Bhajan Notes for Harmonium
Play the most beloved bhajanson harmonium with complete Sargam notation. We've compiled 10 popular bhajan melodies and aartis — from Om Jai Jagdish Hare to Hanuman Chalisa — with note-by-note notation you can practice on our free web harmonium.
★ Key Takeaways
- •This page includes 10 popular bhajan notations with harmonium Sargam notes — aartis, mantras, and devotional songs.
- •Most bhajans use Bilawal Thaat (C Major) — only natural notes on white keys. Beginners can start immediately.
- •Each bhajan shows lyrics line-by-line with matching Sargam notation, scale info, and difficulty level.
- •Practice any bhajan right now on our free online harmonium — note labels are shown on the keys.
Om Jai Jagdish Hare
Composed by Shardha Ram Phillauri in 1870. Sung in Hindu households every evening during aarti.
Om jai jagdish hare
Re — Re — Re Re Ga Re Sa ni Sa —
Swami jai jagdish hare
Sa — Sa — Sa Sa Re Sa ni Sa Re —
Bhakta janon ke sankat
Re Ga Re Ga Ma — Ma Ga Re Ga Re Sa
Kshann mein door kare
Ma Ma Pa Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa —
Keys used — highlighted notes on the harmonium keyboard
Jai Ganesh Deva
Traditional aarti of unknown authorship, widely performed during Ganesh Chaturthi and daily puja.
Jai ganesh jai ganesh
Sa Sa Re Re Ga Ga Ga Ga
Jai ganesh deva
Ga Ga Ma —
Mata jaki parvati
Ma Ma Pa Pa Ga Ga Ma
Pita mahadeva
Ma Ga Re Sa Re Ga
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram
Lyrics by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (early 1900s). Mahatma Gandhi's favorite bhajan, sung during his marches.
Raghupati raghav raja ram
Pa Pa Ma Ga Re Sa Re Ga
Patita pavan sitaram
Re Ga Ma Pa — — — —
Sitaram sitaram
Dha Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa —
Bhaj pyare tu sitaram
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa — — —
Gayatri Mantra
From the Rigveda (Mandala 3.62.10), composed by sage Vishvamitra. One of the oldest known hymns, over 3,500 years old.
Om bhur bhuvah swaha
Ga Ga Re Ga Pa Ga
Tat savitur varenyam
Ga Ga Ga Ga Dha Pa Ga Re Re Re
Bhargo devasya dhimahi
Ga Ga Ga Ga Dha Pa Ga Re Re Re
Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat
Ga Re Ga Pa Ga Re Sa Re Ga
Hanuman Chalisa
Written by Tulsidas in the 16th century in Awadhi. 40 verses (chalisa) praising Lord Hanuman.
Shri guru charan saroj raj
Sa Sa Sa Sa Sa Re Re Ga Ga Ga
Nij manu mukuru sudhari
Ga Ga Re Ga Re Sa Sa
Barnau raghubar bimal jasu
Sa Sa Sa Sa Sa Re Re Ga Ga Ga
Jo dayaku phal chari
Ga Ga Re Ga Re Sa Sa
Hare Krishna Maha Mantra
The Maha Mantra appears in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad. Popularized globally by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and ISKCON from 1966.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Sa Re Ga Ga Ga Ma Ga Re
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Ga Ga Ma Pa Ga Re Sa Sa
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Sa Re Ga Ga Ga Ma Ga Re
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Ga Ga Ma Pa Ga Re Sa Sa
Keys used — highlighted notes on the harmonium keyboard
Om Jai Shiv Omkara
Traditional aarti dedicated to Lord Shiva. Shares the same melody structure as Om Jai Jagdish Hare.
Om jai shiv omkara
Re — Re — Re Re Ga Re Sa ni Sa —
Swami jai shiv omkara
Sa — Sa — Sa Sa Re Sa ni Sa Re —
Brahma vishnu sadashiv
Re Ga Re Ga Ma — Ma Ga Re Ga Re Sa
Ardhangi dhaara
ni Sa Re Ga Re Sa ni Sa
Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki
Attributed to Surdas (16th century). Uses a wider melodic range than most aartis, reaching the upper octave.
Aarti kunj bihari ki
Dha Dha Dha Pa Dha Sa' Sa' Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga
Shri girdhar krishna murari ki
Re Ga Dha Pa Pa Ma Ma Re Ga Re Re
Gale mein baijanti mala
Dha Dha Dha Pa Dha Sa' Sa' Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga
Bajave murali madhur bala
Re Ga Dha Pa Pa Ma Ma Re Ga Re Re
Om Jai Lakshmi Mata
Traditional aarti for Goddess Lakshmi, performed during Diwali and Friday puja. Same melodic family as Om Jai Jagdish Hare.
