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

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A curious fusion of concepts from two famous morning ragas – Bhairav and Lalit – devised by the gharana-blending Kumar Gandharva around the 1970s (also see his Bihad Bhairav, Rati Bhairav, Saheli Todi, Lagan Gandhar, & Madhusurja). Sadly, few recordings seem to exist – refer to Gandharva’s classic renditions for starters (e.g. Kantha Re Janoo Re Janoo), as well as a 2019 sitar-accompanied take by his son Mukul Shivputra, and an excellent 2002 performance from Khushal Sharma. Thankfully, fellow raga researcher Srijan Deshpande helped clear up my ongoing confusions in mid-2025, emailing with insights drawn from Kumar Gandharva’s own Anupragvilas book – see below for a full translation of this vital information (“Kumar-ji says the the madhyams ‘remind one of Lalit’, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say he created this raga as a combination of Lalit and Bhairav – the raga is its own entity, and its own resonances with other ragas too: for example the PGrS reminds one of Bhatiyar…”]. Compare to other members of the Bhairav and Lalit ragangas.

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राग भावमत भैरव

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Aroha: SGm, DnS

Avroh: SDMmG, mPG, (S)rS

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Chalan: signatures – e.g. SGmP, mDMm, PGrS (Gandharva)

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—Kumar Gandharva (~1970s)—

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[bandish, e.g. 0:26] Sr m/DM, M(m)m, m(GMmG)m, m(Gm)G (Gr)S, Gm(M) m(Gm)G, m(Gr), Gm/D(M) M(m)m, (G)m m…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Kumar Gandharva’s Anuragvilas—

As mentioned above, fellow raga researcher-writer-teacher Srijan Deshpande emailed me in mid-2025 with vital information drawn directly from p.152 of Kumar Gandharva’s own Anuragvilas textbook. Here is his translation of Gandharva’s thoughts on Bhavmat Bhairav, lightly reformatted for clarity:

• Bhavmat Bhairav: This dhun-ugam [folk-derived] raga has both Ma. The re and ni are komal, the Ga and Dha are shuddha, and the Pa is vakra.
• Time: Dawn
• Vadi-samvadi: Ga-Dha
• Nyas: ma
• Pakad: SGmP, mDMm, PGrS
• Aroha-avroh (path 1): SGmP, mDnS | SDMmPGrS
• Aroha-avroh (path 2): SGmDnS | SDMmGmPG(S)rS
• Jati: audav–shadav; Re and Pa are disallowed in aroha, and Ni is disallowed in avroh. Both the aroha and avroh of this raga are vakra, and it is natural that the two madhyams remind one of Lalit. [n.b. Deshpande cautions that “Kumar-ji says the the madhyams ‘remind one of Lalit’, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say he created this raga as a combination of Lalit and Bhairav – the raga is its own entity, and its own resonances with other ragas too: for example the PGrS reminds one of Bhatiyar“].

—Kumar Gandharva (~1970s)—

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“It is completely irrelevant to ask how I felt when I received an award, say the Padma Vibhushan. People ask me ‘Kumar-ji, how did you feel?’ Well, I felt nothing. It is not a right question to ask me. If you were to ask me how I sang in a particular concert, that I will answer. I will answer – what I was able to say, what I was unable to, what mischief I did, how I managed treacherous parts of it…Yes, I will say all this. But what do I feel about an award? Don’t ask me, for I feel nothing.” (Kumar Gandharva)

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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)

Compare to other ragas from the Bhairav and Lalit ragangas (as well as to other forms which fuse elements of both)

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–r–G–mM–P–D–n–S

• Reverse: SRgmMPdNS

• Complement: SRgdNS

• Imperfect: 3 (re, Ga, Pa)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: (none found)

–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: (~Vakulabharanam)

S-R₁-G₃-M₁-M₂-P-D₂-N₂-S

• Jazz: Lydian Dom b2 (dbl. 4th)

1-b2-3-4-#4-5-6-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-4-5-6-7-9-10-0

(1–3–1–1–1–2–1–2)

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o o • • o o o o • o o • o

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• Tanpura: Sa–ma (+Dha)

• Names: Bhavmat Bhairav, Bhavat Bhairav

• Transliterations: Hindi (भावमत भैरव)

—Mukul Shivputra (2019)—