.
The astonishing yet almost-extinct ‘bass sarangi’ incorporates an extra string-set, allowing for virtuosic plucking techniques
–Raga instruments (full list)–
• Home | Megalist | Search •
—Mamman Khan (Huntley demo)—
“Mohammed Ali Khan was a player of the sursagar, a sort of giant sarangi that also has a top-course of melodic strings that can be plucked like a swarmandal – and also some chikari running along the side of the fingerboard, which he plucked with his little finger between bowed melody notes. His sursagar was in a terrible state of repair. Two of the bone bridges, having been broken, had been replaced with cast aluminium, and there was a generally chaotic feel to the way that the instrument was laid out…He was a master of Bundu Khan’s unique fingering techniques, which often involved the rapid alternation of two fingers, similar to sitar usage. Our lessons were exhausting, but his wife would often terminate them by bringing in a huge pile of roties and the most delicious mutton curry I’ve ever tasted…” (Nicolas Magriel)
—More Info—
[COMING SOON: click here to hasten the project’s expansion, so all articles & pages can eventually look more like these]
• Hindustani Instruments: Anandi | Bansuri | Bass-Veena | Bazantar | Bulbul Tarang | Cello | Chaturangi | Dilruba | Electric Guitar | Esraj | Fretless Guitar | Harmonium | Jal Tarang | Jori | Mandolin | Mohan Veena | Nal Tarang | Pakhawaj | Piano | Rabab | Rudra Veena | Sagar Veena | Santoor | Sarangi | Sarod | Saxophone | Shehnai | Sitar | Surbahar | Sursagar | Sursingar | Swarmandal | Tabla | Tabla Tarang | Tanpura | Tar Shehnai | Taus | Vichtra Veena | Violin
–Survey of Sa tunings–
• Get started with learning raga! •
Share these ragas! My site is 100% reliant on organic visitors (and none of your donations go to ad agencies…) – share this with fellow sonic searchers!
—Join my PATREON!—
Like everything on my site, the Raga Index will always remain open-access & ad-free: however, anti-corporate musicology doesn’t pay the bills! I put as much into these resources as time and finances allow – so, to hasten the project’s expansion, you can:
• Support the Raga Index! •
—Riyaz-focused notations & bandish—
—Resurrecting rare and ancient ragas—
—Further melodic & geometric analysis—
—Engaging with Hindustani performers—
—Ensuring that high-quality raga knowledge will remain open to all, at no cost: free from commercial motive!—
—Hindustani Raga Index—
An open-ended project seeking to bring North Indian raga closer to all who approach with open ears. Combines direct input from dozens of leading Hindustani artists with in-depth insights from music history, global theory, performance practice, cognitive science, and much more besides!
–Megalist (365+ ragas)–
• Search: Find your new favourite •
• Tags: Classifying the ragascape •
• Glossary: Raga jargon demystified •
• Murchanas: Swara-set rotations •
• Thaat: Bhatkhande’s base scales •
• Bifurcations: Poorvangs/uttarangs •
• Ragatable: Analytical connections •
• Tanpuras: Divine overtonal drones •
• Quotes: Musings from raga artists •
• Talas: Hindustani rhythm cycles •
• Instruments: Singing sculptures •
• Masterlist: 1000+ ragas profiled •
Sa | Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni
¡Random Raga!
—Search the Raga Index—
(NEW: search by swaras/varjits)
• Feedback / Contact •
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!
• Projects & articles: full list •
—Join the Patreon!—
• My Music | ‘Guitaragas’ (2025) •
(Get in touch for Zoom lessons!)
my site is ad-free, AI-free, & open-access