S-R-g-m-P-D-nN-S

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‘Lanka Dahan’ refers to a famous tale from the Ramayana – as per Rajeev Taranath’s preface to a recital of the raga: “Ravana’s demonic horde set fire to Lord Hanuman’s tail; and the Monkey God sent the entire city of Lanka up in flames with it. But Rama’s consort Sita, an avatar of Lakshmi, was also being held captive there. Hanuman became worried about her safety, and in that poignant state of mind, the Monkey Grammarian created a raga called Lanka Dahan [‘Burning of Lanka’] to console himself” (depicted below; also see Amritvarshini: which, in some tellings, Ravana played on his veena to bring forth the rains and put out the fire). The raga’s present-day incarnation is appraised by Tanarang as “a ticklingly dynamic melodic form…manifested by incorporating shuddha Dha and komal ga in the avroh of Brindabani Sarang”, allowing for poorvang shades of Desi (mmPRg SRNS) and Jaijaiwanti (mR gR(SR)S). Renditions continue to vary by performer and gharana, particularly around the treatment of Dha. For greater melodic depth on the raga’s Jaipur-Atrauli edition, refer to Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s excellent demo (transcribed below).

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राग लंका दहन सारंग

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SRmPNS

Avroh: SnDP; mPDP; gRgRS, NS

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Chalan: signatures, e.g. mPS; nP; mP; RgRS; nPmP; NS (Tanarang)

—Rajeev Taranath (2009)—

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[jor, e.g. 5:14] RmPPP, PPP, P/nnn, n n(DPD) D(P)P, RmP(nP) m(RSn) SR g/mRS; R(PmP)P, R(mRm)m, R n(DP)P, D(n)n, nS/R, n/S…

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—Imagery: Hanuman Burns Lanka—

“A scene from the Ramayana: sent as an ambassador to Lanka, where Rama’s wife Sita has been kidnapped by the demon king Ravana, Hanuman is seen imprisoned and bound. Having wrapped Hanuman’s tail with cloth, the rakshasas [demons] march Hanuman through a gate. One beats a drum, leading the procession, as another one threatens him with a weapon. The demons then set Hanuman’s tail alight in an effort to kill him. To their surprise he escapes, and jumps from building to building, setting the entire city on fire with his tail. The demons are quite varied in appearance, underscoring the fact that not all demons look alike…” (Punjab Hills, c.1830)

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—Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar: Amodini—

Here’s a transcription of Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s demo lesson, covering her tradition’s incarnation of the raga (from her superb Amodini: The Joy of Rare Ragas series):

 

“Namaskar, today I’m going to talk about Lanka Dahan Sarang. This is not a complex raga, or a jod raga, but it is performed very rarely these days – this is why I have included it in the series. I will begin with the alap: N N(SRNS)nP, PN NS, NSR gSRS, SmR PmP mPmR, RmPn PmR, m(gPm)Rg, S(RSR)NS, SRgmPN(S)N, P(SN)S S(NS), mPS(N)R S(nS)nP R, RmPnmPN (SN)S, (Pm)PS(N)R, Rg RSR, S(NS)NS S(NSRS)n (S)nP, RmPS(NSN)R S(NS)nP mR, RmPn PmR g (RS)R SN S.

 

As the name suggests, Lanka Dahan Sarang is a Sarang prakar. The basic framework is of Brindabani Sarang, with komal ga being added to create this particular raga. Scholars have different opinions about the komal ga phrase: some say that it is mR gRSRS (which gives the feel of Jaijaiwanti) – and others say that it is mmPR g SR NS (which gives the feel of Desi). However, we will not enter into those details here…

 

I will now demonstrate how the raga is elaborated: NNS S(NSRS)n P, mPNNS, NS(m)RmP (m)PmP (m)R, Rg(RS)R NS, mRmmP, RmPnP mPmR, NSRmPN(SNS)N, PNS(NS)nP, RmPNNS(NS)nP mR, RmPnmPmn PmR g(RS)R, (SN)S, NSRmPN (SN)S, S(NS)R g RSR (SN)S, RmPS(NS)R S(NS)nP, PNSnPm, RmPnmPn PmR g(RS)R (S)NS. I will conclude with a bandish in madhya jhaptal…”

 

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—Lanka Dahan Sarang (Amodini demo)—

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Also see Manjiri’s other Amodini demos: Abhogi Kanada, Bahaduri Todi, Baradi, Dagori, Dev Gandhar, Gauri, Hussaini Todi, Jait Kalyan, Jaitashree, Kabiri Bhairav, Kaunsi Kanada (Nayaki-ang), Khat (Asavari-ang), Khokar, Lalita Gauri, Lanka Dahan Sarang, Malavi, Maligoura, Mudriki Kanada, Ramdasi Malhar, Raisa Kanada, Shukla Bilawal, Sughrai, Suha, Vihang

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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

Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.

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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: Miyan ki Malhar, Charju ki Malhar, Barwa, Bahar, Bageshri Bahar, Sindhura, Sughrai, Hussaini Todi

–Proximate Forms–

Kafi = ‘L.D. Sarang only ni‘

Patdeep = ‘L.D. Sarang only Ni‘

Desh = ‘L.D. Sarang shuddha Ga‘

Chandrakaushiki = ‘L.D. Sarang komal dha‘

Tanseni Madhuvanti = ‘L.D. Sarang tivra Ma‘

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

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–g–m–P–D–nN–S

• Reverse: SrRgmPDnS

• Negative: 5-3-2-2

• Imperfect: 2 (Dha, Ni)

• Detached: 1 (Ni)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Miyan ki Malhar set

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• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: (~Kapi/Kannada)

S-R₂-G₂-M₁-P-D₂-N₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Dorian double 7th

1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-5-7-9-10-11-0

(2–1–2–2–2–1–1–1)

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o • o o • o • o • o o o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Lanka Dahan Sarang, Lankadahani Sarang

• Transliterations: Hindi (लंका दहन सारंग)

—Rajendra Prasanna (2022)—