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 ma–Sa (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 – as well as to other ragas which draw from the Malhar, Sarang, and Kafi raganga families.
• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग गौडगिरि मल्हार
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• Hindustani Raga Index •
Aroha: SRGmPnS
Avroh: SnPmgRS
Chalan: e.g. SRGmGmRS; mRP; mPDnP; mgRS; mPDnRSnDP; mgRS; PNSRSnDP; PnPmgRS; mR; RP; nP; SRGm; RGRmGmRS; PDnDP; mgRS (Mitra)
—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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• Recent Raga Index Updates (May 2026): Up to 365 Megalist pages! Recent adds include Asa, Bayati, Deepavali, Chanchalas Malhar, DoGa Kalyan, Gaud, Japaniya, Kaushiki, Latangi, Loom, Maru, Meerabai Malhar, Palas, Sarangkauns, Shankh Dhwani, Shivanjali, Sohini Bahar (+ try out ‘Audav Meladalan‘) • What does ‘Kauns’ mean? Analysing 60+ Kauns ragas • ‘Bifurcations‘: ‘poorvang vs. uttarang’ splits • Amir Khan’s ‘168 merukhands’ • Introduced the ‘complements‘ concept • Experiments (e.g. overtonal Bhairav, jazz Malkauns) • Survey of Sa Tunings • More Masterlist ragas (1000+)
Raag Jog: exploring different ways the electric guitar can support a Dhrupad-ang nomtom (syllabic improvisation)…
(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace
#dhrupad #raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic
Jun 28
Raag Kafi: Electric guitar improv around the adha bandish ‘Aaj Khel Shaam Sang Hori’
(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace
#raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 22
Raag Jog: some sawal-jawab (‘question-answer’) fun with Marc Clayton on tabla
(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace
#raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 15
Some tintal improv around a wonderful Durga bandish I’ll be playing at @mehfilspace @the_rose_hill in Brighton on Thu 11th June! with vocalist @ashwinbaligaofficial and @marc_plays_tabla
https://therosehill.co.uk/event/the-mehfil-space-presents-around-the-world-in-8-ragas/
‘Around the World in 8 Ragas’: exploring cross-cultural melodic forms (e.g. scales that turn up independently in Japan, India, Mali, etc)
#indianmusic #raga #icm #brightonmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 10
Come see me play some bendy raga-guitar at @mehfilspace @the_rose_hill in Brighton on Thu 11th June! with vocalist @ashwinbaligaofficial and @marc_plays_tabla
https://therosehill.co.uk/event/the-mehfil-space-presents-around-the-world-in-8-ragas/
‘Around the World in 8 Ragas’: exploring cross-cultural melodic forms (e.g. scales that turn up independently in Japan, India, Mali, etc) – including this piece, a famous Bhairavi bhajan by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi (Jo Bhaje Hari Ko Sada)
#bhajan #raga #indianmusic #brightonmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 5
tomato can jungle/DnB (distracted while cooking)
#drumming #percussion #dnb #jungle
May 23
A great Jaunpuri gat from Senia-Shahjahanpur sarod legend Pt Buddhadev DasGupta, full of fast bends and slides (originally released for Joep Bor’s 1997 Raga Guide, in many ways a precursor to my own raga index)
Raag Jaunpuri: a late morning raga, likely originating in the Sultanate-era music of Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh (as per Subodh Agrawal: “The rulers of Jaunpur were keen patrons of the arts, and the last one – Sultan Hussain Sharqi – was himself a distinguished musician; it is probable that the Jaunpuri flavor of Asavari was developed by him, or under his patronage“). Rajan Parrikar elaborates on its “Asavariant” status, noting that some (including Omkarnath Thakur) see it as essentially indistinguishable from Shuddha Re Asavari, while others consider Jaunpuri to follow more ‘rounded’ melodic motions…
#sarod #ragaguitar #stratocaster #worldmusic #jaunpur
May 6
just for fun…I had to defend the honour of my main instrument against my second instrument (many thanks to @mountainhead for the original video, as well as some tasty bends) – still no match for the surbahar’s meend range though!
#sitar #guitar #raga #bends #ragaguitar
May 4
• 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
Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact
Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra
Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row
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: Palas, Suha Kanada, Nayaki Kanada
See all shadav ragas which omit Dha – and also compare to other members of the Malhar and Kafi ragangas (as well as to other forms which fuse elements of both)
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–R–g–m–P–n–S
• Reverse: SRmPDnS (=Gorakh Kalyan)
• Complement: SrGMdDNS
• Imperfect: 1 (Re)
• Detached: none
• Symmetries: mirror (Rg—dD)
• Murchanas: Shankara set
• Quirks: ‘self-shadowing‘ (negative form=core form) • ‘atritonal‘ (no available tritones)
–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
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Gaudgiri Malhar, Gaud Giri Malhar, Gaur Gori Malhar (not the same as Gondgiri Malhar)
• Transliterations: Hindi (गौडगिरि मल्हार)
—Hemang Mehta (2015)—
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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!
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