Yaman (raga)

Yaman (also known as kalyaan, Iman, Aiman,'Eman', 'Kalyani' in Carnatic classical music) is a heptatonic (Sampurna) Indian classical raga of Kalyan Thaat.

Yaman is said to be a creation of Ameer Khusro (1253–1325), but latest research reveals that he might have got the inspiration of raag yaman from folk melodies of north India akin to the song form Banaaras-Mirzapur chaiti or the song like 'Sautan ghar na jaa, na jaa more saiyaan'. Music treatises mention that Ameer Khusro made yaman mixing raag hindol and a Persian melody called 'nairez'. citation required?

The scale of yaman can be realized from gaandhaar murchhanaa of Shadja graam mentioned in Naatya Shaastra of Bharat some two thousand years ago. The scale of yaman matches with the notes and tones of gaandhaari jaati explained by Bharat. Its notes are SRGmPDN with most repeated melodic centres like G, m, N and 'S as well as P that has limited application in the ascent'.

Its signature phrases can be N,RGR N,RS N,D,N,S,N,---- m,N,D,S N,RS—GRGmG---- RGRm GRG mDND mRG PmGR GRS---- .

Tonal movements of the notes mostly reflect zigzag motion with gap of one or several notes usually that prefer reverse order very often like DNS' mDN GmD RGm N,GR or MDNS' GmDN RGmD N,RGm D,N,GR etc . Ideally yaman should not use PR combination but can use P~R showing colour of m or G while gliding from P to R, for PR is one of the specific identification of raag kalyaan.

	Sample music in Sitar Menu 0:00 A 1 min 43-second sample of Sitar sound, playing Yaman
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Description[]

Yaman emerged from the parent musical scale of Kalyan. Considered to be one of the most fundamental and basic ragas in Hindustani tradition, it is thus often one of the first ragas taught to students.

Mechanics[]

Yaman's Jati is a Sampurna raga (ideally, yaman is audav sampoorna raag because of the structure- N,RGmDNR'S' NDPmGRS) and in some cases Shadav; the ascending Aaroha scale and the descending style of the avroha includes all seven notes in the octave (When it is audav, the Aroha goes like N,RGmDNS', where the fifth note is omitted; Pa but the Avaroha is the same complete octave). All the scale notes (called swaras) in the raga are Shuddha, the exception being Teevra Madhyam or prati madhyamam (sharp fourth). The notes of the raga are considered analogous to the western Lydian mode, which was the predominant scale used in classical antiquity, before being usurped by those of the pre-Modern era.

None of the three great treatises of music, accept the existence of tivra ma,

Not to be mistaken, Raag Yaman is slightly different from Raag Yaman Kalyan. Both have almost the same base, but they are sung differently. The Aroha and Avaroha of Yaman Kalyan goes like this: SRGmPDNS' S'NDPm GMGRN,RS^{[clarification needed]}

Vadi and samavadi[]

Vadi is ga, Samvadi is ni

Pakad or chalan[]

It is wrong to say that Kalyan has no specific phrases or particular features, many musicians avoid Sa and Pa in ascend or treat them very weakly in yaman. One often applies N⁰ R G M⁺ D N S' in ascent and S' N D M⁺ G R S in descend^[1]).
Sa is avoided in beginning the ascend such as N⁰ R G M⁺ P D N S'

Organization and relationships[]

There is some discussion whether Yaman and Kalyan really just are different names for the same raga, or that these are actually 2 ragas. Joep Bor says "Kalyan (today usually referred to as Yaman)",^[2] Kaufmann^[3] says that Yaman and Kalyan are just different names, but insists that rāga Yaman-Kalyan is different as natural Ma is occasionally inserted between two Ga, like Ga Ma Ga Re Sa, while in all other instances tivra Ma (Ma⁺ is used as in Kalyan). S. Bagchee^[4] agrees with Kaufmann. As Bor, Kaufmann and Bagchee are not practising, professional and traditional musicians and artistes with training from qualified musicians for several hundred (+practising) hours and knowing a few dozens of bandishes/ compositions of north Indian Hindustani classical music in raag yaman, thus their opinions and observations needs to be accepted with a pinch of salt. A sensible analysis of large data of the raag, honesty and truthful introspection lead any sane musicians to think, that the name of the raags Yaman and Kalyan are different so their tonal movements shall be different for Kalyan is more akin to shuddha Kalyan not Yaman in any case. The influence of Kalyani of Carnatic and almost blind following of Pt. Bhatkhande as well as unquestionable trust and faith to guru (music teachers) caused this confusion. People erratically believe that if natural Ma is occasionally added in a concluding figure leading to Sa, the raga is known as Yaman-Kalyan.^[2] Practically, yaman has a raganga very much different from Kalyan raganga resembling colours of Shuddha Kalyan. The use of shuddha ma must be restricted as a Vivadi swara (limited use) or grace note for Yaman Kalyan otherwise there is a chance of it becoming Yamani, Yamani Bilawal, Jaimini Kalyan. Moreover, neither of Kalyan or Yaman has Shuddha Ma in its main body thus use of shuddha Ma does not create Yaman Kalyan. Ideally there is no raga at all in Indian music that is recognized as any type of Kalyan because of shuddha Ma, thus raga Yaman Kalyan becomes a misnomer or pure lie because of Shuddha Ma in the tonal structure of raga Yaman.
Kalyan is mixed with several ragas that has either of Kalyan ang or Yaman ang:

