Bageśrī
Ṭhāṭa: Kāfī
Jāti: auḍuva / sampūrṇa vakra
Āroha / avaroha: Sa ga ma Dha ni Ṡa / Ṡa ni Dha ma Pa Dha ma ga Re Sa
Vādī / Samvādī: ma / Sa
Prahara: 9 pm - 12 am
Pakaḍa: Ḍha ṇi Sa ma, ga ma Dha, ma Pa Dha ma ga Re Sa.
Bageśrī is an ancient raga listed in the śāstra under the name Vageśvarī. (Bor et al., p. 26) Today we find different versions of this raga, each characterized by the place occupied by the svara Re and Pa in the ascending and descending scale*. In the version documented here, which is also the most common version of this popular raga, Re is excluded in the āroha and appears in avaroha. Pa is excluded in āroha and can be played avaroha, but sparingly and only through a very specific svara combination: ma Pa Dha ma ga. This way of approaching Pa and the pauses on the svara Sa and ma will help in evoking the particular charm of this romantic evening raga.
Calana:
Sa Ḍha ṇi Sa ma, Sa ma ga Re Sa, Ḍha ṇi Sa ma, ga ma Dha ma, ga ma Dha ni Dha, ga ma Dha ni Ṡa | Ṙe ni Ṡa ni Dha ma, ma Pa Dha ga Re Sa.
Textual references:
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Bor, J. et al. (2002). The Raga Guide: A survey of 74 Hindustani Ragas. Netherlands: Nimbus : Rotterdam Conservatory of Music, p.26.
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Kaufmann, W. (1968). The Rāgas of North India. Bloomington, London: International Affairs Center by Indiana University Press, pp. 382-385.
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Moutal, P. (2012). Comparative Study of Hindustānī Rāga-s: volume 1 (New edition). Aubagne: Patrick Moutal Editeur, pp. 300-306 (on Bageśrī kānaḍa).
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Rao, B. S. (1980) Raganidhi: A Comparative Study of Hindustani and Karnatak Ragas, Volume One (2e edition). Madras: The Music Academy, Madras, pp. 47-52.
*We can listen to two different versions of Bageśrī by Shivkumar Sharma: one version including Pa and another one excluding it.