Sohni Explained

Sohini
Thaat:Marva
Time:Before sunrise

Sohini is a raga in Hindustani classical music in the Marwa thaat. Alternate transliterations include Sohani and Sohni. Like Bahar, it is a small raga, with not much space for elaboration. It emotes the feel of longing, of passive sensuousness.

Technical Description

The raga is of audav-shadav nature, i.e., it has five swaras (notes) in the arohana (ascent) and six in the avarohana. Rishabh (Re) is Hindi: komal and Madhyam (Ma) is Hindi: tivra, while all other swaras are shuddha. Pancham (Pa) is not used.

The vadi swara is Dha, and samvadi is Ga.The rishabh is weak, but Gandhar (Ga) is strong, unlike Marwa. It is an Uttaranga pradhan raga, with the higher notes on the saptak (octave) being used more frequently.

Samay (Time)

Raga Sohini is associated with very late night / pre-dawn, the last or eighth period of day, roughly from 3-6AM.(3 AM - 6 AM) : 4th Prahar of the Night : Sandhi-Prakash Raag[1]

Film Songs

SongMovieComposerSingers
Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya Suvarna SundariP. Adinarayana RaoMohammad Rafi & Lata Mangeshkar
Jhumati Chali HavaSangeet Samrat TansenS. N. TripathiMukesh (singer)
Prem Jogan Ban KeMughal-e-AzamNaushadBade Ghulam Ali Khan
Jivan Jyot JaleGrahasti (film)Ravi (composer)Asha Bhosle
Kanha Re KanhaTruck Driver(1970 film)Sonik-OmiLata Mangeshkar

Note that these are composed in the Carnatic ragam Hamsanandi, which Sohni sounds similar to.

SongMovieComposerSinger
Thesulaavudhe Then MalaraaleManaalane Mangaiyin BaakkiyamP. Adinarayana RaoGhantasala, P. Susheela
Kaalaiyum NeeyeThen NilavuA. M. RajahA. M. Rajah, S. Janaki
Ninaithal Podhum Aaduven Nenjirukkum VaraiM. S. ViswanathanS. Janaki
EnnakoduppanKarnanViswanathan–RamamoorthyP. B. Sreenivas
Ezhumalai IrukkaThirumalai DeivamKunnakudi VaidyanathanK. B. Sundarambal
Vedham AnuvilumSalangai OliIllayarajaS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja
Nee Paadum PaadalEnkeyo Ketta KuralS. Janaki
Putham PuthuThalapathiK.J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Or Poomalai Iniya Uravu PoothathuMano, K. S. Chithra
KeerthanaEn Paadal UnakagaMano
Raaga Theebam YetrumPayanangal MudivathillaiS. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Oru PooncholaiVaathiyaar Veettu PillaiS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Sammatham Thanthuten NambuKadhal Devathai
GanakkuyilaePooncholaiS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Bhavatharini
Raathiriyil PoothirukumThanagamaganS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Vaanam Niram MaarumDhavani Kanavugal
Nee VaruvaiGowrimanohariM.M.A. IniyavanS. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Ezhu SwaramumOru Pudhiya KadhaiUma Kannadasan
Pottu Vaithu PoomudikkumNinaithen VandhaiDevaS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Swarnalatha
Vaname Ketkutha En PaatuNadodi KathalMalaysia Vasudevan
Idhya VeliyilOru Pudhiya UdhayamMano, Swarnalatha
Anbe AnbeChinna RajaP. Unnikrishnan
Oh VennilaSenbaga Thottam SirpyK.J. Yesudas
O KannukkulDhinamdhorumOviyanP. Unnikrishnan, Swarnalatha

Further information

It is somewhat similar to Marwa and Puriya ragas in the same thaat,[2] and also to Basant in the Poorvi thaat.

References

  1. Web site: Raag Sohani - Indian Classical Music . Tanarang.com . 2022-08-25.
  2. Web site: The Marwa Matrix. Parrikar. Rajan. 2002-02-18. The South Asian Women's Forum. 16 December 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100329160117/http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit02182002/musicarts.asp. live. 2010-03-29.