Definition of a "RAAG"

There are a lot of people these days who have jumped on to the “great Indian culture” bandwagon, but sadly, there are not many, or not enough, who devote much time to this phenomenal idea, the idea of Raga. Ragas are based on those other phenomenal things-swaras (inadequately translated as notes).

Indian classical music is sometimes referred to as Raga Music.

There is no English word that properly explains the meaning the of Raga.

Raga is a Sanskrit word, that literally means “colour” or “passion.” Ragas are meant to colour the mind with emotion.

Ragas are referred to as Raag in the North and Ragam in the South. However, all three words, i.e. Raga, Raag and Ragam are understood both in the North and the South.

Ragas are made up of notes or swaras. As noted in the previous posts, there are seven basic notes (Sa, Re( or Ri), Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni) known as the saptak or the saptaswaras. Sa is repeated at the end of the scale and is higher in pitch, the exact double of the first Sa. [This higher Sa will be referred to with quotation marks in front of it like this: S"]

Remember there are also “in-between notes” known as semi-tones and microtones (srutis), which are varieties of the seven main notes/tones.

Shadja, or Sa for short, is the swara that is always present in every Raga. It is the fundamental note and all the other notes are relative to it.

Traditionally, it has been accepted that a Raga has to have a minimum of 5 swaras. However, Ragas with fewer notes have been invented/discovered. The contemporary singer and composer Dr. Balamuralikrishna is famous for his Raga creations that have only three or four notes.

The reason why Indian Raga music sounds the way it does is because of the special treatment that is given to the seven notes and the use of microtones. The microtones are touched upon by using various techniques to ornament the notes, known as “gamaka,” “meend” etc.

Learning where to stress a note, where to ornament it, which one to give importance to, and which one needs to be gently caressed with a feather, so as to just give a hint of it, are things that can only be learned from a teacher and through a lot of listening.

A demonstration of some of what has been discussed above is provided in some enjoyable videos by Rama Varma, who discusses the Raga Shankarabharnam, a major raga of Carnatic music. He uses the word “gamakam” which refers to note ornamentation in Carnatic music.

Though different types of gamakas/gamakams are used in Carnatic and Hindustani music, what Rama Varma says is useful in understanding how notes can be differently ornamented and stressed in Ragas in general. A gamakam is also sometimes said to be an “oscillation” of a note.