Bilahari
Janya raga of Carnatic music
title: "Bilahari" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["janya-ragas"] description: "Janya raga of Carnatic music" topic_path: "general/janya-ragas" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilahari" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Janya raga of Carnatic music ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox ragam"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Bilahari |
| arohanam | |
| avarohanam | |
| :: |
| name = Bilahari | synonym = | image_name = | image_alt = | mela = | chakra = | type = | arohanam = | avarohanam = | jeeva = | chhaya = | nyasa = | vishesha = | equivalent = | similar =
Bilahari is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a janya rāgam (derived scale) from the 29th melakarta scale Sankarabharanam. It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes) in the ascending scale. It is a combination of the pentatonic scale Mohanam and the sampurna raga scale Sankarabharanam.
Structure and Lakshana
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Mohanam_scale.svg" caption="Ascending scale with ''shadjam'' at C, which is same as ''Mohanam'' scale"] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Shankarabharanam_scale.svg" caption="Descending scale with ''shadjam'' at C, which is same as ''Sankarabharanam'' scale"] ::
Bilahari is an asymmetric rāgam that does not contain madhyamam or nishādham in the ascending scale. It is an audava-sampurna rāgam (or owdava rāgam, meaning pentatonic ascending scale). Its ** structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows:
The notes used in this scale are shadjam, chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandhara, panchamam and chathusruthi dhaivatham in ascending scale, with kakali nishadham and shuddha madhyamam included in descending scale. For the details of the notations and terms, see swaras in Carnatic music.
This rāgam also uses kaishiki nishadham (N2) as an external note (anya swara) in the descending scale. Hence it is considered a bhashanga rāgam, a scale with notes external to the parent scale.
Popular compositions
There are many compositions set to Bilahari rāgam. Here are some popular kritis composed in Bilahari.
- Sharanu Janakana By Purandara Dasa
- Belagu Javadi Baro By Vadiraja Tirtha
- Lakshmi Shobhane By Vadiraja Tirtha. This is one of the greatest literary works of Vadiraja Tirtha with 112 Charanas and the longest composition known by a carnatic composer
- Hanumana Maneyavaru by Vidyaprasanna Teertha in Kannada
- Na Jeevadhara, Tolijanma, Dorakuna Ituvanti, Kshethra Palaka, Intha Kannanandamemi, Narasimha Nannu Brovave and Kanugontini composed by Tyagaraja
- Sri Balasubramanya, Kamakshi Sri Varalakshmi, Ekadantham Bhajeham, Hatakeshwara and Sri Madhurapuri by Muthuswami Dikshitar
- Smara Sada, Aaraadhayaami, Gopalam Seveham, Pahi Padmanabha, Jaya Suganalaya, Pahi Sarasanabha, Sri Narasimha Jaya, Santhatham Bhajami and Vimukhava Tava by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
- Karpagambike, Sarvesha Adimaiyai, Vaa Sharavanaa, Jaya Vittala and * Nijamunnai Nambinen* by Papanasam Sivan
- Parithana Michite by Patnam Subramania Iyer
- Sri Chamundeshwari, Evarani Vedani and Dasharathe Pahimam by Mysore Vasudevacharya
- Anaamilo Mahaboob is a Khayal in Hindi by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
- Vidudhalai Vidudhalai by Subramania Bharati
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- Puraya Mama Kamam * is a Tharangam by Narayana Teertha
- Raara Venugopa Bala is a famous Swarajati by Patnam Subramania Iyer
- Kaanbadeppo by Ambujam Krishna
- Rabindranath Tagore has composed Ami Marer Sagor Pari Debo
- Intha Chouka is an Adi tala Varnam composed by Veena Kuppayyar
- Nenarunchi Elukora is an Ata tala varnam by Sonti Venkatasubbayya
- Maa Mayura a Tamil Kriti composed by Mazhavai Chidambara Bharathi
- Maal Maruganai Ninaindidhu by Ramaswami Shivan
- Tillana by Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar
- Paripovalera, Telise Vagalella and Iturara are Javalis by Pattabhiramayya
Film songs
Language:[[Tamil language|Tamil]]
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Related rāgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
Scale similarities
- Mohanam has a symmetric pentatonic scale, with the notes same as the ascending scale of Bilahari. Its ** structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S
- Shankarabharanam is a rāgam with the notes same as the descending scale of Bilahari. Its ** structure is S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S : S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
- Mohanakalyani is a rāgam which has the prati madhyamam in descending scale (descending scale of Kalyani) in place of the shuddha madhyamam. Its ** structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S N3 D2 P M2 G3 R2 S
- Garudadhvani is a rāgam which has the ascending and descending scales interchanged, in comparison with Bilahari. Its ** structure is S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S
- Desakshi is a rāgam which is similar to Bilahari. The arohana remains the same, while the sampoorna avarohana has Kaishiki Nishada in place of Kakali Nishada. Its ** structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
Notes
References
References
- ''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
- ''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
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