Om jai lakshmi mata
Re — Re — Re Re Ga Re Sa ni Sa —
Swami jai lakshmi mata
Sa — Sa — Sa Sa Re Sa ni Sa Re —
Tumko nishdin sevat
Re Ga Re Ga Ma — Ma Ga Re Ga Re Sa
Hari vishnu vidhata
ni Sa Re Ga Re Sa ni Sa
Achyutam Keshavam
Devotional song listing the names of Lord Krishna. Popularized by singer Madhav Shinde and widely performed at ISKCON temples.
Achyutam keshavam
Sa Re Ga Ga Ma Ga
Krishna damodaram
Ma Ga Re Sa Re Ga
Ram narayanam
Ga Ma Pa Pa Ma Ga
Janaki vallabham
Ma Ga Re Sa Sa —
How to read Sargam notation
New to Sargam notation? Here's everything you need to read the bhajan harmonium notes above. For a deeper dive, see our complete harmonium notes guide.
| Sargam | Western | Key |
|---|---|---|
| Sa | C | White |
| Re | D | White |
| Ga | E | White |
| Ma | F | White |
| Pa | G | White |
| Dha | A | White |
| Ni | B | White |
Notation Symbols
Sa Re GaPlay notes in sequence, one per beat
—Hold the previous note for one extra beat
ni (lowercase)Lower octave (Mandra Saptak) note
Sa' (apostrophe)Upper octave (Taar Saptak) note
Ni♭ or ko NiKomal (flat) note — played on a black key
Ma♯ or ti MaTivra (sharp) Ma — played on the F♯ black key
Sources: Bhajan notations verified against NoteYard, ISKCON Desire Tree, and traditional oral sources. Minor variations exist between regional traditions.
Tips for playing bhajans on harmonium
From our experience building Web Harmonium and watching thousands of users learn bhajan melodies on harmonium, these 5 tips make the biggest difference for beginners. They align with the teaching approach recommended by the Sangeet Natak Akademi— India's national academy for music, dance, and drama.
Learn the Lyrics First
Know the words and rhythm before touching the keys. Bhajans have a natural melodic flow tied to the lyrics — if you know the song by heart, the notes will come more naturally.
One Line at a Time
Don't try to play the whole bhajan at once. Master the first line, then the second, then connect them. Most bhajans have repeating patterns — once you learn the first verse, the rest follows the same melody.
Match the Tempo to Singing
Bhajans are meant to be sung along with. Play at a tempo where you (or someone else) can comfortably sing. For aartis, this is typically 70–90 BPM. For kirtan, it can start slow and gradually speed up.
Use the Drone Stops
Activate the Sa and Pa drone stops on your harmonium for a continuous background tone. This fills out the sound and helps you stay in tune — especially important when accompanying group singing.
Practice on Our Web Harmonium
Our free online harmonium shows note labels on every key, making it easy to follow Sargam notation. Start here to build muscle memory, then transfer to a physical instrument.
What to learn next
Once you can play these 10 bhajans comfortably, here's how to keep progressing.
Play these bhajans — for free
Open our free web harmonium and start playing bhajans right now. Note labels on every key make it easy to follow the Sargam notation above.
Play Harmonium OnlineBhajan — frequently asked questions
What is the easiest bhajan to play on harmonium?
Om Jai Jagdish Hare and Jai Ganesh Deva are the easiest bhajans for harmonium beginners. Both use only natural (shuddha) notes in the middle octave, have a slow tempo, and follow simple repeating patterns. You can learn either one in a single practice session on our free web harmonium.
Which raga is used for bhajans on harmonium?
Most popular bhajans use Bilawal Thaat (equivalent to C Major) or Khamaj Thaat (Mixolydian). Aartis like Om Jai Jagdish Hare typically use Bilawal with all natural notes. Devotional songs like Achyutam Keshavam often use Khamaj, which adds a Komal Ni (B♭) for a warmer, devotional quality.
How to play bhajan on harmonium for beginners?
Start by learning the Sargam notation system (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni). Then pick an easy bhajan like Om Jai Jagdish Hare and practice the melody line by line. Play slowly at first — match each Sargam syllable to the correct key. Our harmonium tutorial covers the fundamentals of posture, bellows, and fingering.
Can I play bhajan on keyboard instead of harmonium?
Yes, the notes are the same — Sa=C, Re=D, Ga=E, and so on. However, harmonium has a distinct sustained tone from the bellows that keyboards cannot replicate. Our web harmonium simulates authentic harmonium sound in your browser, giving you the right timbre for bhajan accompaniment.
What does Sargam notation mean in bhajan music?
Sargam is the Indian solfège system using syllables Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni — equivalent to Western C, D, E, F, G, A, B. In bhajan notation, each syllable tells you which harmonium key to press. Lowercase letters indicate komal (flat) notes played on black keys. See our full notes chart for the complete 12-note reference.