Raga Knowledge: Aroha, Avaroha, Pakad, Vadi, Samvadi, Time and Rasa
For each prescribed raga the paper expects aroha, avaroha, pakad, vadi, samvadi, time of day and rasa - and the ability to identify a raga from a written phrase.
The framework
- Aroha/avaroha are the ascending and descending scales; either may be vakra (zigzag), as in Khamaj, which uses shuddha Ni going up and komal Ni coming down.
- Pakad is the catching phrase. It identifies a raga better than the scale does, because ragas can share a scale and differ only in pakad and vadi.
- Vadi is the king note, samvadi the minister, anuvadi the attendant, vivadi the alien note.
- Time follows eight prahars of three hours, the day beginning at 6 a.m.
- Rasa: nine - shringara, hasya, karuna, raudra, veera, bhayanaka, bibhatsa, adbhuta, shanta.
Core ragas
- Yaman: S R G M̄ P D N S̄ / S̄ N D P M̄ G R S; vadi Ga, samvadi Ni; first prahar of night.
- Bhairav: S r G M P d N S; komal Re and Dha; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; first prahar of day.
- Malkauns: S g M d n S, omitting Re and Pa; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; third prahar of night.
- Bhoopali: S R G P D S, audava-audava; vadi Ga, samvadi Dha; evening.
- Bhimpalasi: S g M P n S; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; third prahar of day.
- Bhairavi: all komal, vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; morning; karuna rasa.
Worked example. Identify: S g M d n S, vadi Ma, no Re and no Pa. Reasoning: five notes, three komal (Ga, Dha, Ni) with shuddha Ma - this is Malkauns, allotted the third prahar of night and a grave (gambhir) mood, not a morning raga.
Traps. Confusing Bhairav (two komal) with Bhairavi (all komal); placing Bhimpalasi at night instead of afternoon; offering the plain aroha when the question asks for pakad; writing “komal Ma” for tivra Ma; mixing up vadi and samvadi.