Raga Therapy For Healing Mind and Body - Print

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 3

Raga Therapy for Healing Mind and Body - Print 03/09/23, 2:12 AM

Raga Therapy for Healing Mind and Body

Ragas that Heal

Hindu philosophy gives us an insight into the “feeling” nature of music and how deeply the human spirit
affects and is affected by the outcome of a performance. Shyamali Sharma, a performing sitar artist and
music therapist of many years says, “I can certainly attest to the fact that your personal feelings are
projected on the audience tremendously, so much so that if you are upset, you should not play because
everyone listening to your performance will be affected by your emotion. If you are overwhelmed with
happiness, so will they be.”

There are 72 raagas, which are known as the Melakarta ragas (Parant raagas) from which other ragas
known as the Janya ragas are obtained. Neural research proves that 72 raagas can control 72 nerves in
the human body. Singing or performing a Raga, when bound to its specifications (lakshanas) and with
purity in pitch (swara shuddi) gives the performer complete control on the corresponding nerve. Ragas
Ahirbhairav and Todi are prescribed for patients suffering from hypertension. Carnatic ragas like
Punnagavarali and Sahana are useful to calm the mind and control anger.

https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/raga-therapy-for-healing-mind-and-body-healing-ragas_print.htm Page 1 of 3
Raga Therapy for Healing Mind and Body - Print 03/09/23, 2:12 AM

Ragas used in Music Therapy

Raga Treatment
Todi, Bhupali, Ahir Bhairav Provides relief from cold and headache, high blood pressure
Shivaranjani Treats memory problems
Bhairavi Provides relief from Sinus, cold, phlegm, toothache
Chandrakauns Treatment of heart ailments and diabetes
Darbari Kanara Eases tension and provides relaxation
Bihag and Bahar For sound, sonorous sleep
Darbari Relief from tension
Malkauns, Asavari Cures low blood pressure
Tilak-kamod, Hansdhwani, Kalavati, Durga Easing tension

Table 1: Source: International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 1,
February, 2011 ISSN: 2010-024856

Hindustani and Carnatic classical musical considers a Raga as depicting a specific mood. An appropriate
mood has to be evoked in the listener’s mind before initiating musical treatment. For example, Kafi Raga
evokes a humid, cool, soothing and deep mood while Raga Pooriya Dhanasri evokes a sweet, deep,
heavy, cloudy and stable state of mind. Raga Mishra Mand has a very pleasing, refreshing, light and
sweet touch while Bageshwari arouses a feeling of stability, depth and calmness.

https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/raga-therapy-for-healing-mind-and-body-healing-ragas_print.htm Page 2 of 3
Raga Therapy for Healing Mind and Body - Print 03/09/23, 2:12 AM

Ragas do heal when rendered properly, at the right pitch (saptak), with the true vaadis and samvaadis
brought forth, and at the correct prahar (time). Even a single swar/note has immense strength. Stuti, a
sitar player in the US is suffering from a heart condition. She says, “I mainly use my sitar for meditation
as I find the sound of the instrument bringing healing to me. I take the sitar to parks and beaches out in
hot or cold weather as I need the serenity of its sound because of my heart condition.”

Another musician of the Jaipur gharana who recently bought a rudra veena writes, “I have noticed great
cardiac as well as psychological benefits from playing my recently purchased Indian classical instrument.
I'm impressed by an often overlooked aspect (healing aspect) of Indian classical music. True intelligence
resides in the heart.”

Disclaimer - All information and content on this site are for information and educational purposes only. The
information should not be used for either diagnosis or treatment or both for any health related problem or
disease. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician for medical diagnosis and treatment.

https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/raga-therapy-for-healing-mind-and-body-healing-ragas_print.htm Page 3 of 3

You might also like