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Raag Bhairavभैरव

Sourced · not yet reviewed by a musician

Bhairav thaat · Sampurna-Sampurna · Dawn

Painted riverside temple ghat in the grey-rose light before sunrise
  1. Late night
  2. Dawn
  3. Morning

Swaras and phrases

Outlined: vadi dha · samvadi re

Tap a lit note to hear it · Synthesized for study — not a recording

Aroha
Sa re Ga Ma Pa dha Ni Sa'
Source: NIOS +2
3 of 5 sources agree
Avaroha
Sa' Ni dha Pa Ma Ga re Sa
Source: NIOS +2
3 of 5 sources agree
Pakad
Ga Ma \ re ~ ~ Sa; Ma Pa Ga Ma dha ~ Pa
Source: AUTRIM
  • AUTRIM, Bhairav page, characteristic phrases
4 versions in 4 sources

About Bhairav

Bhairav is restrained and devotional. Komal Re and komal Dha are sung with slow oscillation. The ascent can be direct, though some performers leave out Re and Pa going up.

Source: AUTRIM +1
  • AUTRIM, Bhairav page, opening description
  • AUTRIM, Bhairav page, tone material

Curriculum: Pracheen Kala Kendra's vocal syllabus prescribes it at Prarambhik II; Bhushan I.

Source: PKK +1
  • PKK, printed p.2, list of prescribed raags
  • PKK, printed p.3, list of prescribed raags

Learner focus

Oscillate slowly on komal Re and komal Dha. Sa, Ma and Pa are also held.

Source: AUTRIM
  • AUTRIM, Bhairav page, opening description

Caution

Kalingda uses nearly the same notes but has no oscillation on Re or Dha. Ramkali adds tivra Ma and sometimes komal Ni.

Source: AUTRIM
  • AUTRIM, Bhairav page, description

Study prompts

Short exercises that restate what the cited sources say.

  1. Sing Ga Ma, glide down to komal Re, and oscillate it slowly before Sa.
  2. Sing Ma Pa Ga Ma dha, oscillate komal Dha, and rest on Pa.
  3. Sing the ascent once in full, then once leaving out Re and Pa, as some performers do.
Based on: AUTRIM +5

Variants

  • Some artists avoid Re and Pa in ascending passages.
    Source: AUTRIM
    • AUTRIM, Bhairav page, opening description

How the sources vote

Each field shows the version most independent sources agree on. One publisher counts once.

See every version and where each source says it

Similar raags named by the sources

  • Kalingda: Nearly the same tones, but sprightly and without Re/Dha oscillation.
    Source: AUTRIM
    • AUTRIM, Bhairav page, description
  • Ramkali: Some similarity, but Ramkali uses sharp Ma and sometimes flat Ni.
    Source: AUTRIM
    • AUTRIM, Bhairav page, description

Not stated in our sources yet

The sources we cite do not state: other names. RagaPedia leaves these blank rather than guess.

Film songs

Film songs where a checked source names Bhairav. Each song shows whether a musician has reviewed it yet.

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Archive recordings

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Stories

Short accounts from the cited sources, paraphrased. Each line says whether it is documented, a named person's account, or uncertain.

A morning call to Krishna

In the Bhairav composition sung by Padma Talwalkar on AUTRIM, a devotee asks Krishna to wake after sunrise. The lyric notes describe cowherds, children and a king waiting to see him.

Documented · Source: Padma Talwalkar performance: traditional composition and lyric explanation

Sources for this profile

Thaat, jati, time, vadi, samvadi, aroha, avaroha and pakad show the version the most independent publishers print; the sources page lists every version and who prints it. Other facts follow the source cited beside them. No musician has reviewed this profile yet.