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Carnatic · Janya of M15

1 raga

Chandrakauns

Chandrakauns (Carnatic form) is an audava-audava janya of Mayamalavagowla (15) with S g M d N; it aligns with the modern Hindustani Chandrakauns that replaces Malkauns's komal Nishad with shuddha Nishad.

Carnatic · Janya of M20

2 ragas

Carnatic

Ananda Bhairavi

Ananda Bhairavi is a bhashanga janya of Natabhairavi (20) known for its vakra phrases and its admission of both kaisiki (n) and kakali (N) nishadas; it is historically associated with Syama Sastri and has calming associations in folklore.

Bhairavi

Carnatic Bhairavi is a bhashanga janya of Natabhairavi (20) famously taking chatursruti Dhaivata (D2) in arohanam and shuddha Dhaivata (d) in avarohanam; it is distinct from Hindustani Bhairavi although both evoke deep pathos.

Carnatic · Janya of M22

1 raga

Carnatic

Abheri

Abheri (modern form) is an audava-sampurna janya of Kharaharapriya (22) that loosely parallels Hindustani Bhimpalasi; Tyagaraja's 'Nagumomu' is its most iconic kriti.

Carnatic · Janya of M29

6 ragas

Carnatic

Arabhi

Arabhi is an audava-sampurna janya of Shankarabharanam (29) and a ghana panchaka raga; 'Sadhinchene' from Tyagaraja's pancharatnam is in Arabhi.

Atana

Atana is a vakra janya of Shankarabharanam (29) that admits kaisiki nishada as an anya swara; its bold, martial phrases have made it a favourite for heroic compositions.

Begada

Begada is a vakra janya of Shankarabharanam (29) known for its rich, ornate gamakas and its characteristic G-R-G phrase in arohanam.

Behag

Behag is a vakra-bhashanga janya of Shankarabharanam (29) that admits tivra madhyam as an anya swara in descent; it parallels Hindustani Bihag and is a late-evening romantic raga.

Bilahari

Bilahari is an audava-sampurna janya of Shankarabharanam (29), ascending pentatonically like Mohanam but descending as the full Bilawal scale; it is a cheerful, bright raga often rendered in morning concerts.

Devagandhari

Devagandhari is a janya of Shankarabharanam (29) sharing Arabhi's skeleton but with a softer, more lyrical treatment and slower tempo; the two are distinguished almost entirely by gamakas and tempo.

Carnatic · Melakarta family

5 ragas

Carnatic

Bhavapriya

Bhavapriya is the 44th melakarta (R1, G2, M2, D1, N2) and the parent of the haunting janya Subhapantuvarali's family of prati-madhyama ragas.

Chakravakam

Chakravakam is the 16th melakarta, first of the Rutu chakra; it corresponds in swara positions to Hindustani Ahir Bhairav.

Chalanata

Chalanata is the 36th melakarta, last of the Disi chakra; its janya Nattai is one of the most famous opening ragas in Carnatic concerts.

Charukesi

Charukesi is the 26th melakarta (R2, G3, M1, d, n) and has been widely adopted in Hindustani music under the same name; Tyagaraja's 'Aadamodi Galade' is iconic.

Chitrambari

Chitrambari is the 66th melakarta, last of the Malaya chakra; D3 and N3 coincide in our pitch-bin mapping so it is notated D, N.

Hindustani · Asavari

5 ragas

Asavari thaat

Adana

A fast, heroic late-night Kanada-ang raga with upper tetrachord emphasis and the M-P-g-M-R-S phrase in descent.

Asavari

The parent raga of Asavari thaat (shuddha Re variant), evocative of longing and associated with late morning.

Darbari Kanada

Traditionally credited to Miyan Tansen in Akbar's court, Darbari Kanada is a grave, stately raga employing heavy andolan on komal Gandhar and komal Dhaivat. Its slow, deliberate unfolding in the lower octave, with the characteristic vakra 'g M R S', is considered the summit of the khayal tradition.

Desi

A late-morning Asavari-ang raga using both Ni svaras, with a characteristic R-M-P-n ascent.

Devgandhari

A morning raga of Asavari thaat closely allied to Asavari itself, with slightly straighter contours; distinct from the Carnatic Devagandhari.

Hindustani · Bhairav

8 ragas

Bhairav thaat

Ahir Bhairav

A morning raga combining the komal Re of Bhairav with the komal Ni of Kafi, giving it a devotional yet lyrical character.

Ahir Lalit

A mishra of Ahir Bhairav and Lalit that admits komal Nishad alongside the dual-Madhyam Lalit signature. Its chromatic density makes it one of the most fragile and expressive dawn ragas, preserved especially in the Mewati gharana.

Anand Bhairav

A lighter, more joyful cousin of Bhairav, Anand Bhairav retains komal Rishabh but replaces komal Dhaivat with shuddha Dhaivat, removing Bhairav's characteristic andolan and introducing an uplifted sandhi-prakash brightness. Its name ('joyful Bhairav') aptly captures the softer mood.

Bairagi

A pentatonic dawn raga created by Pt. Ravi Shankar that evokes renunciation through its austere five-note structure.

