S-R-gG-m-P-D-nN-S
Gara is a disparate melodic lineage, derived from thumri compositions of centuries past: Manuel’s research describes it as “a loose, informal melodic entity until the 18th century, after which [its] grammar was organised by classically trained musicians…like Kafi, Pilu, Jungala, Barwa, and Zila”. Often close to Jaijaiwanti, the modern Gara may also draw from Pilu, Khamaj, and Jhinjhoti, setting their melodies within a vakra framework focused on mandra-madhya saptak: low Pa is used as the scale-base, and low Sa is home to a pakad of DnSNS. Also see Pancham se Gara (‘Gara from Pa’) a murchana-based derivative which rotates this catchphrase upwards a perfect 5th to form GmPMP, as well as Madhyam se Gara, which adds a perfect 4th (=RgmGm). Typically considered a night raga (although Bhatkhande classified it as time-neutral) – refer to Deepak Raja’s superb analysis for more (“Conventional wisdom regards Gara as vivacious and romantic…Vilayat Khan adopts the Pilu–Jhinjhoti axis of the raga described by Bhatkhande, however, towards the upper end of the melodic canvas, [he] tilts mildly towards Jaijaiwanti of the Bageshri–ang…).
• Raga Megalist (365+) •
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• Hindustani Raga Index •
Aroha: e.g. mPDNS, RgR, GmP
Avroh: e.g. PmgR, SnDP, DNS
Chalan: signatures, e.g. RgRS; DnPDNS; GmRgR (Raja)
—Ravi Shankar (2001)—
[refrain, e.g. 1:12] (SNS)N S(mR) R(mgmgRgRS), (RS)R SS(RS), (nDP)DP (PD)PD N(SN), N(SN), S, (NSR)S (nD)n, R, RR, Rg(Rmg) (R)SS, N(SmRmg), g(RgR), (RSNS)N N(SN), S(mR), R(gRmgRg), (RS)R S(RS), (nD)nD (DPD)PD N(SN), (nD)PDNS NS…
• 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: Jaijaiwanti, Jaijaiwanti Nat, Zila Kafi, Hanskinkini, Jayant Malhar, Ramdasi Malhar, Rageshri Bahar, Tilang Bahar, Nagadhwani Kanada, Patdeepaki
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–R–gG–m–P–D–nN–S
• Reverse: SrRgmPdDnS (=Amiri Todi)
• Negative: 5-5-2
• Imperfect: 1 (Ni)
• Detached: none
• Symmetries: mirror (r—P)
• Murchanas: Jaijaiwanti set
• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: ~Kapi
S-R2-G2-G3-M1-P-D2-N2-N3-S
• Jazz: Dorian-Ionian
1-2-b3-3-4-5-6-b7-7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-3-4-5-7-9-10-11-0
(2–1–1–1–2–2–1–1–1)
o • o o o o • o • o o o o
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Gara, Gaara, Ghara
—Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande (2018)—