S-R-g-M-P-d-N-S
Borrowed from a South Indian ragam (melakarta scale #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’ on Western curriculums due to its use in multiple folk traditions of Europe, the Mediterranean, and beyond. Seemingly introduced to the Northern ragascape by Ravi Shankar – also see his other Carnatic imports, including Charukeshi, Vachaspati, Kirwani, & Malay Marutam.
• Raga Megalist (365+) •
राग सिंहेन्द्र मध्यमम्
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—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—
(Jayanthi Kumaresh & Aruna Sairam)
[All ragas of Carnatic origin]
• 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
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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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!
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