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Concept

Raga is a special concept of Indian music. This concept is unique to Indian Music, both Hindustani and Carnatic style.

It is a particular type of scale that has aesthetic value. 

There are certain rules, which have to be followed while rendering a raga. 

Rules 

1.     The raga has its origin in a scale called �thaat[1]� or �mela�.

2.     There should be at least 5 notes in a raga.

3.     The 2 forms of a note i.e. flat and sharp, should not come in succession in a raga.

4.     A raga has both ascending and descending (aaroha and avaroha) order of notes.

5.     A raga should have the note �sa� i.e. �do� of the solfa notation.

6.     A raga should have at least one note from �ma� and �pa�, i.e. �fa� and �so� of the solfa notation.

7.     A raga should have both �vadi[2]� and �samvadi[3]� notes.

8.     A raga should have an aesthetic value.

There are a few ragas, which are exception to the 2nd rule; yet, they are quite popular and well accepted as classical ragas. 

Apart from these rules, it has to be understood that a raga is much more than these rules. There may be 2 or more ragas with the same notes and their ascending or descending order; yet, they will sound very much different from one another. This is because; every raga has its own style of pronouncing every note. 

In classical music performance, all these rules have to be followed strictly. But, in semi classical, light, devotional and other forms of Indian music, even if the tune of a song is composed in a raga, the rules are not strictly followed.

Origin Scales of Ragas i.e. Thaats or Melas

1. Bilawal               sa   re   ga   ma   pa   dha   ni   sa 

2. Yaman               sa   re   ga   ma^׀   pa   dha   ni   sa 

3. Khamaj              sa   re   ga   ma   pa   dha   ni   sa 

4. Bhairav              sa   re   ga   ma   pa   dha   ni   sa 

5. Poorvi                sa   re   ga   ma^׀  pa   dha   ni  sa 

6. Marwa               sa   re   ga   ma^׀  pa   dha   ni  sa 

7. Kafi                   sa   re   ga   ma   pa   dha   ni   sa 

8. Asawari             sa   re   ga   ma   pa   dha   ni   sa 

9. Bhairavi             sa   re   ga   ma   pa   dha   ni   sa 

10. Todi                  sa   re   ga   ma^׀   pa   dha   ni   sa 

Where  �sa  re  ga  ma  pa  dha  ni  sa�  mean �do  re  me  fa  so  la  ti  do� resp. of the solfa notation; ma^׀  means sharp �fa�; re, ga, dha, ni mean flat re, me, la, ti resp.