Des Malhar | SRGmPDnNS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S

A well-established fusion of the pastoral-themed Desh and the rain-bringing Malhar, spanning the full swara sets of both via characteristic movements such as RmP, PNSRmGR; mPnDP, PNS. Steadily popular with both instrumentalists (e.g. Ali Akbar Khan’s many renditions) and singers (e.g. the Bodas clan’s duets). Dinkar Kaikini’s daughter Aditi Upadhya recounts the tale behind the Agra exponent’s own stellar bandish: “He reached the Hanging Gardens on Malabar Hill in Bombay…Looking up, he saw clear blue sky, and, looking down, the clouds were so low the trees were hidden…Inspired, he immediately worked out a lyric (‘Dark, looms the canopy of clouds; They gather, swell, and shower their heavy bounty…Trees, vines, and garbed green sprouts smile and sway in the wind…’).

• Raga Megalist (365+) •

राग देस मल्हार

Search | Glossary | Tags

• Hindustani Raga Index •

—Dinkar Kaikini (1974)—

[motifs, e.g. 0:42] (mRm)SRmPn P/S, n(D) D(P) P(DP) m(Gm) GR, (mRm)SRmPn P/S; (P)NN(SN), S(NSN), N(SRS) nDP…

Support open-access, ad-free raga musicology by joining my new PATREON. And if you’re seeking to learn raga, get started with some online lessons! Currently accepting Zoom students

• Recent Raga Index Updates (Nov 2025): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans Sarang, Bayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, Kaushiki, Kokilapriya, Latangi, Maru, Palas, Sarangkauns, Shanmukhpriya, Shivanjali, Shrutivardhini • Analysed the overlap of DoGa Kalyan and 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: Desh, Champak, Alhaiya Bilawal, Devgiri Bilawal, Kukubh Bilawal, Bihagara, Bihagda, Nat Kamod, Gaud Malhar, Sorath, Arun Malhar, Tilak Malhar

–Proximate Forms–

Khamaj = ‘Des Malhar only ni‘

Bilawal = ‘Des Malhar only Ni‘

Miyan ki Malhar = ‘Des Malhar komal ga‘

Shankara Karan = ‘Des Malhar tivra Ma‘

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

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–R–G–m–P–D–nN–S

• Reverse: SrRgmPdnS (=Gandhari)

• Negative: 5-2-3-2

• Imperfect: 1 (Ni)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (Gm—nN)

• Murchanas: Bihag set

• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Kedaragaula

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₂-N₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Bebop Dominant

1-2-3-4-5-6-b7-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-5-7-9-10-11-0

(2–2–1–2–2–1–1–1)

o • o • o o • o • o o o o

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Des Malhar, Desh Malhar

• Transliterations: Hindi (देस मल्हार)

—Ali Akbar Khan (1970s)—

• Get started with learning raga! •

Share these ragas! My site is 100% reliant on organic visitors (and none of your donations go to ad agencies…) – share this with fellow sonic searchers!

—Join my PATREON!—

Like everything on my site, the Raga Index will always remain open-access & ad-free: however, anti-corporate musicology doesn’t pay the bills! I put as much into these resources as time and finances allow – so, to hasten the project’s expansion, you can:

• Support the Raga Index! •

—Riyaz-focused notations & bandish—

—Resurrecting rare and ancient ragas—

—Further melodic & geometric analysis—

—Engaging with Hindustani performers—

—Ensuring that high-quality raga knowledge will remain open to all, at no cost: free from commercial motive!—

—Hindustani Raga Index—

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!

–Megalist (365+ ragas)–

• Search: Find your new favourite •
• Tags: Classifying the ragascape •
• Glossary: Raga jargon demystified •
• Murchanas: Swara-set rotations •
• Thaat: Bhatkhande’s base scales •
• Ragatable: Analytical connections •
• Tanpuras: Divine overtonal drones •
• Quotes: Musings from raga artists •
• Talas: Hindustani rhythm cycles •
• Instruments: Singing sculptures •
• Masterlist: 1000+ ragas profiled •

Sa | Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni

¡Random Raga!

—Search the Raga Index—

Search for:

(NEW: search by swaras/varjits)

• Feedback / Contact •

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!