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Raaga Kafi
Raga Kafi: 17th Century Ragamala Painting
Of shining whiteness, Kafi who inspires lust tenderly sits on the lap of her playmate in the royal palace, fond of parrots she is dressed in blue and decked with jewels. She is the image of sensuousness. In the Lotus of my heart I cherish her, lovlier than Lakshmi the goddess of Fortune.
Scale up: C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C
Scale down: C, Bb, A, G, A, F, Eb, D, C
Main Note: G
Always played during the night
Raga Kafi is about love and passion and is used as a basis for many of the lighter songs sung in the thumri style. A natural 'B' can be sung as an embellishment for the high C. In Dhrupad, the Eb was often omitted in the ascending scale.
Artists
V. Balsara
Rajeev Taranath
Sanjay Jhalla ( Tabla)
Raaga Kedar
17th century Ragamala Painting of Raga Kedar
I ever think of Kedar.A rare book in her hand,she sits, beautifully dressed,in front of the temple of Shiva, Lord of Sleep.
Scale Up: C, F, E, G, F# G, A, C
Scale Down: C, B, A, G, F#, G, A, G, F, D, C
Main Note is: F
Always played at night
Raga Kedar is an old raga. During medieval times it was based on a pentatonic scale: C, E, F, A, B. Like many of the ragas, it changed over the centuries by the addition of the embellishing F# (used in the phrase F#, G, A, G,) and the addition of G and used of D in the descent. Kedar is a very distinctive and beautiful raga.
Artists:
Jugalbandi (Duet) Bismillah Khan, Shenai and Professor V.G. Jog, Violin.
Roshan Ara Begum & Abdul Karim Khan
Raaga Malkauns
17th century ragamala painting of Raga Malkauns
A scarf around his neck and fanned by the fair-hipped one, a golden seat has been made for the king of the gandharvas. Handsome and wealthy, Shri Malav is known as the fifth Malav.
Scale: C, Eb, F, Ab, Bb, C
Main Note is: F
Played at around midnight
Malkauns, also known as Malkosh or Malav Kaushik, is a majestic pentatonic raga.
Artists:
Pandit Omkarnath Thakur
Nikhil Banerjee (Sitar)
Kanai Dutt.
Raaga Yamen
Holding a drum, yamen --the mother of voluptuousness-- rests in the arms
of the vanquisher of demons. How could I forget her radiance that puts to shame the blue Jumna.
Scale Up: B, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C
Scale Down: C, B, A, F#, E, D, C
Main Note: E
Always played during the early part of the night , Raga Yamen is one of the principal ragas .
Artists:
Amir Khursau (1253-1325) who also invented
V. Balsara
Ustad Amir Khan Khayal
Ustad Niaz Ahmed and Ustad Fayyaz Ahmed Khan Khayal
Mohammad Ahmed (Tabla)
Pannalal Ghosh
Bismillah Khan 1960s.
Raaga Yamen Kalyan
Raga Yamen Kalyan is like raga Yamen, however a very exact and subtle use of the F Natural note is introduced.
Artists:
Bhimsen Joshi Jhaptal.
Gulam Rasool
Raaga Bageshree
Her voice, seductive when she is near her lover, Bageshree is lovely, desirable. With eyes large like the lotus and a flawless pale body, She plays upon the lute her songs of love.
Scale Up: C, Eb, F, A, Bb, C
Scale Down: C, Bb, A, (G, A, Bb, A), F, Eb, D, C
This is an "F" Raga, with A emphasized quite a lot Always played during the night Bageshree is one of the most popular ragas. It lends itself to both light and serious treatment very well. It is very distinctive and instantly recognizable by the attentive listener.
Artists:
Shivkumar and Brijbhushan
Kishori Amonkar
Sultan Khan Recorded
Shri Rij Ram.
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