Behag

also known as Bihag

SSG₃G3M₁M1PPN₃N3D₂D2N₃N3SS (upper octave)

SS (upper octave)N₃N3D₂D2PPM₂M2G₃G3M₁M1G₃G3R₂R2SS

How to know it

Shadava–8-note (vakra) · Bhashanga

A sweet, romantic Hindustani import — all glides and pauses, made for the light pieces at the end of a concert.

Anya (foreign) swaras:M₂N₂Prati madhyamam (M2) sits in the avaroha itself (P M2 G3); kaisiki nishadam (N2) is only a rare prayoga shade borrowed from the Hindustani Bihag.

Family

Parent · Mela 29Sankarabharanam

Sibling janyas of Sankarabharanam

ArabhiAudava–Sampurna
BilahariAudava–Sampurna · Bhashanga
DevagandhariAudava–8-note (vakra avaroha) · Bhashanga
HamsadhwaniAudava–Audava
KedaramAudava–Shadava (vakra aroha)
KurinjiSampurna–Sampurna (vakra)
MandAudava–Sampurna
NavrojSampurna–Sampurna
Suddha SaveriAudava–Audava

Hear it in songs

Aadum Chidambaramo
Gopalakrishna Bharathi
From the Nandanar Charitram tradition — one of the best-loved Tamil pieces in Behag.
YouTube Spotify
Saramaina Matalanta
Swati Tirunal
YouTube Spotify
Behag Thillana
Lalgudi Jayaraman · Adi
A favourite closing piece on the Bharatanatyam stage.
YouTube Spotify