S-R-g-P-D-S

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A spellbinding raga resembling ‘Bhupali komal ga’ (or ‘Kafi no ma/ni’), Shivranjani’s melodies, described by Kalakar as “plaintive and haunting”, are said to appease the destructive rage of Lord Shiva (a similar mythology to that of Malkauns). Tanarang suggests illustrative combinations of SRgP; PDPgR; gRgSR DS, although interpretations vary greatly within the scale’s pentatonic bounds – and the raga may arrive in mishra form (e.g. the double-sitar jugalbandi below by my own gurus Shivnath & Deobrat Mishra: a ‘mishra-Mishra’ rendition). Derived from the congruent Carnatic Sivranjani, the raga remains generally more popular with instrumentalists than vocalists (although Lata Mangeshkar has successfully set it in filmi). Also see my collaborator Jesse Bannister’s solo saxophone take, recorded in a highly resonant Cumbrian Cave in the North of England. Compare to proximate swara-sets such as Bhupali (SRGPDS), Japaniya (SRgPdS), Bhupeshwari (SRGPdS), Trishnaa (SRgGPdDS), and Lagan Gandhar (SRgg̃GPDS, with a ‘triple Ga’). Vocalist Moumita Mitra mentions that the equivalent scale form is sometimes known as ‘Maalti’ in Pakistan.

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• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग शिवरंजनी

Search | Glossary | Tags

• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SRgPDS

Avroh: SDPgRS

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Pakad: variable, e.g. SRgPD; PgRSDS

Chalan: (open-form) – illustrative sequences e.g. SRgPD, PDPgR, RgRSR DS (Tanarang)

—Shivnath & Deobrat Mishra (2013)—

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[mishra refrain, e.g. 3:37] DSgg, gRS, RRgR, (R)SSGG, GPDP, ggRS(R)S…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Imagery: Shiva’s Tandav (Badami)—

“Salutations to Lord Shiva, whose hair is like a dense forest, whose throat is wet by the pure, flowing water of the Ganga; the snakes resting around his neck are like garlands; ‘Dhaga-dhaga-dhaga’ sound the drums, describing the passionate dance of the fearless Shiva…” (Shiva Tandava Stotra)

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• Carnatic Origins •

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—Ragam Shivaranjani—

(A. Kanyakumari & V. Sanjeev)

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–All ragas of Carnatic origin–

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• Guitaragas •

My attempts to capture the raga on electric guitar (see more on my Insta)

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—Sitarkhani improv (electric guitar)—

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A brief electric guitar improvisation in sitarkhani taal (working on different ways to return to the sthayi)

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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: (none found)

Also see other ragas matching the generic swaras ‘Sa-Re-Ga-Pa-Dha‘

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–g–P–D–S

• Reverse: SgmDnS (=Sundarkauns)

• Complement: SrGmMdnNS

• Imperfect: 2 (ga, Dha)

• Detached: 1 (ga)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Shivranjani set

–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: Sivaranjani

S-R₂-G₂-P-D₂-S

• Jazz: Dorian (no 4th/7th)

1-2-b3-5-6-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-7-9-0

(2–1–4–2–3)

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o • o o • • • o • o • • o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+ga)

• Names: Shivranjani, Sivranjani

• Transliterations: Hindi (शिवरंजनी); Kannada (ಶಿವರಂಜನಿ); Malayalam (ശിവരഞ്ജനി); Tamil (சிவரஞ்சனி); Telugu (శివరంజని); Sinhala (ශිවරංජනී)

—Jesse Bannister (2011)—