An Avarohana, Avarohanam or Avarohan in Indian classical music

Indian classical music

The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...

 terminology is the descending scale of any raga

Raga

A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...

. Each raga has an avarohana and arohana

Arohana

Arohana, Arohanam or Arohan, in the context of North Indian Classical Music and South Indian Classical Music, is the ascending scale of notes in a raga...

. The notes descend in pitch from the octave tonic (Shadjam or Sa) down to the lower tonic. The Avarohana encompasses the notes included in descending passages but may also specify ornaments such as meend

Meend

In Hindustani music, meend refers to a glide from one note to another. It is an essential performance practice, and is used often in vocal and instrumental music. On the veena, sitar, and other plucked stringed instruments, it is usually done by pushing the strings across the frets to vary their...

 or gamak

Gamak

Gamaka, also known as gamak or gamakam, refers to ornamentation that is used in the performance of Indian classical music. The unique character of each raga is given by its gamakas, making their role essential rather than decorative in Indian music...

, convolutions in the scale (where it may not be a simple descending line) etc. Not every raga follows notes down in a strictly decreasing pitch.

Examples

In Malahari

Malahari

Malahari is a Carnatic raga. This raga is a janya of the 15th Melakarta raga Mayamalavagowla. This raga is known to be a morning raga which brings out a sense of calmness.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...

, which is janya

Janya

Janya is a term meaning "derived". In Carnatic music a janya raga is one derived from one of the 72 melakarta ragas...

raga of 15th melakarta

Melakarta

Melakarta is a collection of fundamental ragas in Carnatic music . Melakarta ragas are parent ragas from which other ragas may be generated. A melakarta raga is sometimes referred as mela, karta or sampurna as well.In Hindustani music the thaat is equivalent of Melakarta...

Mayamalavagowla

Mayamalavagowla

Mayamalavagowla , is a raga of Carnatic Music . It is classified as 15thmelakarta raga under Venkatamakhin's melakarta system. Originally known as malavagowla, "maya" was prefixed to it after the advent of the scheme of the 72 melas. The number 15 was assigned to it following the Katapayadi sankhya...

, the avarohana is S D1 P M1 G2 R1 S. See swaras in Carnatic music for description of this notation.

In Sahana, a janya raga of 28th melakarta Harikambhoji

Harikambhoji

Harikambhoji is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 28th Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system....

, the Avarohana is S N2 D2 P M1 G3 M1 R2 G3 R2 S. This raga in its avarohana has the notes jumping from one to another (a bit like Dattu). This changes the whole feel of the raga, making Sahana a beautiful to listen to Raga.