S-R-G-m-d-n-S
A captivating shadav raga created by my own sitar guru-ji Pandit Shivnath Mishra, resembling ‘Charukeshi no Pa’. The only known recording is a brief clip by his sarod student Pat Lambdin, filmed at a 2024 Vermont concert with Amit Kavthekar on fine tabla form (mukhda: dnSRG; GmGRS). [More info to follow…]. Compare to Imratkauns, the only known prakriti – and for more on my guru-ji’s life and sonic innovations, watch his Ahir Bhairav performance (filmed by the BBC aboard a Ganges riverboat) and read a brief bio article (“In a family of vocalists, he was the first to master the sitar…His lively, powerful, and unique style draws from the [musical traditions] of Benares…the gayaki of dhrupad, thumri, tappa, chaiti, hori, kajri, and dadra are all applied in his instrumentals…”). According to his son and disciple Deobrat Mishra, he has also created two other ragas – Ganga Ranjani and Atal Kalyan – neither of which seem to have been formally recorded yet either. Compare to other ragas created by 20th-century sitarists, including Parameshwari, Madhyami, Monomanjari, Imratkauns, Tulsikauns, Enayetkhani Kanada, and Ek Prakar ki Kauns.
• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग शिव मंजरी
Search | Glossary | Tags
• Hindustani Raga Index •
—Pat Lambdin (2024)—
[lehra, e.g. 5:22] dnSRG, G m G\R S; dnSRG, G m G\R S; dnSRG…
Support open-access, AI-free raga musicology by joining my PATREON. And to learn raga & global music on guitar, try some online lessons: get in touch to book a free taster session!
• Recent Raga Index Updates (Oct 2026): Melodic ‘snapshots’ of prachalit ragas • Up to 365 raga pages! Some highlights: Bayati, Basant Mukhari, Bilaskhani Todi, Chandranandan, DoGa Kalyan, Jog, Kalavati, Kaushiki, Malkauns, Maru, Meladalan, Parameshwari, Sarangkauns, Vachaspati (+ try out ‘Audav Meladalan‘) • What does ‘Kauns’ mean? Analysing 60+ Kauns ragas • ‘Bifurcations‘: ‘poorvang vs. uttarang’ splits • Amir Khan’s ‘168 merukhands’ • Experiments (e.g. overtonal Bhairav, jazz Malkauns) • Survey of Sa Tunings • More Masterlist ragas (1000+)
Multi-step meend in Raag Bageshri: some riyaz improv in one of my all-time favourite ragas
#raga #jazzguitar #indianmusic #icm #londonmusic
Sep 30
E8 Boogie (Squarepusher): @sqpusher did I get them right? Tried to work out guitar voicings for this curious chord sequence in E8 Boogie (…originally at the request of a student!)
Original: Squarepusher/Tom Jenkinson (from 1997’s Hard Normal Daddy)
#jungle #jazzguitar #warprecords #idm #dnb @warprecords
Sep 27
Raag Jaiwanti Todi (SrgmPDnS): An Ahiri-prakriti raga introduced by Maharaja Jaiwant Singh Waghela (1904-1980): the hereditary ruler of Sanand who gained wide renown as a spiritual teacher, vocal educator, and generous patron of the nascent Mewati gharana (also the creator of Gyankali and other ragas). Sung here by his student Pandit Jasraj – a bandish I’ve always loved, especially the ferocious taan and colourful harmonium accompaniment…
—Original: Pandit Jasraj (khayal); Appa Jalgaonkar (harmonium); Nizamuddin Khan? (tabla)
#raga #khayal #indianmusic #worldmusic #icm
Sep 22
Raag Prabhateshwari (SrgmPDnS): A mysterious raga created by Hariprasad Chaurasia, played here by his nephew Rakesh – resembling a blend of the morning Ahir Bhairav and the late night Bageshri. I was inspired to learn the raga when researching Maa Annapurna Devi’s time teaching Hariprasad (many thanks to my crack team of experts including Rupak Kulkarni, Alam Khan, George Ruckert, Suresh Vyas, Anindya Banerjee, and Gopi Shanker, who all gave valuable assistance in illuminating the raga’s origins)
—Original: Rakesh Chaurasia (bansuri), live at Darbar 2008 @chaurasia_rakesh @darbarfestival
#raga #darbarfestival #indianmusic #bansuri #worldmusic
Sep 15
• 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 | 32 | Enclosed | 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.
• Prakriti: Imratkauns, Rageshri Kauns
See all shadav ragas which omit Pa
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–R–G–m–d–n–S
• Reverse: SRGPdnS
• Complement: SrgMPDNS (=Madhu Multani)
• Imperfect: 4 (Sa, Re, Ga, dha)
• Detached: 3 (Re, Ga, dha)
• Symmetries: none
• Murchanas: none
• Quirks: ‘fragmented‘ (at least half the swaras are detached)
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: (~Charukeshi)
S-R2-G3-M1-D1-N2-S
• Jazz: Mixolydian b6 (no 5th)
1-2-3-4-b6-b7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-4-5-8-10-0
(2–2–1–3–2–2)
o • o • o o • • o • o • o
• Tanpura: Sa–ma
• Names: Shiv Manjari, Shivmanjari
• Transliterations: Hindi (शिव मंजरी)
• ‘Guitaragas’ | My Music •
See more raga-guitar on my Instagram
• Learn ragas & filmi on guitar! •
Share these ragas! My site is 100% reliant on organic visitors – send this page to fellow sonic searchers!
—Join my PATREON!—
The Raga Index will always remain open-access & ad-free: however, this approach doesn’t pay the bills! I put as much into these resources as time and finances allow – so, to hasten the project’s expansion, you can:
• Support the Raga Index! •
—Riyaz-focused notations & bandish—
—Resurrecting rare and ancient ragas—
—Further melodic & geometric analysis—
—Ensuring that high-quality raga knowledge will remain open to all, at no cost: free from commercial motive!—
—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!
–Masterlist (1000+ ragas)–
• Search: Find your new favourite •
• Tags: Classifying the ragascape •
• Glossary: Raga jargon demystified •
• Murchanas: Swara-set rotations •
• Thaat: Bhatkhande’s base scales •
• Bifurcations: Poorvangs/uttarangs •
• Ragatable: Analytical connections •
• Kaunsis: Listing 60+ Kauns ragas •
• Tanpuras: Divine overtonal drones •
• Quotes: Musings from raga artists •
• Talas: Hindustani rhythm cycles •
• Instruments: Singing sculptures •
¡Random Raga!
—Search the Raga Index—
(NEW: search by swaras/varjits)
• Feedback / Contact •
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!
• Projects & articles: full list •
(Get in touch for Zoom lessons!)
my site is ad-free, AI-free, & open-access