• Raag Shobhawari •

S-R-m-P-d-S


A rare ‘audav Asavari’ raga, matching the swaras of ‘komal Dha Durga’ (or ‘shuddha Re Gunakri‘). While relatively free of specific melodic constraints, the dha assumes natural prominence due to its disbalancing effects: it is involved in the only hemitonic pairing (Pd) and also the widest adjacent jump (dS), while serving as the only detached swara. (n.b. a similar focus can also be observed in other members of the Shivranjani murchana set, e.g. the strength of re in Bairagi and ga in Shivranjani itself). Aslam Khan’s rendition features a komal ga vivadi, while Ronu Majumdar‘s bansuri enchants with rapid movements which traverse the scale’s uneven geometries over the full saptak range. Also refer to a vivid tale from the invaluable RICMP channel: “My first teacher learnt music from multiple Ustads, including Aman Ali Khan of the Bhendibazaar gharana. He taught me numerous rare ragas, taals, and bandishes…However, he was an alcoholic, and often used to get severely intoxicated. Once, he attempted to commit suicide by drowning in the sea. After recovering, he came to my house to continue my training, while I was alone at home. It was evening twilight, and I was experiencing a strange feeling due to the silence. On that day, he taught me Shobhawari: I cannot forget the intensity of his performance…”.


Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग शोभावरी
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Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SRmPdS
Avroh: SdPmRS

Pakad: variable, e.g. mPSdPd; RSdPd
Chalan: (open-form)

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—Aslam Khan (~2000s)—


[bandish, e.g. 1:18] RSd(Pd) SR, (RSR)S, d/S S(dSd)R, m\R m\R (RSR)S S; SRm(Pm) (m)P P, mPS(dSd)S S, (dSdS)R R(SR)S, (dS)d, (Pd)P, (mP)m, (RS)R S;  RSd(Pd) SR, (RSR)S

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• Recent Raga Index Updates (Sep 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+)

Salaman (Toumani Diabaté & Ballaké Sissoko): I’ve loved this composition since ripping it from a Frome Library CD when I was 14... Originally performed by the legendary kora duet on their ‘New Ancient Strings’ album, Based on ‘Tita’, a love song from Western Mali (...the b6 has a ‘between minor and major’ tuning...handled here with a messy bend)

And if you like this stuff then check out Derek Gripper, the true master of arranging Toumani Diabaté for the guitar! @derek_gripper 

#kora #worldmusic #mali #africanmusic #guitarsolo @toumanidiabatemusic @ballake.sissoko
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

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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)
Also see other ragas matching the generic swarasSa-Re-Ma-Pa-Dha

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–Swara Geometries–

Core form: SRmPdS
Reverse: SGmPnS
Complement: SrgGMDnNS
Imperfect: 2 (Re, dha)
Detached: 1 (dha)
Symmetries: none
Murchanas: Shivranjani set

Quirks: ‘jagged‘ (no ‘adjacent interval repetitions’)

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–Global Translations–

Carnatic: ~Sutradhari
S-R2-M1-P-D1-S
Jazz: Aeolian (no 3rd/7th)
1-2-4-5-b6-8
Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-5-7-8-0
(2–3–2–1–4)

o • o • • o • o o • • • o


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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Shobhawari, Shobhavari, Shobwari, Shobha Vari
• Transliterations: Hindi (शोभावरी)

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—Ronu Majumdar (1987)—

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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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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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