Avroha

Avroha is a term encountered in Indian classical music literature used to describe the descending melodic movement or scale within a raga, serving as the counterpart to aroha, which denotes ascent. In many sources the more common spelling is avaroha or avarohana, but avroha is also recognized as a transliteration variant.

Etymology and scope: The term derives from Sanskrit-language musical theory, where aroha denotes ascent and avaroha denotes descent. Avroha thus conveys the downward trajectory of a melody through the scale, guiding how a performer moves from higher to lower notes within the raga’s framework.

Usage in ragas: Each raga is typically defined by a pair of melodic directions: aroha (ascending) and avaroha (descending). The avaroha outlines the permissible notes and characteristic downward phrases, often emphasizing certain notes as pivot points. The specific descent patterns and ornamentations in avroha can distinguish ragas, with some ragas prescribing relatively fixed lines and others allowing more ornamental freedom.

Notation and practice: In Hindustani music pedagogy and theory, aroha and avaroha are standard concepts for describing a raga’s melodic syntax. Notation uses the solmization Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni in both ascending and descending sequences. The avaroha may vary in its exact notes or omissions depending on the raga and the performer’s interpretive choices.

Relation to theory and pedagogy: While avroha is less commonly used in casual speech than avarohana, it remains an important technical term in analytic music discussions, improvisation instruction, and scholarly descriptions of how a raga’s mood and direction are realized through melodic descent.