S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S

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Described by Parrikar as “singular for its unabashed promiscuity”, Nat is perennially popular as a jod ingredient (see Nat Bihag, Nat Bhairav, Nat Kamod, Chayanat, and Jaijaiwanti Nat). The raga has likely origins in the age before Hindustani and Carnatic music’s bifurcation (while seemingly being unrelated to the Southern ‘Nata’), although renditions of its ‘pure’ form are comparatively rare in the modern era. Performers usually centre their movements on shuddha ma, although Jaipur-Atrauli singers may prefer to accentuate Ga, with Re and Pa used as nyas, and uttarang motions often remaining markedly sparse (PS; SP) – see melodic summary. Many interpretations include komal ni in descent (e.g. SDnP), and some feature mishra flourishes (below: Ulhas Kashalkar uses ornamental touches of tivra Ma, e.g. P(MDPM)P; P(M)PG). Also used distinctively by Omkarnath Thakur as a canvas for reworking Carnatic compositions.

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• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग नट

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SRGmP, DPS

Avroh: SRS, SNDPm, GmRS

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Pakad: SR, RG, Gm, mP; PS, SP

Chalan: e.g. SR; RG; Gm; mP; S(G)R; RGmP; GGm; P; SG(R)Gm; m; mP; Pm; GmRS; PDPPS; SP; PS; SRS; S(N)DPm (Parrikar)

• Primarily defined by step-by-step ascent motions in poorvang (SR, RG, Gm, mP) – followed by more spacious phrases in uttarang (PS; DPS; SP)

• Shuddha Re and Ga are often ornamentally linked (e.g. S(G)R; G(R)G – and shuddha Ni is weak, typically reserved for the downward S(N)DP

• Traditionally, shuddha ma played more of a central role (e.g. SDPm) – but today, the Jaipur-Atrauli focus on shuddha Ga generally prevails (e.g. as GmPm; GmRS)

• Outside swaras are often used in ‘mishra’ flourishes, e.g. komal ni as SnDP, and tivra Ma in alankar such as P(MDPM)P; P(M)PG

—Ulhas Kashalkar (2015)—

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[bandish, e.g. 3:16] S(N)S S(GR)R, (G)R, (R)G(R) Gm G (RS), (SN)S/S (DS)D (n)DP, P(MDPM)P (PM)P\G R, (G)R G(R), (GR)G mG mGR, (G)R (GR)G RS, S(NS)R, S(NS), (G)R (RGR)G RS(NR)S, S\D…

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• Ragmalas •

Historic miniature paintings (learn more)

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“Nat Ragini on horseback, holding a sword above a decapitated body, about to attack a second enemy…” (Penn, c.1800)

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“Nata Ragini, opaque watercolor and gold on paper” (Malwa, c.1650) / “Nata Ragini, second wife of Bhairava: a heroic melody evoking a martial spirit. Here, a Rajput warrior in chain-mail armour on a chestnut stallion decapitates his opponent with a sword. Behind him, attendants bear standards and an honorific fly-whisk made of the white tail-hairs of a yak…” (Bikaner, c.1762)

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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

Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact

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

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

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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: Bilawal thaat, Bilawal, Bihari, Tilak Kamod, Hem Bihag, Savani, Swanandi, Gagan Vihang, Maluha, Mand, Chaya Malhar, Hemant, Loom, Manjari Bihag

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–G–m–P–D–N–S

• Reverse: SrgmPdnS (=Bhairavi)

• Complement: SrgMdnS (=Mangal Gujari)

• Imperfect: 1 (Ni)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (R—d)

• Murchanas: Bilawal set

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• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’) • ‘Pa-repeating‘ (poorvang and uttarang take the same ‘semitone shape’)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Sankarabharanam (mela #29)

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Major / Ionian

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

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

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

(2–2–1–2–2–2–1)

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o • o • o o • o • o • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Nat, Nata, Nut, Shuddha Nat, Suddha Nat

• Transliterations: Hindi (नट); Bengali (নট); Punjabi (ਨਟ)

—Mallikarjun Mansur (1980s)—