Indian Film Songs in Ahir Bhairav

Ahir Bhairav is a Hindustani classical raga. It is a mixture of Bhairav and the ancient but now rare raga Ahiri or Abhiri or perhaps a mixture of Bhairav and Kafi.

Arohana: S r G m P D n S’
Avarohana:S’ n D P m G r S

Ahir Bhairav is typical uttarang raga, which means emphasis is on the upper tetrachord. Best suited for the second Prahar of the morning, around 6 – 9 AM. The Carnatic music equivalent to this raga is Chakravakam.

Chakravakam, (pronounced chakravākam, Sanskrit: चक्रवाकम्, Tamil: சக்ரவாகம்) is a rāgam (musical scale), in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). It is the 16th Melakarta rāgam (parent rāgam) in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. According to the Muthuswami Dikshitar school, this rāgam is called Tōyavēgavāhini or vegavahini.

It is the 4th melakarta in the 3rd chakra Agni. The mnemonic name is Agni-Bhu. The mnemonic phrase is sa ra gu ma pa dhi ni.[1] Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

ārohaṇa : S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S
avarohaṇa : S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S

The notes in this scale are shadjam, shuddha rishabham, anthara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kaisiki nishadham. It is a sampoorna rāgam – rāgam having all 7 swarams. It is the suddha madhyamam equivalent of Ramapriya, which is the 52nd melakarta.

Chakravakam is a raga that is known to incites feelings of devotion, sympathy and compassion in the listeners.

(Source: wikipedia – ahir bhairav | chakravakam)

• Indian Film Songs in Ahir Bhairav / Chakravakam