S-r-G-m-P-d-N-S

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Described by Deepak Raja as “difficult to render in its purity”, Gauri is associated with viraha shringara (‘the piety arising from the separation of lovers’). The raga had at least two distinct forms as far back as the 16th century, and continues to manifest in several variations – principally a main Bhairav-ang ‘shuddha ma‘ incarnation, and also in various Poorvi-ang ‘tivra Ma’ renditions (unpacked in Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s superb Amodini demo lesson below). In the predominant Bhairav-ang interpretation, mandra Ni is a nyas (à la Kalingada), while re and dha should not be paused on – while some artists choose to omit Ga and dha in aroha. Considered a sandhiprakash raga, but – unlike Bhairav – is best suited to the dusk hours (compare to Maligoura, formed from the double-dusk combination of Gauri and Puriya). Also a rare example of a raga which can be named using its own sargam syllables (and, so far, the only one I’ve found which can be spelt using a phrase which actually occurs in the raga’s chalan, with ‘Ga-re‘ being a common motion – for more examples like this, see Mohankauns and my article Alphamelodics: the hidden sounds of words).

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• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग गौरी

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SrNS, SrGmPdP, PdNS

Avroh: SNdPmG, rGmGr, SrNS, dNdSNS

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Chalan: e.g. NrGrS dN; MGrGMP; dPMP; MG; GMdN; dNrNdP; MdS; rSNdN; dNrNdP; dMP; MG; rGMPGMG; GrG; rS (Asanare-Kelkar)

—Sharad Sathe (1995)—

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[bandish, e.g. 3:52] SG(mG)rP GrS(S), S(N)S; N S(NSd)NS PGrS, S(N)S; SGmP, Gr/G, m (G)rS, dNS, GrS…

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• Ragmalas •

Historic miniature paintings (learn more)

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“Gauri Ragini holding a veena, with female attendant…” (Penn, c.1800)

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“Gauri Ragini, with later repainting: The Sanskrit inscription reads, ‘Sprays of the heavenly wishing-tree in hand, adorned with a girdle of sweet-toned bells, and beauty enhanced by a splendid robe, she, whoever pleasure gives…Here, the heroine carries flower wands while strolling in the woods by a stream. A peacock gazes at her, enraptured…” (Bikaner, c.1605) / “Gauri, first wife of Malkos: Gauri is a soulful winter melody, expressing the lamentation of a heroine over her unfaithful lover. The intertwined tree trunks on the right symbolize the heroine’s longing for love. The Sanskrit header reads, ‘She is putting on her ears ornaments of mango blossoms, made beautiful by the voice of the cuckoo. She has a shining complexion, and a sweet and delicate voice’…” (Deccan, c.1675)

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar: Amodini—

Here’s a transcription of Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s demo lesson, covering her tradition’s take on Gauri’s SrGMPdNS ‘Poorvi-ang’ incarnation (from her superb Amodini: The Joy of Rare Ragas):

 

“Namaskar, and welcome to all of you. I’m going to begin this series with the raga I mentioned in my introductory video: Raag Gauri. First I will make a short alap: SrS rSN, SrG, rGrGP MP MG, SrPG MG, MGrS, GP GrGPdP, GdM GMNdN, drNrN dNdP, GdM MNdS, SNrS, SrS NdN, MdrN rN dNdP, GdPMP MGM GrG, rGPMPMGM GMGr GrS.

 

Before going ahead, I want to repeat something [from] my introductory video: I am going to explain these ragas from a ‘listener’s point of view’; so I am not going to go into the very technical or grammatical details, such as vadi, samvadi, poorvang, uttarang, etc. I am going to explain the chalan – the important basic phrases – and the development of the raga, so listeners will be able to understand, recognize, and enjoy it.

 

Now, coming back to Gauri: we will see how the raga is developed. We will begin from mandra and madhya saptak. Mandra Ni is a very important resting note – and it comes with a kan of Sa, dha, or re, like this: NSrS, NdN, rS rSNS NdN. So this Ni becomes the main resting note of mandra saptak, this is a peculiar Gauri element. Ga is another important swara: NrG, G rSNS NdN. The coupling of Ga and Ni is also vital: NrG rS NdN, N SrS rN rG. And when coming from Pa, Ga is taken in this way: P(MP) MG, NrG, rGMP MG, M GrG rS; the approach to Ga is like this: M GrG rS.

