Shankara (raga)

Shankara is a raga in Hindustani classical music. There is a Carnatic Tillana in this Raga composed by Dr. T. V. Gopalakrishnan.

Shankara

Thaat	Bilaval
Time of day	2nd Prahar of the Night (9PM to 12AM)
Arohana	S G P N D Ṡ N Ṡ
Avarohana	Ṡ N D P, G P G (R) R S
Pakad	Ṡ N P G P, R G R S
Vadi	Ga
Samavadi	Ni
Similar	Hansadhvani

Origin

The raga emerges from Bilaval thaat.

Technical description

The raga is of audav-shadav nature, i.e., it has five swaras (notes) in the arohana (ascent) and six in the avarohana (descent). All the swaras are used are shudhha swaras, no komal swara is used. It is an Uttaranga pradhan raga, with the higher notes on the saptak (octave) being used more frequently.

Arohana: S G P N D Ṡ N Ṡ

Avarohana: Ṡ N D P, G P G (R) R S

Pakad: Ṡ N P G P, R G R S

The vadi swara is Ga, and the samvadi is Ni. The rishabh (Re) is very weak, but yet significant in the way it supplements the gandhar (Ga).

Samay (time)

This proper time to sing this raga is supposed to be the 2nd Prahar of the Night (9PM to 12AM)

See also

• Rag Shankara, Rag Mala in Jogia