• Raag Madhuranjani •

S-g-m-P-N-S


The name ‘Madhuranjani’ is used in reference to several distinct forms. The best-known incarnation is based on the SgmPNS swara set of ‘Dhani shuddha Ni’ (or ‘Patdeep no Re/Dha’) – as exemplified by vocalists such as Abhirang, Sawani Shende, and Jitendra Abhisheki, who also includes flourishes of shuddha Re in avroh. Some suggest that the raga’s origins lie in the Carnatic Shrotaswini, possibly borrowed North by Abhisheki, while others claim it as a creation of either Ravi Shankar or Imrat Khan – although neither of these artists seems to have recorded any raga by this name or precise swara set (n.b. alternate forms bearing the ‘Madhuranjani’ title are also in circulation, e.g. Shankar’s student Shalil Shankar‘s ‘Madhuvanti + Shivranjani’ blend [SRgMPDS]: with the same jod pairing also linked to another Ravi disciple, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, under the title ‘Vishwaranjani’). Also refer to a recent rendition by Mewati vocalist Aarshin Karande, dedicated to Abhisheki (“this bandish beautifully captures [his] gift for balancing melody, rhythm, literature, and emotion…this raga lends itself easily to emotional anxiety, intense devotion, and romanticism…The [lyrics] reflect on the all-consuming, ecstatic stupor of playing Holi with Lord Krishna and friends”).


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राग मधुरंजनी
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—Sawani Shende (2021)—


[bandish, e.g. 4:13] (m)P gmPS N P, PmP (m)gmP; gSg mg Pm NP S(NSNSNPN) P(NPNmP) gm(S)P; (m)P gmPS N

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• 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 | 32Enclosed | Inexact

Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra

Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row

Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.


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.

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• Prakriti: (none found)

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–Swara Geometries–

Core form: SgmPNS
Reverse: SrmPDS
Negative: 3-1-2-2-2-1-1 (e.g. Bhatiyari Bhairav)
Imperfect: 3 (ga, Pa, Ni)
Detached: 2 (ga, Ni)
Symmetries: none
Murchanas: Devshri (on ma)

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–Global Translations–

Carnatic: ~Gambheera Nattai
S-G2-M1-P-N3-S
Jazz: Minor Pentatonic (♮7th)
1-b3-4-5-7-8
Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-3-5-7-11-0
(3–2–2–4–1)

o • • o • o • o • • • o o


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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Madhuranjani, Madhuranjanee

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—Jitendra Abhisheki (1980s)—

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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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