S-R-G-m-P-d-n-S

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Adopted from the Carnatic mela #26, Charukeshi (‘One with Beautiful Hair‘) calls for wide-open melodic exploration, favouring long lines which wind around themselves while visiting the furthest reaches of all three octaves. Like many Southern scales, it may be used as a canvas for recolouring multiple ideas from adjacent ragas (see avirbhav–tirobhav), while itself presenting an odd marriage of Major and Minor – with an ‘all-shuddha‘ poorvang (SRGm) and ‘all-komal‘ uttarang (PdnS) offering contrasting emotional shades (Aarshin Karande: “Charukeshi possesses multiple personalities, and lends itself well to contradictory emotions and moods”). Assumed to be a recent addition to the Northern ragascape, based on its lack of inclusion in Rao’s 1956 Raga Nidhi Vol. 1 (which states that “there is no raga called ‘Charukeshi’ in Hindustani sangeet“) – although S.N. Ratanjankar and Ravi Shankar were performing it soon after this date. Perennially popular for North-South jugalbandis (e.g. Purbayan Chatterjee & Shashank Subramanyam in Darbar VR360). See melodic considerations below, and compare to its murchana partners Patdeep, Ahiri, & Vachaspati – as well as Shankar’s other Carnatic experiments including Kirwani, Malay Marutam, & Simhendra Madhyamam – as well as his derived Charukauns (which resembles ‘Malkauns shuddha Ga in aroha, Charukeshi in avroh’).

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Aroha: SRGmPdnS

Avroh: SndPmGRS

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Pakad: variable, e.g. GmRS, ndnS

Chalan: (open-form) – illustrative sequences e.g. dnSRGmGR; RGmdP; RGmRS

• Given its recent Southern import, the raga has few established conventions, leaving artists free to roam – with a penchant for expansive, winding melodies across all three octaves

• The palindromic scale form presents a natural poorvang–uttarang contrast, setting the ‘all-shuddha’ SRGm against the ‘all-komal’ PdnS – also featuring a strange geometric run of ‘2-2-2-2’ (dnSRG)

• Komal dha has a special power to recolour the mood (indeed, all the other swaras fit into the relatively uplifting Khamaj thaat)

• Chayas of many other ragas are available – e.g. Darbari (S(n)dnP; mPnP), Malkauns (mdnS; SndnS), Jog (nSGmP; GmPnS), Bhairavi (mPdP; SndP), and Basant Mukhari (GmPdndP)

–Shahid Parvez (2012)–

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“I just heard Charukeshi and liked it. It was easier because it was a melakarta raga. I observed that in Carnatic music when they sing it, they treat the notes equally…There is no vadi-samvadi in the scale…I felt free to play it, and didn’t have to worry! But I didn’t dare with other ragas.” (Ravi Shankar)

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—Context—

Origins, myths, quirks, & more

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[COMING SOON: click here to hasten the project’s expansion, so all 365+ raga pages can eventually look more like these]

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—Phraseologies—

Melodies, movements, characteristics…

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[coming soon]

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—Parichay demo (2021)—

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“The Hindustani instinct is to view Charukeshi’s scale in terms of already-familiar templates. Thus, for instance, the poorvang cluster, SRGm, suggests itself as a staging ground for Nat-like behaviour. That would entail positing a powerful ma with concomitant dilution of Ga (e.g. Ramrang), while an alternative is to advance Ga (e.g. Ravi Shankar). Similarly, the uttarang opportunities include Asavari (and through it, Darbari-like behaviour) and Bhairavi – while the strength and importance of the dha nyas seems to have been appreciated by all. The S(n)d vault in avroh brings in a fleeting avirbhav of Darbari, but since the full Darbari machinery is not employed, the promise remains unfulfilled. Bridging the poorvang-uttarang interface is yet another familiar phrase: the definitive Bhairav cluster Gmd, dP…” (Parrikar)

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—Listen—

A brief selection of superb renditions

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–Manu Seen (2015)–

• Imdadkhani sitar (7m): a captivating solo take from the senior disciple of Shahid Parvez, filmed for Darbar near Amritsar – with their gharana‘s fierce right-hand techniques in full effect on long lines which leap through the raga’s full scale form at pace (Rik Raunaak: “like an endless tapestry in space…”):

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[jhalla sangatis, e.g. 3:32] (d)nd, (n)Sn, (G)mR, (S)RS…

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–Ajoy Chakraborty (2006)–

• Patiala khayal (11m): a self-composed thumri (Saiyan Mora Din Rajni Kaise Beetey) including various mishra flourishes accentuated by his own harmonium accompaniment – with Chiranjib Chakraborty on a second harmonium, and the late Subhankar Banerjee on tabla (“With a pathos-laden gait, Pandit Chakraborty wanders across a romantic, poignant sea of emotions, broadening the canvas by bringing in vignettes of other ragas“: also hear his daughter Kaushiki’s Mishra Charukeshi):

