Yaman

KalaSudha's musicians play Raag Yaman in concert, and have performed it live at Kala Festival, KalaSudha's touring festival. KalaSudha presents Hindustani musicians in the UK, Europe and India, in series such as London Ragas in London and Kala Concert in India. Yaman belongs to the first prahar, or three-hour watch, of the night. Coming concerts are on the events page.

KalaSudha's recordings of Raag Yaman include the raga pianist Deepak Shah's alap, jod and jhala, recorded live at Kala Festival. They also include Dr Lovely Sharma's sitar performance with the tabla player Durjay Bhaumik. The alap is the unmetered opening, where the raga takes shape phrase by phrase. For a lighter piece, hear the ensemble of Pandit Debasis Chakroborty in a dhun based on Raag Yaman.

Raag Yaman Kalyan follows Raag Yaman closely but adds shuddha, or natural, Ma beside Yaman's tivra Ma. David Courtney calls that shuddha Ma weak, places it in the descent and says most accounts treat the two as different ragas. Rajan Parrikar writes that the shuddha Ma has no independent life in Yaman Kalyan and that its other contours match Yaman. He also notes that some musicians touch shuddha Ma while still calling the raga Yaman.

The Carnatic equivalent of Raag Yaman is Kalyani, the 65th melakarta, or parent scale, of Carnatic music. Kalyani uses the same seven notes as Yaman: Sa and Pa, shuddha Re, Ga, Dha and Ni, and tivra Ma, the raised fourth. Rajan Parrikar writes that Kalyan, a name often used for Yaman, shares its scale with Kalyani.

Raag Yaman is often taught to beginners. The AUTRIM project of the National Centre for the Performing Arts and the University of Amsterdam links this to its simple melodic structure, which leaves wide room for improvisation. Rajan Parrikar writes that mastery of Yaman is held essential for any serious student. Prabha Atre recalled learning only Yaman for nearly two years with Sureshbabu Mane, in an interview with Bhushan Toshniwal.

Film songs based on Raag Yaman include Ek Dil Ek Jaan from Padmaavat, which Archana Nathan, writing in Scroll, hears in Yaman. Nathan also hears it in Hamesha Tum Ko Chaha from Devdas and Jhonka Hawa Ka Aaj Bhi from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Vipin Nair calls Jab Deep Jale Aana, from Chitchor, a Yaman-based composition. It is also described as set in Yaman Kalyan.

Well-known bandishes, or set compositions, in Raag Yaman include Eri Aali Piya Bina, which Rajan Parrikar calls a very popular classical bandish, and Piharva Tihari, a well-known cheez in his account. Cheez is another word for a composition. Parrikar writes of Yaman under its other name, Kalyan. He also names Main Vari Vari Ja'oongi, a popular cheez of Vilayat Hussain Khan, and the traditional Mandara Mana Laye.

You can learn a raga online with the KalaSudha Academy, in live one-to-one lessons with a teacher or in a structured course, from foundation to advanced. Learners book lessons in their own time zone, and teachers teach live in their own language. Instructors and touring artists also lead in-person workshops and summer camps where enough learners register interest.