Raag Shyam Kalyan
Raag Shyam Kalyan belongs to the Kalyan family. Typically performed in the evening, this raag evokes a romantic mood, characteristic of the Kalyan thaat. The video presented here features an expert-led lecture-demonstration that not only illustrates the key phrases of Shyam Kalyan but also explains concepts like the use of nyaas swars and the connection between the raag's notes and its time of performance.
Introduction to Raag Shyam Kalyan
Key Features of Raag Shyam Kalyan:
Raag Shyam Kalyan belongs to the Kalyan thaat, which includes evening and night raags known for their romantic mood.
It uses both teevra Ma and shuddh Ma, setting it apart from other Kalyan thaat raags—teevra Ma is typically used in the ascent, while shuddh Ma appears in the descent.
In addition to the vadi and samvadi, Ma and Ni play an important role in this raag, while Ga and Dha are used sparingly.
Pa follows a vakra movement in the avroh (descent), in phrases such as:
M p g m r s
Important swars for resting (Nyaas swars) in Raag Shyam Kalyan include Re, Pa, Ni, and Sa. The video includes a detailed explanation and demonstration of the Nyaas swar concept.
Evening raags begin at sunset and often include teevra Ma in them. Around dusk, raags from the Poorvi thaat are common—they use komal Re, komal Dha, and teevra Ma. As the evening progresses, Kalyan thaat raags are performed, which contain shuddh Re, shuddh Dha, and teevra Ma.
Shyam Kalyan shares similarities with Shuddh Sarang, and learners may benefit from comparing both.
Raag Shyam Kalyan carries a touch of Kamod Ang, through the phrase G M R S in the avroh.
Mood: Romantic
| Aaroh-Avroh | nl s r M p n su su n d p M p g m r s |
Vadi, Samvadi |
p, s |
| Nyaas Swars |
r, p, n, s |
| Jati | Audav-Sampoorna Vakra |
| Pakad | g m r, nls, r M p |
| Time | 1st prahar of the night (7pm - 10pm) |
| Thaat | Kalyan |