Raga Bhairavi
The equivalent of the Western Mode Phrygian. Starting from the Tonic or root note the steps are
Half-Whole-Whole-Whole-Half-Whole-Whole
Remember that a whole step is simply two half steps. On a sitar EVERY fret is a half step EXCEPT at Re (the second note in the sclae) and at Dha (the sixth note in the scale). It must be noted, however esoteric, that there have been attempts at playing the sitar with ALL the frets - meaning no Whole step gaps on the neck. This seems to lead to some aesthetic and practical difficulites that are beyond the scope of this discussion.
Bhairavi is often thought of as the "quintessential" Raga of India. The scale is inherently somewhat "Eastern" sounding and couple that with the sheer popularity of the Raga - there are many recordings indeed of this Raga. It is traditionally played at the end of a concert and signifies both the beginning and the ending of a moment in time. The dawning of a new day if you will - after the night has passed away. We will be dissecting this Raga within the next few weeks.
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sitar, tabla, ragas, India Classical Music, Anand Vyas, Raga Bhairavi