• Raag Savani •

S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S


An evening raga, which, despite its regular titling of ‘Savani Kalyan’, usually lies closer to Bihag than the Kalyan family – chiefly via avoiding tivra Ma, and giving greater strength to the SaPa sangati. In the raga’s main incarnation, Dha and Ni are often rendered durbal, and may be skipped via PSP turnarounds (although Jaipur-Atrauli singers give Dha a role in runs such as GmD, DmPG) – however Moutal documents several alternate forms which draw more from the Kalyan-ang: including ‘Shuddha Kalyan + Nat’ (“mentioned by R. Vaze, but unexplained and probably obsolete”), ‘Shuddha Kalyan + Bihag’ (“chalan PmG; RS; GmGm; PGm; GRS; NDP; PNS”), and ‘Shuddha Kalyan + SmGm and a nyas on Dha’ (“given by Bhatkhande [and] performed during the first prahar of night…in this type, the Bihag element is reduced to the maximum”). Parrikar, highlighting the role of the mPG cluster, recommends four Bihag-ang renditions (all in jhaptal): by Ramrang (Deva Mahadeva), Kumar Gandharva (Jaane Akala Saba), Mogubai Kurdikar (Deva Deva Satsanga), and Mallikarjun Mansur (accompanied by his wife Gangamma). Also see other members of the Bihag raganga such as Bihagda, Bihagara, Nat Bihag, and Pat Bihag.


Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग सावनी
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—Narayanrao Bodas (2016)—


[refrain, e.g. 3:16] Gm(G)P mP G (R)S, (SN)S S(NRS) S, R\N S, G m G, G(mGPmG)m P/S(NRSN)S, S\P P\G, Gm/D mP(G), G (Gm)P (m)P G (R)S…

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• Recent Raga Index Updates (Jan 2026): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans SarangBayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, KaushikiLatangi, 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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• 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


Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

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: Bilawal thaat, Bilawal, Bihari, Tilak Kamod, Nat, Hem Bihag, Swanandi, Gagan Vihang, Maluha, Mand, Chaya Malhar, Hemant, Loom, Manjari Bihag
Also compare to other members of the Bihag raganga (n.b. despite the ‘Savani Kalyan’ title, many forms of the raga show few hints of the Kalyan-ang)

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–Swara Geometries–

Core form: SRGmPDNS
Reverse: SrgmPdnS (=Bhairavi)
Negative: 3-2-3-2-2 (e.g. Malkauns)
Imperfect: 1 (Ni)
Detached: none
Symmetries: mirror (R—d)
Murchanas: Bilawal set

Quirks: maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’) • ‘Pa-repeating‘ (poorvang and uttarang take the same ‘semitone shape’)

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–Global Translations–

Carnatic: ~Sankarabharanam (mela #29)
S-R2-G3-M1-P-D2-N3-S
Jazz: Major / Ionian
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-4-5-7-9-11-0
(2–2–1–2–2–2–1)

o • o • o o • o • o • o o


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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Savani, Savini
• Transliterations: Hindi (सावनी)

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—Mallikarjun Mansur (1992)—

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Hindustani Raga Index

An open-ended project seeking to bring North Indian raga closer to all who approach with open ears. Combines direct input from dozens of leading Hindustani artists with in-depth insights from music history, global theory, performance practice, cognitive science, and much more besides!

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