S-R-g-m-P-n-S

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A popular Kanada variant usually said to have been named after Gopal Nayak, the legendary poet-composer of Alauddin Khilji’s 12th-century Delhi durbar – however, Bor highlights that Faqirullah’s 1666 Raga Darpan treatise instead connects the origins of the entire Kanada lineage to 17th-century musician Nayak Bakshu of Raja Man Singh’s royal court (best known as the compiler of the Hazar Dhrupad collection). Characteristically, Dha is omitted entirely despite the raga’s general uttarang focus, outlined via wide-jumping motions such as mnP; mPgmnP; nmPS – with the Re–Pa axis providing stability in both directions (see melodic summary). Regular project contributor Jaideep Roy recommends vocal renditions by Rashid Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Pandit Jasraj, & Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyay, and instrumental takes from Buddhadev DasGupta and Budhaditya Mukherjee. Distinctive ‘Nayaki flavours’ also manifest in the uttarang motions of other ragas, including Sughrai, Raisa Kanada, Mudriki Kanada, Chanchalas Malhar, and the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana’s Nayaki-ang form of Kaunsi Kanada. Compare to prakritis including Palas, Suha, and Gaudgiri Malhar, as well as to other ragas with a ‘PnS‘ uttarang.

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SRmP, nPmPS

Avroh: RnSP, nPmP, gmRS

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Pakad: e.g. mPgmnP; nmPS; gmPmRSR

Chalan: e.g. SRgmR; SR(R)P; mPnP; mPgmnP; mPnP; nmPS; RnS(P)nP; mP(m)gm; gmPmRSRS (Bor/Sadolikar)

• Combines a Kanada-ang poorvang (SR(m)g; (m)gmRS) with a distinctively spacious uttarang which avoids dha throughout – highlighted in pakads such as mnP; nnPmP; mPgmnP; mPnmPS

• Shuddha Re is more stable than in Darbari, emphasised in characteristic motions such as SRRP; RSnSR; gmPmRSR – and Pa is also a prominent nyas, often ornamented from komal ni (e.g. n\PmP; mP(n)P)

• Komal ga is generally downplayed outside of phrases around gmPm; mgmR – and some older renditions include touches of komal dha, usually in the Kanada-ang n(dn)P

• Likely named after Nayak Bakshu of Raja Man Singh’s 17th-century royal court, but many associate it with Gopal Nayak instead – and generally rendered with a more energetic, dynamic character than Darbari, with clearer, more direct ornament shapes and wider interval jumps (e.g. mnP; nmPS)

—Shashwati Mandal (2014)—

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[alap, e.g. 0:58] (nS)R, RRSnSnSR m\g(R) m\g(mgmg)m, m(Pm)P\m mPm/n(Pn)P, m(mnPmPmP)S, (n)S nPn P(m), mPn(Pn)P, P(SnS)nP nPmP, nPm(Pm)nPmP m\g m(g) m(g) g(mg)m…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Imagery: Gopal Nayak—

“Gopal Nayak was reputedly summoned by the ruler to translate ancient Dhrupad songs, originally sung in an austere fashion, to match the rigidities of Sanskrit, into a more modern living language. Gopal, a native of Vrindavan [the forest of Lord Krishna’s youth], translated the compositions into Braj, the language of Krishna, sanctifying them…” (Jameela Siddiqi) [n.b. Despite the common ‘Gopal Nayak’ association, it seems more likely that Nayaki Kanada draws its name from 17th-century musician Nayak Bakshu of Raja Man Singh’s royal court: see above]

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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: Palas, Suha Kanada, Gaudgiri Malhar

See all shadav ragas which omit Dha – and also compare to other members of the Kanada raganga

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–g–m–P–n–S

• Reverse: SRmPDnS (=Gorakh Kalyan)

• Complement: SrGMdDNS

• Imperfect: 1 (Re)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (Rg—dD)

• Murchanas: Shankara set

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• Quirks: ‘self-shadowing‘ (negative form=core form) • ‘atritonal‘ (no available tritones)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Pushpalathika

S-R₂-G₂-M₁-P-N₂-S

• Jazz: Aeolian (no 6th)

1-2-b3-4-5-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-5-7-10-0

(2–1–2–2–3–2)

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o • o o • o • o • • o • o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Pa)

• Names: Nayaki Kanada, Nayaki Kannada

• Transliterations: Hindi (नायकी कान्ह्डा); Bengali (নায়কী কানাড়া)

—Bhimsen Joshi (1992)—