S-r-G-mM-D-n-S
Devised by Maihar fountainhead Allauuddin Khan, and expanded upon by Ravi Shankar and Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ahir Lalit draws from 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 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. As per the liner notes to Hariprasad Chaurasia’s 1980 Breaking New Ground album, “The credit for popularising this beautiful morning melody goes to the great Ustad Allauddin Khan. The raga depicts a subtle mood of pathos, languor, and separation”. Also see other members of the Lalit raganga, plus more Ravi-related forms such as Parameshwari, Gangeshwari, Kameshwari, Rangeshwari, Jogeshwari, Mohankauns, Bairagi, Bairagi Todi, & Pancham se Gara.
• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग अहीर ललित
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• Hindustani Raga Index •
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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Salaman (Toumani Diabaté & Ballaké Sissoko): I’ve loved this composition since ripping it from a Frome Library CD when I was 14… Originally performed by the legendary kora duet on their ‘New Ancient Strings’ album, Based on ‘Tita’, a love song from Western Mali (…the b6 has a ‘between minor and major’ tuning…handled here with a messy bend)
And if you like this stuff then check out Derek Gripper, the true master of arranging Toumani Diabaté for the guitar! @derek_gripper
#kora #worldmusic #mali #africanmusic #guitarsolo @toumanidiabatemusic @ballake.sissoko
Sep 2
Raag Jog: exploring different ways the electric guitar can support a Dhrupad-ang nomtom (syllabic improvisation)…
(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace
#dhrupad #raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic
Jun 28
Raag Kafi: Electric guitar improv around the adha bandish ‘Aaj Khel Shaam Sang Hori’
(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace
#raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 22
Raag Jog: some sawal-jawab (‘question-answer’) fun with Marc Clayton on tabla
(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace
#raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 15
• Classifiers •
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
Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact
Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra
Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row
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)
See all shadav ragas which omit Pa – and also compare to other members of the Lalit and Bhairav ragangas (as well as to other ragas which fuse elements of both)
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–r–G–mM–D–n–S
• Reverse: SRgMPdNS (=Simhendra Mad.)
• Complement: SRgPdNS
• 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!
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