A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.

A raga uses a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is constructed. However; the way the notes are approached and rendered in musical phrases and the mood they convey are more important in defining a raga than the notes themselves. In the Indian musical tradition; ragas are associated with different times of the day; or with seasons.

Ragini (Devanagari: ??????) is a term for the 'feminine' counterpart or 'wife' to a raga. The raga-ragini scheme dates from about the 14th century and aligns 6 'male' ragas with 6 'wives'. Pictures From History