Janya raga · child of melakarta 29, Dheerasankarabharanam
Bilahari
बिलहरि
Bilahari is a janya (child) raga born from Dheerasankarabharanam, the 29th melakarta. It is audava (pentatonic) in ascent, classified audava-sampurna. It is bhashanga: it borrows swaras from outside its parent. It carries a mood of Hasya: mirth; light motes rise and scatter.
Bilahariबिलहरि
Climbs like Mohanam, descends with all seven, and borrows N2 in its phrases.
Keeps all seven notes of Dheerasankarabharanam; only the path differs. Touches N2 in its phrases, outside the written path.
Arohanam and avarohanam
Bilahari climbs and falls along these paths:
| Arohanam (up) | S R2 G3 P D2 S' |
|---|---|
| Avarohanam (down) | S' N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S |
| Notes | 5 ascending, 7 descending (audava-sampurna) |
| Hindustani sargam | S R G m P D N |
Climbs like Mohanam, descends with all seven, and borrows N2 in its phrases.
Anya swaras (from outside Dheerasankarabharanam): N2 in its phrases only.
Parent and paths checked against karnatik.com, Wikipedia (List of Janya ragas), ragasurabhi.com.
The notes of Bilahari, 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 Bilahari
- Paridanamichite, Patnam Subramania Iyer
- Dorakuna Ituvanti, Tyagaraja
- Naa Jivadhara, Tyagaraja
The parent: Dheerasankarabharanam
Bilahari 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 Bilahari
What is the Bilahari raga?
Bilahari is a janya (derived) raga of the 29th melakarta, Dheerasankarabharanam. Its arohanam is S R2 G3 P D2 S' and its avarohanam is S' N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S.
What are the arohanam and avarohanam of Bilahari?
Arohanam (ascending): S R2 G3 P D2 S'. Avarohanam (descending): S' N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S.
What are famous songs in Bilahari?
Well-known compositions include Paridanamichite (Patnam Subramania Iyer), Dorakuna Ituvanti (Tyagaraja), Naa Jivadhara (Tyagaraja).