• Adbhut Kalyan
• Anandi Kalyan
• Bhog Kalyan
• Bhoop Kalyan
• Bilas khani Kalyan
• Chandra Kalyan
• Chhaya Kalyan
• Deepak Kalyan
• Gaud Kalyan
• Gorakh Kalyan
• Hameer Kalyan
• Hem Kalyan
• Hindol Kalyan
• Husseini Kalyan
• Jaimini Kalyan
• Jait Kalyan
• Kamod Kalyan
• Kedar Kalyan
• Kesari Kalyan
• Khem Kalyan
• Kohri Kalyan
• Laxmi Kalyan
• Maru Kalyan
• Miyaan ki Kalyan
• Nand Kalyan
• Nat Kalyan
• Panch Kalyan
• Poorva Kalyan
• Puriya Kalyan
• Pyaar Kalyan
• Raam Kalyan
• Raini Kalyan
• Ravi Kalyan
• Saraswati Kalyan
• Shankar Kalyan
• Shankara Kalyan
• Shiv Kalyan
• Shree Kalyan
• Shuddha Kalyan
• Shyam Kalyan
• Sohni Kalyan
• Yaman Kalyan

Yaman raga mixing in other ragas:

• Kalavati Yaman
• Yaman Bhopali
• Yamani
• Yamani Basant
• Yamani Bilawal
• Yamani Hindol
• Yamsan Chhaya

Thaat: Kalyan is type raga of Kalyan thaat. In thaat Kalyan, all notes are shuddha (natural) except teevra (sharp) Ma.

Behaviour[]

Yaman is regarded^{[by whom?]} one of the grandest and most fundamental^{[peacock term]} ragas in Hindustani music. It is one of the first ragas taught to students but it also has great scope for improvisation. Raag elaboration can focus more on mandra and madhya saptak, thus the key note chosen for yaman is preferred to be a higher tone.

Samay (time)[]

Ragas in the Kalyan thaat, including Yaman, should be performed during the first quarter of the night.

Rasa[]

Kalyan is described by (1570) as "lord in white garments and pearl necklace on a splendid lion-throne, under a royal umbrella, fanned with whisk, chewing betel"^[2]

This raga promotes romanticism, It sounds romantic, we can see in bollywood many romantic songs are based on this raga.

A song text is:^[2]

Hey friend, without my lover
I don't find peace
At any moment of the day;
Since my lover went away
I spend my nights counting the stars

Historical information[]

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It is said that raag yaman was created by Ameer Khusro (1253–1325) by mixing Hindol and a Persian melody called Nairez, but raag yaman seems to be an inspiration of the folk songs of North India, like 'Sautan na jaa, na jaa more saiyaan'. Yaman is not an ancient raga. It is first mentioned in the literature in the late 16th century, by which time it was very popular: The contains 45 dhrupad song-texts for Kalyan and five for Iman-Kalyan. According to Venkatamakhin(1620), Kalyan was a favourite melody to the Arabs, and Pundarika included Yaman among his 'Persian' Ragas.^[2]

Famous compositions of raag yaman are:

