Shankara, son of Raag Megh.
Early 17th century, provincial Mughal
Courtesy and (c) Matthew Hollow Photography

Varval, son of Raag Malkauns.
Late 17 century, Nûrpur (Hill school: Himachal Pradesh)

While the list of ThaaTs is comprehensive, the list of raags is not. Additional information may please be sent as messages to the Facebook community, Indpaedia.com. All information used will be gratefully acknowledged in your name.

A pronunciation guide

Indians, indeed, South Asians, need not read this guide. They will immediately guess our system, even if they do not know Hindi-Urdu,

For others:

Diacritical marks above vowels double their sound.

A diacritical mark above an ‘ñ’ makes it a nasalised, ‘half’ n as in soNg, briNg, bruNt, caN’t, loNg, ENglish etc.

Capital T and D mean that the T and D are hard, as in the English language.

The capital N denotes a hard n, which non-Indians might find cumbersome. They can stick to the normal n.

Small t and d indicate the soft t and d of Spanish, French and Italian. The d sound is close to the English th (as in THere, THis, THat etc.)

An accentuated é should be pronounced as in French.

The ThaaTs and their raags

Bilãwal

S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S

Kakubh, the little feminine raag.
Late 18th century, Hyderabad (Deccan School)

Notes (swar) used: shuddha (i.e. all swar of the natural scale)

Shown in paintings as: sensuous

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called बिलावल (Bilãwal)

अल्हैया बिलावल	alhaiyã bilãwal	Morning
बिलावल शुद्ध	bilãwal shuddh	Morning
देशकार	désh kãr	Morning
देवगिरी बिलावल	dév-girî bilãwal
दुर्गा	durgã	Night
हंसध्वनी	hañsdhwani	Evening
हेमकल्याण	hém kalyãN
ककुभ	kakubh
लच्छासाख	lachchhã sãkh
मलुहा	malûhã
मांड	mãñD	All day
नट बिलावल	naT bilãwal
नट राग	naT rãg
पहाड़ी	pahãrhî	Evening
सरपर्दा	sar pardã
शंकरा	shañkarã	Evening
शुक्लबिलावल	shukl bilãwal
विहाग	vihãg
यमनी	yamanî

Khamãj

S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S

Notes (swar) used: The notes of Bilawal, with Komal Nishad instead of Shuddha Nishad.

Mood/ flavour (ras): shriñgãr ras (amorous/ love)

Kinds of music used in: light classical (horî, kajrî, Tappâ, Thumrî)

Shown in paintings as: sensuous, romantic, playful

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called खमाज (khamãj)

The a in dvitîya is almost silent

	bhinn shãdjã	Night
देस, देश	dés (sometimes dés[h])	Evening
दुर्गा द्वितीय	durgã dvitîya
गारा	gãrã
गोरख कल्याण	gorakh kalyãN	Night
जयजयवन्ती	jaijaivañtî	Night
झिंझोटी	jhiñjhoTi	Night
कलावती	kalãvati	Night
खमाज	khamãj	Evening
खम्बावती, खंबावती	khambãvatî
रागेश्री, रागेश्वरी	rãgéshrî (sometimes rãgéshwarî)	Night
सोरठ	soraTh
तिलक कामोद	tilak kãmod	Night
तिलंग	tilãng	Evening

Kãfî

S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S

Dhanashri, the little feminine raag.
Late 17th century, Rajasthan

Notes (swar) used: The notes of Khamaj Thaat + Komal Gãñdhãr

The ‘f’ sound does not exist in Hindi or most Indian languages. They have the ‘ph’ sound instead. Thus, the Hindi word for ‘successful’ is ‘saphal’ and not ‘safal,’ as is almost invariably assumed. For the same reason, you will find some scholarly sites that use the transliteration kãphî (for काफी) instead. It is a mediæval rãg. By then the ‘f’ sound had reached India with the Persian language. Therefore, unless an authority tells us why not, Indpaedia will continue to use the popular pronunciation, which is kãfî. (We repeat: just because safal is the popular pronunciation it does not become correct.)

