Nandkauns | SgGmPdnS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-gG-m-P-d-n-S

A poorvang–uttarang blend of Jog and Malkauns (despite the name, there are no traces of Nand). Shuddha ma, as the natural meeting point between both ragas, assumes the most prominence (sometimes hinting at a ma-murchana of SRgmPnNS) – along with frequent use of a highly expressive n\P glide. Remains rare on the concert platform, although renditions by Parveen Sultana and Amjad Ali Khan have gained renown – also see performances by UK artists Dharambir Singh and Nina Burmi (singing a Chinmoy Lahiri bandish slanted towards Jogkauns: itself a blend of Jog and an older ‘shuddha Ni Malkauns’ offshoot). Prakriti with the Carnatic-imported Vardhini – and also forms one of Chandranandan’s four foundations (along with Malkauns, Chandrakauns, & Kaunsi Kanada).

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राग नंदकौंस

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Aroha: SGmdnS

Avroh: Sndm, GmgS

Chalan: e.g. S(n)dn; nS; Sng; gS; SGGm; Gm(ndn)dnd; mPGm; SGmP; Gm(S)gS; Sdn; nS; Sng; gS (Parrikar)

—Amjad Ali Khan (1970)—

(hear me play this gat on electric guitar!)

[refrains, e.g. 0:01] SGmdPm g(m)SS, SSSn\d nnSG m; SGmn\d, mn\dd d/nn\d, mPmGmPG, SgSnS SGmdPm g(m)SS, SSSn\d nnSG m…

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• Guitaragas •

My attempts to capture the raga on electric guitar (see more of these clips)

—Nandkauns on electric guitar (gat)—

Covering the rapid Amjad Ali Khan bandish above…

• Recent Raga Index Updates (Jan 2026): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans Sarang, Bayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, Kaushiki, Latangi, Maru, Palas, Sarangkauns, Shivanjali, Shrutivardhini • ‘Bifurcations‘: analysis via ‘poorvang + uttarang’ formulas • DoGa Kalyan & the Beatles’ Blue Jay Way • Amir Khan’s ‘168 merukhands’ • Uncovered Prabhateshwari‘s origins • Transcribed Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s ‘Amodini‘ lec-dems • Experiments (e.g overtonal Bhairav, jazz Malkauns) • Survey of Sa Tunings • More Masterlist ragas (1000+)

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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 | 32 | Enclosed | 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.

• Prakriti: Vardhini

Also see other shadav ragas which omit Re

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–gG–m–P–d–n–S

• Reverse: SRGmPdDS

• Negative: 2-1-4-3-2

• Imperfect: 2 (Ga, Pa)

• Detached: 1 (Ga)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Chanchalas Malhar (on ma)

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Ragavardhini (mela #32)

S-G₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₁-N₂-S

• Jazz: Aeolian (no 2nd, dbl. 3rd)

1-b3-3-4-5-b6-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-3-4-5-7-8-10-0

(3–1–1–2–1–2–2)

o • • o o o • o o • o • o

• Tanpura: Sa–ma

• Names: Nandkauns, Nandakaus, Nand Kaunsi

• Transliterations: Hindi (नंदकौंस)

—Parveen Sultana (1970s)—

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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!