S-g-m-D-N-S

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Taking the swaras of ‘Chandrakauns shuddha Dha’, Rajeshwari’s five tones bring an idiosyncratic spin to the Kaunsi-ang, coloured with diffuse tensions. All poorvang swaras are set to their lowest specific position (Sgm), and all uttarang swaras are set to their highest (DNS), with the relief-bringing Re–Pa axis banished throughout. The resulting scale presents significant challenges when it comes to stable melodic resolution: possessing the rare property of ‘fragmentation’ (i.e. at least half its swaras are ‘detached’, with no swara 7 semitones above or below them: in this case ga–Dha–Ni) – as well as a curious ma–Ni tritone, prominent in the droning harmonium tones of Salamat Ali Khan’s rendition (live from an Amritsar Gurdwara, and prefaced by a speech by the Ustad on multi-faith tolerance). Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan, progenitor of the ‘Jafferkhani’ sitar baaj, has also recorded it – as has Adnan Khan, who sings the bandish as well as playing it (at times tempting the ear towards a ma–murchana, bringing chayas of Vachaspati and Amirkhani Kauns). Some sources connect Rajeshwari to Malkauns and Chandrakauns (other audav night ragas comprising generic swaras Sa–Ga–Ma–Dha–Ni, with a strong ma-Sa axis: see melodic analysis). The same scale form is sometimes referred to as ‘Bhinna Kauns‘ (titled for its ‘Malkauns + Bhinna Shadja‘ formula: ‘Sgm+DNS‘).

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राग राजेश्वरी

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SgmDNS

Avroh: SNDmgS

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Pakad: variable, e.g. mDNS, NDm, gmgS

Chalan: (open-form)

• The scale form permits a variety of interpretations – e.g. ‘Chandrakauns shuddha Dha’, ‘Kaushik Dhwani komal ga’, or ‘Patdeep no Re-Pa’

• Shuddha Ni tends to bring the most tension when lengthened or sustained (as in Chandrakauns) – and most artists seem to avoid undue pause on ga (the only komal swara)

• Possesses the rare property of ‘fragmentation’ (i.e. at least half the swaras are ‘detached’ from all samvad relationships: in this case, ga-Dha-Ni) – bringing a ‘diffuse, scattered’ character

• The tense, tritonal ga-Dha and ma-Ni sangatis demand relief – but few clear resolutions are available outside of the stable ma-Sa axis, which offers the raga’s only samvad (e.g. DNS; mgS; gm; Dm)

• The ‘Rajeshwari’ title suggests an association with Parvati (‘raj-eshwari’: ‘queen of kings’) – while the alternate ‘Bhinna Kauns’ name indicates a conscious low-high blending of Malkauns and Bhinna Shadja (Sgm; DNS)

—Adnan Khan (2022)—

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[gat, e.g. 1:31] D(ND) mDNS, N(D), m(g)g (SN)S; (SN)S/g gm, (mgm)Sgm g\S…

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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: Bhinnakauns, Suryakosh

Also see other ragas with generic swaras ‘Sa-Ga-Ma-Dha-Ni‘ – and compare to other members of the Kauns raganga

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–g–m–D–N–S

• Reverse: SrgPDS

• Complement: SrRGMPdnS

• Imperfect: 4 (Sa, ga, Dha, Ni)

• Detached: 3 (ga, Dha, Ni)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Amirkhani Kauns (on ma)

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• Quirks: ‘fragmented‘ (at least half the swaras are detached)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Marga Hindolam

S-G₂-M₁-D₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Melodic Minor (no 2nd/5th)

1-b3-4-6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-3-5-9-11-0

(3–2–4–2–1)

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o • • o • o • • • o • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–ma

• Names: Rajeshwari, Rajeshwaree, Rajeshvari, ~Bhinna Kauns (not Rageshwari)

• Transliterations: Hindi (राजेश्वरी)

—Salamat Ali Khan (1970)—