Maru Bihag

Raga Maru Bihag is one of the modern raga in the Hindustani Classical Music. It developed from raga Bihag. Maru Bihag is often referred as a variant of raga Bihag which uses only the Teevra Madhyam rather than using both the Madhyams i.e. Shuddha & Teevra in raga Bihag. But one of the phrase may contain Shuddha Madhyam, Sa Ma (Shuddha) Ga Ma (Teevra) Ga Re Sa. This is a very rare case (and it is allowed as well). The usage of Shuddha Ma completely depends on the creativity of the artist.
==Aaroha & Avaroha==
Raga Maru Bihag is a simple raga. It is a straight/Saral. In Arohana|Aaroha, the Rishabh and Dhaivat are Varjya (omitted). In avaroha, all the swars are taken. So the Jati of the raga is Audav-Sampurna.
Arohana|Aaroha : Ni (mandra) Sa Ga Ma (teevra) Pa Ni Sa (taar)
Avarohana|Avaroha : Sa (taar) Ni Dha Pa Ma (teevra) Ga Re Sa 
Vadi (music)|Vadi swara - Ga
Samavadi - Ni
Time - The second Prahar of the night, (9 pm - 12 am).
Thaat - Kalyan Thaat 
The Ras of Maru Bihag is Shringar ras. It gives us the feeling of joy, fulfilment, love, Harmony, positivity, enhancement during performance.
==Vadi-Samvadi==
Most of the Phrases of Maru Bihag revolve around Panchama (Pa) & Ṣaḍja|Shadja (Sa). Main nyaas is found on Panchama which plays pivotal role in establishing the raga in Purvang and preparing it's base for Uttarang. Hence, Vadi (music)|Vadi swara of raga Maru bihag is Panchama and Samavadi|Samavadi swara is Shadja (from taar saptak). The Ṣaḍja|Shadja-Madhyama (music)|Madhyam Bhaav is seen in the Vadi-Samvadi swars.
==Structure==
Maru Bihag is regarded variant of raga Bihag which uses Teevra Madhyam instead of Both. In Maru Bihag, Teevra Madhyam is Extensively used. Hence, the Thaat of the raga is considered as Kalyan Thaat|Kalyan instead of Bilaval Thaat|Bilaval. In Maru Bihag, the kalyan Anga is more prominent; unlike Bihag which shows Bilaval Anga.for example : Ma (teevra) Ga Ma (teevra) Ga Re Sa 
Also, this is a Ragavachak Phrase or the Pakad of raga Maru Bihag. In Aaroha, Ṛiṣabha|Rishabh and Dhaivat are Varjya. In Avaroha, all the seven swars are taken. Hence, the Jati of the raga becomes Audav-Sampurna. Also, sometimes Shuddha Madhyam is used as a Vivadi Swara and is rarely used at the ending phrases, especially during boltaans. The Shuddha madhyam shows a slight presence of raga Bihag.
==Nyaas Swars==
Unlike Bihag, Maru Bihag has nyaas on every swar, which makes it quite large, expandable. Most of the vocalists tend to select this Raaga for night concerts as it has more capacity to expand due to many nyaas swars. Along with Pancham-Shadja (vaadi-samvaadi), presence of nyaas is very important in Maru bihag. It is one of the characteristics of Maru Bihag. Also, presence of nyaas is also found in small proportion on Rishabh-Dhaivat.
==Aalap==
Gandhar (Ga) is always taken with the Kana of Teevra Madhyam in Maru Bihag.for Example : Ni (mandra) Sa (Ma (teevra)) Ga 
The Vadi swar of the raga is Panchama and most of the phrases revolve around it. 
some of the phrases are :
Ni (mandra) Sa Ga Ma (teevra) Pa Ga Ma (teevra) Ga Pa Ga Ma (teevra) Ga Pa Ni Dha Pa Dha Ma (teevra) Pa Ga Ma (teevra) Ga 
In Maru Bihag, the Rishabh is always sunged/played with the Kana of Shadja. for example : Ma (teevra) Ga (Sa) Re Sa.
==Purvaang Pradhan==
The Vaadi swar of raga Maru Bihag is in Purvang (first half of the octave). As per the rules, the raga is said to be "Purvang Pradhan", if the Vadi swara is in the Purvang (Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa). The raga is said to be "Uttrang Pradhan", if the Vadi swara is in the Uttarang (Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa (taar saptak)). Hence, raag Bihag is "Puravang Pradhan" raga. Hence, Bihag seems to Blossom more in the Mandra & Madhya Saptak (lower and middle octave).
==Samay==
Maru Bihag is played in the second quarter of night. 
According to the experts , Maru Bihag is a Purvang Pradhan raga. "All the Purvang Pradhan raga are Purva raga" Hence, Maru Bihag is a Purva raag. All the Purva raags are sung/played between 12 P.M.- 12 A.M. Raga Maru Bihag is sunged/played between 9 P.M. & 12 A.M. i.e. second part of night.
==Raga's fame==
The raga gained it's fame with the increasing popularity of the recordings of classical singer Dr. Prabha Atre of raga Maru Bihag. Thereafter, the Classical singers Dr. Prabha Atre, Vasantrao Deshpande|Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and many others have widely spread it through their performances & in short period of time, Maru Bihag became very & popular in the audiences & singers. The Sargams used by Dr. Prabha Atre during her concerts along with Aalap, Taans and Boltaans also had a significant impact on listeners & the raga made it's place in the music listener's heart.
==Difference to Raag Bihag==
Maru Bihag has two base ragas:
Raga Bihag on the way up: Aaroh (ascending): Bilawal Ang
Raga Yaman (Kalyan) on the way down (descending): Kalyan Ang 
Difference are in Vadi and Samvadi, also chalan. 
Bihag- S, G, M, P, N, S' - S', N D, P, M, G, M, G, R, S. Vadi- Pancham; Samvadi- Shadjamam. 
Marubihag - A, G, m, P, N, S' - S' N, D, P, M, P, G, M, G, R, S. Vadi - Gandhar; Samvadi - Nishad.
The sharp Ma, which is dominant in this rag, is emphasised in ascent as well as in descent. On the other hand, the natural Ma is used sparingly in the ascending manner, only as in S /m G. Ga and Ni are important notes while Pa is a resting note. Sometimes compositions may not include this note, in which musicians do use the note in elaborations. During the faster movements however, the sharp Ma receives a clear preference, with a rare sprinkling of natural Ma.
Maru bihag can show shades of rag-s like Bihag and Nand. Unlike in Bihag, Re is emphasised in Maru bihag. Also, the sharp Ma is emphasised in Maru bihag and phrases like G M GR-S and M G M G R S help keep it distinct from other rag-s.
==Bollywood==
Many music composers from Bollywood have made several romantic songs based on this raga in a new way; for those lay people, who did not know anything about this raga. These Bollywood songs have brought the feel of Raga Maru Bihag to the ordinary listeners, because this raga is more playful and feminine, as it suits the female voice as it is full of eroticism.
Dil jo na keh saka… Bheegee Raat (1965)
Matwali naar thumak thumak… Ek Phool Chaar Kante (1960)
Payalwali dekhna… Ek Raaz (1963)
Radha jaye na… Mehbooba (1976)
Tum toh pyar ho Sajna… (Based on Khayal Rasiya ho na…) Sehraa (1963)
Lat uljhi suljha ja Balam… Pooja (1940)
Ab aage teri marzi… Devdas (1955)
Oo Raamji bada dukh deena… Ram Lakhan (1989). This song is not fully based on Raga Maru Bihag, but one can easily hear the prominent phrases of the raga in this song.
Category:Hindustani ragas