S-r-m-P-n-S

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A pentatonic form inducted into the ragascape by an early-career Ravi Shankar – as recounted in Oliver Craske’s superlative biography Indian Sun, p.106: “Shankar created Bairagi in 1949, [publishing] the raga, and a bandish in it, in Sangeet Magazine”. The ‘Megh komal re‘ swara set – which may well have appeared in other guises throughout history – concisely scatters intervals of 1, 2, 3, and 4 semitones, matching the Re-murchana of Shivranjani. Melodic motions vary, but tend to draw on the Bhairav-ang via sustained oscillations on komal re, with komal ni also assuming prominence (see melodic summary). Generally favoured by instrumentalists, although audav specialist Amir Khan‘s vocal renditions are ever-sublime. ‘Bairagi’ roughly translates as ‘detachment’ (as per S. Balachander, “the word is likely an alteration of ‘vairagi‘, which means ‘one who has let go of worldly desires’…”) – with the nSr grouping seems reminiscent of Vedic chant refrains (in Anoushka Shankar’s words, “Bairagi has this deep, spiritual, internal quality”). The distinctive SrmPnS swara-set matches the Carnatic Revathi (described by Rao as “the most sublime raga, because its notes correspond to Vedic chant”) – and also the ‘Insen Scale’ of Japanese court music (as highlighted in Aishik Bandyopadhyay’s Comparative Study of Indian Ragas and Japanese Scales). Also see Shankar’s subsequent Bairagi Todi – as well as his Parameshwari, Gangeshwari, Kameshwari, Rangeshwari, Jogeshwari, Mohankauns, & Pancham se Gara.

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Aroha: SrmPnS

Avroh: SnPmrS

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Pakad: variable, e.g. nSrm; PnP; mrS

Chalan: (open-form)

• As a unique audav scale, melodic interpretations can vary significantly within the SrmPnS swara set – although artists often take a Bhairav-ang approach, particularly via oscillating on komal re

• The distinctive PnSr and Srm combinations define the raga (e.g. PnP nSr; SrmP mrS) – and komal re (the only swara ‘detached’ from all samvad relationships) brings the most tension when sustained

• Vakra motions are common, although the scale form’s diverse intervallic shuffle retains interest in ‘straight’ phrases too, as no interval is repeated (SrmPnS: jumps of ‘1-4-2-3-2’) – with all three octaves available to explore

• Connected by its creator Ravi Shankar to reflective, contemplative states (‘bairagi’: ‘detachment, separation’), and described by his daughter Anoushka has having a “deep, spiritual, internal quality” – with the term ‘bairagi‘ also having historic associations with Lord Shiva

• For fresh melodic inspiration, artists may turn to the congruent Carnatic Revathi, as well as the classical Japanese ‘Insen’ mode

• Compositions •

—Shivkumar Sharma (santoor):

• [tintal] mmPnPm rnSS r S

—Shahid Parvez (Imdadkhani sitar):

• [jhaptal] P/n\P, n S r, r/m, (m)rS

—Shahid Parvez (2021)—

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[refrain, e.g. 5:01] P/n\P, n S r, r/m g/m, (m)rS, P/n\P, n(Sn) S r…

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• Experiments •

Novel interpretations of the raga’s essence…

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—Charanjit Singh (Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat)—

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“Charanjit Singh’s LP Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat was created in Mumbai in 1982, produced on Roland TB-303 and Roland TR 808 [synths]. The record boasted the soon-to-be thought of as ‘acid house sensibilities’: four-on-the-floor rhythm, with a flurry of synthesised melodies dancing around it. Perhaps our misunderstanding of the true roots of acid house can be attributed to Singh’s diffusing take on his own innovation: ‘There was lots of disco music in films back in 1982, so I thought, ‘Why not do something different using disco music only?’. I got an idea to play Indian ragas [with] a disco beat – and turn off the tabla. And I did it. And it turned out good…” (Far Out Magazine)

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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 see other ragas with the generic swaras ‘Sa-Re-Ma-Pa-Ni‘ – and compare to the rest of the Bhairav raganga

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–r–m–P–n–S

• Reverse: SRmPNS

• Complement: SRgGMdDNS

• Imperfect: 2 (re, Pa)

• Detached: 1 (re)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Shivranjani set

–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Revathi

S-R₁-M₁-P-N₂-S

• Jazz: Phrygian Dominant (no 3rd/6th)

1-b2-4-5-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-5-7-10-0

(1–4–2–3–2)

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o o • • • o • o • • o • o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+ni)

• Names: Bairagi, Bairaga, Bairgi Bhairav, Bairagi Bhairon, (~Kshanika)

• Transliterations: Hindi (बैरागी); Bengali (বৈরটী)

—Rashid Khan (1997)—