avarohaa

Avarohana, commonly written avarohana or avaroha, is the descending scale in Indian classical music. It is one half of a raga's melodic grammar, complementary to the ascending scale called arohana. The term comes from Sanskrit, with avarohana meaning descending and arohana meaning ascending.

In practice, the avarohana specifies the permissible sequence of notes from higher to lower pitches in a given raga. While many ragas feature a straightforward reversal of the ascent, others employ vakra (zigzag) patterns, skip certain notes, or emphasize particular notes through ornamentation, called gamakas or meends. The set of notes used is determined by the raga's svara (scale) and may include shuddha (natural) and vikrita forms such as komal or teevra variants depending on tradition (Hindustani or Carnatic).

Usage: The avarohana is used in improvisation, composition, and pedagogy. It helps performers shape melodic descent and establish the raga's mood. A raga may be defined by its unique arohana and avarohana combinations; some ragas share the same notes but differ in patterns and ornamentation.