बहुधरि

Raag Bahudhari is a complete scale with all 7 notes in both ascent and descent raga in the Carnatic classical music tradition.. With its Sampurna-Sampurna jati structure, this raag creates a distinctive tonal landscape. The predominant rasa is Peace/Tranquility (शांत), making it suitable for compositions that evoke peaceful, meditative emotions. It is traditionally performed during evening hours, and its melodic contour offers rich possibilities for alapana, kalpanaswaram, and creative improvisation.

As part of the rich tapestry of Indian classical music, Raag Bahudhari represents the deep connection between melodic structure and emotional expression that defines the Carnatic tradition.

Raag Bahudhari takes a Sanskrit compound name meaning 'holding many' or 'one who bears/supports in many ways' (bahu = many; dhari = one who holds or bears). The '-dhari' suffix appears in Carnatic raga names and is also common in Shaiva epithets such as 'Trishuldhari' (bearer of the trident). In Carnatic raga taxonomy, compound names ending in '-dhari' often indicate ragas conceived in devotional or heroic contexts, evoking divine multiplicity or strength. Bahudhari is cataloged as a sampurna-sampurna janya (all seven notes in ascent and descent), placing it among the structurally complete scales, but its parent melakarta and specific scale pattern have not been confirmed in the major printed Carnatic encyclopedias. Like many ragas in the peripheral janya catalog, it may survive only in localized notational manuscripts. Performing tradition for Bahudhari is not documented in publicly available sources.