<p>
If you browse a list of raag names, it feels like reading a mix of
mythology, geography, history, and personal stories. Raag names often
reveal something about their origin or the imagination of the musicians
who created or propagated them.
</p>
<h3>Names from deities</h3>
<p>
Some raags are linked to Hindu deities or divine qualities:
</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Kedaar</b> – associated with Lord Shiva (Kedarnath).</li>
<li><b>Bhairav</b> – a fierce form of Shiva.</li>
<li><b>Gauri</b>, <b>Durga</b> – forms of the Goddess.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Names from tribes or communities</h3>
<p>
Other raags reflect communities or ethnic groups:
</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Ahiri</b>, <b>Asavari</b>, <b>Gujari</b> – possibly linked to
tribal or regional melodies with similar names.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Names from places</h3>
<p>
Geography also plays a role:
</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Marwa</b> – associated with the Marwar region in Rajasthan.</li>
<li><b>Jaunpuri</b> – linked with the city of Jaunpur.</li>
<li><b>Pahadi</b> – literally “of the mountainsâ€, often evoking folk
tunes from hilly regions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Names from creators and legends</h3>
<p>
Some raags are named after the maestros who shaped them:
</p>
<ul>
<li>
<b>Miya ki Todi</b>, <b>Miya ki Malhar</b> – traditionally attributed
to the legendary Miya Tansen.
</li>
<li>
<b>Bilaskhani Todi</b> – linked to Tansen’s son, Bilas Khan.
</li>
<li>
<b>Darbaari Kanada</b> – associated with royal courts (“darbarâ€)
and the Kanada family of raags.
</li>
<li>
<b>Gorakh Kalyan</b> – associated with the saint Gorakhnath, with
stories about how it was sung to bring his guru back.
</li>
<li>
<b>Kalashree</b> – created by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi as a blend of
Kalawati and Bageshree.
</li>
</ul>
<p>
Not every raag name has a perfectly traceable history, and some stories
are more legend than fact. But they all remind us that raags are part of
a living culture, not just abstract scales.
</p>
Raag Name Origin
Step 15 of 52
How traditional raag names arose from deities, places, tribes, and creators.