Abstract

This study examines the emotional characteristics of Raag Ahir Bhairav, a distinguished morning raga in North Indian classical music, through an empirical approach. Despite the extensive documentation of raga-emotion associations in traditional musicological texts, limited research has quantitatively explored listener responses to these emotional attributes. To bridge this gap, a survey employing a 4-point Likert scale was administered to 20 participants, capturing their emotional reactions to Raag Ahir Bhairav. The analysis revealed a strong concordance between participant responses and the emotional attributes traditionally associated with the raga, such as tranquillity, devotion, and a subtle touch of melancholy. These findings provide robust empirical support for the musicological descriptions of Raag Ahir Bhairav, offering valuable insights into the psychological impact of this raga on listeners. This study not only reinforces the musicological understanding of Raag Ahir Bhairav but also emphasizes the importance of empirical validation in Indian classical music research.