S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S

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Described by Deepak Raja as “amongst the most charming melodic entities to have gained currency in the last 50 years”, Hemant’s creation is often credited to Ravi Shankar, who began performing it from the 1940s onwards (some say it featured in his very first concert) – however it more likely originated with his guru Allauddin Khan some time in the decades prior (according to one tale, Shankar “played Hemant on an All India Radio broadcast around 1944: Allauddin Khan was so pleased with Pandit-ji‘s interpretation that he ‘presented’ the raga to him thereafter…”). The melodic kernel may be older still: Raja points to a rare Dagarvani form known as ‘Kandrima’, as well as a Khemchand Prakash composition sung by K.L. Saigal in the 1942 Tansen film. Likely connected to archaic forms of Kaushik Dhwani, Hemant adds Re and Pa in avroh, with Pa elaborated ornamentally, and the ‘straight line’ GRS often used in concluding motions. Summarised by Tanarang as “deep and soothing…easily expandable in all octaves”. Also refer to renditions by Sultan Khan, Sharan Rani, Brij Bhushan Kabra, and Vilayat Khan (who titles it ‘Panchama’: possibly the raga’s original name, albeit unconnected to the main Pancham – while ‘Hemant’ means ‘Height of Winter’). Also see other ragas Shankar helped to popularise (Hem Bihag, Asa Bhairav, & Nat Bhairav) – plus his Carnatic imports (Charukeshi, Vachaspati, Kirwani, Malay Marutam, & Simhendra Madhyamam).

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राग हेमंत

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[themes, e.g. 1:31] NSDNS G, (G)R, S, NSDNS G, mm, mPN\DDD… D/NNN… N\DDD… (N)DNN/S, SS, SS…

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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: Bilawal thaat, Bilawal, Bihari, Tilak Kamod, Nat, Hem Bihag, Savani, Swanandi, Gagan Vihang, Maluha, Mand, Chaya Malhar, Loom, Manjari Bihag

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–G–m–P–D–N–S

• Reverse: SrgmPdnS (=Bhairavi)

• Complement: SrgMdnS (=Mangal Gujari)

• Imperfect: 1 (Ni)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (R—d)

• Murchanas: Bilawal set

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• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’) • ‘Pa-repeating‘ (poorvang and uttarang take the same ‘semitone shape’)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Sankarabharanam (mela #29)

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Major / Ionian

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-5-7-9-11-0

(2–2–1–2–2–2–1)

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o • o • o o • o • o • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–ma (+Dha)

• Names: Hemant, Hamant, Kandrima, Panchama (not Pancham)

• Transliterations: Hindi (हेमंत)

—Nikhil Banerjee (1970)—