S-R-m-P-D-S

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Perhaps the oldest surviving Malhar raga (‘shuddha’, as well as referring to ‘pure’ or ‘unaltered’ specific swaras, can also designate a ‘primary’ or ‘original’ quality: as with the similarly-ancient Shuddha Basant), marked by “a ponderous gait and a meend-rich contour”. As per the accompanying notes to a K.G. Ginde lecture, Shuddha Malhar is distinguished from its prakritis Durga and Jaldhar Kedar through the ucharana of its m(m)R; (m)RP kernel, as well as uttarang motions of mP(S)DS, SDPm (although Ginde considers all three to share a ma–Sa vadi–samvadi, plus Pa as a further nyas). See melodic summary below, and refer to Lalita J. Rao’s energetic demo, and a summary of insights gleaned from assorted shastras – and compare to other ancient Malhars including Gaud Malhar and Arun Malhar.

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• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग शुद्ध मल्हार

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SRm, PDS

Avroh: SDP, mRS

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Chalan: signatures e.g. SRm; mR; (m)RP; mPDS; (DP)m; mR; (m)RPRm; RS (Ginde)

• Built around the ‘ancestral Malhar’ phrases mm\R; m\R/P, which should be rendered with dynamic meend and sliding motions

• The shuddha ma vadi is used as a launchpoint and a stopping tone in both directions (e.g. mPSDS; SDPm), as well as to ornament shuddha Re from above (e.g. m\R; (m)R, m(Rm)R/P)

• Shuddha Dha, though vital to the raga image, is rarely paused on or elongated – revealed in phrases such as mP(S)DS; (D)SRS; S\DD; DPm

• Prakriti with Durga and Jaldhar Kedar, both of which share its strong ma-Sa axis – although the ucharana and phrase-patterns differ markedly (e.g. to steer clear of Durga, avoid motions such as RmPD; SDDm; D(P)mP – and to differentiate from Jaldhar Kedar, avoid the Kedar-ang SRSm; PRS)

• Inseparable from the powers of the monsoon, thus inviting bold, fluid ornament patterns – although generally performed at more restrained tempos than other Malhar ragas

—Lalita J. Rao (1994)—

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[refrain, e.g. 0:36] m\RR PP S\DD (D)SRS, SDP, m\RR PP S\DD (D)SRS…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Raga Malhar Darshan—

Dr. Geeta Banerjee’s 1999 book Raga Malhar Darshan gives further context on the long history of the Malhar lineage. As per a summary from Rajan Parrikar (like Banerjee, a disciple of legendary Malhar vocalist Ramrang): “Three major time periods are identified in the development of the Malhars: prachina [pre-15th century], madhyakalina [15th-18th centuries], and arvachina [19th century onwards]. Shuddha Malhar, Megh Malhar and Gaud Malhar belong to the first period; and many of the Malhars we relish today fall to the second lot”.

 

Indeed, the opening chapter of Dr. Banerjee’s book is dedicated to Shuddha Malhar itself, noting that the raga is mentioned in “ancient texts such as the Sangita Ratnakara [C13th], Sangit Parijat [1650], Raga Manjari [C16th], Sangita Darpana [c.1625], Raga Tarangini [c.1700], and a host of other treatises…”. Get Dr. Banerjee’s Malhar book here (Hindi language: anyone want to help me translate it?) – and also refer to her superb summary of how to handle Megh Malhar’s vital shuddha Re.

 

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—Priya Purushothaman demo (2024)—

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“Many legendary maestros – like Tansen, Baiju Bawra, Baba Ramdas, Nayak Charju, Miyan Bakshu, Tantarang, Tanras Khan, Bilas Khan, Hameer Sen, Surat Sen, and Krishna devotee Meera Bai – are said to have been capable of starting rains using various kinds of Malhar; according to Dr. Geeta Banerjee, author of ‘Raga Malhar Darshan’…” (Kul Bhushan)

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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: Durga, Jaldhar Kedar

Also see other ragas with the generic swaras ‘Sa-Re-Ma-Pa-Dha‘ – and compare to the rest of the Malhar raganga

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–m–P–D–S

• Reverse: SgmPnS (=Dhani)

• Complement: SrgGMdnNS

• Imperfect: 1 (Dha)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (r—P)

• Murchanas: Bhupali set

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• Quirks: ‘atritonal‘ (no available tritones) • ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’) • ‘Pa-repeating‘ (poorvang and uttarang take the same ‘semitone shape’)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Suddha Saveri

S-R₂-M₁-P-D₂-S

• Jazz: Ritusen Pentatonic

1-2-4-5-6-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-5-7-9-0

(2–3–2–2–3)

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o • o • • o • o • o • • o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Shuddha Malhar, Suddha Malhara

• Transliterations: Hindi (शुद्ध मल्हार); Bengali (শুদ্ধ মল্লার)

—Bismillah Khan (~1990s)—