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There are thousands of ragas, and they are all connected…

“There are thousands of ragas, and they are all connected with different times of the day, like sunrise or night or sunset. It is all based on 72 of what we call 'mela' or scales. And we have principally nine moods, ranging from peacefulness to praying, or the feeling of emptiness you get by…” quote by Ravi Shankar
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“There are thousands of ragas, and they are all connected with different times of the day, like sunrise or night or sunset. It is all based on 72 of what we call 'mela' or scales. And we have principally nine moods, ranging from peacefulness to praying, or the feeling of emptiness you get by sitting by the ocean.”

Ravi Shankar

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote explains that Indian classical music uses 72 parent scales (melas) and nine emotional moods, each linked to times of day and natural phenomena.

In simple terms: Indian music ties scales and moods to daily cycles.

Key Takeaway

Explore music's connection to time and feeling.

Themes

music culture emotion time nature

Mood

educational inspirational contemplative

Type

musical cultural

When to use this quote

  • concert programming
  • meditation practices
  • film scoring
  • educational curricula

Key Concepts

raga theory mood theory cultural expression

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do specific ragas affect mood?
  • Can modern music adopt these structures?
A Different Perspective

Complexity may overwhelm beginners.

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