Bageshree is a raag of the deep night, from midnight on: a raag of longing, of waiting for one who doesn't come. It belongs to Kafi thaat, with komal Ga and Ni, but its character is its own: going up it leaves out Pa, and coming down it touches Pa only sparingly. Ma and Dha carry it.
Hear it
How it moves
Ma is Bageshree's vadi and Sa its samvadi.
Its hour
Bageshree belongs to the third prahar of the night, from midnight to 3. Its vadi, Ma, lies in the lower half of the saptak, which by Bhatkhande's observation belongs between noon and midnight: Bageshree sits at the very edge of it.
On the bansuri
- S
- R
- G
- M
- P
- D
- N
- S
- Leave Pa out going up; coming down, let it in only briefly. A Bageshree that leans on Pa sounds like Kafi.
- Ma and Dha are its pillars: tune them and rest on them.
Look-alikes
Bhimpalasi, of the same thaat, also rests on Ma, but leaves out Re and Dha going up and belongs to the afternoon:
Kafi uses Pa freely, and is lighter:
Practise it
- Long notes on Ma and Dha.
- The aaroh and avaroh, minding Pa.
- The pakad and the phrases.
Meend starts it with Aaroh–Avaroh, Pakad, Aalap and Bandish, 27 minutes a day, and listens as you play: each swara of the notation lit as it is played, the time kept, a lotus grown petal by petal.
Questions
Which swara does Bageshree leave out going up?
Pa. Coming down it is touched only sparingly.
When is Bageshree sung?
In the deep night, from midnight to about 3.