The Raag

The raag is the most important concept within Indian Music. The Hindi/Urdu word raag is derived from the Sanskrit word raga which means 'colour' or 'passion', and may therefore be thought of as an acoustic method of colouring the listener's mind with an emotion.
Simply defined, each raag is a set of principles which leads to one type of melodic organisation of a scale. A raag is a system or melodic framework which can produce an unlimited number of melodies and, if performed correctly, the melodies and phrases set to one raag will all have a striking resemblance to each other in the general melodic effects it produces. Each raag over time has attained a sharp personality and has a mood, atmosphere and character, which is determined by the constant use of certain notes. The result is a melodic structure which is easily recognisable, yet infinitely variable.
No two performances of the same raag, even two performances by the same musician, will be identical. The objective of any artist is to capture that essential personality and flavour.