Indian Classical Music And Sikh Kirtan by Gobind Singh Mansukhani (M.A., LL.B, Ph.D.) © 1982 Ragmala |
Ragmala The Adi Granth contains the following thirty-one ragas (in the serial order): Sri raga, Manjh, Gauri, Asa, Gujri, Devagandhari, Bihagara, Wadahans, Sorath, Dhanasri, Jaitsri, Todi, Bairari, Tilang, Suhi, Bilaval, Gond (Gaund), Ramkali, Nut-Narayan, Mali-Gaura, Maru, Tukhar, Kedara, Bhairav (Bhairo), Basant, Sarrang, Malar, Kanra, Kalyan, Prabhati and Jaijawanti. But of the above thirty-one ragas, technically fourteen are ragas and the rest are raginis. It may be noted that no distinction has been made in the Scripture between a raga and a ragini. Ragmala given at the end of the scripture gives the following eighty-four melodies. Six are male (parent) ragas; the thirty raginis are their wives and the remaining forty-eight are their sons. Ths list is as follows: (1) Bhairav raga Wives: Bhairavi, Bilawali, Punyaki, Bangli, Aslekhi. Sons: Pancham, Harakh, Disakh, Bangal, Madhu, Madhava, Lalit, Bilaval. (2) Malkaus raga Wives: Gaundkari, Devagandhari, Gandhari, Seehute, Dhanasri. Sons: Maru, Mustang, Mewara, Parbal, Chand, Khokhat, Bhora, Nad. (3) Hindol raga Wives: Telangi, Devkari, Basanti, Sindhoori, Aheeri. Sons: Surmanand, Bhasker, Chandra-Bimb, Mangalan, Ban, Binoda, Basant, Kamoda. (4) Deepak raga Wives: Kachheli, Patmanjari, Todi, Kamodi, Gujri. Sons: Kaalanka, Kuntal, Rama, Kamal, Kusum, Champak, Gaura, Kanra [36]. (5) Sri raga Wives: Bairavi, Karnati, Gauri, Asavari, Sindhavi. Sons: Salu, Sarag, Sagra, Gaund, Gambhir, Gund, Kumbh, Hamir. (6) Megh raga Wives: Sorath, Gaundi-Malari, Asa, Gunguni, Sooho. Sons: Biradhar, Gajdhar, Kedara, Jablidhar, Nut, Jaldhara, Sankar, Syama. If we compare the above scheme with the ragas of the Adi Granth, we find that only two major ragas-Sri raga and Bhairav-have been included in the Scripture. The remaining male parent ragas, namely Malkaus, Hindol, Deepak and Megh have been excluded. Sri raga is the first raga in the Scripture instead of Bhairav raga of the Ragmala. Asawari used in the Scripture as a part of Asa raga is according to ragmala the wife of Sri raga. The following eleven wives (raginis) and eight sons of the parent-ragas are included in the Scripture: Bhairavi: Son: Bilaval Malkaus: Wives: Devagandhari, Dhanasri Son: Maru Hindol: Wive: Tilang (Telangi) Son: Basant Deepak: Wives: Todi, Gujri Son: Kanra Sri Raga: Wives: Gauri, Bairavi Sons: Sarang, (Sarag), Gaund Megh: Wives: Sorath, Asa, Suhi (Sooho), Malar Sons: Nut, Kedara There is no mention of Bihagara, Wadahans, Mali-Gaura, Kalyan[37], Manjh, Jaitsri, Ramkali, Tukhari, Prabhati and Jaijawanti in Ragmala. |