Desh (raga) explained

Desh
Thaat:Khamaj
Type:Audava-sampurna
Time:Late night, 12–3
Arohana:Ni Sa Re, Ma Pa Ni, Sa
Avarohana:Sa ni Dha, Pa Dha Ma Ga Re, Pa Ma Ga, Re Ga Ni Sa
Vadi:Re
Samavadi:Pa
Pakad:Re, Ma Pa Ni, Sa Re ni Dha Pa, ma Ga Re
Synonym:Khamaj

Desh or Des is a Hindustani classical music raga[1] [2] which belongs to the Khamaj thaat.[3] This raga is very similar to raga Khamaj.

Technical description

The raga is of audava-sampurna nature, i.e., in its arohana (ascent) only five notes are used, whereas the avarohana (descent) uses all the seven notes.Shuddha Ni is used in the arohana, while Komal Ni (represented as ni below) is used in avarohana. All other swaras are shuddha.

Re, Ma Pa Ni, Sa Re ni Dha Pa, ma Ga Re

The ascent in this raga is a step by step pentatonic movement which goes like this: Sa, Re, Ma Pa, Ni Sa’.[4]

Samayam (Time): The raga is to be sung during the second quarter of the night (9PM to 12AM).

Re is very prominent, quite a few times the singer rests on Re, making it a centre to the melody. The Meend from Ma to Re via Ga is one of the most vital features of the raga. The arohana via shuddha Ni, and the transition from Re to komal Ni in the avarohana form an important part of the melodies in this raga. Further, Desh is quite close to neighboring ragas like Tilak Kamod, and hence requires skillful rendition to separate itself.

Prominent Songs

Desh has been used in a few patriotic compositions. Vande Mataram, the national song of India, is the most well-known. The popular old Doordarshan video Baje Sargam, that featured many respected Indian classical singers, is also based on Desh.

Rabindrasangeet based on the raga

The polymath and Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore, had very often used Hindustani Classical Music and Carnatic Classical Music in his songs (Rabindrasangeet). The songs based on this raga Des are listed below:

Carnatic Compositions

Vikasita Pankaja by Kalyani VaradarajanVithala Salaho Swami by Purandara Dasa

Film Songs

Language: Tamil

SongMovieComposerSinger
Premayil yavum MarandenaeSakuntalaiThuraiyur Rajagopala SharmaM. S. Subbulakshmi, G. N. Balasubramaniam
Mangiyathor NilavinileThirumanamS. M. Subbaiah Naidu, T. G. LingappaT.M.Soundararajan
Sindhu NadhiyinKai Koduttha DheivamViswanathan–RamamoorthyT.M.Soundararajan, L.R.Eswari & J.V.Raghavulu
Thunbam Nergaiyil YaazhedutthuOr IravuBharathidasan, Dandapani Desikar, R. SudarsanamM. S. Rajeswari,V. J. Varma
Gopiyar Konjum RamanaThirumal PerumaiK. V. MahadevanT. M. Soundararajan
Naan Unnai NinaikkaathaPaavai VilakkuP. Susheela
Ondra IrandaSelvamT. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Androru NaalNadodiM. S. Viswanathan
Idhuthan Mudhal RathiriOorukku UzhaippavanK.J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam
Muththamizhil PaadaMelnaattu MarumagalKunnakudi VaidyanathanVani Jairam
Vizhiyil Pudhu KavithaiTheertha KaraiyinileIlaiyaraajaMano, K. S. Chithra
Nee Oru Kadhal Sangeetham(Raga Shudha sarang touches)Nayakan
Onakena Thaane InneramaPonnu Oorukku PudhusuIlaiyaraaja,Sarala
Poonguyil PonmalaiyilThazhuvatha KaigalS. Janaki
Kanner ThuzhiRaja Kaiya VachaK. J. Yesudas
DeivangalPudhiya RaagamMano, S. Janaki
Orancharam(charanam only)Kakkai SiraginilaeS. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Kanave KalaiyadheKannedhirey ThondrinalDevaP. Unnikrishnan, K. S. Chithra
Indhu Maha Samudrame(Ragamalika:Desh, Sahana)MannavaHariharan, K. S. Chithra
Nilladi EndradhuKaalamellam KaathiruppenS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Itho Intha NenjoduGood LuckManoj Bhatnaghar
Malare MaranthuviduPenngalBharadwajK. S. Chithra
Adi Kadhal Oru KannilDoublesSrikanth DevaP. Unnikrishnan, Harini
Kadhal VandichoYai! Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke!Raaghav-RajaShankar Mahadevan
Kandupidi KandupidiSamudhiramSabesh–MuraliHariharan, Ganga
NoothanaKarka KasadaraPrayogHarish Raghavendra, Chinmayi
Ulagil Yentha KathalNaadodigalSundar C BabuHariharan
KalatharaVegamRajhesh VaidhyaP. Unnikrishnan,Anuradha Sekhar
MaruvaarthaiEnai Noki Paayum ThotaDarbuka SivaSid Sriram
VaralaamaSarvam Thaala MayamRajiv Menon(Orchestration by A. R. Rahman)Sriram Parthasarathy
Mannamaganin Sathiyam(Dwijavanthi traces)KochadaiiyaanA. R. RahmanHaricharan, Latha Rajinikanth
Singappenney(Female portion only)BigilA. R. Rahman, Shashaa Tirupati
Alli Arjuna(Ragamalika)Kaaviya ThalaivanHaricharan, Bela Shende, Srimathumitha
Yethanai YethanaiJiVidyasagarShankar Sampoke
Naana Yaar IdhuNinaithu Ninaithu ParthenJoshua SridharSadhana Sargam
Naanaagiya NadhimoolamaeVishwaroopam IIGhibranKamal Haasan, Kaushiki Chakraborty,Master Karthik Suresh Iyer
Pen Maegam Polavae(charanam only)Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam IyakkamSharrethG. V. Prakash Kumar, Saindhavi
NeelorpamIndian 2Anirudh RavichanderAbby V,Shruthika Samudhrala

