Handbook of Indian Ragas

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Raga also spelled rag tin northern India) or ragam in southern India) from Sanskrit meaning colour or "passion in the classical music of India Bangladesh, and Pakistan a melodic framework for improvisation and composition. A raga is based on a scale with a given set of notes: a typical order in which they appear in melodies and characteristic musical motifs. The basic components of a raga can be written down in the form of a scale fin some cases differing in ascent and descent). By using only these notes, by emphasizing certain degrees of the scale, and by going from note to note in ways characteristic of the raga the performer sets out to create a mood or atmosphere (rasa) that is unique to the raga in question. There are several hundred ragas in present use and thousands are possible in theory.
To South Asian musicians raga is the most important concept in music making, and the classification of ragas plays a major role in Indian music theory In northern India ragas are classified according to such characteristics as mood season, and time, in southern India, ragas are grouped by the technical traits of their scales. The two systems may use different names for similar ragas or the same name for different ragas.
Traditionally ragas were associated with specific times of day and seasons of the year, and they were thought to have supernatural effects such as bringing rain or causing fire. While some of the seasonal associations are maintained by certain musicians these restrictions are largely ignored in modern concert life as most public performances take place in the evening and are concentrated in the cooler parts of the year. Nevertheless, in program notes or verbal introductions, musicians often refer to the traditional associations of time and season.

RASA, Aucitya and Dhvani form the three great contributions of Sanskrit Alammkara S'astra to the subject of Literary Criticism. Rasa is the very 'soul' (Atman) of poetry and drama. Of this concept of Rasa, one aspect namely the number of the Rasas whether they are only the eight mentioned by Bharata or are more is studied in the following pages. The study now and then does necessarily touch more fundamental aspects of the concept of Rasa also.
This study was originally published in the form of articles in the Journal of Oriental Research, Madras. It was suggested to me that I might bring them out in book-form. That they have appeared now in book-form is due to the kindness of Dr. Srinivasa Murti, Director, Adyar Library, to whom my thanks are due for the inclusion of this publication in the Adyar Library Series. I must thank also Dr. C. Kunhan Raja, D. Phil., reader in Sanskrit, University of Madras and Curator, Adyar Library.
Thanks are also due to the authorities of the Journal of Oriental Research, Madras, and to the authorities of the University of Madras for permitting this publication.