S-r-m-P-n-S

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A distinctive 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 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 can vary, but tend to draw on the Bhairav-ang via oscillations on komal re, with komal ni also assuming prominence to bring chayas of Ahir Bhairav (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’…”. In particular, the nSr trio is reminiscent of Vedic chant refrains – with this pattern being prominent on Shankar’s own Chants of India album – in Anoushka Shankar’s words, “Bairagi has this deep, spiritual, internal quality”). Matches the scale of 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 by Aishik Bandyopadhyay). Also see Shankar’s subsequent Bairagi Todi (which trades shuddha ma for a Todi-ang komal ga), as well as his Parameshwari, Gangeshwari, Kameshwari, Rangeshwari, Jogeshwari, Mohankauns, & Pancham se Gara. Compare to other ‘jagged‘ scales – i.e. those which have no ‘adjacent repeated intervals’ (SrmPnS: jumps of ‘1-4-2-3-2‘).

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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

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

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–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)—