Janya raga · child of melakarta 29, Dheerasankarabharanam · vakra
Behag
बेहाग
Behag is a janya (child) raga born from Dheerasankarabharanam, the 29th melakarta. It is shadava (six notes) in ascent, classified shadava-sampurna. It is bhashanga: it borrows swaras from outside its parent.
Behagबेहाग
Carnatic Behag; M2 slips into its phrases from outside Shankarabharanam.
Keeps all seven notes of Dheerasankarabharanam; only the path differs. Touches M2 in its phrases, outside the written path.
Arohanam and avarohanam
Behag climbs and falls along these paths:
| Arohanam (up) | S G3 M1 P N3 D2 N3 S' |
|---|---|
| Avarohanam (down) | S' N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S |
| Notes | 6 ascending, 7 descending (shadava-sampurna) |
| Hindustani sargam | S R G m P D N |
Carnatic Behag; M2 slips into its phrases from outside Shankarabharanam.
Anya swaras (from outside Dheerasankarabharanam): M2 in its phrases only.
Parent and paths checked against karnatik.com, Wikipedia (List of Janya ragas). Sources differ: Ragasurabhi writes M2 into the fall itself: S N3 D2 P M2 G3 M1 G3 R2 S.
The notes of Behag, as Western intervals
| Swara | Interval above Sa |
|---|---|
| S | unison (1) |
| R2 | major second (M2) |
| G3 | major third (M3) |
| M1 | perfect fourth (P4) |
| P | perfect fifth (P5) |
| D2 | major sixth (M6) |
| N3 | major seventh (M7) |
See how every swara becomes an interval in melakarta and Western music.
Songs to learn in Behag
- Jaladhisuta Ramanena, Swati Tirunal
The parent: Dheerasankarabharanam
Behag keeps the tuning of its parent Dheerasankarabharanam but walks its own road. To see the full seven-note scale it is drawn from, its chords and its other children, read the Dheerasankarabharanam guide, or learn how janya ragas work in general.
Questions about Behag
What is the Behag raga?
Behag is a janya (derived) raga of the 29th melakarta, Dheerasankarabharanam. Its arohanam is S G3 M1 P N3 D2 N3 S' and its avarohanam is S' N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S.
What are the arohanam and avarohanam of Behag?
Arohanam (ascending): S G3 M1 P N3 D2 N3 S'. Avarohanam (descending): S' N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S.
What are famous songs in Behag?
Well-known compositions include Jaladhisuta Ramanena (Swati Tirunal).