Raag Yaman, originally known as Raag Kalyan, was renamed during the Mughal era and is occasionally linked to Ameer Khusro, especially in its early forms that omitted Ni and teevra Ma. Today, it stands as a foundational raga in the Hindustani classical tradition—often among the first taught to students. Its graceful phrases and emphasis on mandra and madhya saptak make it ideal for detailed exploration, both vocally and instrumentally. Yaman’s expressive potential and improvisational richness have made it a favorite in khyal and instrumental genres. It is closely related to Yaman Kalyan, which incorporates occasional shuddha Ma, and shares lineage with numerous Kalyan- and Yaman-ang ragas such as Hameer Kalyan, Puriya Kalyan, and Khambavati.
Thhaat (parent scale)
Kalyan
Jaati:
Sampurna (all seven notes) in ascent and descent. Occasionally rendered in Audav–Sampurna, with five notes in ascent and seven in descent.
Vaadi:
Gandhar (G)
Samvaadi:
Nishabh (N)
Swaras:
Uses teevra Madhyam (M) and shuddh swaras; omits Pancham (P) in some phrases; all other notes are shuddh
Aaroh (ascent):
N R G M (tivra) P D N S’
Avaroh (descent):
S’ N D P G R S
Key phrases:
n R G / R G / n R S / P G R / n R S’
Time:
Late morning, noon-time
Raag Yaman is a heptatonic evening raga in Kalyan thaat, distinguished by its teevra Ma and graceful zig-zag phrases that traverse Ni, Re, and Ga. With a romantic yet meditative mood, it’s central to classical training and performance. Its melodic simplicity—matched with deep emotional scope—makes it a timeless staple, with hundreds of compositions and many stylistic branches.
Bibliography
1. Bhatkhande V.N. (1919-1937) ‘Kramik Pustak Malika Vol 1-6’
2. The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India
Audio Links:
- Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (flute)
- Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan (vocal)
- Pandit Venkatesh Kumar (vocal)
- Pandit V G Jog (violin)
- Kirit Singh & Jasdeep Singh (dhrupad vocals and jori)
Ustad Shahid Parvez plays Raag Yaman, alongside Ojas Adhiya (tabla) at Darbar Festival 2018.
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