top of page
Āroha and Avaroha
Two ragas can use the same svara but will be differentiated by their ascending and descending scale (āroha and avaroha). For example, the raga Jaunpurī and Darbārī kānadā both contain the same seven svara: Sa Re ga ma Pa dha ni. However, their ascending and descending scale is organized differently: Jaunpurī omits the ga in āroha and takes the seven svara in avaroha, while Darbārī kānadā includes the seven svara in a direct line in āroha and unfolds in a zigzag sequence (vakra) in avaroha.
The particular identity of a raga is therefore largely attributable to the organization of its ascending and descending scale. This constitutes the very frame of a raga. Hence, the description of a raga often starts with its āroha / avaroha.
santoor
raga
compositions
indian classical music
bottom of page