Mood Guide

Melancholic

Commonly used for wistful, shaded, or gently sorrowful expression.

About this mood

Mood labels like “Melancholic” are browsing aids rather than strict musicological classifications. A raag's emotional character emerges from phrase treatment, tempo, performer interpretation, and listening context, not from a tag alone.

Melancholic raags are not sad in a simple sense. They hold complexity — beauty and ache together. Listen for the way tension is held rather than quickly resolved.

Raags tagged as melancholic

Adana

अडाना

A dramatic and powerful late-night raag with intense komal Ga treatment and forceful expression.

Thaat: Asavari

Time: Late Night

MajesticMelancholicSerious

Bageshree

बागेश्री

A late-evening raag often described as intimate, shaded, and romantic.

Thaat: Kafi

Time: Late Evening

MeditativeMelancholicRomantic

Bageswari Kanada

बागेश्वरी कानडा

A night raag combining elements of Bageshree and Kanada into a deep, compound melodic identity.

Thaat: Kafi

Time: Night

MeditativeMelancholicRomantic

Bhairavi

भैरवी

The 'queen of raags,' traditionally a dawn raag but performed at any time, with all komal notes available.

Thaat: Bhairavi

Time: Dawn

DevotionalMelancholicRomantic

Bhimpalasi

भीमपलासी

A warm afternoon raag often linked with yearning, repose, and shaded lyricism.

Thaat: Kafi

Time: Afternoon

MeditativeMelancholicRomantic

Bhinna Shadja

भिन्न षडज

A rare and enigmatic late-night raag where Sa is treated with unusual ambiguity and instability.

Thaat: Kafi

Time: Late Night

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Bilaskhani Todi

बिलासखानी तोडी

A deeply moving Todi variant attributed to Tansen's son Bilas Khan, with komal Dha replacing shuddh Dha.

Thaat: Todi

Time: Late Morning

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Chandrakauns

चंद्रकौंस

A pentatonic late-night raag with komal Ga, komal Dha, and komal Ni, evoking moonlit stillness.

Thaat: Bhairavi

Time: Late Night

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Charukeshi

चारुकेशी

A late-evening raag of Carnatic origin with komal Dha and komal Ni, known for dramatic expressiveness.

Thaat: Khamaj

Time: Late Evening

MelancholicRomanticSerious

Darbari Kanada

दरबारी कानडा

A deep night raag known for gravity, slow expansion, and weighty phrase treatment.

Thaat: Asavari

Time: Night

MajesticMelancholicSerious

Desi

देसी

A folk-rooted late-evening raag from the Asavari thaat with earthy, expressive character.

Thaat: Asavari

Time: Late Evening

JoyfulMelancholicRomantic

Gujari Todi

गुजरी तोडी

A morning Todi variant with a distinctive Re-Ga oscillation and a contemplative, inward character.

Thaat: Todi

Time: Late Morning

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Hemant

हेमंत

A serene evening raag associated with the early winter season, combining warmth and gentle melancholy.

Thaat: Asavari

Time: Evening

MeditativeMelancholicPeaceful

Jaunpuri

जौनपुरी

A gentle late-morning raag from the Asavari thaat with komal Dha and komal Ni.

Thaat: Asavari

Time: Late Morning

MelancholicPeacefulRomantic

Kalingada

कलिंगडा

A rare and beautiful late-evening raag from the Khamaj thaat with a gentle, expressive character.

Thaat: Khamaj

Time: Late Evening

MelancholicPeacefulRomantic

Kaushi Kanada

कौशी कानडा

A deep late-night raag from the Kanada family with introspective gravity and komal Ga treatment.

Thaat: Asavari

Time: Late Night

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Kirwani

किरवानी

A dramatic late-evening raag of Carnatic origin with komal Ga and komal Dha.

Thaat: Khamaj

Time: Late Evening

MelancholicRomanticSerious

Komal Rishabh Asavari

कोमल ऋषभ आसावरी

A grave late-morning raag from the Asavari thaat with komal Re adding extra weight to the Asavari framework.

Thaat: Asavari

Time: Late Morning

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Madhuvanti

मधुवंती

A sweet afternoon raag from the Todi thaat with komal Re, komal Ga, and tivra Ma.

Thaat: Todi

Time: Afternoon

MelancholicPeacefulRomantic

Malgunji

मालगुंजी

A lyrical and romantic late-evening raag from the Khamaj thaat with a gentle, flowing character.

Thaat: Khamaj

Time: Late Evening

MelancholicPeacefulRomantic

Marwa

मारवा

A profoundly serious evening raag without Pa, where Sa itself becomes unstable and elusive.

Thaat: Marwa

Time: Evening

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Miyan ki Todi

मियाँ की तोडी

The most widely performed Todi variant, attributed to Tansen, with deeply expressive komal swara treatment.

Thaat: Todi

Time: Late Morning

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Multani

मुल्तानी

An afternoon raag of the Todi family with a distinctive ascending leap and intense melodic character.

Thaat: Todi

Time: Afternoon

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Patdeep

पटदीप

A gentle afternoon raag from the Kafi thaat with komal Ga and komal Ni.

Thaat: Kafi

Time: Afternoon

MeditativeMelancholicPeaceful

Pilu

पीलू

A flexible late-evening raag with folk-adjacent character, admitting a wide range of swara variations.

Thaat: Kafi

Time: Late Evening

JoyfulMelancholicRomantic

Rageshree

रागेश्री

A romantic late-evening raag from the Khamaj thaat with a gentle, lyrical melodic character.

Thaat: Khamaj

Time: Late Evening

MelancholicPeacefulRomantic

Ramdasi Malhar

रामदासी मल्हार

A monsoon raag attributed to Swami Ramdas, combining devotional gravity with rain imagery.

Thaat: Kafi

Time: Night

DevotionalMelancholicSerious

Todi

तोडी

A serious and meditative late-morning raag with deeply nuanced intonation and a contemplative atmosphere.

Thaat: Todi

Time: Late Morning

MeditativeMelancholicSerious

Todi Bhairavi

तोडी भैरवी

A compound raag blending Todi and Bhairavi elements, creating an atmosphere of intense devotional gravity.

Thaat: Bhairavi

Time: Late Morning

DevotionalMelancholicSerious