• Raag Saheli Todi •

S-r-g-P-d-n-S


An invention of vocalist Kumar Gandharva, lying between Bhupali Todi and Bilaskhani Todi via the addition of an avroh komal ni to the former (or the subtraction of ma from the latter). His original renditions linger patiently on the komal re (often intoned with a noticeably higher sruti than is usual for the Todi family), and often avoid rising more than a few tones above mandra saptak for long stretches (dS, Srgr). Pa tends to be weak, and is suppressed entirely for extended segments of his explorations. While I can’t source anything in the way of firsthand melodic instructions, the Gandharva-themed 2023 Kaaljayee Festival featured “aesthetic decoration of the stage, which had notations of the maestro’s composition in Saheli Todi in the backdrop” (blurrily visible here). Also see other Gandharva-authored ragas including Bihad Bhairav, Bhavmat Bhairav, Rati Bhairav, Lagan Gandhar, & Madhusurja.


Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग सहेली तोडी
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Aroha: SrgP, dndS
Avroh: SdndPg, rgrS

Chalan: (uncodified)

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—Kumar Gandharva (1961)—


[bandish, e.g. 1:13] Srg(rg)r, g(rg)rS S(nd), dS, Srg g(rS), Srg\rr(S), Srg(rSr)SS, dS, (r)grS, d(n)d, dSrgrS(nd), dndd, dSS(d), (d)Srg rS S(nd), dSr(S), dSr, dSr, dS(nd)…

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Raag Jog: exploring different ways the electric guitar can support a Dhrupad-ang nomtom (syllabic improvisation)...

(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace

#dhrupad #raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic
Raag Kafi: Electric guitar improv around the adha bandish ‘Aaj Khel Shaam Sang Hori’

(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace

#raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic #ragaguitar
Raag Jog: some sawal-jawab (‘question-answer’) fun with Marc Clayton on tabla

(From ‘Around the World in Eight Ragas’: my show with Ashwin Baliga & Marc Clayton at Mehfil Space on 11 Jun 2026) @ashwinbaligaofficial @marc_plays_tabla @mehfilspace 

#raga #indianmusic #icm #worldmusic #ragaguitar
Some tintal improv around a wonderful Durga bandish I’ll be playing at @mehfilspace @the_rose_hill in Brighton on Thu 11th June! with vocalist @ashwinbaligaofficial and @marc_plays_tabla

https://therosehill.co.uk/event/the-mehfil-space-presents-around-the-world-in-8-ragas/

‘Around the World in 8 Ragas’: exploring cross-cultural melodic forms (e.g. scales that turn up independently in Japan, India, Mali, etc)

#indianmusic #raga #icm #brightonmusic #ragaguitar

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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

Thaat: 10 | 32Enclosed | Inexact

Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra

Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row


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.

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• Prakriti: (none found)
See all shadav ragas which omit Ma – and also compare to other members of the Todi raganga

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–Swara Geometries–

Core form: SrgPdnS
Reverse: SRGmDNS
Complement: SRGmMDNS (=Deepavali)
Imperfect: 2 (Pa, ni)
Detached: none
Symmetries: none
Murchanas: Gaud (on dha)

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–Global Translations–

Carnatic: (~Bhavapriya)
S-R1-G2-P-D1-N2-S
Jazz: Phrygian (no 4th)
1-b2-b3-5-b6-b7-8
Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-1-3-7-8-10-0
(1–2–4–1–2–2)

o o • o • • • o o • o • o


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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Saheli Todi, Sahali Todi
• Transliterations: Hindi (सहेली तोडी)

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—Tanavi Jagdale (2023)—

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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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