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

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Now close to extinction in its own right, Palas (a.k.a. ‘Palasi/Palashri’) is best known for its historic confluence with Bheem – a union which produced Bhimpalasi. Subbha Rao’s Raga Nidhi Vol.3, published in 1965, states that (p.211): “These days Palas and Bhimpalasi are considered to be one and the same raga, but the aroha and avroh of Palas will indicate that it is independent…A pleasing raga which deserves to be popularised”. If interpreted along the lines of ‘Bhimpalasi no Dha’, the raga ascends with nSgmPnS, only adding shuddha Re in descent (placing it very close to the older form of Dhani, another historic Dhanashree raga) – although some may prefer to retain Re in both directions. Moumita Mitra’s analysis points to the existence of a ‘double-Ni’ Palas listed in the works of Bhatkhande, adding that both forms take a Pa-Sa vadi–samvadi, with nyas on Sa, Pa, and occasionally ga. Further renditions are hard to come by: refer to those by Abhirang (bandish below) and B.R. Deodhar (featuring flashes of komal dha in the sarangi accompaniment) – as well as a fascinating pair kindly sent in by Wasif Madni in Apr 2026: “Fateh Ali Khan, the doyen of the Gwalior gharana in Pakistan, presenting a Palasi bandish and then a Bheem bandish…And Munshi Raziuddin of the Qawwal Bacchon Delhi gharana with his sons Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad, singing Bheem, then Palasi, then the combination in a single setting…at 11.30 he remarks that Barwa, Bheem, and Palasi all have two Ni and two Ga, it’s the chalan that distinguishes them…”. Prakriti, in its single-ni form, with Nayaki Kanada, Suha Kanada, and Gaudgiri Malhar – and the underlying ‘Minor Hexatonic’ scale form turns up in folk music from around the world (e.g. Mali, Ireland, Mexico, America). The name ‘Palas’ is likely related to the palash flower (a.k.a. ‘flame of the forest’), a leafy deciduous tree species mentioned in Rigvedic and Yajurvedic rituals.

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राग पलास

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—Abhirang (2020)—

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[bandish, e.g. 3:41] gmP(S)n, S SnP, P(n)P m\g m P P(SnSnPn), nS(nS)nP, (P)n P, P(n)P m\g m P…

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Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Palas: ‘komal ni vs double ni’—

Rare raga explorer Moumita Mitra’s ever-informative Palas tutorial offers further insight into both the ‘komal ni’ and ‘double Ni’ versions of the raga: “Palas is an afternoon raga of Kafi thaat. Both forms take a Pa–Sa vadi–samvadi, with nyas on Sa, Pa, and occasionally ga – and starting from low ni is suggested to give a Bhimpalasi-like feel. In both [Bhatkhande’s] Kramik Pustak Malika and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan‘s notations [of them], there is a dhamar in Palasi that uses both Ni prominently. However, the swarmalika of the Kramik Pustak Malika and the other notations of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan use the ‘komal ni only’ version.

 

Palas with komal ni only:

• Aroha-avroh: nSgmPnS; SnPmgRS
• Avoid gmRS and the elongation of nP. There are chances to stumble upon Kanada and Suha phrases (Suha has the same aroha from Sa).

Palas with double Ni: [listen below]

• Aroha-avroh: nSgmPNS; SNPmgRnS
• PnS & PNS are both used, as are NSP & nSP.
• Too much gmPNS should be avoided if you want to keep distance from Patdeep – or else it should be balanced with PNSP, or the recurrent use of n.

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—Moumita Mitra tutorial (2025)—

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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: Nayaki Kanada, Suha Kanada, Gaudgiri Malhar

See all shadav ragas which omit Dha – and compare to other members of the Dhanashree 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

• Names: Palas, Palasi, Palasri, Palasree, Palashree

• Transliterations: Hindi (पलास)

—Moumita Mitra (2025)—

(the ‘double Ni‘ version)