RAGAMALA Castos https://ragamala-a-garland-of-ragas.castos.com Indian classical and devotional music, one raga at a time. Tanpura, voice, sitar and bansuri — pieces to sit with, not just play in the background. RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces of Indian classical and devotional music, each placed at the hour of the day the tradition assigns it — Bhairav at first light, Yaman as evening settles, Bhairavi at the close of night. Every raga claim here is measured, not asserted. Where the music doesn't earn the name, the episode says so and calls it inspiration instead — we'd rather be quiet about the raga than wrong about it. New episodes as the garland is completed. Sanskrit and Hindi terms are spelled phonetically for clarity, not in scholarly transliteration. Morning: Bhairav, Ahir Bhairav, Jogiya. Midday: Brindavani Sarang, Bhimpalasi. Evening: Yaman, Bhupali, Kalavati. Night: Bageshri, Darbari Kanada, Malkauns. Plus five fusion pieces — cello, lo-fi, handpan, ambient drone. Sat, 22 Aug 2026 07:52:51 +0000 en © 2026 https://episodes.castos.com/6a2825b1dfb359-31432647/images/podcast-2.jpg RAGAMALA https://ragamala-a-garland-of-ragas.castos.com Indian classical and devotional music, one raga at a time. Tanpura, voice, sitar and bansuri — pieces to sit with, not just play in the background. RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces of Indian classical and devotional music, each placed at the hour of the day the tradition assigns it — Bhairav at first light, Yaman as evening settles, Bhairavi at the close of night. Every raga claim here is measured, not asserted. Where the music doesn't earn the name, the episode says so and calls it inspiration instead — we'd rather be quiet about the raga than wrong about it. New episodes as the garland is completed. Sanskrit and Hindi terms are spelled phonetically for clarity, not in scholarly transliteration. Morning: Bhairav, Ahir Bhairav, Jogiya. Midday: Brindavani Sarang, Bhimpalasi. Evening: Yaman, Bhupali, Kalavati. Night: Bageshri, Darbari Kanada, Malkauns. Plus five fusion pieces — cello, lo-fi, handpan, ambient drone. Naad episodic Indian classical and devotional music, one raga at a time. Tanpura, voice, sitar and bansuri — pieces to sit with, not just play in the background. RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces of Indian classical and devotional music, each placed at the hour of the day the tradition assigns it — Bhairav at first light, Yaman as evening settles, Bhairavi at the close of night. Every raga claim here is measured, not asserted. Where the music doesn't earn the name, the episode says so and calls it inspiration instead — we'd rather be quiet about the raga than wrong about it. New episodes as the garland is completed. Sanskrit and Hindi terms are spelled phonetically for clarity, not in scholarly transliteration. Morning: Bhairav, Ahir Bhairav, Jogiya. Midday: Brindavani Sarang, Bhimpalasi. Evening: Yaman, Bhupali, Kalavati. Night: Bageshri, Darbari Kanada, Malkauns. Plus five fusion pieces — cello, lo-fi, handpan, ambient drone. Naad smart.zebra25@gmail.com false https://feeds.castos.com/zp267 yes <![CDATA[Om Shanti Om - Bansuri & Santoor at Dusk]]> Sat, 22 Aug 2026 07:52:51 +0000 Naad https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/71158/episode/2582264 https://ragamala-a-garland-of-ragas.castos.com/episodes/om-shanti-om-bansuri-santoor-at-dusk A shorter evening sit with bansuri, santoor and a chant - a meditation on Bhupali, one of Hindustani music's simplest and most restful ragas.

Instrument: bansuri (bamboo flute) and santoor, with a wordless chanted passage - Om Shanti Om - woven in partway through. Style: a meditation on Bhupali, an evening raga built on five notes with no half-steps.

Mood: weightless, unresolved, floating - nothing pulls anywhere.

Bhupali has five notes and no half-steps anywhere in it - remove every one and nothing leans, nothing is unfinished, which is why the melody floats rather than resolves. Its Carnatic twin is called Mohanam, "the enchanting."

Suited to evening wind-down, flute and santoor appreciation, or unhurried background listening.

RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces across the praharas of the day.

]]> full false A shorter evening sit with bansuri, santoor and a chant - a meditation on Bhupali, one of Hindustani music's simplest and most restful ragas.

Instrument: bansuri (bamboo flute) and santoor, with a wordless chanted passage - Om Shanti Om - woven in partway through. Style: a meditation on Bhupali, an evening raga built on five notes with no half-steps.

Mood: weightless, unresolved, floating - nothing pulls anywhere.

Bhupali has five notes and no half-steps anywhere in it - remove every one and nothing leans, nothing is unfinished, which is why the melody floats rather than resolves. Its Carnatic twin is called Mohanam, "the enchanting."

Suited to evening wind-down, flute and santoor appreciation, or unhurried background listening.

RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces across the praharas of the day.

]]> 00:19:26 <![CDATA[The First Raga — Pre-Dawn Dhrupad Alap]]> Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:39:39 +0000 Naad https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/71158/episode/2555236 https://ragamala-a-garland-of-ragas.castos.com/episodes/the-first-raga-pre-dawn-dhrupad-alap A 30-minute instrumental recording of dhrupad-style alap, inspired by Raga Bhairav — pre-dawn Hindustani classical music for rudra veena, tanpura drone and a single wordless voice, with no percussion and no rhythm.

Recorded as one continuous take: the opening and closing are untouched, the middle repeats on the beat.

