Araga for relief: How Bhairavi found its way into thelab

In a rare confluence of classical artistry and modern neuroscience, researchers at Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, have offered scientific validation to something Indian musicians have long intuited -that music heals.

- RAJIB CHAKRABORTY

A breakthrough study led by Prof. Mrinal Kumar Pathak, an accomplished classical musician and academic from BIT Mesra's Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, has revealed that Raga Bhairavi, when played on the flute at a soft 15 decibels, can trigger measurable pain relief. Published in Current Psychiatry Research and Reviews, the paper - titled "Pain Alleviation through Raga Bhairavi (15dB, Flute): Activation of the Hypothalamus-pituitary Axis and ß-endorphin-cAMP Pathway in Swiss Albino Mice" - marks a pioneering stride for Indian musicology-driven therapy. What makes the work exceptional is that it does not merely claim the soothing influence of classical music; it documents biochemical evidence. Through controlled exposure to Raga Bhairavi, the research team observed activation of the HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis and release of ß-endorphins - the body's natural analgesics - in Swiss Albino mice. The neurochemical response triggered a statistically significant reduction in pain sensitivity, placing