Desh Raag
February 20th, 2007
I read in a book recently, "To say that a raga consists of notes would be like saying that a painting consists of paints and a poem consists of words". As incomplete as this description is, a raga does consist of a set of notes but that is not even begining to tell the full story. For those who are comfortable with the Indian musical notation, desh raag consists of the following notes:
आरोह (Ascent) :
सा रे म प नि सा'
अवरोह (Descent):
सा' नि(कोमल) ध प म ग रे सा
As can be seen, गंधार (ग) and धैवत (ध) are not used in ascent whereas a flat निशाद (नि) is used in place of शà¥à¤¦à¥à¤§ नि in descent. If you just play out the आरोह on a keyboard you would be able to make out the underpinnings of Vande Mataram. The beauty of the raga emanates from the various sur combinations in particular the potent role assigned to रिशठ(रे). A raga also outlines some rules or directions in which a set of notes within that raga should be played. These combinations play pivotal roles in evoking the feelings a particular raag is supposed to evoke. Some of these combinations for desh raag are:
रे म प ध म ग रे, प (म ग रे)
रिशठin this raag serves as the center of melodic gravity. The intonation of ध म ग रे is crucial and (म ग रे) refers to a changing the sur from म to रे in one continuous sweep, just grazing past ग. This can be done only in continuous or stringed instruments like flute or sitar or violin etc. but I am trying my best to replicate the effect on a synthesizer.
रे नि(कोमल) ध नि(कोमल) ध प, रे म प नि, नि, सा', रे', नि(कोमल) ध प, ध म ग रे
सा रे म प नि(कोमल) ध प, रे प म ग रे, (रे)ग, नि सा
I think my limited understanding does not allow me to speak any further in the subject. The only thing I would like to say is that listening to great masters play and playing some of this myself is almost a mystical experience. The beauty of this music can not be described in words and can only be experienced. Unlike western classical, there is a soul to our music, a throbbing life which permeates every composition, a live heart which resonates with every note and I cannot really expound on it enough for it is too personal for lengthy discourses.
vande matram bajate time mein ye sequence use karta hoon.. Sa, Re, Ma(teevra),Pa, Ma(teevra),Pa.. sahi hai ya galat hai?
mujhe aisa lag raha hai ki harmonica pe raag jyada acchhe lagenge synth ke bajay.. try kiya hai kya?..
aur tum ek video bhejne waale thay, bhejo..
woh Sa nahin hai jahan se tum shuroo kar rahe ho... darasal woh Ma hai, Vande mataram hai, Ma Pa Ni Sa' Ni... yaar Harmonica pe komal aur teevra kaise lagaaoon... Nikux ne bola tha kuch note bending ke baare mein lekin mushkil lagta hai
chromatic harmonica.. thhodi fight maarne ke baad ab vande matram baj raha hai meri chromatic pe.. 12 notes hain har octave mein, same as synth.
@ankit: It's strange that you picked Raag Des which has been my favourite so far...
@Nitin: ab chromatic harmonica kahan se laaoon :)... soch raha hoon ek baansuri khareed li jaaye... thodi fight maarta hoon
@Aabeirah: ab raag desh hai hi itna sundar ki koi aashcharya nahin ki hum dono ko pasand aata hai... waise mainein todi bhee suna woh bhee bahut sundar hai... lekin abhee sirf ek raag pe dhyaan de raha hoon...
@ankit: Todi bhi bohot sundar hai...lekin dono ekdum alag ras hain. Todi raha gambhir aur des bilkul 100% shringar...:)
@aabeirah: aapko itna kaise pata hai ? formally seekha hai kya aapne ?
@ankit: I'm learning Ankit. I have learnt including this year for 6 years now. I am going to be giving my second year exam too. If I pass the first year exam that is. 🙂
@Aabeirah: 6 years!!! thats a lot of studying. I really admire those who are learned in one of the traditonal Indian. good luck for your exam. I am sure you will do well...