Raga Chandrakauns

Raga Chandrakauns is a captivating and emotionally rich raga of Hindustani classical music. A pentatonic (audav) raga, it is known for its unique mood, mystical aura, and striking tonal beauty. Chandrakauns is often performed during the second prahar of the night (9 PM to midnight), enveloping listeners in a mood of longing, introspection, and tension.

🧬 Origin and Structure

Chandrakauns is considered a derivative of Raga Malkauns, one of the most powerful ragas in Indian classical music. The defining difference lies in the Nishad (Ni):

• In Malkauns, komal Ni is used.

• In Chandrakauns, it is replaced with shuddha Ni.

This single change alters the character of the raga significantly. The shuddha Ni introduces a feeling of yearning, tension, and mystery, making Chandrakauns both compelling and emotionally intense.

🌙 Etymology & Symbolism

• “Chandra” = Moon

• “Kauns” = An archaic term used for pentatonic ragas
  Hence, Chandrakauns can be loosely interpreted as “The Moonlit Pentatonic Raga”, evoking cool, mystical moonlight and deep emotion.

The raga is also sometimes pronounced and spelled as Chandrakosh in certain gharanas.

🎼 Musical Characteristics

🪕 Arohana & Avarohana (Ascending & Descending Scale)

• Arohana (Ascent):
  S g m d N S'

• Avarohana (Descent):
  S' N d m g m g S ,N S

Notes:

• Rishabh (Re) and Pancham (Pa) are omitted.

• Gandhar (Ga) and Dhaivat (Dha) are komal.

• Nishad (Ni) is shuddha.

🌟 Pakad / Chalan (Characteristic Phrases)

Here are some common melodic phrases that define the mood and grammar of Chandrakauns:

• ,N ,d ,N S

• g m d N S'

• m d m N

• N S' G' S' N S' N

• N d m g m g S

• S g m g S ,N

• ,N ,N S

🧠 Psychological Impact

Interestingly, although one might expect the use of shuddha Ni to mellow the raga, it instead enhances its emotional tension. This is due to aural perception and inversion, where listeners tend to perceive Madhyam (Ma) as a tonal center, making the leap from komal Ni to shuddha Ni more striking and dramatic. This emotional friction is at the heart of Chandrakauns’ charm.

📻 Chandrakauns in Popular Culture

◼ Chandrakauns in Kathak & Tabla

Chandrakauns is a popular choice for lehera (a repetitive melodic accompaniment used in tabla solos and Kathak dance performances), especially for depicting tawaif culture or classical dance sequences in films.

🎬 Film Songs Based on Raag Chandrakauns

Note: Some of these may have mixtures with other ragas but maintain the strong flavor of Chandrakauns.

🛕 Chandrakauns in Carnatic Music

Chandrakauns also finds its reflection in Carnatic music, where its closest equivalent is Nartana Kapi or Chandrakauns Ragam (a scale adopted into light classical and film music compositions). Though it doesn’t have a direct parent melakarta, it is often performed in light classical and bhajan formats.

🌌 Summary

• Chandrakauns is a modern pentatonic raga that is deeply evocative, with a mesmerizing, almost hypnotic quality.

• It’s a popular raga for instrumental, vocal, and film music alike.

• The combination of audav structure, absence of Re and Pa, and tension-filled shuddha Ni gives Chandrakauns its haunting identity.

• Whether in a Khyal, a lehara, or a Bollywood melody, this raga continues to mesmerize audiences across generations.

Read More :

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