• Raag Dagori •

S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S


The seldom-heard Dagori features prominent use of shuddha Ni and characteristic slides and glides between ma and Re. Seemingly invented by Jaipur-Atrauli gharana founder Alladiya Khan (also the progenitor of Maru Bihag and Jait Kalyan), and still near-exclusively performed by the khayal singers of that tradition, although detailed information is scant. While I initially thought that it might be a Bilawalang interpretation of the now-lost Deepak, I was soon corrected via Akhil Jobanputra’s notes on Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar‘s 2012 Darbar performance (bandish transcribed below) – who clarified that “Dagori is also known as ‘Deepaki’; Deepak is a different raga, while Dagori and Deepaki are one and the same” (…while the origins of the ‘Dagori’ name are uncertain, Shruti Sadolikar links it to the ‘Dagarvani’ Dhrupad, in which Alladiya Khan received extensive early training). Asanare-Kelkar herself describes Dagori as “an iconic ‘shade raga‘ of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana…there are different versions of the bandish”, emphasising the influence of Patdeep via mPNS ascents and DPm descents (hence ‘Deepaki’). Also performed by Bhimsen Joshi on occasion.


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Aroha: SRmP, mPNS
Avroh: SNDPmGR, GRS

Chalan: e.g. mPNS; PNSRS; DPm; mPmGR; GR GRS; SDPm; mPNS(N)R; GR; GRS(N)S; Sm Pm; GR (GR)GRS (Asanare-Kelkar)

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—Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar (2012)—

(n.b. the “Bilawal-Deepak” in the title is an error…by me, when I was working at Darbar)

[bandish, e.g. 1:44] (S)m P, P/N(SN)S, DPm, m\R, (S)m\R, S(GR)N, (S)mPNS, DPm, m\R, RN, S…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

—Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar: Amodini—

Here’s a transcription of Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s demo lesson, covering her tradition’s incarnation of the raga (from her superb Amodini: The Joy of Rare Ragas series):

 

“Today I come with an iconic raga of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana: Dagori. This is a shade raga, and, as usual, there are different versions of the bandish…In one branch of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, this raga is called ‘Deepaki’. Up until now, I have explained many jod ragas, complex ragas, and shade ragas – and I have given you their constituents, and have explained the shades of different ragas you find in them. But today, I’m not going to give you any idea about the shades which are present in Dagori. So, I will directly explain the bandish: mPN(SN)S, DPm, (G)R R(S), GR, (G)RSN S, RNS DPm PN S, S(NS)m GR GR S(N)S; mPN(S)NS (m)PNSRS, SRSN(S) DPm, PNS(NS) DPm, GR GR (GR)S; mmPN(SN)S, PNS(NS)RS SR SNS, DPm, mm(G)R GRS, mmPNS…GRS(N)S.

 

The basic structure is like this: mPNS, PNSR S(N)S DPm, mPm(G)R, GR GRS, S DPm, mPNS(N)R, GR, GRS(N)S, Sm Pm GR, (GR)GRS; SmPN(SN)S, mPNSRN S DPm, PNS DPm, PNS DPm, mPm GR, GR GR S(N)S, N(RSN)S.

 

I made this series for the listeners, and, in a way, I have tried to educate the listeners. Now, the listeners should consider this exercise: to find the constituent shades of different ragas in Dagori. I will give you two clues: one is Patdeep, and another is Maluha Kedar. Now, try to find the others: if you do, very good; and if you don’t, then don’t worry! Enjoy this beautiful composition in rupak taal, the iconic Dagori bandish…”

 


—Dagori (Amodini demo)—

Also see Manjiri’s other Amodini demos: Abhogi Kanada, Bahaduri Todi, Baradi, Dagori, Dev Gandhar, Gauri, Hussaini Todi, Jait Kalyan, Jaitashree, Kabiri Bhairav, Kaunsi Kanada (Nayaki-ang), Khat (Asavari-ang), Khokar, Lalita Gauri, Lanka Dahan Sarang, Malavi, Maligoura, Mudriki Kanada, Ramdasi Malhar, Raisa Kanada, Shukla Bilawal, Sughrai, Suha, Vihang

• Recent Raga Index Updates (Dec 2025): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans SarangBayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, KaushikiLatangi, Maru, Palas, Sarangkauns, Shivanjali, Shrutivardhini • ‘Bifurcations‘: analysis via ‘poorvang + uttarang’ formulas • DoGa Kalyan & the Beatles’ Blue Jay Way • Amir Khan’s ‘168 merukhands’ • Uncovered Prabhateshwari‘s origins • Transcribed Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s ‘Amodini‘ lec-dems • Experiments (e.g overtonal Bhairav, jazz Malkauns) • Survey of Sa Tunings • More Masterlist ragas (1000+)

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• Classifiers •

Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List):


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

Double: rR | gG | mM | dD | nN

Thaat: 10 | 32Enclosed | Inexact

Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra

Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row

Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.


Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Murchana: Bhup. | Bihag | Bilaw. | Charu.

Raganga: Bhairav | Malhar | Kan. | Todi

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

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• Prakriti: Bilawal thaat, Shukla Bilawal, Tilak Kamod, Nat, Hem Bihag, Bihari, Savani, Swanandi, Gagan Vihang, Maluha, Mand, Chaya Malhar, Hemant, Manjari Bihag

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–Proximate Forms–
Khamaj = ‘Dagori komal ni
Patdeep = ‘Dagori komal ga
Yaman = ‘Dagori tivra Ma
Bihag = ‘Dagori double Ma
Nat Bhairav = ‘Dagori komal dha
Bhatiyari Bhairav = ‘Dagori komal re
(n.b. these are just ‘scalar similarities’, with nothing particular implied about phraseological overlap)

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–Swara Geometries–

Core form: SRGmPDNS
Reverse: SrgmPdnS (=Bhairavi)
Negative: 3-2-3-2-2 (e.g. Malkauns)
Imperfect: 1 (Ni)
Detached: none
Symmetries: mirror (R—d)
Murchanas: Bilawal set

Quirks: maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’) • ‘Pa-repeating‘ (poorvang and uttarang take the same ‘semitone shape’)

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–Global Translations–

Carnatic: ~Nalinakanthi
S-R2-G3-M1-P-D2-N3-S
Jazz: Major / Ionian
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-4-5-7-9-11-0
(2–2–1–2–2–2–1)

o • o • o o • o • o • o o


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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Dagori, Daguri, Deepaki, Dipaki
• Transliterations: Hindi (दगोरी)

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—Dinkar Panshikar (2019)—

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