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 including Mangal Todi, Basanti Kanada, and Saraswati Kedar.

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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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• 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

—Ali Akbar Khan (1996)—