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called काफ़ी (kãfî):

बागेश्री, बागेश्वरी	bãgéshrî (sometimes bãgéshwarî)	Night
बहार	bahãr	Night
बड़हंससारंग	barh-hañs sãrañg
भीमपलासी	bhîm-palâsi	Afternoon
देव साख	dév-sãkh
धनाश्री	dhanãshrî
धानी	dhãnî	All day
गौड मल्हार, गौड़मल्लार	gaurh malhãr (colloquial: mallãr)	The monsoons
हंसकिंकिणी, हंसकंकणी	hañs-kiñkiNî (colloquial: hañs-kañkaNî)
काफी, काफ़ी	kãphî, kãfî	All day (Best: Late evening)
मध्यमादि सारंग	madhyamãdi-sãrañg	Afternoon
मालगुंजी	mãlguñjî	Night
मल्हार, मल्लार	malhãr (colloquial: mallãr)	Night
मेघ	mégh
मियाँ की मल्हार/ मल्लार	miyãñ kî malhãr	The monsoons
मियाँ की सारंग	miyãñ kî sãrañg
नायकी कान्हड़ा, नायकी कन्ह्डा	nãyakî-kãnharhã (or nãyakî-kanharhã)
पटदीप	paT-dîp	Afternoon
पटमंजरी	paT-mañjarî
पीलू	pilû	All day
सैंधवी	saiñdhvî
सामंतसारंग	sãmañt sãrañg
शहाना	shahãnã
शिवरंजनी	shivrañjini	Night
शुद्ध मल्हार/ मल्लार	shuddh malhãr
शुद्ध सारंग	shuddh sãrañg
सिन्धुरा, सिंदूरा	siñdhûrã, siñdûrã
सुघराई	sughrãî
सूहा	sûhã
सूर मल्हार, सूरमल्लार	sur malhãr
वृन्दावनी सारंग	vriñdãvanî sãrañg

Ãsãvarî

S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S

Asavari: an early 17th century depiction

Asavari: mid 18th century, but the depiction of the raag remains the same: a woman sits under a tree, with snakes.

Notes (swar) used: The notes of Kafi + Komal Dhaivat

Mood: austere, ascetic, renunciatory.

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called आसावरी (ãsãvarî)

अडाणा	aDãNã	Evening/ night
आसावरो	ãsãvarî	Late morning
दरबारी कान्हड़ा	darbãrî kãnharhã	Evening/ night
देसी	désî	Morning
देव गन्धार	dév gañdhãr
जौनपुरी	jaun-purî	Morning
कौशिक कान्हड़ा	kaushik kãnharhã
नायकी द्वितीय	nãyakî dvitîya
षट्राग	shaT-rãg
सिंधुभैरवी	siñdhu bhairavi

Bhairavî

S-r-g-m-P-d-n-S

Raag Bhairav: a 16th century painting

Notes (swar) used: All the komal swars, dhaivat (A), gandhar (E), nishad (B), rishabh (D). All 12 notes are used in compositions in Bhairavi.

‘Gender’: Feminine

Mood: Solemn.

Shown in paintings as: Feminine, as the divine wife of Bhairav (Lord Shiv).

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called भैरवी (bhairavî)

भैरवी	bhairavî	All day
भूपाल तोडी	bhûpãl toDî, bhûpãlî toDî	Morning
बिलासखानी तोड़ी	bilãskhãnî torhî (toDî)	Morning
धनाश्री	dhanãshrî
कौसी कान्ह्डा	kauñsî kãnharhã; kausî…
मालकौंस	mãlkauñs	Night
मालकौंस पंचम	mãlkauñs pañcham	Night

Bhairav

S-r-G-m-P-d-N-S

Raag Bhairav
Late 17 century, Nûrpur (Hill school: Himachal Pradesh)

Notes (swar) used: Komal Rishabh and Komal Dhaivat

Gender: masculine

Shown in paintings as: Ascetic, overwhelming

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called भैरव (bhairav)

अहीर भैरव	ahîr bhairav	Morning
आनंद भैरव	ãnañd bhairav
बैरागी भैरव	bairãgi bhairav	Morning
बंगाल भैरव	bañgãl bhairav
भैरव	bhairav	Morning (see variations)
गुणकली	guN-kalî	Morning
जोगिया	jogiyã	Morning
कालिंगड़ा	kãliñgrhã	Morning
मेघरंजनी	mégh-rañjani
नट भैरव	naT bhairav	Morning
प्रभात	prabhãt
रामकली	rãm-kali
सौराष्ट्रटंक	saurãshTr-Tañk
शिवभैरव	shiv bhairav
विभाग	vibhãg

Some variants of Raag Bhairav: ahîr bhairav, alam bhairav, ãñañd bhairav, bairãgî bhairav, beehad bhairav, bhavmat bhairav, dévatã bhairav, gaurî bhairav, naT bhairav, shivmat bhairav.

Kalyãn

S-R-G-M-P-D-N-S

Raag Hindol
Late 16th century

Bhãskar, the son of Raag Hindol.
Early 18th century, Chamba (Hill school: Himachal Pradesh)
Courtesy and (c) Matthew Hollow Photography

Vinod, the son of Raag Hindol.
Early 17th century, Deccan
Courtesy and (c) Matthew Hollow Photography

Distinguishing swar: teevr madhyam. (Indeed, it is teevr madhyam that differentiates evening/ night raags from dawn and sunset raags.

Mood: Feel-good

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called कल्याण (kalyãN)

भूपाली	bhûpãlî	Evening
बिहाग	bihãg	Night
केदार	chãñdnî kédãr	Night
चन्द्रकान्त	chañdr-kãñt
छाया-नट	chhãyã-naT	Night
गौड़ सारंग	gaurh sãrañg	Afternoon
हमीर	hamîr	Night
हिन्डोल	hiñDol	Morning
जयतकल्याण	jayat kalyãN
कामोद	kãmod	Evening
केदार	kédãr	Night
मालश्री	mãl-shree
मारू बिहाग	mãru bihãg	Evening
नंद	nañd	Night
श्याम कल्याण	shãm kalyãN	Evening
शुद्ध कल्याण	shuddh kalyãN	Evening
शुद्ध सारंग	shuddh sãrañg	Afternoon
श्याम	shyãm
यमन	yaman	Evening
यमन कल्याण	yaman kalyãN	Evening

Variations include: ãñañdî kalyãN, khém kalyãN, savani kalyãN.

Mãrwã

S-r-G-M-P-D-N-S

Pancham, son of Raag Bhairav.
Late 17th century, Basohli (Hill school: Jammu and Kashmir)
Courtesy and (c) Matthew Hollow Photography

Notes (swar) used: kalyãN Thaat plus komal rishabh.

Mood: Dusk. The end of the day, the coming of the night.

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called मारवा (mãrwã)

भंखार	bhañkhãr	Morning
भटियार	bhaTiyãr	Morning
जैत	jait
ललित	laliT	Morning
मालीगौरा	mãlîgaurã
मारवा	mãrwã	Afternoon
पंचम	pañcham
पूरिया	pûriyã	Evening
साजगिरी	sãjgirî
सोहनी	sohinî	Morning
वराटी	varãTî
विभास	vibhãs; bibhãs	Morning

Poorvi

S-r-G-M-P-d-N-S

Varari, the little feminine raag.
17th century

Notes (swar) used: mãrwã Thaat plus komal dhaivat.

Mood: Serious

Shown in paintings as: graceful.

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called पूर्वी (pûrvî):

बसन्त	basañt	Night
गौरी (भैरव अंग)	gaurî
जेतश्री	jét-shrî
मालश्री	mãl-shrî
परज	paraj
पुरिया धनाश्री, पूर्याधनाश्री	pûriyã-dhanãshrî	Evening
पूर्वी	pûrvî	Afternoon
श्रीराग	shrî-rãg	Afternoon
टंकी	Tañkî
त्रिवेणी	trivéNî

ToDî

S-r-g-M-P-d-N-S

The raag Todi is depicted in this Rajasthani miniature painting (13 cm X 18 cm.), as it almost invariably is in Indian art: A young woman with a veena (musical instrument), a deer near her, and a forest or at least a tree close at hand. Such sets of ‘frozen music’ (raags depicted in paintings) are called the rãg-mãlã (Ragamala: the necklace of raags) series

Mood: Serene, sylvan, musical.

