SCHOLARS WORLD - INTERNATIONAL REFEREED MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH Impact Factor: 4.433 Online ISSN: 2320-3145, Print ISSN: 2319-5789 Raaga Music and its Essence- A Review Dr. Naresh L. Gondane Associate Professor , Music Deptt., R.D.G. Mahila College , Akola ( Maharashtra ) Abstract: Raaga or classical music meant that which is perfectly bounded in specific rules within the frame of concept of raaga and its specific notes called raaga music or classical music. According to the writers in music, raaga music or classical music produces much kind of essence or ras on the basis of variant of notes or swaras. Essence or ras means a taste.In the music taste is expected as audible melodious notes tunes. Writers in music have asserted few types of ras or essence as follows. Shrungar Ras, karun Ras, veer Ras, Bibhatsa Ras, Bhakti Ras, Hasya Ras, Virakti Ras etc. Feelings of essence of raga or its nature of essence,its spreads through the musicians or music artistes or music maestroes musical presentations as well as through the literature of music and reach to the general listener and music learner.the essence of raaga made it easiest to everyone to understand the melody only through the notes. Because of the paramount qualities, Raaga music is exists from two hundred and more years. Keywords: Music, Raaga Music, Ras Introduction: Through the happiness, laugh, sadness, etc. humans living is made full from the feelings of as abovesaid. for to achieve what we want to have, we all time suffers from sadness,unpleasant and torturous feelings, and for to overcome from the unpleasant condition we always try to find something betterkind of relief for peace of mind, and this is possible through or because of listening of good kind of music only.As per the different types of celebrations in our lives we knowingly apply to listen various types of music as per our moods for to get mental and physical relief as wel as relax and happiness. As like through the tasty foods we gets nurtured and our body gets refilled with nutrients,as like that through the musical ras or taste or essence of raaga makes our mind nurtured and nutrified with glory,happiness and zeal.so that’s why raaga music is like a lifeline or a breath for our livings. Today in the musical concerts we often see that music listeners insists to the music presenter artistes to present their choice based Raaga like, Bhairav, Bhoop,Kalian, Marava,Puriya, Puriya-Kalyan, Puriya Dhanashri, Darabari Kanada, Todi, Ahir Bhairav, Malkauns, Madhuvanti, Bhairavi etc. It definitely meant that the ras or essence of Raagas attracts listeners to listen the Raaga or classical music.Because of the power of the essence of Raagas, Raaga music made mankind happy and relax from the oldest time to till date. Raaga music is the swara based or notation based music.In the raga music most of time we see that lyrics are negligible,meaningless or valuless and not mainly focused.all of this we see the true power of raga music that makes melody only through the notes or swaras,and reaches to the heart to heart significantly.So we can better understand the value and the significant power of raga music and its essence. Conclusion: Raaga music and its essence or ras,these both are not different things from each other. Raaga music and its essence or ras never can be divided or less from each other.without essence or ras, Raaga music will become the dead tool which will be useless for us. In short,through the listening of significant and melodious essence or ras of raaga music we can live stressless,happy and satisfactory life. Now adays raga music is being used as psycho therapy for to cure of many kind of psycho illnesses in medical health practices. References: ° Sangeet visharad ° Internet ---- www.irmjcr.scholarsworld.net [email protected] Volume. IV, Issue III, July 2016 [83] .