Other languages

Year SongMovieLanguage of MovieComposerSinger
1979Sanware Ke Rang RanchhiMeeraHindiRavi ShankarVani Jairam
2003Enthe Innum VanneelaGramophoneMalayalamVidyasagarP. Jayachandran, Jeemon KJ, Chorus
2001MegharagamKakkakkuyilMalayalamDeepan ChatterjeeK.S. Chithra
1998Mayilay Parannu VaMayilpeelikkavuMalayalamBerny–IgnatiusK.J. Yesudas & K.S. Chitra (Duet Version)
1965Aap Ko Pyar ChhupaneNeela AakashHindiMadan MohanAsha Bhosle & Mohammed Rafi
1994Mora Saiyan To Hai PardesBandit QueenHindiNusrat Fateh Ali KhanNusrat Fateh Ali Khan
1964Gori Tore NainwaMain Suhagan HoonHindiLacchiram TamarAsha Bhosle & Mohammed Rafi
1956Thandi Thandi Savan Ki PhuharJagte RahoHindiSalil ChowdhuryAsha Bhosle
1967Oru Pushpam MathramenPareekshaMalayalamM.S. BaburajK.J. Yesudas
2002Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna Ab HamareThe Legend of Bhagat SinghHindiA. R. RahmanSonu Nigam
2015Agar Tum Saath HoTamashaHindiA.R. RahmanAlka Yagnik, Arijit Singh
1952Door Koi GaayeBaiju BawraHindiNaushadShamshad Begum, Mohammed Rafi, & Lata Mangeshkar
1963Hum Tere Pyar Mein SaraDil Ek MandirHindiShankar–JaikishanLata Mangeshkar
1994Pyar Hua Chupke SeHindiR. D. BurmanKavita Krishnamurthy
2015Man MandiraKatyar Kaljat GhusaliMarathiPandit Jitendra AbhishekiShankar Mahadevan

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Nagarkar. Samarth. Raga Sangeet: Understanding Hindustani Classical Vocal Music. 27 August 2015. 978-1619273672.
  2. Katte. Trupti. Multiple Techniques for Raga Identification in Indian. International Journal of Electronics Communication and Computer Engineering. 10 June 2013. 4. 6. 17 July 2017.
  3. Book: Rao, B.Subba. Raganidhi: A Comparative Study Of Hindustani And Karnatak Ragas. Volume Two (D to J). The Music Academy. 1996. Madras. 6–7.
  4. Mathur. Avantika. Vijayakumar. Suhas. Chakravarti. Bhismadev. Singh. Nandini. Emotional responses to Hindustani raga music: the role of musical structure. Frontiers in Psychology. 6. 513. 30 April 2015. 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00513. 25983702. 4415143. free.