• Raag Gaudgiri Malhar •

S-R-g-m-P-n-S


An engrossing raga of uncertain origin, Gaudgiri Malhar is most prominently associated with Mewati pioneer Pandit Jasraj – although Gwalior stalwart Haribhau Ghangrekar and others were performing it even before this. Also sung by Jasraj’s brother Pratap Narayan and disciple Hemang Mehta, as well as Kirana vocalist Moumita Mitra – who describes it as a combination of Gaud (SRGm, RGRmGmRS), Kafi (PDnDP, mgRS), and [Megh] Malhar (mR, RP, nP), suggesting nyas of Sa/ma/Pa and a vadi-samvadi of maSa (and including flourishes of shuddha Ga and Dha in her rendition). Also refer to R.K. Das’ comments on Pratap Narayan’s rendition: “[I’ve] heard a pentatonic variety of Gaud Malhar from Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan of Kirana, most probably [this] is the root of [Narayan’s] recording…He does not use komal ga, but his brother does…the way Narayan sings is more akin to an amalgamation with Sarang”. Despite their similar nomenclature, the raga is distinct from Gaud Malhar (and the ultra-rare Gondgiri Malhar). Compare and contrast to the prakriti Suha and Nayaki Kanada.


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—Pandit Jasraj (~1980s)—


[refrain, e.g. 0:56] m(R)R (S)n n(m), mmm P (PmP) m\g(mgm); m(RSnS)R R(S)n n(m), mmm P (PnP) m\g(mgm); RRR(Sn) n(m), mmm P

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Aroha: SRGmPnS
Avroh: SnPmgRS

Chalan: e.g. SRGmGmRS; mRP; mPDnP; mgRS; mPDnRSnDP; mgRS; PNSRSnDP; PnPmgRS; mR; RP; nP; SRGm; RGRmGmRS; PDnDP; mgRS (Mitra)

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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: Suha Kanada, Nayaki Kanada

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–Swara Geometries–

Core form: SRgmPnS
Reverse: SRmPDnS (=Gorakh Kalyan)
Negative: 2-3-2-2-1-2 (=itself)
Imperfect: 1 (Re)
Detached: none
Symmetries: mirror (Rg—dD)
Murchanas: Shankara set

Quirks: ‘self-shadowing‘ (negative form=core form) • atritonal‘ (no available tritones)

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–Global Translations–

Carnatic: ~Pushpalathika
S-R2-G2-M1-P-N2-S
Jazz: Aeolian (no 6th)
1-2-b3-4-5-b7-8
Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-3-5-7-10-0
(2–1–2–2–3–2)

o • o o • o • o • • o • o


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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Gaudgiri Malhar, Gaud Giri Malhar, Gaur Gori Malhar (not the same as Gondgiri Malhar)

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—Hemang Mehta (2015)—

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