Bilahari

Bilahari is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a janya rāgam (derived scale) from the 29th melakarta scale Shankarabharanam. It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes) in the ascending scale. It is a combination of the pentatonic scale Mohanam and the sampurna raga scale Shankarabharanam.[1] It is a morning rāgam.[1][2]

Structure and Lakshana

Ascending scale with shadjam at C, which is same as Mohanam scale
Descending scale with shadjam at C, which is same as Shankarabharanam scale

Bilahari is an asymmetric rāgam that does not contain madhyamam or nishādham in the ascending scale. It is an audava-sampurna rāgam (or owdava rāgam, meaning pentatonic ascending scale).[1][2] Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows:

The notes used in this scale are shadjam, chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandhara, panchamam and chathusruthi dhaivatham in ascending scale, with kakali nishadham and shuddha madhyamam included in descending scale. For the details of the notations and terms, see swaras in Carnatic music.

This rāgam also uses kaisiki nishadham (N2) as an external note (anya swara) in the descending scale. Hence it is considered a bhashanga rāgam, a scale with notes external to the parent scale.[1][2]

Popular Compositions

There are many compositions set to Bilahari rāgam. Here are some popular kritis composed in Bilahari.

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.

Scale similarities

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras