Ahir Bhairav

For the Assamese language film, see Ahir Bhairav (film).

Ahir Bhairav is a Hindustani classical raga. It is a mixture of Bhairav and the ancient but now rare raga Ahiri or Abhiri,[1] or perhaps a mixture of Bhairav and Kafi.[2]

Theory

Arohana and avarohana

Arohana

S r G m P D n S'

Avarohana

S' n D P m G r S

Key:
S, R, G, m, P, D: shuddha (natural);
r, g, d, n : komal (flat);
M: teevra (sharp)

Pa and Sa are sometimes avoided in ascending [Arohan].. The descend can be direct, but is often expressed as S' n D P m, G m Gr ~ S with a slight oscillation on komal re to express the character of Bhairav [1]

Vadi and samavadi

Vadi
ma
Samavadi
Sa
But Ga, Pa and Dha

Pakad or Chalan

S, r G m, G m r, ṇ Ḍ, ṇ r S

| komal Ni, shuddha Dha, komal Ni, komal Re, Sa | is the most characteristic run, where the Ni and Dha belong to the lower octave and the Re and Sa are from the middle octave. There is typically some andolan/oscillation at the flattened second (komal Re).

Organization and relationships

Also there may be impressions of Kafi, the image of Ahir Bhairav is easily maintained with the characteristic passage ṇ Ḍ ṇ/r~ S [1] Specially the characteristic Bhairav andolan (oscillation) on komal re. Sometimes shuddha Ni is used in the lower octave to emphazise the Bhairav character.[3]

The Carnatic music equivalent to this raga is Chakravakam.

Behavior

Ahir Bhairav is typical uttarang raga, which means emphasis is on the upper tetrachord.

Samay (Time)

The second Prahr of the morning, around 6 - 9 AM.

Historical Information

Important Recordings

Nikhil Banerjee, Raga Ahir Bhairav. Multitone Records, UK Limited, 1995. LP. (Available on iTunes.)

Ravi Shankar, Three Classical Ragas. HMV, 1957. LP.

Wasif-ud-din Dagar, Chalo sakhi braj raje. Alap and Composition in Dhamar. Music Today. A97015. Cassette.[4]

Film Songs based on Ahir bhairav

Carnatic music

Chakravakam, the 16th Melakarta raga of Carnatic music, which is a sampurna scale (all seven notes in ascending and descending scale), closely resembles Ahir Bhairav.[5] However, in the modern times Ahir Bhairav raga has been used in a few Carnatic music compositions and many South Indian film songs as well.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bor 1999
  2. ↑ Kaufmann 1968, p.250
  3. ↑ Kaufmann 1968, p.251
  4. ↑ Bagchee 1998
  5. ↑ Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras

Literature

(most) entries due to:

External links

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