Contents: Acknowledgements. Table of transliteration. Preface. 1. Raga - an insight through some treatises on music. 2. The seventy - two Mela scheme and its impact. 3. Gamaka and its visual representation. 4. Raga - a contemporary study: i. Bhairavi. ii. Kalyani. iii. Kambhoji. iv. Sahana. v. Sankarabharanam. 5. Conclusion. Appendix. Bibliography. Audio CD contents: i. Bhairavi. ii. Kalyani. iii. Kambhoji. iv. Sahana. v. Sankarabharanam.

From the Preface: "Raga attains its personality only when its melodic form is completely presented. Raga is not merely a scale, but a far greater personality, assuming a complex of significances. However, there are also many scales conceived as raga-s. In the development of raga alapana, there are observable formalities. The arohana and avarohana svara-s provide only the basic framework. There are characteristic opening phrases, middle movements and end-phrases, making it clear that a raga alapana is a well-developed tradition. This tradition is in practice. But even one who does not know the theory part of music can pick it up. When one tries to relate the practice part of theory, one finds that the laksya aspect does not always find a place in many of our written works. The gap between the grammar and actual expression is not understood. The concepts of raga available in original texts of grammar do not seem to help substantially in relating the grammar to actual expression or practical rendering. An attempt has been made to present a comprehensive picture of the raga prevailing after an insight into the concepts of studying a raga."