Ragas

Ragas are an integral part of a song, its like sugar in a candy, raga is the soul of the song. They have a particular scale and pitch which makes them separate from the other. It’s the melodic modes in a song which decides the moods of the song. In a broad sense raga can be said as a tonal framework for composition and improvisation.

Where ragas have identical scales, they are differentiated by virtue of these musical characteristics. Ragas are into our music family since past and has long history, slowly raga’s have also transformed but some still famous and rich.

Raga’s have influenced and transformed every form of music, whether it is Carnatic or Hindustani music. In Carnatic are further classified to Janak and Janya ragas. All forms of music have a base of raga’s to create a mood in it.

Some raga’s are specific to a particular situation or emotion, like raga Malhar is sung do bring rains, it indicates the mood of monsoon. Thus raga stimulate a mood or feel to the listeners by its nature.