S-gG-m-P-d-nN-S

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Despite captivating millions of listeners, Shivanjali is known to the world through a single performance. Conceived by bansuri master Hariprasad Chaurasia as a tribute to his close friend and collaborator Shivkumar Sharma, its lone unveiling came at a whole-night Stuttgart concert in 1995, with Shiv-ji in the audience (‘Shiv-anjali’: ‘Reverences to Shivkumar’). Comments left by the upload’s 2.7m viewers demonstrate the raga’s emotional power: “Heavenly, incomparable, eternal, bringing you closer to God”; “Mesmerizing, serene, carrying us to the abode of Lord Shiva”; “Like flying without boundaries on unknown paths, embracing the force of powerful winds”; “The touch of coolness on a moonlit night…the silver shine of the full moon on a lake”; “If I could keep only my sight or my hearing then [I would usually choose] sight…Then I listen to this soul-touching music and I have conflicted views”; “I named my daughter Shivanjali after this track”. Hinting at various ragas including Malkauns (SndnS), Jogkauns (GmgS), Nandkauns (SGmdPmg), and Chandrakauns (gmdNS), Shivanjali also features unusual chromatic movements between adjacent swaras (SNn, mGg), with the komal shades sometimes being rendered much more softly than their preceding shuddha positions (…the word ‘komal’ derives from a Sanskrit term meaning ‘soft’). Shuddha Ga is often used as a melodic launchpoint, and the high shuddha Ni is used sparingly (not appearing for over 14 mins) – alongside other subtle features including a slight kan of shuddha Re when moving to komal ga (also mirrored higher in the scale as (g)G and (P)d). Shivanjali’s future is uncertain, with no indication that Hariprasad will ever perform or record it again – it may remain ‘frozen in time’, forever fixed in form to its single showcase almost 30 years ago. Also see Prabhateshwari (another Chaurasia creation) – and to learn more about Shivkumar Sharma’s life and santoor innovations, see Antardhwani, Rasikpriya, & Raga Quotes & Tales.

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राग शिवांजलि

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

—Hariprasad Chaurasia (1995)—

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[alap, e.g. 20:58] S Gm Gm(P) P(dP) P(mGm) m, P(dP) g(mg) g, d(nSnSgSnd)m (Pm)G G, mdn n(SngSndmG)m m(gm)g g md S Gmd P(mG)m m, SGmP GPmG Pmgm SgnS (g)S n\d n(Snmgm) (gm)g (R)g, (g)m g(mgS) S(gSgSn), n(Sd) n(d) (P)d, dnS, dn(g)S S(mGm) SGm Gm(gS), Sg(mgSn) n(Snd), d(SnSnd) S(nSnd)n 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

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.

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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: (none found)

Also see other shadav ragas which omit Re

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–gG–m–P–d–nN–S

• Reverse: SrRGmPdDS

• Negative: 3-4-1-4

• Imperfect: 2 (Pa, Ni)

• Detached: 0

• Symmetries: mirror (rR—Pd)

• Murchanas: (none found)

–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: (~Ragavardhini)

S-G₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₁-N₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Aeolian dbl.3rd/7th (no 2nd)

1-b3-3-4-5-b6-b7-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-3-4-5-7-8-10-11-0

(3–1–1–2–1–2–1–1)

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o • • o o o • o o • o o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–ma

• Names: Shivanjali, Shiv-Anjali

• Transliterations: Hindi (शिवांजलि)

—Suhatra Chaudhury (2025)—