Raag Bageshree is a very pleasing raag of Kafi thaat, very popular among almost all gharanas and maesteros. This raag , however has extended its limits over period of time , trespassing , encroaching upon the territory of others. It is a classic example of how the artistic freedom of performing a raag has gone too far, stretching the limits of a raag ... "rules of a raag" are amended over a period of time to accomodate almost everything that is sung in that matrix or around !
So much so that when one starts looking at raags like Gorakh Kalyan , Narayani, Nayaki Kanada , some versions of Durga and Malgunji , one is struck at the fact that Bageshree has almost overshadowed these distinct raags by including their kernel into itself over a period of time !
Looking at Raag Bageshree, one is amazed at the way "rules" of Raagdaari sangeet are so twisted and turned in order to accomodate everything that maestroes do or simply to include every modification under one popular umbrella !!
Officially and originally , Raag Bageshree was supposed to be Audav-Shadav raag ( 5 notes in ascending and 6 in descending ). However , due to artistic freedom of maesteros, over period of time, it was upgraded to two more versions
Version 1 ( Standard Original ) : Audav-Shadav - R and P are varjit in ascending, P in descending
Version 2 Audav-Sampoorn: R and P are varjit in ascending
Version 3 Sampoorn-Sampoorn: All the swaras are present
The problem is clearly noticed when labeling a rendion to Gorakh Kalyan , Bageshree or Narayani. This is especially true when one hears younger singers who are performing one without the knowledge of other two! More so in case of Instrumentalists than the vocalists (where bandishes almost define raag)
