Abstract

The Rāgas of Indian Music have their origin in folk melodies of different parts of the country and are being performed and practiced by independent ethnic groups. More delving deep into this matter indicates the unique characteristics of folk forms, engendered by man's spontaneous habit of cultural expression apart from their continental contrast. Because of this coherence, outside of the Indian subcontinent, a close resemblance is very observable between Indian Rāgas and foreign Modes. Undoubtedly these Modes are also generated from the folk tunes of those lands as in Rāgas. In this article, an attempt has been made to establish this kind of cultural integrity and singularity by analyzing three traditional Japanese Scales, which carry tonal similarities with the three North Indian Rāgas.