Bhairav

Bhairav is the representative raga of the Bhairava thaat. It is believed to be the first raga created after forming all of the seven notes. Hence, this raga is also known as adi-raga or the primordial raga. This raga is also very dear to Lord Siva.

With so much Vedic history backing this raga, it has become a very difficult raga to sing. It is a morning raga and singing this must represent a devotional atmosphere with some element of pathos included. Many people incorrectly relate the scale of this raga to Egyptian or Mid-Eastern melodies. Those melodies lack many of the important vakra, or zig-zag features, of the raga.