
Dhaivat (D)
Swaras:
Omits Madhyam (M) and Nishaad (N) completely, all shuddh swaras
Aaroh (ascent):
S R G P D S’ (Western Notes: C D E G A C)
Avaroh (descent)
S’ D P G R S (Western Notes: C A G E D C)
Key phrases:
S D.D.S, S R G, G R S D.S R G, P G D P G, G P D D S’, S’R’S’D S’, G’R’S’D, S’S’D P G R S D. S
Time:
Late Evening
Bhoopaali and Deshkaar share same notes; but the latter is a lively and uttaraang pradhaan (upper tetrachord dominated) raga while Bhoopaali’s brooding persona unfurls its beauty in lower registers. Almost all its notes seem to cling on. This trait makes the movement heavy and majestic and offers an introspective mood steeped in devotion.
Bibliography
1. Bhatkhande V.N. (1919-1937) ‘Kramik Pustak Malika Vol 1-6’
2. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Music of India
3. Abhinav Geetanjali by Pandit Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’
Links
1. Ustad Faiyaz Khan (vocal)
2. Ustad Bahauddin Dagar (rudra veena)
3. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (vocal)
4. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (flute)
5. Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty (vocal)
Manjusha Kulkarni-Patil (khayal vocal) performs Raag Bhoopali, accompanied by Rasika Valshampayan (tanpura) in West Bengal, India.
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