S-r-G-mM-P-D-N-S

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A dawn raga fabled as a creation of Raja Bharthari, a mythical King of Ujjain who is said to have left behind his life of material wealth and romantic pleasure to pursue a path of ascetic devotion (“Bharthari resolves to kill a black buck, and seek diksha [initiation rites] from the yogi…As the plan unfolds, it is Guru Gorakhnath who brings the buck back to life, and makes him his disciple…this done, Bharthari becomes a yogi…”). Distinctively vakra in character, Bhatiyar sets wide-jumping ascent phrases (Sm; SD) against looping mid-scale motions (PDNDP, mPDmP) – with a distinctive role for komal re, which is weak in ascent but highlighted at the end of descending passages (often rendered PGrS). Shades of Marwa are available via the Ma–Dha–Ni grouping, with many artists contrasting Marwa’s austere moods with a more playful approach to their melodies and ornaments elsewhere (see melodic summary). The raga’s winding subtleties can produce many flavours – see what you discover in renditions by Malini Rajurkar, Amir Khan, and Mita Nag, and read Deepak Raja’s concise melodic overview (“Bhatkhande observed in the early 20th-century that alternative versions of this raga involving twin-Dha and komal dha were also in existence, but these appear to have gone out of circulation”). Considered by Parrikar as part of a historically-connected trio along with Bhankar and Pancham – also see the overlapping Bhankari, Swanandi, and Bhatiyari Bhairav, all of which draw heavily from Bhatiyar.

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• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग भटियार

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SDP, DPm, PG; MDS

Avroh: rNDPm; NDP; DPm; PGrS

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Pakad: e.g. SD; NDP, DPm; PGrS

Chalan: e.g. SDDP; Pm; PG; MDS; rNDPm; PGrS (Raja)

• Distinctive ‘wide-jumping’ launch phrases (SD; Sm) are used to set up looping, back-and-forth madhyang motions which often come to rest on shuddha ma (MPDNDPm, mPDPm)

• Komal re is weak or absent in aroha launches, but is used more freely around high Sa (e.g. MDSrS; rNDPm) – and is prominent in the descending conclusion phrase PGrS

• Offers flavours of Marwa via the ascending MDN sangati – as well as overlapping with other ragas including Mand (NDNPDm), Pancham (MDP; MDS), and Bhankar (MGP; MGS; PGrS) 

• A highly ‘zonal’ raga, with disparate moods to be found in each segment (e.g. Sm SD; NDP DPm; MDN; PGrS) – traditionally associated with Raja Bharthari, a mythical king-turned-ascetic

—Mita Nag (2014)—

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[jor motifs, e.g. 4:58] N(SNR) N(SNS) N(SND), DNrG/mG(rm) Gm(G)r, SS, NN r, S; S/m, m, m…mPD N(SNSNS) D(NDNDN) P…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Imagery: Epic of Bharthari—

“The young Prince Bharthari is spotted by barbers and pundits from the Court of Singhaldeep [Sri Lanka], who came looking for a suitable groom for their princess. He alone bears the lakshana of a chakravartin [wise counsel], and seems a desirable match for the princess. They approach Bharthari’s mother for her son’s hand in marriage. She responds saying that her son is destined to become a yogi…” (Epic of Bharthari)

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• Classifiers •

Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List):

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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

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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: Bhankari, Shuddha Basant, Lalit Pancham, Pancham, Sohini Pancham, Vihang

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–r–G–mM–P–D–N–S

• Reverse: SrgmMPdNS

• Complement: SRgdnS

• Imperfect: 2 (re, Pa)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: none

–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Chayatharangini

S-R₁-G₃-M₁-M₂-P-D₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Lydian-Ionian b2

1-b2-3-4-#4-5-6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-4-5-6-7-9-11-0

(1–3–1–1–1–2–2–1)

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o o • • o o o o • o • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Dha)

• Names: Bhatiyar, Bhatiar, Bhatiyaar, Bhatiyari, Bhattihari

• Transliterations: Hindi (भटियार); Bengali (ভাটিয়ারী)

—Malini Rajurkar (~1980s)—