Ragam

 Ragam

In Indian classical music, "ragam" (or raga) refers to a melodic framework or scale that serves as the basis for improvisation and composition. Ragas are the foundation of Indian classical music, providing a set of rules and guidelines for constructing melodies.

A raga is characterized by its unique combination of musical notes (swaras), specific ascending (aarohanam) and descending (avarohanam) patterns, emphasized notes (vadi and samvadi), characteristic phrases (pakad or chalan), and mood or emotion evoked. Each raga has its own distinct personality and is associated with a particular time of day, season, or emotion.

Ragas are not merely scales but living entities with their own identity and emotional resonance. They are traditionally passed down orally from teacher to student, with each raga having a rich history and repertoire of compositions associated with it.

Ragas are classified into two main categories:

1. Melakarta Ragas: These are parent ragas from which other ragas are derived. There are 72 melakarta ragas, each defined by a specific arrangement of the seven swaras (Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni).

2. Janya Ragas: These are derivative ragas that are created by modifying or embellishing upon the melakarta ragas. There are thousands of janya ragas, each with its own unique characteristics.

In performance, musicians explore and develop ragas through improvisation (raga alapana), compositions (kritis, bandishes), and elaborations (ragam-tanam-pallavi). Ragas are also used as the basis for compositions in various classical dance forms and are integral to Indian musical traditions.

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