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Janya Raga Born of Kharaharapriya · Mela 22 1 song

The Core Architecture of Bageshri

Arohanam
S G2 M1 D2 N2 S^
Avarohanam
S^ N2 D2 M1 P G2 M1 R2 S
Play Bageshri on the harmonium

Think a swara in the arohanam or avarohanam is wrong? Send us the correction — we review every suggestion, and accepted fixes are credited to you as a contributor.

Bageshri is a Janya Raga derived from Kharaharapriya (Melakarta 22) in Carnatic music. Its swaras are drawn from the parent scale Kharaharapriya, and the way it selects, omits or bends those swaras is what gives it a character of its own. Use the arohanam and avarohanam above as your starting point: play the scale slowly on the harmonium, hold each swara until the pitch settles, and only then sing it back.

Musical Mood and Character

Characteristics & Raga Bhava
Swara Nature
Sadharana Gandhara (G2) and Kaisiki Nishada (N2) give Bageshri its distinctive colour.

Every raga carries its own rasa — the emotional colour a listener feels before they can name a single swara. The clearest way to find the mood of Bageshri is to listen to it in context: play the scale slowly, then hear how composers have used it.

Is Bageshri Your Name?

Bageshri Bagesri

Bageshri is named for the raga, whose character comes from its own choice of swaras — sadharana Gandhara (G2) and Kaisiki Nishada (N2) give Bageshri its distinctive colour.

The same name is romanised more than one way — Bageshri, Bagesri are all the same name, and all of them point back to this raga.

Find the raga behind your name

Essential Phrases for Practice

Start with the plain arohanam and avarohanam in slow speed, holding each swara until it is steady. Once the scale is secure, practise it against a shruti drone and only then move to gamaka-laden phrases. Whenever a phrase feels uncertain, go back to the scale and check yourself swara by swara before building speed.

Essential Compositions to Listen & Learn

All Bageshri songs on Ilakku Music
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