Chaya | SRGmMPDnNS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-R-G-mM-P-D-nN-S

Despite its long history, Chaya (also called Shuddha Chaya) is now largely overshadowed by its compounds, chiefly including Chayanat. According to sarodiya Rahul Bhattacharya, the raga is “in many aspects a more restrained version of Chayanat”, chiefly distinguished by its poorvang-dominance and weaker treatment of komal ni – although Deepak Raja notes that “even learned musicians report that some compositions are indistinguishable”. Raja also gives unique phrases including RGmPDDP, adding that Buddhadev Dasgupta considers the raga proximate to Shuddha Kalyan via an emphasis on Re and Dha. Most modern renditions seem to be on sarod (e.g. Bhattacharya & Soumya Chakraverty) – although Bhimsen Joshi was known to perform it in conjunction with Chaya Malhar (the term ‘chaya’ translates as ‘shadow’: and may also describe ‘subtle shades’ of a particular sonic element: e.g. Dhavalshree often contains ‘chayas’ of Puriya Dhanashree).

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Aroha: SRGmPDS

Avroh: SNDPMPR, RGmPGmRS

Chalan: e.g. SR; RGmPD; DP; PS; SNDP; MPR; RGmP; GmRS; RS (Raja)

—Soumya Chakraverty (2018)—

[refrain, e.g. 3:10] D, D PP(M)P, PmR G m DPGGm R, (S)NN S, D, D…

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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 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact

Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra

Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row

Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.

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: Nat Bihag, Chandni Kedar, Saraswati Kedar, Manj Khamaj, Pancham se Gara, Medhavi

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–R–G–mM–P–D–nN–S

• Reverse: SrRgmMPdnS

• Negative: 5-2-5

• Imperfect: 1 (Ma)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (R—d)

• Murchanas: Jaijaiwanti set

• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Hamir Kalyani

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-M₂-P-D₂-N₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Lydian-Mixolydian

1-2-3-4-#4-5-6-b7-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-5-6-7-9-10-11-0

(2–2–1–1–1–2–1–1–1)

o • o • o o o o • o o o o

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Chaya, Shuddha Chaya, Suddha Chhaya

• Transliterations: Hindi (छाया); Bengali (ছায়া)

—Anirban Dasgupta (2019)—

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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!