Ahiri | SrgmPDnS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-r-g-m-P-D-n-S

Traditionally held to cure stomach ailments, Ahiri allows for long, kaleidoscopic melodies – with a scale form resembling ‘Bageshri komal re’, ‘Ahir Bhairav komal ga’, or even ‘Bhairavi shuddha Dha’. Artists are relatively free to roam throughout the scale – often accentuating the ‘equilateral triangle’ of nyas (r-m-D: an augmented triad) while also drawing on motions from Bageshri (gmDnS), Ahir Bhairav (PDnrS), and beyond. Matches the shape of the Carnatic Natakapriya (n.b. the Carnatic Ahiri is congruent with Basant Mukhari, with connections to the Northern form unclear). Also see the related Ahiri Todi, Jaiwanti Todi, and Deen Todi – as well as Ahiri’s murchana partners Patdeep, Charukeshi, and Vachaspati.

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राग आहीरी

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Aroha: SrgmPDnS

Avroh: SnDPmgrS

Chalan: e.g. nDr; DnS; Dngr; rgmgr; Srgm; rgPm; grgP; rgmD; DPDnD; mPDnS; DnrS; nDPDnD; nDmgr; Pmgr; rnDS (Raja)

—Harmeet Virdee (2009)—

[motifs, e.g. 1:34] (g)mPDnD mP, g\r gmg; m, g, r, (Sn)DnSr…

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• Guitaragas •

My attempts to capture the raga on electric guitar (see more of these clips)

—Ahiri on electric guitar (alap)—

A quick sketch of some sitar-style compound meend on my Stratocaster, partly inspired by Raj Virdee’s rendition of the raga above (I’ve also recorded Ahiri with sitarist Jon Mayer in London: watch an excerpt here)

• Recent Raga Index Updates (Jan 2026): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans Sarang, Bayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, Kaushiki, Latangi, Maru, Palas, Sarangkauns, Shivanjali, Shrutivardhini • ‘Bifurcations‘: analysis via ‘poorvang + uttarang’ formulas • DoGa Kalyan & the Beatles’ Blue Jay Way • Amir Khan’s ‘168 merukhands’ • Uncovered Prabhateshwari‘s origins • Transcribed Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s ‘Amodini‘ lec-dems • Experiments (e.g overtonal Bhairav, jazz Malkauns) • Survey of Sa Tunings • More Masterlist ragas (1000+)

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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: Thaat #30, Jaiwanti Todi, Prabhateshwari

• Ragmalas •

Historic miniature paintings (learn more)

“Ahiri Ragini: opaque pigments on paper, heightened with gold” (Bilaspur, c.1740) / “Ahiri Ragini, from a folio” (unknown, c.1750)

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–r–g–m–P–D–n–S

• Reverse: SRgmPDNS (=Patdeep)

• Negative: 3-2-2-2-3 (e.g. Tivrakauns)

• Imperfect: 3 (re, Pa, Dha)

• Detached: 2 (re, Dha)

• Symmetries: mirror (m—N)

• Murchanas: Charukeshi set

• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Natakapriya (mela #10)

S-R₁-G₂-M₁-P-D₂-N₂-S

• Jazz: Dorian b2

1-b2-b3-4-5-6-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-3-5-7-9-10-12

(1–2–2–2–2–1–2)

o o • o • o • o • o o • o

• Tanpura: Sa–ma (+Dha)

• Names: Ahiri, Aheer, Aheeri, Aahiri

• Transliterations: Hindi (आहीरी)

—Krishna Bhatt (2010)—

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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!