Raga Todi
Todi is a Hindustani classical raga which gave its name to the Todi thaat, one of the ten types of classical music according to the musicologist Bhatkhande. Ragas from the Todi raganga (class of ragas) include Todi (a.k.a. Miyan ki Todi) itself, Bilaskhani Todi, Gujari Todi (also called Gurjari Todi), Desi Todi, Hussaini Todi, Asavari Todi (more commonly known as Komal Rishabh Asavari), and Bahaduri Todi.
Like Miyan Ki Malhar Miyan Ki Todi is said to be composed by Tansen, but this seems unlikely as the Todi scale in Tansen's time was the scale of today's Bhairavi and the name Miyan Ki Todi appears first in the 19th century literature. Todi is a raga of the late morning- approximately 8-10AM. In overnight concerts, Todi is performed as early as 4AM.
S r g ; r g ; g r ; g r S - these notes are rendered using Meend from Rishabh to Gandhar and vice versa. Hence, the Gandhar used in this Raag is of lower shruti then the regular komal Gandhar (Ati Komal). In this Raag, Komal Gandhar is Vadi and Komal Dhaivat is Samvadi.
The form of Todi, without Pancham is named as Raga Gurjari Todi. This Raga is deep and creates an atmosphere full of Bhakti and Karun Ras. This Raga can be expanded in all the three octaves.
As can be seen in the profile picture of the raga, Todi is nearly always shown as a gentle, beautiful woman, holding a veena and standing in a lovely green forest, surrounded by deer. Kaufman cites the Sangita-Darpana 'With a fair erect body like the white lotus, and delicate like the gleaming dew drop, Todi holds the vina and provides fun and frolic to the deer deep in the forest. Her body is anointed with saffron and camphor.'
Rasa in Indian classical music is understood as mood of the raga. Miyan ki todi predominantly is mostly pervaded by a pensive, mournful mood which is then relieved in the drut (faster tempo) part, by a festive piece, possibly to alleviate the heavy pathos in the earlier stages of rendering, though not always. The composition is such as to afford an artist of high calibre to mould it in either the inherent pensive mood or to entirely present a festive mood.
The equivalent raga in Carnatic music is Shubhapantuvarali. But in Todi, the pancham is omitted in the Arohana, whereas Shubhapanthuvarali uses the panchamam in both the arohana and avarohana. Other forms of Todi which are popular are Bhupal Todi, Bilaskhani Todi, Gurjari Todi
Raga Todi - Provides relief from cold and headache, high blood pressure.
Credits to: Wikipedia, tanarang