Which one of the following Carnatic music ragas is similar to Raga Bilawal in Hindustani music?
- Nat Bhairavi
- Kamavardhini
- Hanumatodi
- Dheera Shankarabharanam
Explanation
Option (d) is correct
- The Indian national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, is composed in the Carnatic raga Dheera Shankarabharanam, which corresponds to the Hindustani classical raga Bilawal. The name Shankarabharanam translates to “the ornament of Shiva,” and the raga is widely regarded in music therapy for its calming and healing qualities.
Option (a) is incorrect
- Naṭabhairavi is a raga in Carnatic music. It corresponds to the Asavari thaat of Hindustani music.
Option (b) is incorrect
- Kamavardhini (popularly known as Pantuvarali) is known for evoking deep, intense longing; its Hindustani equivalent is Puriya Dhanashri (in the Poorvi thaat).
Option (c) is incorrect
- Hanumatodi, more popularly known as Todi, is a raga in Carnatic music. The equivalent of Carnatic Todi in Hindustani is Bhairavi thaat.
- Note: Dheera Shankarabharanam is associated with India’s National Anthem “Jana Gana Mana”. Thus, UPSC expects aspirants to develop an interconnected understanding of topics that appear in newspapers, government initiatives, cultural institutions, and national symbols, rather than trying to memorise every raga or art form separately. Questions of this nature are often designed by UPSC to maintain unpredictability and keep the cutoff balanced. It is neither practical nor necessary for an aspirant to know every such highly specific fact. We recommend aspirants avoid unnecessary guesswork in such highly factual questions.
