Chatur rag gayo Asavari
Lyrics, meaning and notation.
About this composition
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Raga | Asavari, shuddha-Re version |
| Form | Lakshan geet |
| Tala | Chautal, twelve beats |
| Laya | Vilambit |
Chautal has twelve beats; its divisions and gestures distinguish it from Ektal.
Complete text, transliteration and meanings
| Section | Original script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sthayi | चतुर राग गायो आसावरी | Chatur raag gaayo Aasaavari | Chatur sings the raga Asavari. |
| Sthayi | औडव संपुरन बतलायो | AuDav sampuran batlaayo | It is described as five notes ascending and seven descending. |
| Antara | आरोह गनि को तजत | Aaroh gani ko tajat | In ascent, Ga and Ni are omitted. |
| Antara | अवरोह संपुरन | Avaroh sampuran | The descent uses all seven notes. |
| Antara | धैवत वादि सुर दिखलायो | Dhaivat vaadi sur dikhlaayo | Dhaivat is shown as the vadi note. |
Gani combines Ga and Ni. AuDav means five-note; sampuran means complete or seven-note. The five/seven-note classification describes ascent and descent, not a ban on Ga and Ni throughout the composition. This composition uses shuddha Re.
Notation key and tala
Chautal groups 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2, with claps at 1, 5, 9 and 11 and waves at 3 and 7. Its theka and identity remain distinct from Ektal even though the beat count and common hand-marking pattern coincide.
Complete sthayi
The opening is at beat 7. Each sthayi row follows 7–8, 9–10, 11–12, 1–2, 3–4, 5–6. Sam falls in the fourth group, on gaa within gaayo.
How to read this notation
Sa is the chosen reference pitch. Note signs used in this score:
P = Pa; M = shuddha Ma; S = Sa; n = komal Ni; d = komal Dha; g = komal Ga; R = shuddha Re.
↑ marks the upper octave and ↓ the lower octave; an unmarked note is in the middle octave.
Each separate beat position is one matra. Joined notes fall within that beat. — continues the previous sound; · is an unsung position. Padding before an entry or after a close does not add another cycle.
Parentheses mark a grace leading into the next principal note, without adding a beat.
Within-beat durations are exact only where specified. Learn the execution of glides, graces and inflection by listening.
Within a grouped column, spaces separate beats; letters joined without spaces share a beat. The column heading states the beat numbers.
↪ points to the stated return phrase; it is a direction, not a note, rest or extra beat.
| Row / layer | 7–8 · wave | 9–10 · clap | 11–12 · clap | 1–2 · sam | 3–4 · wave | 5–6 · clap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sthayi 1 | (P)M M |
P (M)P |
— (P)S↑ |
(n)d — |
— P |
— dM |
| Syllables | cha tu |
ra raa |
— ga |
gaa — |
— yo |
— o-o |
| Sthayi 2 | MP (M)g |
— (S)R |
— S |
(M)R M |
— P |
— P |
| Syllables | aa-a saa |
— va |
— ri |
au — |
— da |
— va |
| Sthayi 3 | (n)d — |
d (n)d |
— P |
Pd (M)g |
— (S)R |
— S |
| Syllables | sam — |
pu ra |
— na |
ba-a ta |
— laa |
— yo |
Complete antara
The antara rows start at sam. The final row ends at beat 10; its last two empty cells do not add rests.
| Row / layer | 1–2 · sam | 3–4 · wave | 5–6 · clap | 7–8 · wave | 9–10 · clap | 11–12 · clap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antara 1 | (P)M P |
— (n)d |
— d |
(d)S↑ S↑ |
S↑ S↑ |
S↑ S↑ |
| Syllables | aa — |
— ro |
— ha |
ga ni |
ko ta |
ja ta |
| Antara 2 | (n)d (n)d |
— (d)S↑ |
— S↑ |
(S↑)R↑ — |
S↑ (n)d |
— P |
| Syllables | a va |
— ro |
— ha |
sam — |
pu ra |
— na |
| Antara 3 | (M)P g↑ |
— (S↑)R↑ |
— S↑ |
(S↑)R↑ — |
S↑ (n)d |
— P |
| Syllables | dhai — |
— va |
— ta |
vaa — |
di su |
— ra |
| Antara close | Pd (M)g |
— (S)R |
— S |
(M)R M |
P (M)P |
↪ ↪ |
| Syllables | di-i kha |
— laa |
— yo |
cha tu |
ra raa |
↪ ↪ |
The connecting curve at antara 3 leads from the opening Pa toward upper komal Ga over beats 1–2. Joined MP, dM and Pd figures elsewhere each occupy a single beat. No extra measured duration is assigned to a grace. The arrow cells are suggested return directions, not sung notes or silent beats.
Returns and section joins
The final antara words cha-tu-ra-raa at beats 7–10 already reproduce the beginning of the sthayi. Continue directly with — (P)S↑ at beats 11–12 of sthayi 1, then reach its (n)d on sam. Do not restart cha at beat 7 after finishing beat 10; that would duplicate the return and break the cycle.
The sthayi closes at beat 6 and can return to its opening at beat 7. To enter the antara on sam, count the remaining six beats.
Learning sequence
- Speak the text and identify its statements about ascent, descent and Dhaivat.
- Count Chautal with the sthayi entrance at beat 7. Find gaa at the following sam.
- Learn the three sthayi lines, then restore the small graces and joined-note cells.
- Learn the antara from sam, especially the rise to upper komal Ga in its third line.
- Join the final ten-beat fragment into the already-started sthayi; count the return aloud before singing it.
Common pitfalls
Do not replace shuddha Re with komal Re or mistake the different row openings for a change of tala. The final arrow cells are not rests. The five/seven-note classification describes directions of movement, not two unrelated scales.