1. Mora jobana navelaraa bhayo hai gulaal-Ameer Khusro Aashaq rang
2. Ari eri ali piya bina- Abdullah Khan
3. Satsang so hari sang mile by Acharya Pandit Gokulotsavji Maharaj^[5]
4. Lage Tum Se Nain more shyam sundar by Acharya Pandit Gokulotsavji Maharaj^[5]
5. Piya ki najariya jadu bhari
6. Sadaa shiv bhaj manaa nisdin
7. Guru binaa kaise gun gaawe-Miyaa Achapal
8. Keh sakhi kaiise kariye bhariye ji
9. Langar turak ji na chhivo
10. Kinaare kinaare kinaare kinaare dariyaa-Sukh rang
11. Mori gagariya bharan na de
12. Ari o mendi aakhadi
13. Kajaraa kaise daaroon- Amir Khan Sur rang
14. Aao Aao Aao Balma- Ghulam Mustafa Khan
15. Aiso sughar sundaravaa balamuvaa- Amir Khan Sur rang
16. Man Har Lino Piya Pyare- Ghulam Sadiq Khan
17. Sumaran toraa too karim rahim rahmaan-Nyaamat Khan Sadaa rang
18. Aaj bajaai shaam muraliyaa
19. Tori najariyaa laage pyaari- Dinkar Kaikini Din rang
20. Kesar ghor ke anga lagaaoon
21. Mai vaari vaari jaaungi preetam pyaare- Vilayat Husain Khan Praan piyaa
22. Sumaran karoon mai toraa
23. Salona re baalam moraa
24. Diyaraa mai vaarungi dhiyaa ke
25. Banare balaiyaa leungi
26. Palakhan se mag jhaaroon re maai
27. Sab gunijan iman gaat- VN Bhatkhande Chatur
28. Jiyo karo kot baras lo
29. Eri laal mile
30. Moraa man har lino daiyaa-
31. Sajan gal baain endi endi dole
32. Mukut par vaari jaaunnaagar nandaa
33. Aale nabi aulaade ali par vaar vaar jaau
34. Sohela nand ke gaavo bajaao
35. Charanan sukh chiranjiva -Taansen
36. Kal nahi aaye mori aali- Bhaiya Ganpat raao Scindia Sughar piyaa
37. Aawo aawo aawo balamaa- Ghulam Mustafa Khan Ras rang
38. Ghat ghat me panchi boltaa- Kabir, singer Kishori Amonkar
39. Ranjish hi sahi dil hi dukhaane ke liye aa-singer Mehdi Hasan
40. sajani ri nis jaagat jaagat biti-Fayyaz Ahmed Gunrang
41. Taran taaran tom tan derena- Ramkrishna Das Nad rang
42. Daani tadeem tana derena
43. Jiya le gayo ji moraa saanwariyaa
44. Pratham tulaa vandito
45. Jaa re badaraa bairi jaa
46. Mana re tu kaahe na dheer dhare
47. Nigaahe milaane ko ji chaahtaa hai
48. Radhadhar madhu milinda
49. Aansu bhari hai ye jiivan ki raahen
50. Chandan saa badan chanchal chitavan
51. Saarangaa teri yaad me
52. Aapke anurodh pe
53. Jab deep jale
54. Re man sur me gaa
55. Sukh daataa saban ke shankar-Balwantrai Bhatt bhaav rang

Origins[]

Important recordings[]

• Amir Khan – Shuddh Kalyan, Yaman, and Yaman Kalyan
• Ghulam Abbas Khan Vilambit and Drut 'Dharohar' by Mystica Music
• Imrat Khan "Nordindische Ragas, Live"
• Rashid Khan – bandish in vilambit ektal (India Archive Music IAM CD 1003)
• Ravi Shankar in tal: "The Genius of Pandit Ravi Shankar", Oriental Records Inc, New York AAMS CD108
• Zia Mohiuddin Dagar on Nimbus Records, LS5871 / NI7047/8

Film songs[]

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Tamil[]

References[]

Literature[]

Bor, Joep (1997), The Raga Guide, Charlottesville,Virginia: Nimbus Records
Kaufmann, Walter (1968), The Ragas of North India, Calcutta: Oxford and IBH Publishing Company.
Bagchee, Sandeep (1998), Nād, Understanding Rāga Music, Mumbai: Eshwar (Business Publications Inc.).
Bhatt, Balvantray (1964–1974), Bhāvaranga, Varanasi: Motilal Barnasidas.
Gandharva, Kumar (1965), Anūparāgavilāsa, Bombay: Mauj Prakashan.
Patwardhan, Vinayak Rao (1961–74), Rāga Vijñāna, Poona: Sangeet Gaurav Granthamala.
Srivastava, Harichandra (1973–79), Rāga Paricaya, Allahabad: SangeetSadan Prakashan.
Telang, Gokulanand; Bhartendu, Banwari Lal (1962), Sangīta Rāga Aṣṭachāpa, Hathras: Sangeet Karyalaya.
Thakar, Vasant Vaman, Sangīta Rāga Darśana, Prayag: Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal Prakashan.
Rao, B. Subba (1964–66), Raganidhi, Madras: Music Academy.
Bhatt, Jivanlal (1950), Sangeet Parichay, Delhi: Atmaram & Sons.

External links[]

• [1]
• More details about raag Yaman
• Moutal, Patrick (1991), Hindustāni Rāga-s Index, New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd, ISBN 81-215-0525-7
• SRA on Ragas and Thaats
• SRA on Samay and Ragas
• Technical Aspects