S-R-G-mM-P-D-nN-S

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Medhavi is generally cited as an invention of Ali Akbar Khan, who seems to be the sole source of recordings – however the liner notes to his most prominent rendition make no direct mention of this, instead describing it as “a compound melody of recent origin…its features [vary] according to traditional modes”, adding that “the structure of this melody is [based on] Kalyan, Nat, and Bilawal…with occasional augmentation of [Ma] and flattening of [ni]…In playing this raga, Khansahib has avoided superficial beauty, and brought out the emotion of dignity and devotion. Shankar Ghosh’s tabla accompaniment is accordingly very sober and restrained”. Described by various sources as a dedication to the memory of Rabindranath Tagore, the great Bengali poet and polymath (‘Medhavi’ translates as ‘Genius’) – and, while few others seem to have performed it, Kalakar notes that a “13 year old Abhishek Borkar” once played it live. Also see other idiosyncratic ‘double Ma, double Ni’ ragas such as Mangal Todi, Basanti Kanada, and Saraswati Kedar – as well as the sizeable set of other Khansaab creations including Chandranandan, Gaurimanjari, Prabhakali, Malayalam, & Suha Todi.

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• Raga Megalist (365+) •

राग मेधावी

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

—Ali Akbar Khan (1967)—

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[motifs, e.g. 6:14] (N)SN/S D/NP D/N, D, D, (G)mP, D(NSRS)N, RG(m)m, GR RG G(RS), N(SNSND), D…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Imagery: Einstein & Tagore—

“Tagore met Einstein a number of times; the first being during his second visit to Germany in 1926. But Einstein was certainly aware of Tagore by 1919, for they had signed together an anti-war ‘Declaration of the Independence of Spirit’…Tagore also voiced his protest against Einstein’s ill-treatment by the Nazis, writing in 1934 that ‘No civilized conscience can allow compromise with them…The insults offered to my friend Einstein have shocked me to the point of torturing my faith in modern civilization…” (Saheli Mitra)

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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: Nat Bihag, Chandni Kedar, Saraswati Kedar, Manj Khamaj, Pancham se Gara, Shuddha Chaya

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–G–mM–P–D–nN–S

• Reverse: SrRgmMPdnS

• Negative: 5-2-5

• Imperfect: 1 (Ma)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (R—d)

• Murchanas: Jaijaiwanti set

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

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Hamir Kalyani

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-M₂-P-D₂-N₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Lydian-Mixolydian

1-2-3-4-#4-5-6-b7-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-5-6-7-9-10-11-0

(2–2–1–1–1–2–1–1–1)

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o • o • o o o o • o o o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ga)

• Names: Medhavi, Medavee, Medhabi, Madhabi

• Transliterations: Hindi (मेधावी)

—Ali Akbar Khan (1996)—

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“To me, it seems that Indian music concerns itself more with human experience, in its relation to God and nature, than with the day-to-day world of common living. The mystic world of Indian music, like the starry night, has a certain serenity, pure, deep and tenderness about it. Indian ragas stir our imagination and move us away from mundane towards the ideal. For us, music has a transcendental significance…” (Rabindranath Tagore)

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