Raga Theory and Prescribed Ragas
What this domain covers
This domain tests raga definitions and the prescribed ragas: aroha, avaroha, pakad, vadi/samvadi, thaat, jati, time, and notation. For UP Board Intermediate Instrumental Music, the prescribed list commonly includes Yaman, Bhairav, Bageshri, Kafi, Des, and Malkauns; always check the current syllabus list, because boards revise it.
Core rules
- Yaman: thaat Kalyan; tivra Ma; all other swaras shuddha; sampurna-sampurna; vadi Ga, samvadi Ni; evening; aroha Ni Re Ga Ma(tivra) Pa Dha Ni Sa; avaroha Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma(tivra) Ga Re Sa.
- Bhairav: thaat Bhairav; komal Re and komal Dha; vadi Dha, samvadi Re; morning; aroha Sa Re(k) Ga Ma Pa Dha(k) Ni Sa.
- Kafi: thaat Kafi; komal Ga and komal Ni; vadi Pa, samvadi Re; night; aroha Sa Re Ga(k) Ma Pa Dha Ni(k) Sa.
- Des: thaat Khamaj; shuddha Ni in aroha, komal Ni in avaroha; vadi Pa, samvadi Re; night.
- Bageshri: thaat Kafi; komal Ga and Ni; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; night; often audav in aroha.
- Malkauns: thaat Bhairavi; komal Ga, Dha, Ni; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; late night; audav.
Worked example
"Write the aroha of Yaman and identify one trap." Reasoning: start from Ni, use tivra Ma, and keep Re, Ga, Dha, Ni shuddha: Ni Re Ga Ma(tivra) Pa Dha Ni Sa. The trap is writing komal Ma; Yaman's distinctive note is tivra Ma. Also, the aroha begins on Ni, not Sa, in the commonly taught form.
Traps
Do not give the same vadi for every raga. Do not omit komal marks. Do not confuse Bhairav with Bhairavi. Do not treat thaat as a raga; thaat is a scale class.