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

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Despite regional variances, Raisa Kanada is generally considered to be distinguished by an idiosyncratic sequence involving shuddha Dha – given by Ramrang as nDPDPmP. Most interpretations fall close to Shahana (the two names have similar meaning: shahana: ‘of royal demeanour’, ‘raisa’: ‘rich, noble-born’) – with some also linking the raga to Nayaki Kanada, Kafi, Bageshri, or Darbari. Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar explores Dha-laden lines of DnP; PD(nD)m; mPDn; SDnP in her Darbar 2012 rendition (see her demo lesson transcribed below, going much deeper on the raga’s motions). Also refer to renditions by Ramprapanna Bhattacharya (on surbahar), Vikas Kashalkar (a Gwalior rework), and Arun Dravid (“for an intimate concert which highlighted the [Jaipur-Atrauli] speciality ragas”, accompanied by esraj). Compare to other members of the Kanada raganga.

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Aroha: SRgmP, mPDnS

Avroh: SDnPDm, mPmgmRS

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Chalan: signatures – e.g. n(Pm)gm RSRS; mPDnP, PSDnPDm, mPDnP, nmP(m)gm, mPmP(m)gm, RSRS (Asanare-Kelkar)

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—Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar (2012)—

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[motifs, e.g. 0:35] n(DSnDn)P, mPDn S\D/n\P, (P)S\mP m\g, (m)gm, m m/n\P/S(n), R(g)S R\nS, (P)nP, P(nmP) m(gm), m(nmP), m\gm, RSR…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar: Amodini—

Here’s a transcription of Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s demo lesson, covering her tradition’s incarnation of the raga (from her superb Amodini: The Joy of Rare Ragas series):

 

“Namaskar, today I am going to talk about Raisa Kanada, a favourite raga of the Jaipur-Atrauli singers. I will begin with the alap: S(Rn)S, nP, nmP(mP)mg, RSR S; SR(mg)m (Pm)P, PD (P)m, mPPD D(SnD)nP nmP(m)gm RSR S; mPnP, mPS, S(Rn)S, nSRS RnSD D(SDnDn)P, PD Pm, PDnSDnP, m(nPm)P mP, mnmP(m)gm RSR, R(nS) nS.

 

Raisa Kanada is a combination of Nayaki Kanada and Shahana Kanada. I will briefly demonstrate these ragas:

• [Nayaki] SR(m)gm mnP, mPnP (P)S, RnnS nPnP, nPnmP(m)gm, gmPmRSR, SRnS, P(m)gm, RSR S
• [Shahana] S(n)D (D)nP, nnPmPS, SSDnP, mPS(n)S, nPnP, nmP(m)gm, DnP, nmP(m)gm, RSR S

Nayaki and Shahana already have many phrases in common. I will raise my thumb for Shahana, and otherwise, I will not show any signs. Now we will see how the raga is elaborated: SR(m)gm, mnP, nPnmP(m)gm, DnP, PD(P)m, PDnS DnP, nmP(m)gm, nnPmP(m)g RSR S; mP(m)gm, nnPmP(m)gm PDnS DnP, D(P)m, mPDnS DnP nmP(m)gm, PDDnP, nnPmP(m)gm, RSR S; mPnPS, SnSRS, RnnS DnP, PS DnP Dm, mPDnS Dn(Pn)P nmP(m)gm, nnPmP(m)gm, RSR S.

 

In this way, the combination is done. Some very important phrases of Raisa Kanada are n(Pm)gm RSRS; mPDnP, PSDnPDm, mPPDDnP, nmP(m)gm, mPmP(m)gm, RSR S. I will conclude with a bandish which I received from my guru, Pandit Kanetkar-ji (there is also another version of this bandish, taught to me by Kishori-tai)…”

 

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—Raisa Kanada (Amodini demo)—

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Also see Manjiri’s other Amodini demos: Abhogi Kanada, Bahaduri Todi, Baradi, Dagori, Dev Gandhar, Gauri, Hussaini Todi, Jait Kalyan, Jaitashree, Kabiri Bhairav, Kaunsi Kanada (Nayaki-ang), Khat (Asavari-ang), Khokar, Lalita Gauri, Lanka Dahan Sarang, Malavi, Maligoura, Mudriki Kanada, Ramdasi Malhar, Raisa Kanada, Shukla Bilawal, Sughrai, Suha, Vihang

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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: Kafi thaat, Kafi, Bageshri, Bhimpalasi, Shahana, Desi, Dhanashree, Hussaini Kanada, Mudriki Kanada

Also compare to other members of the Kanada raganga

–Proximate Forms–

Khamaj = ‘Raisa shuddha Ga‘

Patdeep = ‘Raisa shuddha Ni‘

Ahiri = ‘Raisa komal re‘

Darbari = ‘Raisa komal dha‘

Sindhura = ‘Raisa double Ni‘

(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: SRgmPDnS (=itself)

• Complement: SrGMdNS (=Din ki Puriya)

• Imperfect: 1 (Dha)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (S—M)

• Murchanas: Bilawal set

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• Quirks: ‘palindromic‘ (same intervals forwards & backwards) • ‘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: ~Kharaharapriya (mela #22)

S-R₂-G₂-M₁-P-D₂-N₂-S

• Jazz: Dorian

1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-5-7-9-10-0

(2–1–2–2–2–1–2)

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o • o o • o • o • o o • o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Raisa Kanada, Rayasa Kannada, Rais Kanhra

• Transliterations: Hindi (रायसा कानडा)

—Vikas Kashalkar (1999)—