S-R-g-m-P-D-nN-S
As per Tanarang, Bahar (‘Spring’) “brings out nature’s beautiful blessings…full of shringar and bhakti ras…khatkas and intricate taans are conducive to its dynamic, fleeting nature”. While rooted in the Kanada raganga, the raga features a Malharic twin-Ni, with the shuddha being more prominent. Bageshri hallmarks can also be evident in the weak aroha Re, and the use of shuddha ma as a nyas – although Pa is strong, and the Kanada avroh signature is mostly preferred (e.g. Pgm, (m)gmRS). In recent generations, the raga has proved itself an attractive jod ingredient (Parrikar: “highly promiscuous, and has been found in flagrante delicto with several other ragas”) – appearing in such conjunctions as Basant Bahar, Bhairav Bahar, Bageshri Bahar, Rageshri Bahar, and Tilang Bahar.
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Aroha: NSm; PgmnDNS
Avroh: SnP; mPgmRS
Chalan: e.g. SRnSm; mPgmnDNS; RNSnP; mPnm; Pgm(S)RS (Bor/Dasgupta)
—Shashank Maktedar (2020)—
[refrain, e.g. 4:44] (mPDSN)S (N)S, nP (PmP)m P, m\g m, (mP)n, SNS, nP…
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Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List):
Swaras: -4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+
Sapta: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Poorvang: SRGM | SRG | SRM | SGM
Uttarang: PDNS | PDS | PNS | DNS
Varjit: Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni
Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact
Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra
Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row
Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2
Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night
Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball
Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern
Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang
Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.
• Prakriti: Miyan ki Malhar, Charju ki Malhar, Barwa, Bageshri Bahar, Sindhura, Sughrai, Hussaini Todi, Lanka Dahan Sarang
Also compare to other members of the Kanada and Malhar ragangas
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–R–g–m–P–D–nN–S
• Reverse: SrRgmPDnS
• Complement: SrGMdS
• Imperfect: 2 (Dha, Ni)
• Detached: 1 (Ni)
• Symmetries: none
• Murchanas: Miyan ki Malhar set
• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: (~Kapi/Kannada)
S-R2-G2-M1-P-D2-N2-N3-S
• Jazz: Dorian (dbl. 7th)
1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-3-5-7-9-10-11-0
(2–1–2–2–2–1–1–1)
o • o o • o • o • o o o o
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Bahar, Bahaar, Bahar Kanada, Bahari (not Bihari)
• Transliterations: Hindi (बहार); Bengali (বাহার); Kannada (ಬಹಾರ್)
—Tejendra Majumdar (~2000s)—
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George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher (guitars, sitar, tabla, & santoor). Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the voices, cultures, and passions behind them. See Homepage for more, and hit me up for Lessons!
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