What is Raagang Padhhati ?

'Raagang' means a unique phrase in a Raag suggesting its characteristic feature. This key-phrase is called as Raagang and if any Raag contains this key-phrase, that Raag belongs to the family of main Ang-Raag.

Pt. N M Khare has listed such 30 Raagang-s, as following -

1. Bhairav - GmrS - Ragas such as Bhairav, Ramkali, Jogiya, Ahir Bhairav, Shivmat Bhairav, etc. belong to this Ang.

2. Bilawal - P DG mGmRS - Types of Bilawal such as Alahaiya, Sarparda, Kukubh, Devgiri, Shukla Bilwal and other Raags such as Gunkali, Deshkar, etc.

3. Kalyan - PR S, RG & PDPP S' - many varieties of Kalyan, Bhoop, Marubihag, Jait Kalyan, Shyam Kalyan, etc.

4. Khamaj - SGmP, nDP - Khamaj, Zinzoti, Tilang, Khambavati.

5. Kafi - mPgR - Kafi, Sindhura, Pradipki, etc.

6. Poorvi - dPMP G MGr S - Poorwi, Paraj, Puriya Dhanashree, etc

7. Marawa - DMGr - Marawa, Purva Kalyaan, Maligaura, Sajgiri, etc.

8. Todi - rgrS - Varieties of Todi, such as Gujari, bahaduri Todi, etc.

9. Bhairavi - gmdn / rnS'-dP - Malkauns, Bilaskhani Todi, Bhairavi, Basant Mukhari.

10. Sarang - NpmR - Varieties of Sarang such as vrindavani, madhamad, shudhha, samat, miya ki, badhans sarang, etc. Also Soor Malhar.

11. Dhanashree - mPgRS - Bhimapalasi, Dhani, Patdeep, Multani, Madhuvanti, etc.

12. Lalit - 'NrGm - Lalit, Lalita Gauri, Lalit Pancham, Lalit Bibhas, Prabhat Bhairav, Basant Pancham.

13. Sorath - mPNS'R'-DnDP - Desh, Tilak Kamod, Jaijaiwanti.

14. Piloo - PdNS - Piloo, Barawa, some Dhun-Raags.

15. Nat - SR RG GM - Shuddha Nat, Sar Nat, Chhayanat, Nat Bihag, Hem Nat, Nat Bhairav, Nat Malhar, etc.

16. Shree - rP-NS'r' - Shree, Triveni, Chaiti Gauri, etc.

17. Bageshree - gmDn - Bageshree, Rageshree, Malgunji, Bahar, Kaunsi Kanada.

18. Kauns - gmgS - Malkauns, Chandrakauns, Madhukauns, JogKauns, etc.

19. Kedar - MPDPm - Kedar, Jaldhar Kedar, Maluha Kedar, Chandani Kedar, Nat Kedar.

20. Shankara - GPN-P - Shankara, Malashree, Hamsadhwani.

21. Asavari - mPd-P - Asawari, Jaunpuri, Dev Gandhar, Gandhari, Desi, Lachari Todi.

22. Kanada - nP-gmRS - Darbari, Adana, Nayaki, Shahana, Suha, Sughrai, Abhogi, Devsakh, Hussaini, Kafi Kanada.

23. Malhar - nDNS - Varieties of Malhar such as Miya, Ramdasi, Megh, Gaud Malhar, etc.

24. Hindol - GMDS' - Hindol, Sohani, Bhinna Shadja.

25. Asa - RmPD - Asa, Bhavani, Maand, Arabhi.

26. Bhoop - SRG-RS 'DS

27. Bihag - GmG-RS - Bihag, Bihagda, Patbihag, Sawani Bihag, Nand, etc.

28. Kamod - GmRS - Kamod, Chhayanat, Shyam Kalyan, Gaud Sarang.

29. Bhatiyar - PGrS - Bhatiyar, Bhankaar, etc.

30. Durga - DMRS - Durga, Gorakh Kalyan, Narayani.

Imporatance of Raagang Padhhati

Even though the 2 Raags having same notes, according to the phrasing (Pakad or Ang and Chalan), one can classify the Raags in different Raagangs and Thaats - Though Pandit Bhatkhande introduced the system of 10 Thaats to classify Raags, he was aware of its inadequacies and so, also considering the Pakad, Chalan of a Raag, he suggested further classification with using method of 'Raagang', e.g. as Raag Bhoop uses the phrase P RS, RG suggesting Kalyaan Ang, Raag Bhoop is classified in Kalyaan Thaat; on the contrary, Raag Deshkaar uses phrase P DG suggesting Bilawal Ang, he has classified it in Bilawal Thaat.

The Raagang Padhhati gives guidelines about improvisation of Raag -

1. Komal Rishabh Asavari & Bilaskhani Todi has same notes and both belong to Bhairavi Thaat. But as Bilaskhani Todi has Todi Raagang, it is improvised with Todi Ang and on the other hand, Komal Rishabh Asavari is improvised accordingly to Asavari Ang.

2. Gujari Todi, though it is a Raag in the Todi family, it is improvised with Marawa Ang, giving importance to dmgr phrase.

Raagang system makes it easy to identify other catagories of Raags - Sam-Prakrutik Raags (Raags with same emotion or nature, e.g. Patdeep and Madhuwanti), Par-Mel-praveshak Raags (Raags using notes similar to 2 Thaats, e.g. Jaijaiwanti using Khamaj and Kafi Thaat), Chhayalag Raags (Raags using tint or shade of some other Raag, e.g. Lalit Pancham using tint of Raag Pancham in Raag Lalit).

The Raagang system gives a clear idea of the varieties of any Raag - e.g. all Raags in family of Bilawal prakar, use some common phrases of Bilawal Ang, and one can easily make a point in differentiating other types, such as Nat Bilawal (Bilawal with Nat ang), Yamani Bilawal (combination of Yaman & Bilawal), Sukhiya Bilawal (combination of Sawani & Bilawal), etc.