S-R-G-mM-P-D-N-S

---

Shyam Kalyan (‘Evening Kalyan‘) is a prachalit Kalyan variant. Ga is used sparingly in ascent, and typically skipped in phrases which run through the scale sequentially, and shuddha ma is taken in descent only – while Re is emphasised throughout, and Pa is available as a resting note. As per Tanarang‘s summary, the raga is “a very melodious mixture of Kalyan and Kamod…one should render RMPNS rather than GMPNS, and Ni can sometimes be skipped in avroh“. It bears some resemblance to Shuddha Sarang, while being distinguished by the use of Ga in characteristic vakra phrases such as MPGmR and GmPGmR. Refer to an excellent Darbar rendition by Anupama Bhagwat (jor transcribed below).

---

• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग श्याम कल्याण

Search | Glossary | Tags

• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: NSRMPNS

Avroh: SNDPMP, DPGmP, GmRS

---

Chalan: e.g. SRNS(m)R, RM, MP, PGMR, mRN, RS (Parrikar)

—Anupama Bhagwat (2013)—

---

[jor, e.g. 0:12] (RS)NSGmP G(mG)mP G(mG)mP, MPDP M(PM)P N(D)NND (D)PMPMPM, GmRSNSR R(PMPMRMPD), (G)mR; RPMPMDPD MPGmGRNS, R(m)R(m)R M(P)M(P)G P(D)P(D)P, M(P)MP (D)SNRS (D)NDPM MPD, (DP)MP, Gm RSRS, GmRSNS, S(NSGRSN)…

---

• Ragmalas •

Historic miniature paintings (learn more)

---

“Syam Kalyan: painting from a folio” (Deccan, c.1800) / “Shyam Kalyan, Ragini of Shri: There appears to be some confusion about the name. ‘Kalyan’ is an auspicious male name, and ‘Shyama’ [‘black, dark’] is an epithet for Krishna – but the name of the ragini is rendered as ‘Shyam Kalyan’ [‘Evening Kalyan’] – as in, music to be played late in the day…” (Deccan, c.1760)

---

• 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

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

---

Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Raganga: Bhairav | Malhar | Kan. | Todi

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

• Prakriti: Bihag, Nand, Hameer, Kamod, Maru Bihag, Pat Bihag, Chayanat, Gaud Sarang, Khem Kalyan, Lakshmi Kalyan, Sanjh Saravali

–Proximate Forms–

Bilawal = ‘Shyam Kalyan only ma‘

Yaman = ‘Shyam Kalyan only Ma‘

Bhankari = ‘Shyam Kalyan komal re‘

Shankara = ‘Shyam Kalyan no Ma‘

Chandni Kedar = ‘Shyam Kalyan double Ni‘

(n.b. these are just ‘scalar similarities’, with nothing particular implied about phraseological overlap)

–Swara Geometries–

---

• Core form: S–R–G–mM–P–D–N–S

• Reverse: SrgmMPdnS

• Negative: 3-2-5-2

• Imperfect: 1 (Ma)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (mM—NS)

• Murchanas: Bihag set

---

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

---

–Global Translations–

---

• Carnatic: ~Behag

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-M₂-P-D₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Lydionian

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

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

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

(2–2–1–1–1–2–2–1)

---

o • o • o o o o • o • o o

---

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ni)

• Names: Shyam Kalyan, Syam Kalyan, Shamkalyan, Shyaam Kalyaan, Shyama (archaic)

• Transliterations: Hindi (श्याम कल्याण); Bengali (শ্যাম কল্যাণ)

—Prabha Atre (2014)—