S-r-g-M-d-n-S
A strange shadav scale matching the swara set of ‘Gujiri Todi komal ni’ or ‘Meladalan minus shuddha ma’. Its structure presents a unique combination of geometric quirks: Sa is ‘detached’ (=Pa and ma are both varjit), and all other swara positions are vikrit (rgdn: komal, M: tivra) – leaving the ultra-rare ‘tivra Ma, no Pa, komal ni’ sangati on stark display. Abhirang’s pair of renditions feature strident mid-scale ornaments such as (gM)g; M(dM); (gMdM)d and emphatic upward resolutions towards dha (transcribed below: at points, the scale’s assorted instabilities tempt my ears towards a dha-murchana, giving the more stable SRGmPnS). Abhirang states that “I learnt this raga from Ramrang-ji’s book” – with Rajan Parrikar, one of Ramrang’s students, noting that “the chalan echoes Gujiri Todi: dha and ga are very strong, and re commands respect too. There is no nyas on ni, but its presence is easily sensed” (also adding that “Mangal Gujari will present some pain and discomfort to the unexposed Hindustani mind…”). More recently recorded by and Chris Stephens using an ingenious sitar tuning, adapted to the scale’s lack of consonances from Sa. Also see Firozkhani Todi (the same scale minus ni), Komal Ramkali (the same sequence plus Pa), and the congruent Carnatic Bhavani (n.b. not the same as the Northern ‘chatuswari‘ Bhavani) – as well as other members of the Todi raganga.
• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग मंगल गुर्जरी
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• Hindustani Raga Index •
Aroha: SrgMdnS
Avroh: SndMgrS
Pakad: variable, e.g. gMd; dnSn; gMg; rgrS
Chalan: e.g. S; (S)nr; (g)rg; r; S; Srgmd; mdn(n)d; (d)mgr; rgr; S; Sd; md(d)S; S(n)d; nmd; rg; rS (Ramrang/Parrikar)
—Abhirang (2014)—
[refrain, e.g. 2:02] (gM)g M(dM) (gMdM)d d(MdMdnd), Sgd\M(dM) M(dM) M\g, M(grg)r r(gMrg)rS S, (SrgMdM)d g(rgS), (MgM)g M(dM) (ndn)d…
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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
Come see me play some bendy raga-guitar 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) – including this piece, a famous Bhairavi bhajan by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi (Jo Bhaje Hari Ko Sada)
#bhajan #raga #indianmusic #brightonmusic #ragaguitar
Jun 5
tomato can jungle/DnB (distracted while cooking)
#drumming #percussion #dnb #jungle
May 23
A great Jaunpuri gat from Senia-Shahjahanpur sarod legend Pt Buddhadev DasGupta, full of fast bends and slides (originally released for Joep Bor’s 1997 Raga Guide, in many ways a precursor to my own raga index)
Raag Jaunpuri: a late morning raga, likely originating in the Sultanate-era music of Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh (as per Subodh Agrawal: “The rulers of Jaunpur were keen patrons of the arts, and the last one – Sultan Hussain Sharqi – was himself a distinguished musician; it is probable that the Jaunpuri flavor of Asavari was developed by him, or under his patronage“). Rajan Parrikar elaborates on its “Asavariant” status, noting that some (including Omkarnath Thakur) see it as essentially indistinguishable from Shuddha Re Asavari, while others consider Jaunpuri to follow more ‘rounded’ melodic motions…
#sarod #ragaguitar #stratocaster #worldmusic #jaunpur
May 6
just for fun…I had to defend the honour of my main instrument against my second instrument (many thanks to @mountainhead for the original video, as well as some tasty bends) – still no match for the surbahar’s meend range though!
#sitar #guitar #raga #bends #ragaguitar
May 4
• 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)
See all shadav ragas which omit Pa – and also compare to other members of the Todi raganga
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–r–g–M–d–n–S
• Reverse: SRGMDNS (=Raj Kalyan)
• Complement: SRGmPDNS (=Bilawal)
• Imperfect: 2 (Sa, ni)
• Detached: 1 (Sa)
• Symmetries: none
• Murchanas: none
• Quirks: ‘detached Sa‘ • ‘tivra Ma, komal ni‘ (rarest pairing)
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: ~Bhavani
S-R1-G2-M2-D1-N2-S
• Jazz: Phrygian #4 (no 5th)
1-b2-b3-#4-b6-b7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-1-3-6-8-10-0
(1–2–3–2–2–2)
o o • o • • o • o • o • o
• Tanpura: Sa–dha
• Names: Mangal Gujari, Mangal Gujiri, Mangal Gurjari
• Transliterations: Hindi (मंगल गुर्जरी); Odia (ମଙ୍ଗଳ ଗୁଜ୍ଜରୀ)
—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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