It Is Almost Autumn Now, Here Is Some Music To Go With The New Season

The advent of sharad ritu demands we speak of ragas associated with it, and one of the prime ragas to be spoken of in this season is Raag Bhairav. One of the most well known, widely used ragas, Bhairav is one raga that a person even vaguely interested in Indian classical music cannot not know of. Named after Lord Shiva’s avatar, Bhairav, it is only fair for the raga to be associated with sharad ritu, a season in which the old makes way for the new to emerge, fresher and stronger.

If you pay keen attention to any good rendition, you will notice that the dha (the sixth note) is often rendered as if it’s in a rocking chair, rocking back and forth in its place. This form is called “aandolan” in the musical sense of the word. Try and notice these nuances in this fabulous, old-school rendition by Ustad Rashid Khan.

Raag Bhairav is a morning raga. It is sung in the wee hours of the morning, in the first prahar. It is said to be the first raga ever created by Lord Shiva, hence known as the Adi-Raaga. It is, thus, the most fundamental raga to our Indian musical systems. Raag Bhairav is so fundamental, that it is often the first raga taught in Hindustani music, and it surely is the first raga taught in Carnatic music. They say that the symmetrical nature of the raga makes it a great first raga to teach, and a great first raga to learn.