Kameshwari | SRMPDnS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-R-M-P-D-n-S

Dreamed up by Ravi Shankar during a March 1968 car journey through Chengali, Bengal. As explained by his widow Sukanya: “While riding in the car, he conceived the nucleus of a melodic form that he later developed and called Kameshwari [‘Lordess of Love’]. By using the old murchana and swara bheda system, he discovered three more ragas at [its] heart” (n.b. these ragas are Parameshwari, Gangeshwari, and Rangeshwari). The SRMP sequence places it in line with Saraswati (independently imported from Carnatic music), as well as resembling ‘Vachaspati no Ga’ or even ‘Gorakh Kalyan tivra Ma’. Also see other Ravi-authored ragas including Jogeshwari, Mohankauns, Bairagi, Bairagi Todi, Ahir Lalit, and Pancham se Gara – as well as Rati Bhairav, a Kumar Gandharva creation named after Lord Kama’s famous consort.

• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग कामेश्वरी

Search | Glossary | Tags

• Hindustani Raga Index •

—Ravi Shankar (1972)—

[refrain, e.g. 10:31] R(M)P, P(M)R, S(M)R, S(n)S, nDP, MPDn(D) S, (n)SR, R(M)P…

Support open-access, ad-free raga musicology by joining my new PATREON. And if you’re seeking to learn raga, get started with some online lessons! Currently accepting Zoom students

• Recent Raga Index Updates (Jan 2026): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans Sarang, Bayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, Kaushiki, Latangi, Maru, Palas, Sarangkauns, Shivanjali, Shrutivardhini • ‘Bifurcations‘: analysis via ‘poorvang + uttarang’ formulas • DoGa Kalyan & the Beatles’ Blue Jay Way • Amir Khan’s ‘168 merukhands’ • Uncovered Prabhateshwari‘s origins • Transcribed Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s ‘Amodini‘ lec-dems • Experiments (e.g overtonal Bhairav, jazz Malkauns) • Survey of Sa Tunings • More Masterlist ragas (1000+)

• 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

Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

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

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Raganga: Bhairav | Malhar | Kan. | Todi

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

• Prakriti: Saraswati

See all shadav ragas which omit Ga

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–R–M–P–D–n–S

• Reverse: SRgmMnS

• Negative: 2-2-1-1-3-3

• Imperfect: 3 (Ma, Dha, ni)

• Detached: 2 (Ma, ni)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Kameshwari set

• Quirks: ‘tivra Ma, komal ni‘ (rarest pairing)

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Saraswati

S-R₂-M₂-P-D₂-N₂-S

• Jazz: Lydian Dominant (no 3rd)

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

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-6-7-9-10-0

(2–4–1–2–1–2)

o • o • • • o o • o o • o

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Kameshwari, Kameshwaree

• Transliterations: Hindi (कामेश्वरी)

—Shamim Ahmed Khan (1993)—

• 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—

—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!