raga

Where does the word "raga" come from? It comes from Sanskrit raga, and was adopted directly into English (1800s).

Raga’s story begins in Sanskrit: raga meant “color, mood, passion.” Literally color, mood, a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music. It reached English by 1800s as raga. Sanskrit 'colour, passion'; Ravi Shankar's collaborations with the Beatles popularized ragas in the 1960s. Today, raga means a melodic framework for improvisation and composition in Indian classical music.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient raga "color, mood, passion", literally color, mood, a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1800s raga "a melodic framework used in Indian classical music", Sanskrit 'colour, passion'; Ravi Shankar's collaborations with the Beatles popularized ragas in the 1960s.