Khamaj

Khamaj (Devanagari ख़मज Arabic: کھماج‎) is one of the ten Thaats (parent scales) of Hindustani music. It is also a specific raga within the Khamaj thaat.

Many ghazals and thumris are based on Khamaj. It utilizes the shuddha (pure) form of Ni on the ascent, and the komala (flat) form of Ni on the descent, creating a key asymmetry in compositional and improvisational performance.

Khamaj Thaat

The parent-scale or Thaat of Khamaj, notated in sargam notation, has the following structure: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa. In Western terms, assuming the tonic (Sa) to be at C, the scale would be: C D E F G A B-flat C. Khamaj thaat is thus equivalent to the mixolydian mode in Western classical music.

The Carnatic music equivalent of the Khamaj Thaat is Harikambhoji, the 28th Melakarta raga.

Raga Khamaj

According to Prem Jialal Vasant, Raga Khamaj, the specific improvisational scale based on this mode, has the following structure:

Aroha (ascending structure)-S G M P D N S' Avroha-S'n D P M G R S ^[1]

If Sa is tuned to C, then this would translate as C B-flat A G F G A E F D C.

There is no universally-accepted pakad for Raga Khamaj, although some consider the phrases

This raga has been explored more in the lighter forms of Hindustani Classical Music such as Thumri, Tappa etc. Yet a few compositions in Dhrupad and Khayal are found as well.

Compositions in Raga Khamaj – In Dhrupad, Sadra, Khayal, Thumri & Tappa styles :

• Sudhi Bisara Gayi...(Sadra form – in 10 beat cycle of Jhaptala.Sung by Abdul Karim Khan of Kirana Gharana)
• Piya Tori Tirchhi Najar Laage Pyaari Re... (Bol Banav Ki Thumri form. Sung by Faiyaz Khan of Agra *Gharana)
• Koyaliyan Kuhuk/Kook Sunaave... (Khayal/Bandishi Thumri form – in 16 beat cycle of Teentala. Sung by Nisar Hussain Khan of Rampur Gharana, Ajay Chakravarti of Patiyala Gharana
• Shyaam Rang Daari... (Dhrupad form – in 14 beat cycle of Dhamar Tala. Sung by N. Zahiruddin Dagar & F. Wasfuddin Dagar)
• Sudh Naa Lini Jabse Gaye... (Dadra form – Sung by Faiyaz Khan of Agra Gharana and also Mentioned in Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande's Kramik Pustak Malika Vol. 2)

Hindi Film Songs based on Raga Khamaj :

• Bada natkhat hai...ka kare yashoda maiya – Amar Prem
• Ayo kahanse ghanashyam – Buddha Mil Gaya
• Vo na aenge palatkar – Devdaas
• A dilse dil mila le – Navrang
• Dhal chuki shame Gam – Kohinoor
• Khat likha de savariyake nam babu
• Mere to giridharagopala – Meera
• Tere bina sajna lage na jiya hamar – Aarti
• Tere mere milan ki raina - Abhimaan
• Khamaj - Fuzön sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali

The Narsinh Bhajan "Vaishnav jan to" is also based on Khamaj.
The Sargam Geet is as follows: set to teentaal, that is sixteen beats:

This is the Prelude to the Sargam Geet, the underscore signifies the avagraha i.e. prolongation of the previous note by one beat for one _ and
three beats in case of _ _ _

References

v t e Hindustani classical music Concepts Swara Shruti Raga Tala Laya Bandish Gharana Instruments Sitar Sarod Veena Bansuri Santoor Shehnai Sarangi Tambura Tabla Pakhavaj Genres Dhrupad Dhamar Khyal Tarana Sadra Semi-classical genres Thumri Dadra Tappa Kajari Chaiti Sawani Hori Bhajan Abhang Natyageet Qawwali Ghazal Thats Bilaval Khamaj Kafi Asavari Bhairav Bhairavi Todi Purvi Marwa Kalyan