• Raag Madhukant •

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


An oddly-shaped and thinly-analysed sampurna raga, taking the shape of ‘Madhuvanti’s poorvang + Kafi’s uttarang’ (SRgM+PDnS: i.e. ‘Kafi tivra Ma’). Analysed by Jairazbhoy in 1971: “Ragas in which the Pa has a leading note [MP], while the Sa does not [nS]…Madhukauns and Madhukant are both modern ragas which appear to be evolving rapidly…Madhukant [is] unstable as it also has a tivra Ma and komal ni”. Despite this discussion, I can’t trace a single ‘Madhukant’ recording, and Jairazbhoy doesn’t reveal his listening materials – although the SRgMPDnS scale is prakriti with Hemavati (imported from Carnatic mela #58, as well as a pair of ultra-rare forms: Mukundapriya (“created by Mukund Vishnu Kalvint…by changing shuddha Ni to komal Ni in Madhuvanti”), and Saraswati Chandra (resurrected by Abhirang from a 1984 edition of Sangeet magazine: “aroha Saraswati, avroh Madhukauns, and a shade of Madhuvanti. Also, the [Re-murchana] gives a subtle hint of Basant Mukhari” [n.b. see the Kirwani set]).


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Aroha: SRgMPDnS
Avroh: SnDPMgRS

Chalan: (uncodified)

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—Abhirang (2020)—

[refrain, e.g. 5:06] (nR)S\n, RS(gRMgD)P M(gM)g, S(n) R(n) S(gR)g R, S…

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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

Thaat: 10 | 32Enclosed | 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

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

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• Prakriti: Thaat #13, Hemavati, Nirmalkauns, Saraswati Chandra

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–Swara Geometries–

Core form: SRgMPDnS
Reverse: SRgmMDnS
Complement: SrGmdNS
Imperfect: 3 (Ma, Dha, ni)
Detached: 1 (Ma)
Symmetries: none
Murchanas: Kirwani set

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

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–Global Translations–

Carnatic: Hemavathi (mela #58)
S-R2-G2-M2-P-D2-N2-S
Jazz: Dorian Diminished
1-2-b3-#4-5-6-b7-8
Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-3-6-7-9-10-0
(2–1–3–1–2–1–2)

o • o o • • o o • o o • o


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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Madhukant, ~Mukundapriya (not Madhukauns or Madhurkauns)
• Transliterations: Hindi (मधूकांत)

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—Abhirang (2020)—

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