Raj Kalyan | SRGMDNS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-R-G-M-D-N-S

A ‘Kalyan no Pa’ melody devised by Gwalior vocal innovator Vasantrao Deshpande (although he may well have seen it more like a ‘Marwa shuddha Re’). Parrikar describes how “the relief-inducing nyas on Pa is missing, giving a ‘restive’ persona”, while Ocean of Ragas gives a pakad of GmD, DmGR, NRS. Generally treated as hexatonic in both ascent and descent, although some artists may render the Re as durbal on the way up – and debate continues as to whether the vadi–samvadi are Ga–Ni (the ‘natural’ geometric choice) or Re–Dha (as per the Marwa-ang). Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Arun Dravid notes in a 2020 lecture that Raj Kalyan’s SRGMDNS swara set is an exact match for the near-extinct Maru, now better-known as a parent of Maru Bihag (Dravid mentions that some artists use the names interchangeably: although to my ears, Raj Kalyan is a distinct form). Also prakriti with Hindol Kalyan, an ultra-rare raga sung by Amir Khan.

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राग राज कल्याण

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—Vasantrao Deshpande (1975)—

[refrain, e.g. 0:24] SN(D), NS N(D), N S S, N N(D) D(SD), (NR)N\D N(DS), S(RSNSND), R(GR)GRS, NRG(R)G(MRG)RS…

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• Recent Raga Index Updates (Jan 2026): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans Sarang, Bayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, Kaushiki, Latangi, Maru, Palas, Sarangkauns, Shivanjali, Shrutivardhini • ‘Bifurcations‘: analysis via ‘poorvang + uttarang’ formulas • DoGa Kalyan & the Beatles’ Blue Jay Way • Amir Khan’s ‘168 merukhands’ • Uncovered Prabhateshwari‘s origins • Transcribed Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s ‘Amodini‘ lec-dems • Experiments (e.g overtonal Bhairav, jazz Malkauns) • Survey of Sa Tunings • More Masterlist ragas (1000+)

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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 | 32 | Enclosed | 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.

• Prakriti: Maru

Also see other shadav ragas which omit Pa

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–R–G–M–D–N–S

• Reverse: SrgMdnS (=Mangal Gujari)

• Negative: 3-2-2-2-1-2 (e.g. Mangal Gujari)

• Imperfect: 2 (Sa, Ma)

• Detached: 1 (Sa)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Jansammohini (on Re)

• Quirks: ‘detached Sa‘ • ‘reverse form = negative form‘

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Mruganandana

S-R₂-G₃-M₂-D₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Lydian (no 5th)

1-2-3-#4-6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-6-9-11-0

(2–2–2–3–2–1)

o • o • o • o • • o • o o

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Raj Kalyan, Rajkalyan, Raja Kalyan, ‘Pancham-virahit Kalyan’, (n.b. some use the term ‘Maru‘ interchangably: see above)

• Transliterations: Hindi (राज कल्याण)

—Rahul Deshpande (2008)—

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Sa | Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni

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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!