Supposedly a blend of ragas Chhaaya and Nat, this popular and beautiful raga stands on its own. Both Chhaaya and Nat are out of circulation now although their ang-s (features) are visible in several ragas such as Chhaayaanat, Hem-Chhaaya or Nat-Bihaag, Nat Bhairav etc. There is a Chhaayaanat in Carnatic stream as well, but apart from the same name there is no similarity between the two.
Thhaat (parent scale)
Bilaawal; Kalyan according to some musicians
Jaati:
Sampoorn (heptatonic in ascent and descent)
Vaadi:
Pancham (P)
Samvaadi:
Rishabh (R)
Swaras:
Applies both Madhyams (M and m) and both Nishaads (N and n), rest of the shuddh swaras arranged in a distinctly different design
Aaroh (ascent):
S, R G M n D P, N D N S’ (Western Notes: C, D E F, A# A G, B A B C’)
Avaroh (descent)
S’ N D P m P, P R, G M P, M G M R S (Western Notes: C’ B A G F# G, G D, E F G, F E F D C)
Key phrases:
S D.P., P.R, G M P, M G M R S, S R, R G, G M P, R G M n D P, P S’, S’R’S’, S’D P, P D m P, P R, R G M P, M G M R S
Time:
Evening
It applies the same notes as in Hameer, Kedaar and Kaamod; and yet maintains its identity very distinctly. The raga employs Shuddh Madhyam (M) in both ascent and descent and sparingly touches Teevra Madhyam (m) in a specially crafted phrase in the descent only. Shuddh Nishaad (N) is vakra (deviated) in the aaroh (ascent) while Gandhaar (G) enjoys a detour in the avaroh (descent). Komal Nishaad (n) is a vivaadi swara (dissonant note) and yet beautifies the raga with its sparsely touched appearance in the ascent. The curious glide from Pancham to Rishabh (P-R) is its emphatic signature. All these designs give it a playful character.
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’
1. Pandit D V Paluskar (vocal)
2. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod)
3. Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan (vocal)
4. Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan (sitar)
5. Pandits Rajan & Sajan Mishra (vocal)
6. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (vocal)
Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar performs Raag Chhaayaanat.
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