Another popular variant of Raga Bihag, This is also known as Bihag Nat. This is a compound raga, blending Nat and Bihag.
Thhaat (parent scale)
Bilawal
Jaati:
Shadav Sampoorna (six notes in ascent, seven notes in descent)
Vaadi:
Pancham (P)
Samvaadi:
Shadja (S)
Swaras:
Deviously used Komal Nishad (n), rest Shuddh Swaras
Aaroh (ascent):
S R G M P, P N N S’ (Western notation: C D E F G, G B B C)
Avaroh (descent)
S’N D P, G M n D P M G P M G R S (Western notation: C B A G, E F A# A G F E G F E D S)
Key phrases:
S R S, S R G, G M P M G, G M n D P , G M P N N S’, S’R’ N S’N D P, G M n D P, P M G, R G M P, M G R S
Time:
Evening
This raga has the Nat anga in the poorvang (lower tetra-chord) and Bihag anga in uttaranga (upper tetra-chord). This is a favourite of Agra Gharana musicians and hugely popularized by Ustad Faiyaz Khan. Some musicians employ Teevra Madhyam (m) to enhance its beauty. But usually this is an exception.
Bibliography
1. Bhatkhande V.N. (1919-1937) ‘Kramik Pustak Malika Vol 1-6’
2. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Music of India
Links
1. Ustad Faiyaz Khan (vocal)
2. Pandit Kumar Gandharva (vocal)
3. Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar (vocal)
4. Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur (vocal)
Agra gharana vocalist Ustad Waseem Ahmed Khan presents Raag Nat Bihag, accompanied by Vishwanath Shirodkar on tabla and Seema Shirodkar on harmonium.
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