S-R-g-m-D-S

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A rare instance of an ‘audav Kanada’ raga, Abhogi’s swara-set resembles ‘Bageshri‘s aroha without ni’ – presenting a clustered poorvang and sparse uttarang (SRgm; DS). As per Tanarang, the raga’s capacity for Darbaric concluding motions (mgmRS) summons “a deep atmosphere” – with the vacant upper scale presenting performers with a curious creative challenge. Abhogi is a relatively recent Carnatic import, with Aarshin Karande stating that Kirana founder Abdul Karim Khan may have been the first to introduce it. Bor‘s analysis highlights how artists may choose to omit Re in ascent, and approach ga with an ornament from above (e.g. m\g) – and that mgRDS can sometimes act as a direct substitute for the gmRS Kanada phrase. Witness the astonishing Darbhanga Dhrupad duet by Premkumar & Prashant Mallick transcribed below, as well as Premkumar’s full-length album rendition – plus Hariprasad Chaurasia‘s sublime short-take for Joep Bor’s Raga Guide (which, to my ears, resembles Shakti‘s Ma No Pa: composed by Zakir Hussain, who has accompanied Hariprasad’s Abhogi renditions many times). Also see the distinct ‘Abhogi Kanada‘ variants detailed below (SRgmPDnS) – and compare to Bhavani (the only other raga I can trace which restricts its uttarang to the specific swaras ‘Dha-Sa‘), as well as other ‘jagged‘ scales (those with no ‘adjacent repeating intervals’).

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Aroha: SRgmDS

Avroh: SDmgmRS

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Pakad: e.g. SRDS; RgmDS; mgmR

Chalan: e.g. SRDS; DSR(m)gmRS; gmD; m(S)DS; RSD; SDmgR; DS (Bor/Chaurasia)

—Premkumar & Prashant Mallick (2014)—

(hear me play Abhogi on electric guitar!)

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[layered phrases, e.g. 1:33] mgRS\D, mgmDS, gRgmD, S\D S\m S\D, S(\D)S, S SS; S\D S/R m\g…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar: Amodini—

While Abhogi’s main SRgmDS form may already be interpreted as a ‘Kanada raga‘ (e.g. via gmRS), several variants exist which lean further into the Kanada-ang – often titled ‘Abhogi Kanada’ to make this more explicit. Here’s a transcription of Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s demo lesson, covering her tradition’s incarnation of the raga (from her superb Amodini: The Joy of Rare Ragas series):

 

“Today, I come with a Kanada prakar: Abhogi Kanada. I will begin with the alap: SDS, SgSDSD, DSR, gR, SgRgSD, (m)SDSmDS, (D)SD g(Rg)RS, DSR(gR)m\Rg m (RS)R, g(RgR)mRS, (SD)SmgR, (D)RgR(gRgS)R SDmgRm, m(gmR)m (mg)mD mg(m)R, g(RgRg)mD D(S)m, (S)mg m/SDS, S(DSDS)D, m\g(mg)R (gmDm)D m, m(gmg)mP P(nD)nm, m\g(mg)m P, (P)mRmg, (RS)R, g(RgR)S S(RS)SD gm(D)m, g(mD)m\gm SR(gR)S.

 

Abhogi Kanada is a jod raga, a combination of Abhogi and Darbari Kanada. I will demonstrate both parts:

• [Abhogi] DSRm, gmRS, mmgR, (S)DSRm, mgR, g RSRS, SRgmDm, mgmD, mDS, SDmg, RgmDmgR, gRSD, (S)DS, mgRS
• [Darbari] gmRS, SRg(Rg)R, gRS, mPn(m)g (Rg)mPg, mRSR, gRS, mPn(m)g, mRSRS

You will have come across many versions of Abhogi Kanada, but in other versions, you will not find this particular phrase: mPn(mgm)g; Pa and ni are included in this version. I will repeat this phrase [in its context]: SRg(mg)mP (P)n(mgm)g mP(m)gm, RSR S.

 

Now, the combination – my thumb will represent Abhogi, and my index finger will represent Kanada: DSRm, (m)gR, gRDS, SRSD SRg(Rg)R. (This Ga is the peculiar Kanada-ang type [i.e. intoned ati-komal]) SRg, ggRSR DS, DSRm, mgR (and this Ga is the Abhogi type:) DSRm mgR, Rgmg(Rg)R ggRSRS; SR(S)D SRm, m(gm)gRm, mPn(m)g mD, (m)gmDm, (m)gmDm PmPnP(m)g, ggRSR, gmS, g RSD, SR(m)gR, ggRSR S, (m)gmD, m(DS)DS, SRgmD, m(DS)DS, DSR(S)D, DSRg(Rg)R, ggRSR(S)DRS D, m(S)DS DmmPPn(m)g, gmDS D(m)gm P(m)gm RSR. I will conclude with a bandish in rupak…”

 

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—Abhogi Kanada (Amodini demo)—

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Also see Manjiri’s other Amodini demos: Abhogi Kanada, Bahaduri Todi, Baradi, Dagori, Dev Gandhar, Gauri, Hussaini Todi, Jait Kalyan, Jaitashree, Kabiri Bhairav, Kaunsi Kanada (Nayaki-ang), Khat (Asavari-ang), Khokar, Lalita Gauri, Lanka Dahan Sarang, Malavi, Maligoura, Mudriki Kanada, Ramdasi Malhar, Raisa Kanada, Shukla Bilawal, Sughrai, Suha, Vihang

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• Guitaragas •

My attempts to capture the raga on electric guitar (see more on my Insta)

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—Abhogi improv (madhya tintal)—

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A brief tintal improvisation exploring some Hariprasad Chaurasia ideas

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• Carnatic Origins •

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—Ragam Abhogi—

(L. Subramaniam)

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–All ragas of Carnatic origin–

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• Classifiers •

Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List):

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Swaras: -4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+

Sapta: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Poorvang: SRGM | SRG | SRM | SGM

Uttarang: PDNS | PDS | PNS | DNS

Varjit: Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni

Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact

Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra

Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row

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Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

• Prakriti: (none found)

Also compare to Firozkhani Todi (the only other ‘generic Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Dha‘ raga currently in the Index) – and see more of the Kanada raganga

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–g–m–D–S

• Reverse: SgPDnS

• Complement: SrGMPdnNS

• Imperfect: 3 (Sa, ga, Dha)

• Detached: 1 (ga)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Kalavati set

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• Quirks: ‘jagged‘ (no ‘adjacent interval repetitions’)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: Abhogi

S-R₂-G₂-M₁-D₂-S

• Jazz: Dorian (no 5th/7th)

1-2-b3-4-6-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-5-9-0

(2–1–2–4–3)

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o • o o • o • • • o • • o

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• Tanpura: Sa–ma (+Dha)

• Names: Abhogi (Kanada), Abhogi Kannada, Abogi

• Transliterations: Hindi (अभोगी); Kannada (ಅಭೋಗಿ); Malayalam (ആഭോഗി)

—Hariprasad Chaurasia (1999)—