RagaKalyan thaatearly night
Raag Bhupali राग भूपाली
Bhupali has only five notes, Sa Re Ga Pa Dha, with no Ma and no Ni. That makes it the easiest raga to sing in sur, and one of the first most students learn. It is sung in the early night.
- Thaat
- Kalyan
- Jati
- Audav–Audav 5 up, 5 down
- Vadi
- Ga
- Samvadi
- Dha
- Sung
- Early night
- In Carnatic
- Mohanam
The harmonium plays a line, then waits: sing it back in the gap.
The notes
Bhupali takes five swaras, all shuddha: Sa, Re, Ga, Pa and Dha. Ma and Ni are left out both ways, so its jati is audav–audav: five notes up, five down. The same scale in Carnatic music is the raga Mohanam.
- Aroha आरोह
- Sa Re Ga Pa Dha Ṡaसा रे ग प ध सां
- Avaroha अवरोह
- Ṡa Dha Pa Ga Re Saसां ध प ग रे सा
- Pakad पकड़
- Ga Re Sa Ḍha · Sa Re Ga · Pa Ga · Dha Pa Ga · Re Saग रे सा ध़ · सा रे ग · प ग · ध प ग · रे सा
Up and down use the same five notes, but the pakad shows that Bhupali is more than a five-note scale. It drops from Sa to the Dha below and climbs back, and it keeps returning to Ga.Reading the sargamA dot below a swara puts it in the lower octave (mandra), a dot above in the upper (taar). A line under a swara marks it komal; a tick after Ma marks tivra Ma.
On the harmonium
With Sa at C♯, Bhupali is C♯, D♯, F, G♯ and A♯: every one a black key except F. With Sa at G♯ it is G♯, A♯, C, D♯ and F. Set your Sa above and the keyboard lights Bhupali’s keys from there; tap a key to hear it.
Bhupali with Sa at C♯. Tap a key to hear it.
| Swara | Name | Sa at C♯ (kali 1) | Sa at G♯ (kali 4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sa सा | Sa | C♯ kali ek | G♯ kali chaar |
| Re रे | Re | D♯ kali do | A♯ kali paanch |
| Ga ग | Ga | F safed chaar | C safed ek |
| Pa प | Pa | G♯ kali chaar | D♯ kali do |
| Dha ध | Dha | A♯ kali paanch | F safed chaar |
How it moves
Bhupali lives in the lower half of the octave and turns around Ga. These are the moves that make it Bhupali.
- Ga at the centreGa is the vadi, the note Bhupali comes back to most, and Dha is its partner (the samvadi). Phrases like Pa Ga and Dha Pa Ga keep landing on Ga.
- Sa down to ḌhaSa glides down to the Dha below and back: Sa Re Sa, Ḍha Sa. This low turn is part of the pakad.
- Rest on ReBhupali stops on Sa, Re, Ga and Pa, and Re is its favourite resting note: Ga Re, Sa. It never rests on Dha.
- A breath on Pa going upGa Re Ga Pa: a pause on Pa before the climb goes on to Dha and Ṡa.
Ragas near Bhupali
The same five notes, or nearly, make other ragas. What decides which one you are singing is where you rest and which notes you lean on.
| Raga | How it differs |
|---|---|
| Deshkar | The same five notes, but a morning raga that leans on Dha and the upper half, rests on Pa and keeps Re weak. Lean on Dha in Bhupali and it starts to sound like Deshkar. |
| Shuddh Kalyan | Bhupali’s notes going up, but Yaman’s line coming down, with Ni and tivra Ma passed through in glides. |
| Shivaranjani | The same five places with komal Ga: Sa Re G̱a Pa Dha. A late-night raga of Kafi thaat. |
| Yaman | Bhupali’s five notes with tivra Ma and Ni added. |
Paltas in Bhupali
Paltas walk Bhupali’s line in small groups. With only five notes to the octave, every step is a whole tone or wider, so they train you to land on Ga and Dha cleanly with no notes in between to lean on.
The harmonium plays a line, then waits: sing it back in the gap.
Common slips
- Leaning on DhaResting on Dha, or stressing it, pulls Bhupali toward Deshkar. Keep the weight on Ga, Re and Pa.
- A stray Ni or MaA Ni slipped into the glide from Sa down to Dha, or a Ma into the glide from Pa to Ga, turns it toward Shuddh Kalyan. Glide straight from note to note.
- Up and down like a scaleBhupali’s plain aroha and avaroha hide how it really moves. Sing the pakad, with its drop to the low Dha, until it feels natural.
Songs in Bhupali
Film songs based on Bhupali, as the NCERT textbook and other sources list them. Film songs often bend the raga, but humming one gets Bhupali in your ear.
- Jyoti Kalash Chhalke (Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan, 1961)
- Panchhi Banoon (Chori Chori, 1956)
- Chanda Hai Tu (Aradhana, 1969)
- Dekha Ek Khwaab (Silsila, 1981)
- In Aankhon Ki Masti (Umrao Jaan, 1981)
Questions
What are the notes of raag Bhupali?
Five: Sa, Re, Ga, Pa and Dha, all shuddha. Bhupali has no Ma and no Ni. With Sa at C♯ the keys are C♯, D♯, F, G♯ and A♯.
What is the aroha and avaroha of raag Bhupali?
Aroha: Sa Re Ga Pa Dha Ṡa. Avaroha: Ṡa Dha Pa Ga Re Sa.
What is the pakad of raag Bhupali?
Ga Re Sa Ḍha, Sa Re Ga, Pa Ga, Dha Pa Ga, Re Sa. This is the form the NCERT textbook gives.
What are the vadi and samvadi of raag Bhupali?
The vadi is Ga and the samvadi is Dha.
When is raag Bhupali sung?
In the first part of the night, roughly from 6 to 9 pm.
What is the difference between Bhupali and Deshkar?
They share the same five notes. Bhupali leans on Ga and the lower half and rests on Re. Deshkar is a morning raga that leans on Dha and the upper half, rests on Pa and keeps Re weak.
Is Bhupali good for beginners?
Yes. With only five notes, all shuddha, it is the easiest raga to sing in sur, and many teachers start students on it.
Facts checked on 13 October 2026 against tanarang.com, Rajan Parrikar’s essays at parrikar.org, ITC Sangeet Research Academy’s time chart, the NCERT Class XI textbook Hindustani Sangeet: Gayan evam Vadan and Wikipedia.
