Bhairavi

Bhairavi is a fierce and terrifying aspect of the Devi virtually indistinguishable from Kali, except for her particular identification as the consort of the Bhairava.

Symbolism

She is also called Shubhamkari, good mother to good people and terrible to bad ones. She is seen holding book, rosary, and making fear-dispelling and boon-conferring gestures. She is also known as Baala or Tripurabhairavi. It is believed that when Bhairavi entered the battle field, her fierce appearance made the demons become weak and very feeble, and it is also believed that most of the demons started panicking as soon as they saw her. The consort of Goddess Bhairavi is Bhairava an aspect of Shiva.

Bhairavi is seen mainly as the Chandi in the Durga Saptashati version of slaying Shumbha and Nishumbha. However, she kills and drinks the blood of Chanda and Munda the Chieftains of asuras, so the Goddess Parvati gives her a boon that she would be called Chamundeshwari. In other forms, she is also identified with Parvati or Durga. When furious, she is found sitting on a faithful donkey, with her mouth full of demons' blood, her body covered with a tiger skin and skeleton. She also presents the abhaya mudra and vara mudhra, and she is shown holding weapons such as a trishula (trident), parashu (axe), and vajra (thunderbolt).

Bhairavi (Carnatic)

Bhairavi is a janya rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). Though it is a sampoorna rāgam (scale having all 7 notes), it has two different dhaivathams in its scale making it a Bhashanga Ragam, and hence is not classified as a melakarta rāgam (parent scale).

This is one of the ancient rāgams, said to have been prevalent about 1500 years ago. There are numerous compositions in this rāgam.

Though a Raga called Bhairavi also exists in Hindusthani music, it is very different from the Carnatic version. Hindusthani's Bhairavi, in terms of its aroha and avaroha alone, corresponds to Carnatic music's Thodi.

Structure and Lakshana

It is considered a janya of the 20th melakarta Natabhairavi. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is as follows (see swaras of Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

The other set of ārohaṇa and avarohaṇa used is:

Bhairavi (Hindustani)

Raag Bhairavi (Hindi: भैरवी) (Urdu: بھیرویں‎) (Sindhiراڳ ڀيروي ) is a Hindustani Classical heptatonic (Sampurna) Raag of Bhairavi Thaat. Traditionally it is a morning raga. In modern times, typically in Khyal Gayaki, it is usually performed as the concluding (finale) piece in concerts. It is the defining raga of its own Thaat.

Carnatic music has a Bhairavi raga which is quite different from the Hindustani raga.

Hanumatodi in Carnatic music has the same scale as the Bhairavi in Hindustani music.

Theory

Writing about the musical theory of Hindustani music is fraught with complications. Firstly, there have been no set, formal methods of written notation. Secondly, Hindustani music is an aural tradition, and therefore writing is not an essential part of learning. However, Bhairavi though a morning raag, is now commonly sung at the end of the concert to conclude the concert as 12 notes-Bhairavi exposes the audience with all the notes in the octave. The raag has a child like temperament and the musician is not expected to make the mood sombre. It shares the notes with Bilaskhani Todi which has a sombre temperament.