• Raag Purva •

S-r-G-M-P-D-N-S


As per Deepak Raja’s insightful analysis, “Purva [bears] resemblance to Puriya in terms of swara material, phraseology, melodic centre of gravity, and aural impression” – also adding that, while sitarist Vilayat Khan considered the raga indistinguishable from Puriya Kalyan, it is in fact marked out by “differential weightages given to different segments of the octave…It is difficult for two ragas of such subtle differentiation to coexist”. Attributed by Bhatkhande, based on limited textual evidence, as having derived from “a combination of Poorvi, Maru, and Gauri” (also see Puriya Dhanashree). Not to be confused with Purba (although mistitlings are common) – and some renditions seem to take a komal dha rather than the shuddha.


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—Vilayat Khan (1970s)—


[refrain, e.g. 17:24] P(MDP) P(MP), MG, M, (M)G G, G(MG)rG, (P)MM D(N) D(PMP), G(PG), S(rS), S(NS), S(NS)N P(DN), MP, MG M, G G…

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• Classifiers •

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 | 32Enclosed | 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.

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• Prakriti: Marwa thaat, Puriya Kalyan, Shree Kalyan, Purva, Baradi

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–Swara Geometries–

Core form: SrGMPDNS
Reverse: SrgmMdNS
Negative: 4-1-2-3-2 (e.g. Sundarkauns)
Imperfect: 2 (re, Pa)
Detached: none
Symmetries: none
Murchanas: Deepavali (on Pa)

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–Global Translations–

Carnatic: ~Purvikalyani
S-R1-G3-M2-P-D2-N3-S
Jazz: Lydian b2
1-b2-3-#4-5-6-7-8
Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-1-4-6-7-9-11-0
(1–3–2–1–2–2–1)

o o • • o • o o • o • o o


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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ni)
• Names: Purva, Purava, Purvya (not Purba)

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—Jitendra Abhisheki (1988)—

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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!

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