Raga- Ragini Classification in Indian Classical Music

 

Raga -Ragini Concept

Raga- Ragini in Indian Classical Music is considered as the concept of classifying the Raga since the Vedic period. In the initial period of pre-Vedic time, the terms used to recognize the melodic structure were named Sam Gayan, or the Archik or Gaan. Later the melody was structured as Gram and their Merchants. Jati Gayan, Margi Sangeet, and Deshi Geet were the few among this classification. Raga Word is firstly used by Matangmuni in his Book Brihaddeshi and illustrated the Raga and melody systematic. The term Raga classification was started with the Narad in his Book Sangeet Makarand in the 8^th Century where he classified Raga in terms of Purush, Stri, and Napunsak Raga. Further, he classified these characters on the basis of Rasa. Those Raga of Shringara and Karun Rasa were classified as Stri(Female) Raga. Raga of Veer and Raudra Rasa are of Purush Raga and those Raga having the character of hasya and Bhayanak and Adbhut rasa are classified as Napunsak Raga.

Here Raga is considered as the Male character and Ragini is the female character so the concept of Six Raga and Thirty-six or Six Raga Thirty Ragini. It is quite hypothetical to assume the beginning of the origin of Raga- the Ragini concept. But it is supposed that Lord Shiva has created the Five Raga from his Five Mouth and the Sixth one is created by Goddess Parvati. One thing we have to understand, these all concepts are assumed because the Raga word is firstly used in the 8^th century and the connection to Lord Shiva is a long way from ….. In the medieval era, few musicologists sketch a concept of Raga-Ragini classification of six raga thirty-six Raging and Six Raga and Thirty Ragini. The four different styles were Shiv Mat and Krishna Mat of 6 Raga 36 Ragini. Hanumat and Bharatmat established the concept of  6 Raga and 30 Ragini. In these four different Mat Raga are supposed as Husband and Ragini are supposed to be Wife of particular Raga. This means each Raga has either six wives or five wives as per the classification. Pandit Damodar and Pandit Lochan are among those writers who illustrated these classifications in their respective books Sangeet Darpan and Raga Tarangini.

Raga – Ragini classification  

◦         There are 4 concepts of the Raga Ragini Division in Indian classical Music

◦         Raga is supposed to be called Male

◦         Ragini's are supposed to be the female and wife of Raga

◦         The Main Raga are Supposed to Originated from the Tongue/Speech of 5 different mouths of Lord Shiva

◦         East Mouth- Bhairav

◦         West- Hindol

◦         North- Megh

◦         South- Deepak

◦         Akash Mukh – Raga Shree

◦         From Maa parvati-Raga kaushik 

Sangeet Darpan is the first text to describe Raga Ragini Vargikaran written by Pt. Damodar

Adhovaktra Mukh- Rag Shere

Vamdev Mukh – Vasant

Aghori- Bhairav

Tatpurush- Pancham

Ishaan – Megh

Natnarayan Raga from Devi parvati during Lasya Nritya

4 Major division

◦         Shiv Mat—6/36

◦         Kallinat mat         6/36

◦         Hanumat     6/30

◦         Bharatmat  6/30

Raga Tarangini by pt. Local where raga-Ragini division are inputted in a different angles.

Shiva Mat :

◦         Shree-         Malshree gauri kedari trivani pahadika , madu-badhavi

◦         Vasant-       lalita, Hindooli barari, todika, devgiri, desi

◦         Bhairav:      Sindhavi, bagali, ginkari, ramkiri, gurjari bhairavi

◦         Pancham:    Karnati, Bhupali Vibhasha, Patmanjari, Malwai, Nathansika

◦         Natnarayan:     Abhari, Kalyani, Kamodi, Nadhawi, Sarangi, Natika

◦         Megh:         Sawari, Sorathi, Mullari, harprangar, Gandhari, Koushiki

Hanumat

◦         Bahirav

◦         Kaushik

◦         Hindol

◦         Deepak

◦         Shree

◦         Megh

Krishna Mat

◦         Shree

◦         Vasant

◦         Bhairav

◦         Pancham

◦         Natnarayan

◦         Megh

Bharat Mat

◦         Bhairva

◦         Malkoush

◦         Hindol

◦         Deepak

◦         Shree

◦         Megh

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