Sonakshi | SrGmMPdDNS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-r-G-mM-P-dD-N-S

From my 2018 Darbar interview with Maihar bansuri maestro Rupak Kulkarni: “I created Sonakshi [‘Golden-Eyed‘] so I could experience a raga which was suitable for any time of day. I believe we have different mindsets depending on the hour: in the morning our mood is spiritual and fresh, and in the evening it is has more longing, and perhaps tiredness too. So, to mix these emotions up, I took a few phrases from Lalit and Bhairav [dawn] and blended them with those from Marwa [sunset]”. His new raga – which thus bridges both sandhiprakash – seems to have gone unrecorded (…as far as I can tell: the search is somewhat complicated by the fact that Sonakshi is also the name of Kulkarni’s supremely fun fusion group).

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राग सोनाक्षी

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—Rupak Kulkarni (2008)—

[Lalit/Bhairav/Marwa motifs, e.g.] GmMm; MmG / dmPG; Gm(G)rS / NrGMD; DMGrS…

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• 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+)

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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: Purba, Bhankar, Sazgiri, Lalita Gauri

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–r–G–mM–P–dD–N–S

• Reverse: SrgGmMPdNS

• Negative: 4-1-7

• Imperfect: 2 (Pa, dha)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: none

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Kashiramakriya

S-R₁-G₃-M₁-M₂-P-D₁-D₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Double Harmonic (dbl. 4th/6th)

1-b2-3-4-#4-5-b6-6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-1-4-5-6-7-8-9-11-0

(1–3–1–1–1–1–1–2–1)

o o • • o o o o o o • o o

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Sonakshi

• Transliterations: Hindi (सोनाक्षी)

—Rupak Kulkarni/Sonakshi (2008)—

(Sonakshi the fusion band, not the raga…which I still can’t trace on record)

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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!

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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!