Bhairavi is a janya

Janya

Janya is a term meaning "derived". In Carnatic music a janya raga is one derived from one of the 72 melakarta ragas...

rāga

Raga

A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...

m in Carnatic music

Carnatic music

Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...

 (musical scale of South Indian classical music). Though it is a sampoorna rāgam (scale having all 7 notes), it has two different dhaivathams in its scale, and hence is not classified as a melakarta

Melakarta

Melakarta is a collection of fundamental ragas in Carnatic music . Melakarta ragas are parent ragas from which other ragas may be generated. A melakarta raga is sometimes referred as mela, karta or sampurna as well.In Hindustani music the thaat is equivalent of Melakarta...

rāgam (parent scale).

This is one of the ancient rāgams, said to have been prevalent about 1500 years ago. There are numerous compositions in this rāgam.

Though a Raga called Bhairavi also exists in Hindusthani music, it is very different from the Carnatic version. Hindusthani's Bhairavi, in terms of its aroha and avaroha alone, corresponds to Carnatic music's Thodi.

Structure and Lakshana

It is considered a janya of the 20th melakarta Natabhairavi

Natabhairavi

Natabhairavi is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 20th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. It corresponds to the minor scale of western music system....

. Its structure is as follows (see swaras of Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):: S G2 R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S: S N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S

The other set of ārohaṇa and avarohaṇa used is:

S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S:S N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S

The notes used are chathusruthi rishabham, sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam,
chathusruthi dhaivatham & shuddha dhaivatham and kaishika nishadham. Note the use of both dhaivathams, chathusruthi (D2) in and shuddha (D1) in .

While a janya of Natabhairavi melam, Bhairavi takes the anya swaram D2 in the ascent in the phrase P D2 N2 S. In descent as well as in the phrase P D N D P the D1 of the parent scale is used. Only R2 and M1 can be prolonged without gamakam. In the ascent G2 is held in conjunction with R2 with short or wide range of oscillation-the later as S G R G M. The gamakam on G ends in R. In descent the phrase M P G R is also used and G2 slides from M1 and oscillates. The phrase S G R G in the ascent and the ending of gamakam on G at R help to avoid flavour of Kharaharapriya

Kharaharapriya

Kharaharapriya is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 22nd melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. Kharaharapriya has a distinct melody and brings out the Karuna rasam, invoking pathos in the listeners...

 which does not use S G R G and in which gamakam on G can end in G itself. Bhairavi is distinguished from Mukhaari by the use of the phrases P D2 N2 S and S G2 R2 G2 M1. The deft use of gamakams in handling G2 N2 D2 and D1 gives the raagam its flavour.

Elaboration and related ragas

Bhairavi is one of the most popular ragas on the concert stage, due to its very wide scope for improvisation. This raga can be elaborated to beautiful effect in all three sthayis, but shines particularly well in the upper madhya and thara sthayis. The nishada, an important jeeva swara, can be rendered with varying degrees of gamaka, depending on which daivatha is used. The weight of this raga and the lack of vakra sancharas make brighas and slower phrases equally appealing. This characteristic also means that the raga is well-suited to thanam, kanakku, and sarvalaghu swaras. Bhairavi is also one of the most common ragas in which ragam-thanam-pallavi is rendered, due to the scope for elaboration. There is a near-infinite number of compositions in this raga, which can be sung at any time of day.

Ragas which have similar murchanas and/or anya swara patterns to Bhairavi include Manji, Mukhari, and Huseni.

Popular Compositions

Bhairavi has been decorated with numerous compositions by almost all composers. Viriboni varnam

Varnam

Varnam is a form of song in the Carnatic music repertoire. A varnam is a relatively long piece and can range from 30 minutes to up to an hour. It is usually set to Aadi or Ata tala. It is the center piece in a recital of a Bharathanatyam dance. It is a tradition to start a recital in Carnatic...

in ata talam

Tala (music)

Tāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...

by Pacchimiriam Adiyappa

Pacchimiriam Adiyappa

Pacchimiriam Adiyappa was a famous court musician at the Maratha kingdom of Thanjavur in the 18th century. He was a composer of Carnatic music. Some of his famous disciples were Syama Sastri, one of the Trinity of Carnatic composers, and Ghanam Krishna Iyer...

 is commonly sung at the beginning of a concert and is very popular. Given below are a few very popular compositions among the 100s in this ragam.

Type	Composition	Composer	talam Tala (music) Tāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
Varnam Varnam Varnam is a form of song in the Carnatic music repertoire. A varnam is a relatively long piece and can range from 30 minutes to up to an hour. It is usually set to Aadi or Ata tala. It is the center piece in a recital of a Bharathanatyam dance. It is a tradition to start a recital in Carnatic...	Viriboni	Pacchimiriam Adiyappa Pacchimiriam Adiyappa Pacchimiriam Adiyappa was a famous court musician at the Maratha kingdom of Thanjavur in the 18th century. He was a composer of Carnatic music. Some of his famous disciples were Syama Sastri, one of the Trinity of Carnatic composers, and Ghanam Krishna Iyer...	Ata
Kriti Kriti -Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....	Koluvaiyunnade	Thyagaraja	Adi
Kriti	Upacharamulanu	Thyagaraja	Adi
Kriti	Enati nomu phalamo	Thyagaraja	Adi
Sri Kamalamba Param	Muthuswami Dikshitar Muthuswami Dikshitar Muthuswami Dikshitar is a South Indian poet and composer and is one of the Musical Trinity of Carnatic music...	"Misra Jhampa"
Kriti	Chintayama Kandha	Muthuswami Dikshitar	Rupakam
Kriti	Balagopala	Muthuswami Dikshitar	Adi
Kriti	Yaro ivar yaro	Arunachala Kavi Arunachala Kavi Arunachala Kavi was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. The three Tamil composers Arunachala Kavi, Muthu Thandavar and Marimutthu Pillai are considered the Tamil Trinity, who contributed to the evolution of Carnatic...	Adi
Kriti	Indu Enage Govinda	Raghavendra Swami Raghavendra Swami Raghavendra Theertha was a Hindu saint and philosopher who served as the head of the Sri Mutt in Kumbakonam from 1624 to 1636. He wrote a commentary Sudha Parimala on the Nyaya Sudha, an exposition of Dvaita philosophy...
Kriti	Nee Paadha	Patnam Subramania Iyer Patnam Subramania Iyer Patnam Subramania Iyer was a composer and singer of Carnatic music. Subramaniya Iyer followed the traditions of the great composer Tyagaraja. He has left behind almost one hundred compositions....
Swarajati	Kamakshi Amba	Syama Shastri	Misra Chapu