 

Now we move on to Pa, another very important swara. It is approached directly: rGMP, rGMP MGrGMP, dP dPMP, MGrGMP, MGrG. Notice one more thing: P MGM GrG rS rSNS NdN – this is the peculiar Gauri element; a step-by-step movement from Pa to Ni: N rGMP, dPMP MGM GrG rS, rSNS NdN. And, as we go ahead: MdN, dNrNDP, MdS, rS NdN. Ni again comes, like it does in mandra saptak: N SrS NdN dNrN dNdP, dP dMP MGrGMP, MGrGM, GrG, MGrG rS, r SNS NdN. So, the overall development is like this: NrGrS dN, MGrGMP, dPMP MG, GMdN, dNrNdP, MdS, rSNdN dNrNdP, dMP, MG, rGMPGMG GrG rS.

 

The Gauri I am explaining today is the Gauri of Poorvi–ang. But there are also different Gauris: like the Marwa-ang and Bhairav-ang. In those ragas, we also find this peculiar Gauri element. Now, many of you must have noticed that [Poorvi-ang] Gauri’s scale resembles the scale of two other important ragas: one is Puriya Dhanashree, and the other is Shree [n.b. many traditions also sing Shree with both Ma]. There are a few factors which define the different personalities of ragas who share the same scale: like the resting notes, the layout of the phrases, and how they are designed – and also how the notes communicate with each other.

 

So this is the case with these three ragas: Gauri, Puriya Dhanashree, and Shree. Now I will show how these three ragas [are] different in their the treatment of the swaras. Once again, Gauri: NrG, rGMP dPMP, MGrGM GrG, MGrS, rSNS NdN, rGrS. Now, in Puriya Dhanashree, it goes this way: Gr MG PMd, MG, rMGdMr GPMP, PMPM d MGM, GMdN, dNdP MdMG MGrGMGP, PMPM dMG, rMGrG, rSN rMG, MGrG MGP. And in Shree, the Pa-re union makes its personality very strong: Nr GrP MPMr, rMPdMGrP PMPMGr rGrS, MPNSr, rNdP, PMPM PdMGrP, rMGr, rG rS.

 

So this was a short demonstration, to show you the difference between these three ragas of the same scale. I am going to conclude this session with a short rendition of Gauri’s famous bandish, in tintal…”

 

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—Gauri Poorvi-ang (Amodini demo)—

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Also see Manjiri’s other Amodini demos: Abhogi Kanada, Bahaduri Todi, Baradi, Dagori, Dev Gandhar, Gauri, Hussaini Todi, Jait Kalyan, Jaitashree, Kabiri Bhairav, Kaunsi Kanada (Nayaki-ang), Khat (Asavari-ang), Khokar, Lalita Gauri, Lanka Dahan Sarang, Malavi, Maligoura, Mudriki Kanada, Ramdasi Malhar, Raisa Kanada, Shukla Bilawal, Sughrai, Suha, Vihang

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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: Bhairav thaat, Bhairav, Kalingada

Also compare to other members of the Bhairav raganga (n.b. different incarnations of Gauri instead follow the Poorvi or Marwa-ang)

–Proximate Forms–

Nat Bhairav = ‘Gauri shuddha Re‘

Bhatiyari Bhairav = ‘Gauri shuddha Dha‘

Basant Mukhari = ‘Gauri komal ni‘

Shree = ‘Gauri tivra Ma‘

Poorvi = ‘Gauri double Ma‘

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

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–r–G–m–P–d–N–S

• Reverse: SrGmPdNS (=itself)

• Complement: SRgMDnS

• Imperfect: 3 (Pa, dha, Ni)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (S—M)

• Murchanas: Bhairav set

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• Quirks: ‘palindromic‘ (same intervals forwards & backwards) • ‘centred‘ (constellation balances at the wheel’s centrepoint) • ‘Pa-repeating‘ (poorvang and uttarang take the same ‘semitone shape)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Mayamalavagowla (mela #15)

S-R₁-G₃-M₁-P-D₁-N₃-S

• Jazz: Double Harmonic

1-b2-3-4-5-b6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-4-5-7-8-11-0

(1–3–1–2–1–3–1)

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o o • • o o • o o • • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ni)

• Names: Gauri, Gari, Shuddha Gauri (Bhairav-ang)

• Transliterations: Hindi (गौरी); Bengali (গৌরী); Punjabi (ਗਾਉੜੀ); Kannada (ಗೌರಿ)

—Kedar Bodas (2015)—

(^ taking the Poorvi-ang)