S-r-G-M-P-d-N-S

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Like the scale-congruent Shree, Puriya Dhanashree’s versatile hemitonic clusters outline a major triad (SGP) with the first and last steps ‘enclosed’ by their neighbours to present two sets of three adjacent swaras (NSr, MPd). Pa, while often omitted in aroha, exerts its gravity on descending melodies, easing the tension of the tivra Ma by providing temporary anchor for weaving lines which may span all seven swaras. Ni is used as a launchpoint for Sa-skipping motions (e.g. NrGMP; NrNdP), elaborated with vakra meend and other expressive ornaments. Associated with the sunset hours, the raga’s origins lie in an archaic blending of Puriya and Dhanashree, with this form finding mention in lakshanagranthas including Faqirullah’s Rag Darpan, written for Emperor Aurangzeb in 1666. Proximate to Poorvi (which adds shuddha ma), and prakriti with Basant, Jaitashree, and Tankeshree.

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• Raga Megalist (365+) •

राग पूरिया धनाश्री

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Aroha: NrS, NrGMP, MdNS

Avroh: NrdNP, MGMrG, MGrS

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Chalan: e.g. GNrS; NdN; NrGrG; MMG; GMdGMG; MNGMG; GMdMS; NrNMMG; MrG; NrS (Raja)

–Parveen Sultana (2018)–

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“Why are you being so egoistical? Please understand that this world is ephemeral; The ego will prove your downfall; Thus, Dilrang seeks the path of true knowledge…” (from a Dilrang-attributed bandish)

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—Context—

Origins, myths, quirks, & more

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[COMING SOON: click here to hasten the project’s expansion, so all 365+ raga pages can eventually look more like these]

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• Ragmalas •

Historic miniature paintings (learn more)

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“Dhanasari, first Ragini of Dipak Raga: personified as a heroine painting her absent lover’s portrait. She sits against a bolster, painting her beloved, a Rajput prince. Small cups of paint are beside her, as well as a mixing basin and two water flasks, one of which is unusually depicted with a bird-headed terminal…” (Rajasthan, c.1740) / “Dhanasri Ragini: the central emotion is love and the pain of separation. Here a nayika and her companion are outside a sandstone pavilion, shaded by a yellow and red canopy…” (Bundi, c.1680)

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—Phraseologies—

Melodies, movements, characteristics…

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[coming soon]

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—Mandakini Lahiri demo (2021)—

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“This raga retains most of the lakshanas of Poorvi sans the shuddha ma. However, while Poorvi is Ga-based, the breath of Puriya Dhanashree’s life is Pa – most of the tonal activity is centred around that swara. A couple of other additional lakshanas merit mention: the reiteration of GMrG, and a concluding hook-up with Pa from Ga to establish Pa’s dominance [e.g. PMGMrGP]. The aroha prayogas are almost always via NrGMP…” (Rajan Parrikar)

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—Listen—

A brief selection of superb renditions

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–Pandit Jasraj (1987)–

• Mewati khayal (6m): perhaps the highest-quality Jasraj video anywhere on the web, filmed solo in the resonant stone architecture of the Birla Temple in Maharashtra – with intricate gayaki ornaments providing an ideal soundtrack to the scattered shadows and geometric carvings above:

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[refrain, e.g. 1:02] NrG r, r(M)G, GG G(MPMPdMP) M(G)G G(r)r r(S)S, S(r) S(NS)N, (d)NrG, G(PMG)rS…

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–Bhimsen Joshi (1972)–

• Kirana khayal (15m): another remarkably well-filmed vocal excerpt, performing a short alap and a classic bandish – watch his body language to see how he feels the structures of tension and release (also witness his many full–length renditions):

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[motifs, e.g. 11:12] rd(PMP)MG (G)M, M/rN dP(MP)G rS, S(NSr) S(NSP)…

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–Further Recordings–

• Hariprasad Chaurasia (4m): a concise rendition recorded for (and transcribed in) Joep Bor’s invaluable Raga Guide
• Aslam Khan (10m): an AUTRIM pitch-graph (“Why are you being so egoistical? Please understand that this world is ephemeral…”)
• Ravi Shankar (11m): from his wide-selling 1960 India’s Master Musician album, with original touring partner Chatur Lal on tabla
• Nirali Kartik (14m): singing the Payaliya Jhankaar Mori bandish, with Hiren Chate on tabla and Santosh Ghante on harmonium
• Rais Khan (27m): the firebrand sitarist captured in his younger days, with legendary Benares maestro Anokhelal Mishra
• Rashid Khan (29m): an enchanting performance filmed in the early 1990s, supported by both sarangi and harmonium
• Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (38m): the slide guitar pioneer presents an extended alap–jor–jhalla at the 2001 Saptak Festival
• Vinayak Torvi (41m): the Gwalior-Kirana fusioneer on superb form (compare to his guru Bhimsen Joshi’s take above)
• Basavi Mukherjee (44m): a 2003 All India Radio performance, drawing on her discipleship with Kirana queen Prabha Atre
• Malini Rajurkar (54m): the late Gwalior vocalist’s soaring full-length rendition unites disparate emotional shades
• Nikhil Banerjee (78m): a seldom-heard gat, with the Maihar master showcasing his Imdadkhani proximities in drut

• 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: Poorvi thaat, Shree, Basant, Jaitashree, Tankeshree, Gauri Basant

–Proximate Forms–

Todi = ‘Puriya Dhanashree komal ga‘

Din ki Puriya = ‘Puriya Dhanashree no Pa‘

Bhairav = ‘Puriya Dhana. shuddha ma‘

Poorvi = ‘Puriya Dhana. double Ma‘

Maligoura = ‘Puriya Dhana. double Dha‘

Hansa Narayani = ‘Puriya Dhana. no Dha‘

Puriya Kalyan = ‘Puriya Dhana. shuddha Dha‘

(n.b. these are just ‘scalar similarities’, with nothing particular implied about phraseological overlap)

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–r–G–M–P–d–N–S

• Reverse: SrGmMdNS (=Lalit)

• Negative: 4-1-4-1-2 (e.g. Bhupali Todi)

• Imperfect: 2 (Pa, dha)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Basant set

–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Kamavardhini (mela #51)

S-R₁-G₃-M₂-P-D₁-N₃-S

• Jazz: Lydian b2 b6

1-b2-3-#4-5-b6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-4-6-7-8-11-0

(1–3–2–1–1–3–1)

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o o • • o • o o o • • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ni)

• Names: Puriya Dhanashree, Puria Dhanashri, Pooriya Dhanasari

• Transliterations: Hindi (पूरिया धनाश्री); Bengali (পুরিয়া ধানশ্রী); Urdu (پوریا دھناسری); Kannada (ಪೂರಿಯ ಧನಾಶ್ರೀ)

—More—

Further info: links, listenings, learnings, etc

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• Raag Puriya Dhanashree: [coming soon]

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• Header audio: Jor ornaments on mohan veena by Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (2001)
• Header image: ‘Nataraja: Shiva as Cosmic Dancer’, bronze figurine of unknown origin (Commons)

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