S-R-g-m-P-D-nN-S

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An underappreciated branch of the Malhar family tree, titled in various ways (‘Dhulia/Dhuliya’, ‘Dhundu/Dhoondo’, ‘Dhundya/Dhoondiya’: said to be a reference to its creator Pandit Dhundibaba Dikshit, although further details on this prove scant). Most sources describe the addition of Sarang flavours to the basic Malhar framework, although they disagree on precise details: Ocean of Ragas mentions the importance of Madhumad Sarang phrases, and Parrikar cites the influence of Desh – while Rao’s 1964 Raga Nidhi Vol.2 outlines two distinct varieties (the first takes the form SRmPNS; SnDPmRS, with optional ga shades and a vakra avroh, and the second is summarised as “a mix of Gaud Sarang and Malhar”). Moumita Mitra’s tutorial notes that “Desh-ang RmPNS and Malhar-ang RP, nDnP are blended with the specific ‘Dhuliya phrase’ n DPm, with komal ga allowable as RgRS (also hear her recomposed tintal bandish). Recorded by numerous vocalists across multiple gharanas, including Pandit Jasraj, Ulhas Kashalkar, Sanjeev Abhyankar, Aslam Hussain Khan, S.N. Ratanjankar, Ankita Joshi, and Ruchira Panda – as well as on sitar by Samanwaya Sarkar (the only instrumental rendition I can find). Compare to overlapping Sarang compounds such as Miyan ki Sarang and Dhuliya Sarang, as well as to other rare Malhars including Arun Malhar, Chanchalas Malhar, and Meerabai Malhar.

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• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग धुलिया मल्हार

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: e.g. SRmPNS

Avroh: e.g. SnDPm, RgRS

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Chalan: variable, e.g. SRmP, RP, mPNS; SnDPm, mPm, RgRS (Mitra)

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—Sanjeev Abhyankar (2017)—

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[sthayi/antara, e.g. 0:03] m(R)R SRP (m)P (mn)P m(R)R R(mR)S; R(m) R(mPnDSnD) DP(DP) m(R)R Rm(PmRm) R(SNS)R; m(R)R SRP (m)P…

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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: Miyan ki Malhar, Charju ki Malhar, Barwa, Bahar, Bageshri Bahar, Sindhura, Sughrai, Hussaini Todi, Lanka Dahan Sarang

Also compare to other members of the Malhar and Sarang ragangas (as well as to other forms which fuse elements of both)

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–g–m–P–D–nN–S

• Reverse: SrRgmPDnS

• Complement: SrGMdS

• Imperfect: 2 (Dha, Ni)

• Detached: 1 (Ni)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Miyan ki Malhar set

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

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: (~Kapi/Kannada)

S-R₂-G₂-M₁-P-D₂-N₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Dorian double 7th

1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-5-7-9-10-11-0

(2–1–2–2–2–1–1–1)

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o • o o • o • o • o o o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Dhuliya Malhar (/Dhulia, Dhundu, Dhoondo, Dhundya, Dhoondiya, etc)

• Transliterations: Hindi (धुलिया मल्हार)

—Samanwaya Sarkar (2025)—