EnjoyRaagas: charukeshi

A few of the Raagas in Classical music tend to express remarkably wide range of emotions as they are sung or played. Raaga Charukeshi definitely comes under this category, along with Yaman, Madhuvanti, Ahir Bhairav, and Miya-ki-Malhar.

It’s a very expressive Raaga and the vastness can’t be comprehended within a few seconds. It needs a minute or two to actually understand what it wants to say. And when it hits you, your heartbeat rate shoots to almost twice! It hits you hard.

The magic is caused due to the Shuddha Ga, Ma, and Komal Dha and komal Ni. Conventional compositions in Charukeshi starts with a swift climb to Ga from Sa (with a slight peeping in of Ma). The Ga then, often after returning back to Sa, ascends to Pa. It’s a matter of a few seconds from here before the magic maker Komal Dha shows up! And that is when it hits you.
The initial climb upto Ga creates a simple happy and energetic mood, that is then accented by this entry of a very agonizing and painful desperation of Komal Dha. Then it climbs upto Sa with a big and not so subtle step on Komal Ni, that gives the entire picture a very spectacular twist with a mood almost equal to determination and arrogance. Whoa! An intense cocktail we got there! But wait before you experience the beautiful meend climbing down from Ma to Komal Dha and you dare say you didn’t get goosebumps at this meend or a lump in your throat. And guess what? Tip of the iceberg, this is!

For the ones unable to relate to the stuff above, listen to these links below. These are the songs similar to charukeshi.

Aahista Aahista is a song you will get to know the sort of emotions this Raaga expresses in. Try explaining them in your words and comment!

The Note: The ‘Naaa dharo’ (‘Naaa’ being the climb from Sa to Ma and ‘Dharo’ the Komal Dha) in ‘Baiya naa dharo balma’ is a perfect example featuring the Ma-Komal Dha meend successfully! Go check it out!