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Rag Khammaj

by David Courtney working tools

Description

This rag is one of the most common in Indian music.  Although it is used in the classical styles, its romantic character makes it much more appropriate to the semi-classical and lighter styles.  It is traditionally ascribed to the second part of the night.  “Kuch To Log Lahenge” and “Nazar Lagi Raja Tore Bungal Par”, are two well known examples of common songs in this rag.  There are many other popular film songs in Khammaj as well.

Rag Khammaj has a clear musical structure.  It is a shadav-sampurna rag due to the ommission of the Re in the arohana.  Even in the avarohana, the Re is durbal (weak).  The vadi is Ga and the samvadi is Ni.  Undoubtedly its method of using Nishad is one of its most defining characteristics; it is shuddha (i.e., natural 7th) in the arohana but it is komal (i.e., minor 7th) in the avarohana.



Arohana

Ascending structure for Khammaj

(general discussion of arohana)(general discussion of notation)


Avarohana

Descending structure of khammaj

(general discussion of avarohana)


Jati

Shadav – Sampurna – (general discussion of jati)


Vadi

Ga – (general discussion of vadi)


Samvadi

Ni – (general discussion of samvadi)


Time

Second Part of Night – (general discussion of time and rag)


That

Khammaj That – (general discussion of that)


Pakad

Pakad for Khammaj

(general discussion of pakad)


Drone

Sa – Pa – (general discussion of drone)


Popular Songs

Film Songs in Rag Khammaj


For more information check out “Elementary North Indian Vocal: Vol 1” and “Elementary North Indian Vocal: Vol 2”



Selected Video



Other Sites of Interest

Indian Classical Music: Tuning and Ragas

Modes and Ragas: More Than just a Scale

Emotional responses to Hindustani Raga music: The role of mus­ical struc­ture

Automatic Raga Recognition in Hindustani Classical Music

Patrick Moutal. A Comparative Study of Selected Hindustānī Rāga-s based on Contemporary Practice

Automatic Tonic Identification in In­dian Art Music: Approaches and Evaluation