Bairagi Bhairav

Introduced by Pt. Ravi Shankar in the mid-twentieth century, Bairagi (also called Bairagi Bhairav) is an austere pentatonic raga omitting Gandhar and Dhaivat and using komal Rishabh and komal Nishad. The spare framework, with only Sa, komal Re, Ma, Pa and komal Ni, creates a stark ascetic mood appropriate to its name ('renunciant').

Bhairav

Bhairav is the namesake raga of its thaat and a defining raga of the early morning. The oscillating andolan on komal Rishabh and komal Dhaivat produces a solemn, meditative atmosphere traditionally associated with the ascetic aspect of Shiva.

Bhavmat Bhairav

A rare Bhairav-ang raga omitting Pa, introduced by Pt. Kumar Gandharva.

Bibhas

A pentatonic Bhairav-ang raga omitting Ma and Ni, noted for its serene and meditative colour.

Hindustani · Bhairavi

2 ragas

Bhairavi thaat

Bhairavi

Bhairavi is a sampurna raga using all five komal swaras, though in practice artists freely admit shuddha swaras as anya swaras, making it the most chromatically fluid raga in the tradition. It is conventionally offered as the closing piece of a concert, evoking bhakti and gentle pathos.

Bhupal Todi

A pentatonic morning raga using Bhairavi's komal Re, komal Ga and komal Dha; structurally Bhupali with komal colours.

Hindustani · Bilawal

6 ragas

Bilawal thaat

Alhaiya Bilawal

The representative Bilawal raga, sampurna and sweet, with characteristic komal Ni flash in descent distinguishing it from Shuddha Bilawal.

Bihag

A romantic night raga with a characteristic tivra Ma in descent used only as vakra ornament; otherwise shuddha Ma dominates.

Bihagda

A Bilawal-ang raga blending Bihag with komal Ni touch in descent; gentler than Bihag.

Bilawal

Shuddh Bilawal is the namesake raga of its thaat, using all seven shuddha swaras and corresponding exactly to the Western major scale. Its bright, cheerful gait makes it a morning raga par excellence, though in practice Alhaiya Bilawal is performed more often than strict Shuddh Bilawal.

Deshkar

A morning pentatonic raga sharing notes with Bhupali but emphasising Dha and the upper tetrachord.

Devgiri Bilawal

A morning variant of Bilawal that omits Madhyam in ascent and emphasises the 'G R G P' phrase. Devgiri Bilawal is more structured and reflective than Alhaiya Bilawal, often favoured in dhrupad-style renditions and the Agra gharana's morning repertoire.

Hindustani · Kafi

9 ragas

Kafi thaat

Abhogi

A pentatonic Kafi-ang raga borrowed from Carnatic tradition, omitting Pa and Ni, serene and meditative.

Bageshri

A beloved late-night Kafi-ang raga expressing longing, with Pa omitted in ascent and sparingly used in descent.

Bageshri Kanada

A mishra raga combining Bageshri's characteristic 'M D n D' phrasing in the upper tetrachord with the Kanada family's 'g M R S' in the lower. Pancham appears only in descent, and the result is a gentle, late-night raga that retains Bageshri's viraha but acquires the weightier gravity of the Kanada lineage.

Bahar

A seasonal raga of spring, Kafi-ang with characteristic zigzag M-P-g-M phrase and evocation of blooming gardens.

Barwa

A Kafi-ang afternoon raga with plaintive colour, used in thumri and kheyal with delicate komal Ga.

Bhimpalasi

Bhimpalasi is an audav-sampurna raga of the Kafi thaat, omitting Re and Dha in the ascent. Its plaintive use of komal Gandhar and komal Nishad combined with open meends from Madhyam makes it the paradigmatic raga of afternoon longing and separation.

Brindabani Sarang

A midday Sarang-ang raga associated with Krishna's Vrindavan, pentatonic with komal Ni in descent.

Chandrakauns

A pentatonic late-night raga derived from Malkauns by replacing komal Ni with shuddha Ni (the 'chandra' or bright version).

Chandranandan

Created by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan in 1945 by combining elements of Malkauns, Nandkauns, Kaunsi Kanada and Chandrakauns, Chandranandan is a modern classic of the sarod repertoire. Its flowing, lyrical contour belies the complex mishra structure underneath.

Hindustani · Kalyan

4 ragas

Kalyan thaat

Anandi Kalyan

A modern Kalyan-ang raga closely related to Nand, omitting Dha, with a cheerful, song-like character.

Bhinna Shadja

A pentatonic late-night raga of the Kalyan family identical to Hindol in note content but with straighter contour.

Bhupali

A pentatonic evening raga of pristine sweetness, sharing the same notes as Deshkar but with evening treatment and Ga-vadi.

Chhayanat

A grand night raga combining Chhaya and Nat angas, using both Madhyams with emphasis on R-P-R phrases.

Hindustani · Khamaj

2 ragas

Khamaj thaat

Desh

Desh is an audav-sampurna raga of the Khamaj thaat in which shuddha Nishad rises in aroha while komal Nishad colours the descent. Its monsoon and patriotic associations have made it central to the semi-classical repertoire, notably carrying Tagore's 'Vande Mataram' melody.