Janya raga · child of melakarta 14, Vakulabharanam · vakra
Ahiri
आहिरि
Ahiri is a janya (child) raga born from Vakulabharanam, the 14th melakarta. It is sampurna (all seven) in ascent, classified sampurna-sampurna. It is bhashanga: it borrows swaras from outside its parent.
Ahiriआहिरि
Bhashanga and full of turns; the climb steps back to Sa before it rises.
Keeps all seven notes of Vakulabharanam; only the path differs. Touches R2 and G2 in its phrases, outside the written path.
Arohanam and avarohanam
Ahiri climbs and falls along these paths:
| Arohanam (up) | S R1 S G3 M1 P D1 N2 S' |
|---|---|
| Avarohanam (down) | S' N2 D1 P M1 G3 R1 S |
| Notes | 7 ascending, 7 descending (sampurna-sampurna) |
| Hindustani sargam | S r G m P d n |
Bhashanga and full of turns; the climb steps back to Sa before it rises.
Anya swaras (from outside Vakulabharanam): R2, G2 in its phrases only.
Parent and paths checked against karnatik.com, Wikipedia (List of Janya ragas), ragasurabhi.com. Sources differ: Wikipedia also lists Ahiri under mela 8 Hanumatodi; karnatik.com, ragasurabhi and the Wikipedia article file it under 14.
The notes of Ahiri, as Western intervals
| Swara | Interval above Sa |
|---|---|
| S | unison (1) |
| R1 | minor second (m2) |
| G3 | major third (M3) |
| M1 | perfect fourth (P4) |
| P | perfect fifth (P5) |
| D1 | minor sixth (m6) |
| N2 | minor seventh (m7) |
See how every swara becomes an interval in melakarta and Western music.
Songs to learn in Ahiri
- Challare Ramachandruni, Tyagaraja
- Kusumakara Vimanarudham, Muthuswami Dikshitar
The parent: Vakulabharanam
Ahiri keeps the tuning of its parent Vakulabharanam but walks its own road. To see the full seven-note scale it is drawn from, its chords and its other children, read the Vakulabharanam guide, or learn how janya ragas work in general.
Questions about Ahiri
What is the Ahiri raga?
Ahiri is a janya (derived) raga of the 14th melakarta, Vakulabharanam. Its arohanam is S R1 S G3 M1 P D1 N2 S' and its avarohanam is S' N2 D1 P M1 G3 R1 S.
What are the arohanam and avarohanam of Ahiri?
Arohanam (ascending): S R1 S G3 M1 P D1 N2 S'. Avarohanam (descending): S' N2 D1 P M1 G3 R1 S.
What are famous songs in Ahiri?
Well-known compositions include Challare Ramachandruni (Tyagaraja), Kusumakara Vimanarudham (Muthuswami Dikshitar).