S-r-g-m-P-D-N-S

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The Carnatic Kokilapriya scale (mela #11) is still barely known in the North (‘kokilapriya’: ‘the one who is dear to the koel bird‘). Its unique shape, resembling ‘Bhairavi–Yaman’, has several curious properties: with an ‘all-komal’ poorvang (Srgm) and ‘all-shuddha’ uttarang (PDNS), it is ‘palindromic’ (=symmetric from Sa) – but 5 of its swaras are ‘imperfect’ (=with no swara 7 semitones above them) and 4 of them are ‘detached’ (=no swaras 7 semitones above or below), in both cases the theoretical maximum for a 7-note scale. Abhirang’s 2025 alap showcases a balanced yet bipolar mood, with each side of the scale presenting contrasting colours, and Sa acting as a natural ‘pivot’ between them. Composer Mahesh Mahadev entitled his own imagining of same scale ‘Bhimsen’ (named for Bhimsen Joshi and Miyan Tansen), specifying the omission of Re and Dha in ascent – so far, Jayateerth Mevundi’s intriguing 2023 rendition is the only recording available (“Giridhar Gopal Shyam: the first ever bandish in Hindi about Lord Venkateshwara…”).  Depending on which scale-segment is emphasised, Kokilapriya can hint at many other ragas, including Bhairavi (SrgmP), Bilawal (mPDNS), Patdeep (gmPDNS), and Ahiri (SrgmPD), while also offering a multitude of further interpretations (e.g. borrowed phrasings from other palindromic ragas such as Bhairav, or from audav subsets such as Rajeshwari or Madhuranjani). Compare to the rest of the ‘32 thaat’ (=all possible 7-note sampurna scales), and to other ‘fragmented’ ragas (=where over half the swaras are detached) including its murchana partner Rishabhapriya – and listen to the original Carnatic incarnation via renditions from Sukha Vaazhvu, Abhishek Raghuram, and Palghat Ramprasad. I hope that further Hindustani recordings will follow!

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राग कोकिलाप्रिया

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—Abhirang (2025)—

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[alap, e.g. 0:00] P(N)DN Srg, SrgmPD(Pm), gmPD(S)NS, DNSrgm(g), gmP(mP)mgr, S(rgr) g(rS), S(rSrgrN), N(SNSND), D(NSNDP), PD(Pm), mP(mg), gm rg, SrgmP (N)DNS…

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• Carnatic Origins •

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—Ragam Kokilapriya (mela #11)—

(Abhishek Raghuram)

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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

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

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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: Thaat #22

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–r–g–m–P–D–N–S

• Reverse: SrgmPDNS (=itself)

• Negative: 2-2-2-2-4

• Imperfect: 5 (re, ga, Pa, Dha, Ni)

• Detached: 4 (re, ga, Dha, Ni)

• Symmetries: mirror (S—M)

• Murchanas: Rishabhapriya (on ma)

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• Quirks: ‘palindromic‘ (same intervals forwards & backwards) • ‘fragmented‘ (at least half the swaras are detached) • 5 ‘imperfect’ and 4 ‘detached’ swaras (in both cases the theoretical maximum for a 7-note scale)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: Kokilapriya (mela #11)

S-R₁-G₂-M₁-P-D₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Neapolitan Major

1-b2-b3-4-5-6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-3-5-7-9-11-0

(1–2–2–2–2–2–1)

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o o • o • o • o • o • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Kokilapriya, Kokilpriya (n.b. Mahesh Mahadev titled his own import of the scale ‘Bhimsen’: see above)

• Transliterations: Hindi (कोकिलाप्रिया); Punjabi (ਕੋਕਿਲਾਪ੍ਰਿਆ); Kannada (ಕೋಕಿಲಪ್ರಿಯ); Malayalam (കോകിലപ്രിയ); Tamil (கோகிலப்பிரியா); Telugu (కోకిలప్రియ)

—Jayateerth Mevundi (as ‘Bhimsen’)—