Ahir Bhairav

Ahir Bhairav is one of those Ragas which have taken hold of the imagination of artists. As the name suggests, the likely association is with a folk tune originating in the music of the Ahir-s, an ancient pastoral tribe to which Lord Krishna belonged. The joint name does not occur in the early texts. Names such as Ahiri, Abhiri/Aabheri and Aaheri occur, but they are obviously to be treated as of different Ragas. As a variety of Bhairav, it attracts attention because it considerably softens the former. It is difficult to come across traditional dhrupad or dhamar compositions in the Raga and thus its entry into Raga-music could be taken as more recent. It is also significant to note that the Raga does not have a very general circulation in the major gharana-s specializing in khayal.