S-g-m-d-N-S

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Chandrakauns is a spacious raga of relatively modern origin, only becoming distinct from divergent strains of ‘shuddha Ni Malkauns’ by around the mid-20th century. This Ni-for-ni replacement removes much of Malkauns’ symmetry and intervallic balance, with the chromatic leading-tone resolution (Ni>Sa) bringing more prominence to both swaras (see melodic summary). Given these sharper tensions, it is often played at faster tempos than its parent – with modern renditions continuing to show wide phraseological variance. Compare to proximate scales such as Antardhwani (add re), Rajeshwari (dha-for-Dha), and Tulsikauns (double-Ni) – as well as Kirwani, the principal sampurna raga which ‘encloses’ Chandrakauns’ scale. [n.b. An older ‘Bageshri-ang Chandrakauns’ comprising swaras SgmDnS is still sometimes performed under the name ‘Purana Chandrakauns‘: see the prakriti Sundarkauns]. Also browse my list of 20+ Chandrakauns-derived ragas: including Chandranandan, Chandrakaushiki, and Chandraprabha.

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राग चन्द्रकौन्स

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SgmdNS

Avroh: SNdmgS

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Pakad: variable, e.g. mdNd, mgmgS

Chalan: variable, e.g. dNS; mgmgS; Smgmg; Smgmd; mNdN; dSNS; SNdm; gmgS (Bor/Vyas)

• Usually summarised as ‘Malkauns shuddha Ni’ – however this swara-switch radically disbalances the scale via enabling the presence of hemitones (NS; SN) and tritones (mN; Nm), both of which are unavailable in the parent raga

• The tension and urgency of shuddha Ni (the only swara ‘detached’ from all samvad relationships) often invites faster, more rhythmic treatments compared to the patient, ‘severely tranquil’ realm of Malkauns

• Given the lack of prakritis, individual treatments can vary greatly within the bounds of the five swaras – combining classic Kaunsi motions (Smg; gmd) with Ni-focused lines elsewhere (e.g. gmdNd; mgSN; dNSNS)

• Associated with moonlight (‘chandra-kauns’: ‘Malkauns of the moon’) – while also inheriting the Kauns-ang connection to Shiva and Parvati

• Compositions •

—Shivkumar Sharma (santoor):

• [jhaptal] Sg d\m, mgS, gSdN, S
• [tintal] gmmddSN, d m g S

—Vidyadhar Vyas (Gwalior khayal):

• [tintal] S (N)dNS, (N)d (N)d (d)m mmd m(gm) gS | SgmdS(N)S, dNSm(gm)gS

—Ranjani & Gayatri (2015)—

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[theme, e.g. 0:20] m\g d\m N\d NS, Sg\SS N\d Ndm…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (pitch-graph)—

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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 generic swaras ‘Sa-Ga-Ma-Dha-Ni‘ – and compare to other members of the Kauns raganga

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–g–m–d–N–S

• Reverse: SrGPDS

• Complement: SrRGMPDnS

• Imperfect: 3 (Sa, ga, Ni)

• Detached: 1 (Ni)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Madhukauns (on ma)

–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Kadaram

S-G₂-M₁-D₁-N₃-S

• Jazz: Harmonic Minor (no 2nd/5th)

1-b3-4-b6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-3-5-8-11-0

(3–2–3–3–1)

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o • • o • o • • o • • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–ma

• Names: Chandrakauns, Chandrakaus, Chandra Kauns (n.b. ‘Purana Chandrakauns‘ is a different raga, also known as ‘Audav Bageshri’)

• Transliterations: Hindi (चन्द्रकौन्स); Kannada (ಚಂದ್ರಕೌನ್ಸ್)

—Jyoti Hegde (2023)—