Instrument: rudra veena, tanpura drone, wordless voice (dhrupad nom-tom). Style: dhrupad-style Hindustani alap, inspired by Raga Bhairav. Mood: solemn, ascetic, unhurried, the stillness before sunrise. Suited to morning sadhana, pre-dawn meditation, and dhrupad appreciation.

What raga inspired this? Raga Bhairav, traditionally called the adi-raga, the first raga, from which the Hindustani tradition says the others descended. Is this a real raga performance? It's AI-generated music built from the raga's actual grammar and measured afterward for pitch accuracy — inspired by it, not a claim to be a traditional performance.

Reference points (not tappable chapters unless your app supports them):
0:00 Chant begins
10:00 10 minutes
20:00 20 minutes

RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces across the praharas of the day. New episodes as it's completed.

Chapters

  • (00:00:00) - Chant begins
  • (00:10:00) - 10 minutes
  • (00:20:00) - 20 minutes
]]> full false A 30-minute instrumental recording of dhrupad-style alap, inspired by Raga Bhairav — pre-dawn Hindustani classical music for rudra veena, tanpura drone and a single wordless voice, with no percussion and no rhythm.

Recorded as one continuous take: the opening and closing are untouched, the middle repeats on the beat.

Instrument: rudra veena, tanpura drone, wordless voice (dhrupad nom-tom). Style: dhrupad-style Hindustani alap, inspired by Raga Bhairav. Mood: solemn, ascetic, unhurried, the stillness before sunrise. Suited to morning sadhana, pre-dawn meditation, and dhrupad appreciation.

What raga inspired this? Raga Bhairav, traditionally called the adi-raga, the first raga, from which the Hindustani tradition says the others descended. Is this a real raga performance? It's AI-generated music built from the raga's actual grammar and measured afterward for pitch accuracy — inspired by it, not a claim to be a traditional performance.

Reference points (not tappable chapters unless your app supports them):
0:00 Chant begins
10:00 10 minutes
20:00 20 minutes

RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces across the praharas of the day. New episodes as it's completed.

]]> 00:30:33 <![CDATA[Om Namah Shivaya — 108 Repetitions]]> Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:35:15 +0000 Naad https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/71158/episode/2550874 https://ragamala-a-garland-of-ragas.castos.com/episodes/om-namah-shivaya-108-repetitions 108 repetitions of Om Namah Shivaya — one full mala — over a continuous tanpura drone in C. A meditation inspired by Raga Shivranjani.

Recorded as one continuous take: the opening and closing are untouched, the middle repeats on the beat.

Instrument: tanpura drone, single voice. Style: devotional chant inspired by Raga Shivranjani. Mood: still, unhurried, reverent.

Suited to japa and mala practice, morning sadhana, or simply as a background for puja.

Reference points (not tappable chapters unless your app supports them):
0:00 Om Namah Shivaya begins
3:28 Quarter mala (27th repetition)
7:04 Half mala (54th repetition)
10:40 Three-quarter mala (81st repetition)
14:16 Mala complete — 108th repetition

RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces across the praharas of the day. New episodes as it's completed.

Chapters

  • (00:00:00) - Om Namah Shivaya begins
  • (00:03:28) - Quarter mala (27th repetition)
  • (00:07:04) - Half mala (54th repetition)
  • (00:10:40) - Three-quarter mala (81st repetition)
  • (00:14:16) - Mala complete — 108th repetition
]]> full false 108 repetitions of Om Namah Shivaya — one full mala — over a continuous tanpura drone in C. A meditation inspired by Raga Shivranjani.

Recorded as one continuous take: the opening and closing are untouched, the middle repeats on the beat.

Instrument: tanpura drone, single voice. Style: devotional chant inspired by Raga Shivranjani. Mood: still, unhurried, reverent.

Suited to japa and mala practice, morning sadhana, or simply as a background for puja.

Reference points (not tappable chapters unless your app supports them):
0:00 Om Namah Shivaya begins
3:28 Quarter mala (27th repetition)
7:04 Half mala (54th repetition)
10:40 Three-quarter mala (81st repetition)
14:16 Mala complete — 108th repetition

RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces across the praharas of the day. New episodes as it's completed.

]]> 00:14:24 <![CDATA[Om Namah Shivaya — One Hour Continuous Chant]]> Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:26:46 +0000 Naad https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/71158/episode/2550862 https://ragamala-a-garland-of-ragas.castos.com/episodes/om-namah-shivaya-one-hour-continuous-chant One hour of Om Namah Shivaya, continuous — the same recording as the 108-repetition episode, extended for a longer sit. A meditation inspired by Raga Shivranjani.

Recorded as one continuous take: the opening and closing are untouched, the middle repeats on the beat.

Instrument: tanpura drone, single voice. Style: devotional chant inspired by Raga Shivranjani. Mood: still, unhurried, reverent — constant intensity throughout, no build, no fade.

RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces across the praharas of the day. New episodes as it's completed.

Chapters

  • (00:00:00) - Chant Begins
  • (00:10:00) - 10 Minutes
  • (00:20:00) - 20 Minutes
  • (00:30:00) - 30 Minutes
  • (00:40:00) - 40 Minutes
  • (00:50:00) - 50 Minutes
]]> full false One hour of Om Namah Shivaya, continuous — the same recording as the 108-repetition episode, extended for a longer sit. A meditation inspired by Raga Shivranjani.

Recorded as one continuous take: the opening and closing are untouched, the middle repeats on the beat.

Instrument: tanpura drone, single voice. Style: devotional chant inspired by Raga Shivranjani. Mood: still, unhurried, reverent — constant intensity throughout, no build, no fade.

RAGAMALA is a garland of 21 pieces across the praharas of the day. New episodes as it's completed.

]]> 01:00:22