"... in penance, adorned, grey [with ashes] and dark, a young man beauteous in every limb, [this is] Kedar raga."

Kedar is a serious and contemplative raga. It is commonly portrayed as an ascetic who worships Shiva and is deeply absorbed in music or meditation. His renown and holiness attract royal visitors. In its medieval form Kedar was a pentatonic raga, omitting Re and Pa. It was based on the major scale. Judging from the Sahasras (early 17th century), it was one of the main ragas performed by the Mughal court musicians. In addition to the natural notes, today's Kedar uses sharp Ma (for which reason Bhatkhande classified it in Kalyan that) and sometimes flat Ni. However, in old dhrupad compositions these additional notes often do not appear. The melodic movements are very oblique in Kedar. Whereas Re is omitted in the ascent, Ga appears obliquely between Ma and Pa. Natural Ma is the most articulated note, and sharp Ma usually appears between two Pa's. Similarly, flat Ni may appear between two Dha's, although not all musicians take this path. The phrase S M - M G P M sharp P - M sharp P D P \ M brings out the typical mood of Kedar. Time: Early night, 9 - 12.

.	Ascent-descent
.	Melodic outline
.	Performance by Buddhadev DasGupta Composition follows in fast tintal (16 counts) Time 3.48