Darjeeling | SrgmPdnS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-r-g-m-P-d-n-S

Unveiled by sitarist Niladri Kumar in a 2014 Taj Mahal tea commercial, launching a new Darjeeling-themed range described in marketing materials as “definitely our most premium offering” (Niladri: “I have composed [it] in honour of the superlative flavour”). Status as a ‘real raga’ (rather than just a Mishra Bhairavi) is highly dubious – and usually I’d just ignore anything emanating from a corporate marketing scheme: but I’ll make an exception here (…much as I intuitively hate almost all advertising, I’ve gotta give props to Taj Mahal for some real raga-infused gems over the years: ‘Wah Taj!’).

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राग दार्जिलिंग

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—Niladri Kumar (2020)—

[motifs, e.g. 0:01] grS(nSn) nS, r(g) r(gS), grn(dnd) dS, (r)m g(rgrS); SmmP m(gmg)mP P(dPdPmg), SmmP(dP) P(dP)nd Pmg(mnP) mg(mg) g, RgRg(mgRg) rS, gg rgrSrSnSndndP…

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Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

—Imagery: Taj Mahal’s Darjeeling—

“Darjeeling makes for some of the world’s most delicate-tasting tea. Home to the world’s third-highest mountain, its mellow sun and high-altitude weather result in the tea being exposed to gentle, mist-laden soil. This tea is savored for its intricate flavours…” (Taj Mahal)

• Recent Raga Index Updates (Dec 2025): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans Sarang, Bayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, Kaushiki, Latangi, 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+)

• 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 | 32 | Enclosed | 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.

• Prakriti: Bhairavi thaat, Bhairavi, Bilaskhani Todi, Asavari (komal re)

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–r–g–m–P–d–n–S

• Reverse: SRGmPDNS (=Bilawal)

• Negative: 3-2-2-3-2 (e.g. Dhani)

• Imperfect: 1 (Pa)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (G—n)

• Murchanas: Bilawal set

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

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Hanumatodi (mela #8)

S-R₁-G₂-M₁-P-D₁-N₂-S

• Jazz: Phrygian

1-b2-b3-4-5-b6-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-3-5-7-8-10-0

(1–2–2–2–1–2–2)

o o • o • o • o o • o • o

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Darjeeling

• Transliterations: Hindi (दार्जिलिंग)

—Niladri Kumar (2014)—

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An open-ended project seeking to bring North Indian raga closer to all who approach with open ears. Combines direct input from dozens of leading Hindustani artists with in-depth insights from music history, global theory, performance practice, cognitive science, and much more besides!

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George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher (guitars, sitar, tabla, & santoor). Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the voices, cultures, and passions behind them. See Homepage for more, and hit me up for Lessons!