Ahir Lalit | SrGmMDnS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-r-G-mM-D-n-S

Introduced by Ravi Shankar, drawing from the swara material of three morning ragas: Ahiri, Ahir Bhairav, and Lalit. As per Deepak Raja, “for most listeners, Ahir Lalit will be unable to escape the shadow of Ahir Bhairav over the Lalit facet of the raga…since Ahiri is heard mainly as a Bhairav / Ahir Bhairav variant”. Nevertheless, the raga’s distinctive ‘double-Ma, no Pa’ structure (matching the shape of ‘Ahir Bhairav komal Pa‘) allows for unmistakeable flavours of Lalit – and, being a rare and recently-created raga, its phraseologies remain largely uncodified, with fresh melodic expanses open to the interpretation of performers. Refer to prominent renditions by Shankar and Hariprasad Chaurasia. Also see other Ravi-related forms such as Parameshwari, Gangeshwari, Kameshwari, Rangeshwari, Jogeshwari, Mohankauns, Bairagi, Bairagi Todi, & Pancham se Gara.

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राग अहीर ललित

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Aroha: SrGmM, DnS

Avroh: SrnSnD, GmMm, rGmG, GrS

Chalan: e.g. SDnD; DnSr; nrS; rGmMm; MD; MDn; DnrS; rnSnD; MDGmMm; rGmG; GrSnD; DnrS (Shankar/Raja)

—Ravi Shankar (1971)—

[refrain, e.g. 10:33] D D D, MMD, nnS(rS), r, r(/GMG), G\r, S, rGm/M M\G, rS, n SS, Dn(Dn), D D D…

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

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

Double: rR | gG | mM | dD | nN

Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact

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

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

Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.

Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

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

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Murchana: Bhup. | Bihag | Bilaw. | Charu.

Raganga: Bhairav | Malhar | Kan. | Todi

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

• Prakriti: (none found)

Also see other shadav ragas which omit Pa

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–r–G–mM–D–n–S

• Reverse: SRgMPdNS (=Simhendra Mad.)

• Negative: 3-1-4-1-3 (e.g. Bibhas)

• Imperfect: 3 (Sa, re, Ga)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (m—N)

• Murchanas: Bhairav set

• Quirks: ‘komal Pa‘ (=mMP) • ‘centred‘ (constellation balances at the wheel’s centrepoint)

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Bhujangini

S-R₁-G₃-M₁-M₂-D₂-N₂-S

• Jazz: Phrygian Dominant (b5)

1-b2-3-4-#4-6-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-4-5-6-9-10-0

(1–3–1–1–3–1–2)

o o • • o o o • • o o • o

• Tanpura: Sa–ma

• Names: Ahir Lalit, Aheer Lalat

• Transliterations: Hindi (अहीर ललित)

—Hariprasad Chaurasia (2000)—

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George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher (guitars, sitar, tabla, & santoor). Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the voices, cultures, and passions behind them. See Homepage for more, and hit me up for Lessons!