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Ragas are sometimes defined as melody types. The raga system is a method of organizing tunes based on certain natural principles. Tunes in the same raga use the same (nominal) swaras in various combinations and with practice, the listener can pick up the similarity. Each raga has a swaroopam (a musical form or image) that is defined by the swaras used, the gamakas given to these swaras, the sequence in which the swaras occur etc.
This definition is termed as the raga lakshanam. (The magazine Sruthi usually contains a discussion of ragalakshanam of one or two ragas in each issue). Raga lakshanam usually contains the arohanam, avarohanam, details of raga chaya swaras (the swaras which are chiefly responsible for the characteristic melody of the raga), gamakas, characteristic swara phrases and general usage notes.
It is intended more for the performer than for the listener. We shall first define arohanam and avarohanam. Arohanam is the sequence of swaras used in a raga in the ascending passages i.e. as the pitch goes up. Avarohanam is the sequence of swaras to be used in descent. The arohanam and avarohanam (or the scale) of a raga provide only a skeletal outline upon which the rest of the raga is formed.
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