History & Origins
Kedar takes its name from Kedarnath, the ancient Shiva temple in the high Himalayas. The raga's character (grand, solemn, spiritually elevated) reflects this association. It belongs to the Kalyan thaat and uses the tivra Ma in its ascent, but its overall character is quite different from the sweetness of Yaman. Kedar has been an important vehicle for devotional compositions across centuries.
The Notes of Raga Kedar
Raga Kedar is a Sampurna (vakra) raga, meaning it uses sampurna notes. The ascending and descending movements of the raga are defined below. In Indian classical notation, lowercase letters indicate flattened (komal) notes, and t superscript indicates a sharpened (tivra) note.
The Characteristic Phrase (Pakad)
The pakad is the signature melodic gesture of a raga: the phrase that immediately identifies it to an experienced listener. For Raga Kedar, the pakad is:
Performance
A characteristic feature of Kedar is its vakra (crooked) movement in ascent: it circles around the Madhyam rather than rising through it directly, creating a sense of circumambulation that mirrors devotional practice. The musician keeps returning to Ma, which acts as the emotional and melodic centre of gravity. This circling movement, combined with the raga's solemn quality, creates a powerful atmosphere of reverence.
Spiritual Significance
Kedar is one of the ragas most explicitly associated with bhakti (devotion): not the personal love of shringara, but the devotion of a seeker approaching the divine. Many of the most celebrated devotional compositions in Hindustani music are set in Kedar. The raga is frequently performed at religious gatherings and concerts of a devotional character.
Notable Performers
- Pandit Bhimsen Joshi
- Pandit Jasraj
- Ustad Rashid Khan
- Mallikarjun Mansur
Famous Compositions
- Mirabai compositions set in Kedar
- Tulsidas compositions
- Numerous Khayal bandishes