S-R-G-P-N-S

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Hansadhwani translates to ‘Call of Swans’, a creature with rich cultural associations in the Subcontinent: Saraswati, goddess of music and learning, is often depicted atop a swan, said to symbolise purity, discernment, and clarity of communication (n.b. While most scholars interpret the Sanskrit term ‘hamsa’ to mean ‘swan’, Rigvedic texts use the term loosely, and debate has raged for decades on the bird’s identity: some consider the goose or flamingo to be more persuasive candidates…). Imported from a Carnatic ragam (itself said to be an invention of 18th-century composer Ramaswami Dikshitar) sometime in the first half of the 20th century – possibly by Amir Khan’s guru Aman Ali Khan – the raga’s pentatonic simplicity evokes the calm of nature, with the vadi-samvadi pairing of Sa–Pa maintaining strength and reassurance amidst what Jairazbhoy terms “an inherently unbalanced scale” (see melodic overview). As per a deeply moving account sent in by psychologist and sound practitioner Vinod Mudliar in early 2024, listening to Vijay Kannan’s solo bansuri renditions helped him to cope during the strains of his cancer treatment in 2010 (Mudliar now “intends to conduct experiments studying brain waves, to see the effect of certain ragas on patients who are undergoing chemotherapy…”). Refer to further performances by Parveen Sultana (alap transcribed below), Shivkumar Sharma, and Hariprasad Chaurasia, as well as a special 2008 concert involving 1000 sitarists. Compare to nearby forms including Shankara (add Dha) and Bhupali (swap Ni for Dha) – as well as compounds such as Pannalal Ghosh’s Hansa Narayani, and other ragas linked to the same goddess (Saraswati and Ambika Sarang). Also see my guitar transcripton of Prasanna’s ‘Hansadhwani improv’ (and don’t hesitate to request more raga-guitar pieces to transcribe!).

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• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग हंसध्वनी

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SRGPNS

Avroh: SNPGRS

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Pakad: e.g. PNS; SGR

Chalan: e.g. PNS(G)R; RGP(G)R; (S)RG; RSR; GP; GPN; PNS; PNSGR; (R)G(R)S; NPGP(G)R; RG(R)S (Bor/Vyas)

• The highly uneven scale form combines the clustered NSRG with the wide-set GPN – anchored by the stability of the Sa-Pa axis

• Given its recent Carnatic import, melodic consensus is limited – although many artists give special prominence to shuddha Re in both directions (e.g. SGR; RGPGR; NPGPGR)

• Shuddha Ni brings tension when sustained – with the stark Pa-Ni sangati begging resolution to Sa (PN; PNS)

• Detailed ornaments tend to occur in the SRGP space (e.g. SR(GR)G; PG(RG)R; GP(GR)G) – and broader motions can outline the two available triads (SGP: major, GPN: minor; e.g. SRGP; GPNP)

• Associated with Saraswati, the four-armed goddess of arts, music, and learning, who rides a swan (‘hamsa-dhwani’: ‘call of the swan’)

• Compositions •

—Shivkumar Sharma (santoor):

• [tintal] PNRRG, GGPR S, S G(R)

—Anoushka Shankar (Maihar sitar):

• [tintal] P, G, (G)RS (G)R, GPNS S, (S)NPG G(PG)RS (G)R, GPNS, S, S(S)NPG G(PG)RS (S)N P (S)N S S(G)R R, G, GPGRS (N)P N S

—Amjad Ali Khan (Senia-Bangash sarod):

• [tintal] GRSRS NPNSRG SRG(R), (D)P G(R)R SSRRG, GGRSRS NPNSRG SRG(R) | GP (N)S SS S, GRSN RSNPNS, GP (N)S SS S, NSR/G, G\R, N(R)NN P(N)PP, GRSNPGRS RGPNSRG GGRSRSNP NSRGSRG…

—Parveen Sultana (2018)—

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[alap phrases, e.g. 0:56] (N)P/SN(SN), P/S(NSPGSNRSN), (NP)SN(SN)S, (N)S S(NPGPNRS), N(PSN)GR, NRSNPG, PGPS NRS, PS, PG, S…

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• Carnatic Origins •

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—Ragam Hamsadhwani—

(T.M. Krishna)

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–All ragas of Carnatic origin–

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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: (none found)

Also see other ragas matching the generic swaras ‘Sa-Re-Ga-Pa-Ni‘

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–G–P–N–S

• Reverse: SrmdnS

• Complement: SrgmMdDnS

• Imperfect: 2 (Re, Ni)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: none

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• Quirks: ‘atritonal‘ (no available tritones)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: Hamsadhwani

S-R₂-G₃-P-N₃-S

• Jazz: Ionian (no 4th/6th)

1-2-3-5-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-7-11-0

(2–2–3–4–1)

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o • o • o • • o • • • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ni)

• Names: Hansadhwani, Hamsadhwani, Haunsadhwani, Hans Dhwani, Hansdhuni

• Transliterations: Hindi (हंसध्वनी); Kannada (ಹಂಸಧ್ವನಿ); Malayalam (ഹംസധ്വനി); Telugu (హంసధ్వని); Tamil (ஹம்சத்வனி)

—Hariprasad Chaurasia (~2000s)—