Bilahari

Bilahari is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is basically a raga of Bengal. It is a janya rāgam (derived scale) from the 29th melakarta scale Sankarabharanam. 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 Sankarabharanam.[1] It is a morning rāgam.[1][2]

Bilahari
ArohanamS R₂ G₃ P D₂ Ṡ
AvarohanamṠ N₃ D₂ P M₁ G₃ R₂ S

Carnatic music
Tanjavur-style Tambura
Concepts
Compositions
Instruments
Melody
Sarasvati Vīṇa
Veṇu
Nāgasvaraṃ
Gottuvadhyam (Citra Vīṇa)
Violin
Percussion
Mr̥daṅgaṃ
Ghatam
Morsing
Kanjira
Thavil
Drone
Tambura
Shruti box

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 Sankarabharanam 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 kakali 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]

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

  • Na jeevadhara, Dorakuna ituvanti and Kanukontini composed by Tyagaraja
  • Sri Balasubramanya by Muthuswami Dikshitar
  • Smara Sada, Aaradhayami, Gopalam Seveham, Pahi Padmanabha, Jaya Suganalaya, Pahi Sarasanabha, Santhatham Bhajami and Vimukhava Tava by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
  • Parithana michite by Patnam Subramania Iyer
  • Sri Chamundeshwari by Mysore Vasudevacharya
  • Anaamilo mahaboob is a Khayal in Hindi by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
  • Puraya Mama Kamam is a Tharangam by Narayana Teertha
  • "Raa ra venu gopala" a famous Swarajathi was composed in Bilahari
  • Rabindranath Tagore has composed 'Ami Marer Sagor Pari Debo' In Raga Bilahari.
  • " Intha Chouka" is a varnam composed by Veenai Kuppaiyer

Film songs

Language:Tamil
Song Movie Composer Singer
Unnaikkandu Naanada Kalyana Parisu A. M. Rajah P. Susheela
Orumaiyudan Ninathu Thirumalaradi Konjum Salangai S. M. Subbaiah Naidu Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi
Kondaliley Megam Bala Nagamma Illayaraja K.J. Yesudas
Nee ondruthan Unnal Mudiyum Thambi
Maaman Veedu Ellam Inba Mayyam Malaysia Vasudevan
Netru illatha matram Pudhiya Mugam A. R. Rahman Sujatha Mohan
Omana Penne Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa Benny Dayal, Kalyani Menon
Poo Pookum Osai(Khamboji ragam also) Minsara Kanavu Sujatha Mohan
Pookkale Satru Oyevidungal I Haricharan, Shreya Ghoshal
Kadhal Anukkal Enthiran Vijay Prakash, Shreya Ghoshal
Vaanga Makka Vaanga Kaaviya Thalaivan Haricharan,Dr. Narayanan
Vaan Engum Nee Minna Endrendrum Punnagai Harris Jeyaraj Aalap Raju, Harini, Devan, Praveen
Then Kathu Gethu Haricharan, Shashaa Tirupati
Kanna Nee Thoongadaa Baahubali 2: The Conclusion M. M. Keeravani Nayana Nair

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

Scale similarities
  • Mohanam has a symmetric pentatonic scale, with the notes same as the ascending scale of Bilahari. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S
  • Mohanakalyani is a rāgam which has the prati madhyamam in descending scale (descending scale of Kalyani) in place of the shuddha madhyamam. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S N3 D2 P M2 G3 R2 S
  • Garudadhvani is a rāgam which has the ascending and descending scales interchanged, in comparison with Bilahari. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S

Desakshi is a raga which is similar to Bilahari. The arohana remains the same, while the sampoorna avarohana has Kaishiki Nishada in place of Kakali Nishada.

Notes
  1. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: S R G P D Ṡ
    • Western: C D E G A C
  2. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: Ṡ N D P M G R S
    • Western: C B A G F E D C
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References
  1. Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
  2. Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
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