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India: 'Hindola Raga'. Miniature painting from the 'Laud Ragamala' attributed to Fazl of the workshop of Abdul Rahim, Bikaner, early 17th century, Bodleian Library, Oxford

India: 'Hindola Raga'. Miniature painting from the 'Laud Ragamala' attributed to Fazl of the workshop of Abdul Rahim, Bikaner, early 17th century, Bodleian Library, Oxford

Ragmala or Ragamala is the title of a composition of twelve verses, running into sixty lines that names various ragas which appears in most copies of the Guru Granth Sahib after the compositions of Guru Arjun Dev entitled 'Mundaavani' (The Royal Seal).

The title literally means a 'garland of Ragas, or musical melodies'. 'Mala' means 'garland', while 'Raga' is a 'musical composition or mode', which has also given rise to the series of Ragamala paintings. This list differs according to the author and the music school it is based upon. Thus there exists a number of such lists in the music text books of India.

The 'Laud Ragamala' was compiled in India during the first half of the 17th century, owned by Archbishop Laud, and presented to the Bodleian Library in 1639 or 1640.

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