A Neurological Case Study Of Ragas

About the Lecture

At the heart of North Indian Classical Music lies the concept of the raga, a carefully structured combination of notes, intervals, and movements that has long been understood to evoke specific emotional states, known as rasas. For centuries, musicians and listeners have described ragas as joyful, melancholic, serene, or restless. Yet, surprisingly little empirical research has tested these claims.

This lecture brings scientific inquiry into conversation with musical tradition.

Drawing on behavioural experiments designed to test the raga–rasa theory, the session examines how listeners emotionally respond to different ragas, and whether distinct acoustic features - such as tonic intervals, rhythm, and tonal structure, are reliably associated with specific emotions.

⋆｡°✩ Flow of the Evening

✭ 4:00 PM - Doors open! Seating is on a first come, first served basis.

✭ 4:00 – 4:15 PM - The event begins with a classical music performance. Meanwhile the audience is expected to place their orders, and start a few conversations (we typically close food orders at the lecture start time)

✭ 4:15 PM - The learning begins

✭ 5:00 PM - An open Q&A and discussion with the speaker and the room.

✭ 5:30 PM onwards there's some more drinking, eating, and conversations.

PS: Your ticket includes a 300/- coupon redeemable on F&B

About the Speaker

Nandini Chatterjee Singh is a leading cognitive neuroscientist and science-policy education researcher at Ashoka University.

Her work combines experimental research with real-world application, translating insights from the laboratory into education, policy, and social impact. She collaborates closely with civil society organisations, institutions, policymakers, and government bodies, and is known for her interdisciplinary approach that values empathy, inclusion, rigorous evidence, and innovative thinking.

About unLecture

unLecture brings experts out of classrooms and into cafés, bars and neighbourhood spaces across Delhi. Created by three friends from St. Stephen’s, Delhi who wanted learning to feel warm, social and alive. unLecture turns an otherwise ordinary evening into a conversation you may think about long after it ends.