A traditional and very popular raga, Bihaag is known for its well-defined features and expansive persona that also accommodates a vivaadi swara (dissonant note) as a beauty enhancer. Many believe that it was originated before 16th century.
Thhaat (parent scale)
Bilawal/Kalyan
Jaati:
Audav Sampoorna (five notes in ascent, seven notes in descent)
Vaadi:
Gandhar (G)
Samvaadi:
Nishad (N)
Swaras:
Omits Rishabh (R ) and Dhaivat (D) in the ascending order, employs a whiff of Teevra Madhyam (m) as a kan-swara (particle of a swara) in descending order, rest shuddh swaras.
Aaroh (ascent):
S G M P N S’ (Western Notes: C E F G B C)
Avaroh (descent)
S’N D P, m P, G M G, R S (Western Notes: C B A G, F# G, E F E, D C)
Key phrases:
N.S G M P, G M G, R S, P.N.S R N.S G, S G M P m G M G, G M P N D m P G M G, G M P N S’G’R’S’, R’N S’, N P, D m P, G M G, R N. S
Time:
Late Evening
Despite its heptatonic descent, the gliding presence of Rishabh (R ) and Dhaivat (D) is rather weak; so is the vivaadi Teevra Madhyam (m). And yet together they etch a distinct character of the raga which stands on its own in the company GMG swara-sangati (note-combination). This separates it from Bihaagda, Maru Bihaag etc. Its pleasing mood and uncumbersome gait attracts both – the artistes and their listeners.
Bibliography
1. Bhatkhande V.N. (1919-1937) ‘Kramik Pustak Malika Vol 1-6’
2. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Music of India
3. The Raga-ness of the Ragas by Deepak Raja
4. Abhinav Geetanjali by Pandit Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’
Links
1. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (vocal)
2. Pandit Ravi Shankar (sitar)
3. Vidushi Kishori Amonkar (vocal)
4. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod)
5. Ustad Rashid Khan (Bihag)
Purbayan Chatterjee & Rakesh Chaurasia perform Raag Bihaag at Darbar Festival 2022 with Satyajit Talkwalkar (tabla) and Patri Satish Kumar (mridangam).
Explore our Academy Courses
Explore all our live and on-demand music courses guided by world-class maestros. From beginners taking their first steps to advanced students refining their craft, our globally accessible platform empowers you to learn, grow, and connect deeply with the tradition of Indian classical music
Trending on YouTube
Visit our YouTube channel to see a huge range of our content archive