Raga Asavari

 

Gandhar, Dhaivat and Nishad are komal in the raga. Rest of the swars are shudha.

 

Thaat: Asavari

Jati: Audav - Sampoorna

Time: 2nd prahar of the day

Varjit: Gandhar and Nishad are varjit from the aroha

Vadi: Dhaivat

Samvadi: Gandhar

Aroha: Sa  Re  Ma  Pa  Dha  Sȧ

Avaroha: Sȧ  Ni  Dha  Pa  Ma  Ga  Re  Sa

Pakad: Ma  Pa  Dha   Ma  Pa  Ga  Re  Sa

 

Features of the raga:

 

  1. Raga Asavari is one of the prime ragas of Hindustani classical music.
  2. The characteristic feature of the raga is its avaroha.
  3. While taking alaaps we stop at Dhaivat for a while eg. Re Ma Pa Dha ss ss. However in the taan, Dhaivat is varjit from aroha and it is sung like this: Sa Re Ma Pa Ni Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa.
  4. The alignment of swars which characterise the raga are : Re Ma Pa Dha Ma Pa Ga Re Sa  and  Ma Pa Dha Dha Sȧ RÄ— Ni Dha Pa. Many ragas have been developed from this swar samooh (group) by changing the flow of swars and omitting some swars. Eg. By using  komal Nishad in only aroha, Jaunpuri raga was developed and by using komal Rishabh in only avaroha, Gandhari raga developed.
  5. Since this raga has shudha Rishabh, it is very helpful to teach beginners. Students are able to learn and reproduce the raga with ease. Keeping this in mind, Pt.Bhatkhande incorporated Asavari with shudha Rishabh in his 10 thaats.