also known as: Bhup, Bhup Kalyan

Bhopali is a Hindustani classical raga. It is a pentatonic scale (uses 5 notes in ascending and descending scale). Most of the songs in this raga are based on Bhakti rasa. The same raga in Carnatic music is known as Mohanam.

A few movements in Bhopali are important to note. There is typically a slide when descending between Sa and Dha, as well as between Pa and Ga. These slides parallel each other and can be used to create a symmetry about how the Swaras are developed. Also, many performers will bring out the Kalyan flavor of Bhopali by using abhasi of the notes Shuddha Ni and Tivra Ma. That is to say, these notes are only vaguely suggested in passing ornaments, not actually sung for long enough for the Swara to become a clear part of the Raga.

 

ascending scale:
S R G P D Ṡ play
descending scale:
Ṡ D P G R S (D, S)
vadi:
Ga
samvadi:
Dha
anuvadi:
Pa
time: este 9-12
typical phrase: S\D
P\G
R\D/S
jati:
auḍava-auḍava
that:
kalyan
similar raga:
Deshkar, Suddha Kalyan



ragamala-bhupali

Basohli, India (ca. 1680 – ca. 1685)
Sir William Rothenstein collection