S-G-m-D-nN-S
As per Parrikar, “Durga Khamaj-thaat is also known as ‘Madhuradhwani’. This is not a popular raga, its base eroded by the popularity of Rageshri…but is part of the Dagar family repertoire”. While some renditions will skip Ni in ascent, traditional Dhrupad presentations will render it shuddha in aroha and komal in avroh – along with a strong role for shuddha Ga, and a Bageshri-style ma–Dha sangati balanced by phrases such as SmG; mDNS; mmGS. The basic scale shape lies close to to Bhinna Shadja and Kaushik Dhwani (which differ in taking only a shuddha Ni).
• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग मधुरध्वनि
Search | Glossary | Tags
• Hindustani Raga Index •
Aroha: SGmDNS
Avroh: SnDmGS
Chalan: e.g. SnD; SmG; mDn; D; mG; mDNS; mmGS; SnD; mG; DmG; mS (Gadre)
—Nemai Chand Boral (~1960s)—
[refrain, e.g. 3:24] mG(mS) (S)nD, (S)DNS, mG(mS) (S)nD, (S)DNS…
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Raag Jog: exploring different ways the electric guitar can support a Dhrupad-ang nomtom (syllabic improvisation)…
(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace
#dhrupad #raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic
Jun 28
Raag Kafi: Electric guitar improv around the adha bandish ‘Aaj Khel Shaam Sang Hori’
(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace
#raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 22
Raag Jog: some sawal-jawab (‘question-answer’) fun with Marc Clayton on tabla
(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace
#raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 15
Some tintal improv around a wonderful Durga bandish I’ll be playing at @mehfilspace @the_rose_hill in Brighton on Thu 11th June! with vocalist @ashwinbaligaofficial and @marc_plays_tabla
https://therosehill.co.uk/event/the-mehfil-space-presents-around-the-world-in-8-ragas/
‘Around the World in 8 Ragas’: exploring cross-cultural melodic forms (e.g. scales that turn up independently in Japan, India, Mali, etc)
#indianmusic #raga #icm #brightonmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 10
• 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
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
Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball
Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern
Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang
Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.
• Prakriti: (none found)
Also see other ragas with the generic swaras ‘Sa-Ga-Ma-Dha-Ni‘ – and compare to the rest of the Khamaj raganga
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–G–m–D–nN–S
• Reverse: SrRgPdS
• Complement: SrRgMPdS
• Imperfect: 2 (Sa, Ni)
• Detached: none
• Symmetries: mirror (Gm—nN)
• Murchanas: none
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: (~Begada)
S-G3-M1-D2-N2-N3-S
• Jazz: Daptimic
1-3-4-6-b7-7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-4-5-9-10-11-0
(4–1–4–1–1–1)
o • • • o o • • • o o o o
• Tanpura: Sa–ma
• Names: Madhuradhwani, Madhura Dhwani, Madhuradvani, ‘Durga Khamaj’ (not Madhuranjani)
• Transliterations: Hindi (मधुरध्वनि)
—Abhirang (2020)—
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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!
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