Simhendra Madhyamam | SRgMPdNS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-R-g-M-P-d-N-S

Borrowed from a South Indian ragam (mela #57), Simhendra Madhyamam takes the form of ‘Kirwani tivra Ma’, ‘Todi shuddha re’, or ‘Madhuvanti komal dha’. Despite the broad popularity of its Carnatic congruent (hailed by Charulatha Mani as “regal, meditative, bold, and striking”), the raga remains rare in the North – with its phraseological norms and guidelines left correspondingly uncodified (although Re assumes prominence as a nyas in most recordings). Also featured in my ‘expanded thaat list’ of 32 sampurna scales – and known as the ‘Hungarian Minor’ due to its use in various folk traditions of Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and beyond. Seemingly introduced to the Northern ragascape by Ravi Shankar, with his most prominent recording being from the 1956 Three Ragas album (as pointed out by Chris Stephens, the great sitarist also used it on his soundtrack for the 1966 Chappaqua film: a cult classic featuring cameos from William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Moondog, Ornette Coleman, and Swami Satchidananda). Also see Shankar’s other Carnatic imports, including Charukeshi, Vachaspati, Kirwani, & Malay Marutam.

• Raga Megalist (365+) •

राग सिंहेन्द्र मध्यमम्

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

—Ravi Shankar (1956)—

[gat, e.g. 6:58] (P)Md S, (S)NS (S)dP; MP gRS, RRS NSRgMP…

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• Carnatic Origins •

—Ragam Simhendramadhyamam (mela #57)—

(Jayanthi Kumaresh & Aruna Sairam)

–All ragas of Carnatic origin–

• Recent Raga Index Updates (Jan 2026): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans Sarang, Bayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, Kaushiki, Latangi, Maru, Palas, Sarangkauns, Shivanjali, Shrutivardhini • ‘Bifurcations‘: analysis via ‘poorvang + uttarang’ formulas • DoGa Kalyan & the Beatles’ Blue Jay Way • Amir Khan’s ‘168 merukhands’ • Uncovered Prabhateshwari‘s origins • Transcribed Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s ‘Amodini‘ lec-dems • Experiments (e.g overtonal Bhairav, jazz Malkauns) • Survey of Sa Tunings • More Masterlist ragas (1000+)

• 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

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: Thaat #7

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–R–g–M–P–d–N–S

• Reverse: SrGmMDnS (=Ahir Lalit)

• Negative: 3-3-1-4-1 (e.g. Bibhas)

• Imperfect: 3 (Re, ga, Ma)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (r—P)

• Murchanas: Bhairav set

• Quirks: ‘centred‘ (constellation balances at the wheel’s centrepoint)

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: Simhendramadhyamam (mela #57)

S-R₂-G₂-M₂-P-D₁-N₃-S

• Jazz: Hungarian Minor

1-2-b3-#4-5-b6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-6-7-8-11-0

(2–1–3–1–1–3–1)

o • o o • • o o o • • o o

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Simhendra Madhyamam, Simhendramadhyamama, Sumadhyuti (archaic)

• Transliterations: Hindi (सिंहेन्द्र मध्यमम्)

—Ravi Shankar (1985)—

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—Hindustani Raga Index—

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!

–Megalist (365+ ragas)–

• Search: Find your new favourite •
• Tags: Classifying the ragascape •
• Glossary: Raga jargon demystified •
• Murchanas: Swara-set rotations •
• Thaat: Bhatkhande’s base scales •
• Bifurcations: Poorvangs/uttarangs •
• Ragatable: Analytical connections •
• Tanpuras: Divine overtonal drones •
• Quotes: Musings from raga artists •
• Talas: Hindustani rhythm cycles •
• Instruments: Singing sculptures •
• Masterlist: 1000+ ragas profiled •

Sa | Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni

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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!