Raga - an aesthetic projection

The Raga is, as the wise declare, the sequence of musical notes and the play of sound which delights the hearts of men.

"A Raga is an aesthetic projection of the artist's inner spirit; it is a representation of his most profound sentiments and sensibilities, set forth through tones and melodies. But the notes of a Raga, by themselves have no vitality or force. The musician must breathe life into each Raga as he unfolds and expands it. A characteristic of the Raga, impossible to describe but brought to it by the performing artist, is the prana_the life. Through guidance of the Guru, and by his own talent and genius, the musician learns how to make the bare notes vibrate, pulsate, come alive."
(from 'My Music, My Life' - Pandit Ravi Shankar)