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[mishra themes, e.g. 0:45] SR(GRGmGR)S (NSNSR)S (ndm)m; S(NSNS) (N)S, S(RSNSN)n, dnS (nS)P, Pd(N)S S(N)S; Pd(nSRgRSndP)n, (gRg)S nd…

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–Further Recordings–

• Ravi Shankar (6m): another excerpt from the raga’s primary borrower, from an unknown TV show with Alla Rakha on tabla
• Ramrang (9m): Parrikar: “from a whole suite in Charukeshi; exquisite, every matra of the tala and the swara are coupled…”
• Rashid Khan (14m): using the scale’s sampurna freedoms in a soothing performance, drenched with swarmandal strums
• Kala Ramnath (16m): at Komal Nishad 2010 with Mithilesh Jha on tabla, the violin hints at the raga’s Carnatic roots
• Amir Khan (17m): a vilambit refrain from an unknown baithak, with recurring phrases centred around GmRS; n(dn)S
• Shivkumar Sharma (22m): a finely-balanced compositional suite, building outwards from launchphrases of mPdSn
• Nikhil Banerjee (23m): for Harmonia Mundi, featuring an unusually rapid-cycling tanpura sequence (G-P-S-S-S)
• Sanjeev Abhyankar (28m): a pristine Mewati interpretation, released on his 1996 Following the Footsteps album
• Debashish Bhattacharya (63m): a well-filmed performance featuring razor-sharp interplay with Kumar Bose on tabla
• Sultan Khan (60m): from his well-known Sonorous Sound of Sarangi album, with Zakir Hussain on fantastic form

• Experiments •

Novel interpretations of the raga’s essence…

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—Matthew Barley: Universal Notes—

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Universal Notes – an extraordinary ensemble piece I was lucky enough to witness live at Darbar 2016 – combines Western classical music with both of India’s main traditions (Hindustani and Carnatic). Led by cellist Matthew Barley, the project sprung from a year-long collaboration between Darbar and the Philharmonia Orchestra, and features composed string passages intertwined with powerful Indian rhythms – balancing the unpredictability of Indian improvisation with sophisticated harmonic writing to create a captivating work of depth and beauty.

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• Carnatic Origins •

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—Ragam Charukeshi (mela #26)—

(Mandolin Srinivas)

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–All ragas of Carnatic origin–

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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: Thaat #27, Malayalam, Charukauns, Gunakauns

–Proximate Forms–

Khamaj = ‘Charukeshi shuddha Dha‘

Nat Bhairav = ‘Charukeshi shuddha Ni‘

Darbari = ‘Charukeshi komal ga‘

Basant Mukhari = ‘Charukeshi komal re‘

Gangeshwari = ‘Charukeshi no Re‘

Imratkauns = ‘Charukeshi no Pa‘

Zeelaf = ‘Charukeshi no Re/ni‘

(n.b. these are just ‘scalar similarities’, with nothing particular implied about phraseological overlap)

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–G–m–P–d–n–S

• Reverse: SRGmPdnS (=itself)

• Complement: SrgMDNS

• Imperfect: 3 (Re, Ga, dha)

• Detached: 2 (Ga, dha)

• Symmetries: mirror (S—M)

• Murchanas: Charukeshi set

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• Quirks: ‘palindromic‘ (same intervals forwards & backwards) • ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: Charukeshi (mela #26)

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₁-N₂-S

• Jazz: Major-Minor

1-2-3-4-5-b6-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-5-7-8-10-0

(2–2–1–2–1–2–2)

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o • o • o o • o o • o • o

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–Around the World–

Charukeshi’s ‘Mixolydian b6‘ scale also makes a curious appearance in classic rock – namely, as a main element of Led Zeppelin’s Ten Years Gone, from the 1975 Physical Graffiti album. This may well be no coincidence – Zeppelin were broad listeners, using tabla on Black Mountain Side, and Jimmy Page’s layered guitars here are reminiscent of a sitar’s sparkle. So I’d wager that Page may have been putting some recordings of Charukeshi on his stereo. Producer Rick Rubin’s description of Zeppelin’s track could certainly fit many renditions of the raga too: “A deep, reflective piece with hypnotic, interweaving riffs. Light and dark, shadow and glare. It sounds like nature coming through the speakers…”.

 

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—Ten Years Gone (UK)—

(Led Zeppelin, 1975)

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+dha)

• Names: Charukeshi, Charukesi, Carukesi, Chaarokeshi, ‘Hindustan mode’

• Transliterations: Hindi (चारुकेशी)

—More—

Further info: links, listenings, learnings, etc

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• Raag Charukeshi: [coming soon]

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• Header audio: Elaboration by Sikar sarangiya Sultan Khan (2002)
• Header image: 13th-century musical instrument carvings from the Keshava Temple in Somanathapur, Karnataka (Commons)

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