Some raags in the ठाट (ThãT) called तोड़ी (torhî is invariably spelt toDî, therefore, Indpaedia has succumbed)

गुजरी तोडी	gujari todi; gurjari toDî	Morning
मधुवन्ती	madhuvañti	Afternoon
मियाँ की तोडी	miyãñ ki todi,
मुलतानी	multãnî	Afternoon
तोड़ी	toDî (14 varieties)	Morning

Other Raags

अभोगी कान्ह्डा	abhogî kãnharhã
बैरागी तोडी	bairãgi toDî
बसन्त मुखारी	basañt mukhãrî	Morning
भीम	bhîm
चन्द्रकौन्स	chañdr-kauñs	Night
चारुकेशी	chãrûkéshi
गोपिका बसन्त	basañt
हरिकौन्स	hari-kauñs
हेमश्री	hém-shrî
जलधर केदार	jal-dhar kédãr
	jan-sammohini
जोगेश्वरी	jogéshwarî
कौशिक ध्वनी	kaushik dhwanî
कीरवाणी	kîrwãNî	Night
कोमल-रिषभ आसावरी	komal rishabh ãsãvarî
लंका-दहन सारंग	lañkã-dahan sãrañg
मधुमाद सारंग	madhu-mãd sãrañg
मोहन कौन्स	mohan-kauñs
नारायणी	nãrãyaNî
परमेश्वरी	parméshwarî
पटदीपकी	paT-dîpakî
पुरिया कल्याण	puriyã kalyãN
सरस्वती	saraswatî
सरस्वती केदार	saraswatî kédãr
शहाना कन्ह्डा	shahãnã kanharhã
शोभावरी	shobhã-varî
सुहासुघराई	sûhã sughrãî
सुन्दर कौन्स	suñdar kauñs
तिलंग बहार	tilãng bahãr
वाचस्पती	vãchaspati

Why this page?

This page was created in order to give laymen just the names and correct pronunciations of the Ten Thaats and the important raags/ ragas. (However, as the page grows it will have other information as well. It already does.)

Why should Indians, especially those who can read Hindi in Devanagari, need pronunciation guides to their own raags/ ragas?

Because of all the inaccurate information available in print and on the internet. Because of spellings like सिंदूरा (instead of सिन्धुरा), हिंदोल (instead of हिन्डोल), हामीर (instead of हमीर), जेजैवंती (instead of जयजयवन्ती or जैजैवंती; our problem is with the first जे, which should have been a जै), वसंत (instead of बसन्त), हंसकंकणी (instead of हंसकिंकिणी), मल्लार (instead of मल्हार), ललिट and Lalat (instead of ललित and Lalit), जैनपुरी (instead of जौनपुरी), र्गाधार (instead of गन्धार), देश (instead of देस), haunsdhwani (instead of hañsdhwani), रागेश्वरी (instead of रागेश्री) and बागेश्वरी (instead of बागेश्री). All these mistakes have been made by scholarly publications.

This tends to confuse even those who know the basics of Hindustani classical music.

Hence Indpaedia volunteers, who are not experts either, have constructed this page to the best of their ability. Please guide them through messages sent to the Facebook community, Indpaedia.com.

Raags/ ragas and Thaats: Hindustani

Contents

A pronunciation guide

The ThaaTs and their raags

Bilãwal

Khamãj

Kãfî

Ãsãvarî

Bhairavî

Bhairav

Kalyãn

Mãrwã

Poorvi

ToDî

Other Raags

Why this page?

See also

...and also, for Hindi film songs

For lists of popular songs

Personal tools

Namespaces

Variants

Views

Actions

Search

Navigation

Toolbox

Translate