Kalashri | SRGmPDnS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S

Introduced by Kirana legend Bhimsen Joshi, via combining Kalavati and Rageshri to span the full seven swaras of Khamaj thaat. Aarshin Karande notes that the raga’s origins lie in Gopalkrishna Bhobe’s 1969 sangeet natak [Marathi musical drama] ‘Dhanya Te Gayani Kala‘ (“Bhimsen-ji developed upon the melody, becoming Kalashri…He even named his home in Pune after this extraordinary raga”). Joshi’s renditions draw mostly from Kalavati, setting a strong Pa and recurring GPD movements in an audav aroha – with Rageshri’s imprint mainly evident in the vakra avroh phrase GmRnS (which helps to distinguish it from the nearby Jansammohini). Described by the Komal Rishabh blog as “beautiful and playful, a wonderful concoction of sweet and fragrant notes….Joshi was extremely fond of it, and [his] followers continue to perform it with passion”. You can even watch Joshi teach it to his daughter Shubhada Mulgund in a heartwarming baithak video. Also refer to Amjad Ali Khan‘s stellar sarod exploration, as well as Shahid Parvez’ 2024 take, entitled ‘Harmonic Bliss‘ (in Parvez’ own words, “A rare gem…few have ventured into the raga. My hope was to capture its essence on the sitar…”).

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राग कलाश्री

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—Bhimsen Joshi (1971)—

[refrain, e.g. 1:53] SGP D(PG)P\G, Gm R(n), (SG) G; GPD (DPG)P\G, mG, (nS)G, G mRS, n(D)…

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• 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

Double: rR | gG | mM | dD | nN

Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact

Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra

Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row

Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.

Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Murchana: Bhup. | Bihag | Bilaw. | Charu.

Raganga: Bhairav | Malhar | Kan. | Todi

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

• Prakriti: Khamaj thaat, Jhinjhoti, Kambhoji, Khambavati, Sakh, Gaoti

–Proximate Forms–

Kafi = ‘Kalashri komal ga‘

Bilawal = ‘Kalashri shuddha Ni‘

Ahir Bhairav = ‘Kalashri komal re‘

Desh = ‘Kalashri double Ni‘

Vachaspati = ‘Kalashri tivra Ma‘

Jansammohini = ‘Kalashri no ma‘

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

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–R–G–m–P–D–n–S

• Reverse: SRgmPdnS (=Darbari)

• Negative: 2-2-3-2-3 (e.g. Bhupali)

• Imperfect: 1 (Ga)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (r—P)

• Murchanas: Bilawal set

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Khamas

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₂-N₂-S

• Jazz: Mixolydian

1-2-3-4-5-6-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-5-7-9-10-0

(2–2–1–2–2–1–2)

o • o • o o • o • o o • o

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Kalashri, Kalashree

• Transliterations: Hindi (कलाश्री)

—Bhimsen Joshi (~1980s)—

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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!