Janya raga · child of melakarta 20, Natabhairavi
Bhairavi
भैरवी
Bhairavi is a janya (child) raga born from Natabhairavi, the 20th melakarta. It is sampurna (all seven) in ascent, classified sampurna-sampurna. It is bhashanga: it borrows swaras from outside its parent. It carries a mood of Karuna: pathos; the air falls like slow rain.
Bhairaviभैरवी
One of the ancient ragas; D2 climbing, D1 descending.
Keeps all seven notes of Natabhairavi. Borrows D2 from outside Natabhairavi: a bhashanga raga.
Arohanam and avarohanam
Bhairavi climbs and falls along these paths:
| Arohanam (up) | S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S' |
|---|---|
| Avarohanam (down) | S' N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S |
| Notes | 7 ascending, 7 descending (sampurna-sampurna) |
| Hindustani sargam | S R g m P d D n |
One of the ancient ragas; D2 climbing, D1 descending.
Anya swaras (from outside Natabhairavi): D2 in the written path.
Parent and paths checked against karnatik.com, Wikipedia (raga article). Sources differ: The Wikipedia janya list and ragasurabhi open the climb with a turn, S G2 R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S.
The notes of Bhairavi, as Western intervals
| Swara | Interval above Sa |
|---|---|
| S | unison (1) |
| R2 | major second (M2) |
| G2 | minor third (m3) |
| M1 | perfect fourth (P4) |
| P | perfect fifth (P5) |
| D1 | minor sixth (m6) |
| D2 | major sixth (M6) |
| N2 | minor seventh (m7) |
See how every swara becomes an interval in melakarta and Western music.
Songs to learn in Bhairavi
- Balagopala, Muthuswami Dikshitar
- Aryam Abhayambam, Muthuswami Dikshitar
- Chintaya Ma Kanda Mulakandam, Muthuswami Dikshitar
The parent: Natabhairavi
Bhairavi keeps the tuning of its parent Natabhairavi but walks its own road. To see the full seven-note scale it is drawn from, its chords and its other children, read the Natabhairavi guide, or learn how janya ragas work in general.
Questions about Bhairavi
What is the Bhairavi raga?
Bhairavi is a janya (derived) raga of the 20th melakarta, Natabhairavi. Its arohanam is S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S' and its avarohanam is S' N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S.
What are the arohanam and avarohanam of Bhairavi?
Arohanam (ascending): S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S'. Avarohanam (descending): S' N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S.
What are famous songs in Bhairavi?
Well-known compositions include Balagopala (Muthuswami Dikshitar), Aryam Abhayambam (Muthuswami Dikshitar), Chintaya Ma Kanda Mulakandam (Muthuswami Dikshitar).