The Raga Samay Chakra

The Raga Samay Chakra –
Concept & Importance
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In hindustani classical music, each
raga has a specific time when it
can be performed. The time of the
raga usually depends on the vaadi
swar and the anuvadi swars. This
is because each raga, with its
particular swar is more effective
when performed at a particular
time. This practice is supposed to
enhance the ras (mood) of the
raga that the artist is responsible
for evoking.
However, some of the ragas are
seasonal in nature. For example
ragas that belong to the Malhar
category can be sung at any time
during the monsoons. The
traditional associations with the
season are - Monsoon - Raga
Megh, autumn - Raga Bhairav,
winter - Raga Malkauns, Spring -
Raga Hindol.
The 24 hours of a day are
divided into 2 parts
1. From 12 AM to 12 PM - This is
called Poorva Bhaag of the day
and ragas sung in this period are
called poorva ragas
2. From 12 PM to 12 AM - This is
called Uttar Bhaag of the day and
the ragas in this period are called
uttar ragas.
The part of the saptak (octave)
from Sa to Ma (Sa Re Ga Ma) is
called poorvang (earlier part) of a
raga and from Ma to higher octave
(taar saptak) Sa (Pa Dha Ni Sa) is
called uttarang (later part) of the
ragas.
Poorvang Vaadi raga : The ragas
in which the vaadi swar lies in the
poorvang are called poorvang
vaadi raga. These ragas are
rendered in the poorva bhag of
the day i.e. 12 AM to 12 PM
Uttarang Vaadi raga: The ragas in
which the vaadi swar lies in the
uttarang are called uttarangi vaadi
raga. These ragas are sung in the
uttar bhaag of the day i.e. 12 PM
to 12 AM.
If we know a vaadi swar of the
raga we can estimate the time the
raga will be rendered. The ragas
in Hindustani classical music are
divided in to 3 categories taking
into account their swar (notes)
and samay(time)
1. Ragas with Komal Rishabh
and Komal Dhaivat
These ragas are called sandhi
prakash (dawn and dusk time)
ragas and fall into two categories
a : pratah kaalin sandhi prakash
raga : ragas sung at dawn
b : saayam kaalin sandhi prakash
raga : ragas sung at dusk
In sandhi prakash ragas Madhyam
plays very important role. Most of
pratah kaalin sandhi prakash ragas
(dawn time) contain the shuddha
Madhyam. E.g. Raga Bhairav.
Most of the sayam kaalin sanhdi
prakash ragas (dusk time) contain
teevra Ma e.g. Raga Marwa.
Also, in most of the sandhi
prakash ragas, Rishabh is komal
and Gandhar, Nishad are shuddha.
Dhaivat can be komal or shuddha.
2. Ragas with Shuddha Rishabh
and Shuddha Dhaivat
The time at which these ragas are
rendered is after the sandhi
prakash ragas. They belong mainly
to Kalyan, Bilawal, Khamaj thaat.
After the pratah kaalin sandhi
prakash ragas the influence of
shuddha Rishabh and shuddha
Dhaivat starts rising. Hence the
ragas of this category are
rendered from morning 7.00 to
morning 10.00 and from evening
7.00 to evening 10.00. In this
category Gandhar is essentially
shuddha.
In the morning 7.00 to 10.00
category Shuddha Madhyam is
prominent e.g. Bilawal, Deskar
In evening 7.00 to 10.00
categories Teevra Madhyam is
prominent e.g. Yaman, Bhoopali
3. Ragas with Komal Gandhar and
Komal Nishad
these ragas are sung after the
Shuddha Rishabh and Shuddha
Dhaivat ragas. They are sung from
morning 10.00 to afternoon 4.00
Eg. Asavari, Jaunpuri and night
10.00 to dawn 4:00 e.g.
Bageshree, Jaijaivanti, Malkauns.
In these ragas Gandhar will surely
be komal. The Rishabh and
Dhaivat can be Shuddha or Komal.
Importance of Madhyam with
regards to the time of the raga.
Normally, among the morning
ragas the shuddha Madhyam is
prominent. In the ragas with
Komal Rishabh and Komal Dhaivat
if shuddha Madhyam is prominent
then they are called Pratah Kaalin
Sandhi Prakash raga.
Similarly among the evening ragas
the teevra Madhyam is of
prominence. Thus in the evening
with the ragas such as Poorvi,
Shree, Multaani, teevra Madhyam
comes into use which goes on till
the 2nd prahar of the night. At
that time with ragas such as
Bihaag, shuddha Madhyam starts
getting prominent.
In the pratah kaalin sandhi
prakash raga, the ragas with the
Shuddha Madhyam (Raga Bhairav,
Kalingada) come first followed by
ragas with both the Madhyams
(Ragas Ramkali, Lalit).
After this is the time to sing ragas
with Shuddha Rishaabh and
Shuddha Dhaivat. Shuddha
Madhyam is prominent in these
ragas (Raag Bilawal) Then comes
the time for Komal Gandhar ragas.
In this both the Madhyams are
used. In some of them Shuddha
Madhyam assumes prominence
whereas in others Teevra
Madhyam assumes prominence.