Asavari lowers three swaras of Bilawal, Ga, Dha and Ni, to komal: Sa Re komal-Ga Ma Pa komal-Dha komal-Ni. Re stays shuddh. The result is grave and earnest, the scale of the late morning's serious raags, and, in Bhatkhande's placing, of Darbari Kanada, the stately raag of midnight.
Its swaras
With komal Dha, the upper half of the scale darkens: Pa komal-Dha komal-Ni Sa falls heavily. Shuddh Re keeps the lower half from sinking, and the contrast between them is Asavari's tension: an open beginning, a shadowed top.
All ten alankars in Asavari, to hear in your Sa →
How bright it is
Three komal swaras: three steps below Bilawal, and one above Bhairavi, the darkest.
On the circle of thaats
Asavari sits between Kafi and Bhairavi: raise its Dha and it is Kafi; lower its Re too and it is Bhairavi.
Its raags
- 9 am – noon · Earnest, seriousजौनपुरीJaunpuri
- midnight – 3 am · Majesty, gravityदरबारी कान्हड़ाDarbari Kanada
Asavari itself and Jaunpuri are raags of the late morning, the second prahar of the day; Gandhari and Desi belong here too. Darbari Kanada, Adana and their Kanada kin, raags of the night, Bhatkhande also placed in Asavari, though Darbari's slow, swaying komal Ga and Dha make it a world of its own.
In the West and the South
In Western music it is the Aeolian mode, the natural minor scale: A B C D E F G.
In Karnatic music it is the 20th melakarta, Natabhairavi.
Practise it
Tune komal Dha against Pa: hold Pa, then let it fall a semitone, and hold komal Dha until it stops wavering.
To make the ten thaats a daily riyaz, Meend has them ready: begin a riyaz of the thaats.
Questions
Which swaras are komal in Asavari thaat?
Ga, Dha and Ni. Re stays shuddh.
Which raags are in Asavari thaat?
Asavari, Jaunpuri, Gandhari and Desi; and, in Bhatkhande's placing, Darbari Kanada and Adana.
Is Asavari thaat the natural minor scale?
Yes: its swaras are those of the natural minor, the Aeolian mode, and of Karnatic music's 20th melakarta, Natabhairavi.