S-R-g-m-P-n-S

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Suha is an afternoon Kanada raga which draws inspiration from Darbari, Megh, and Sarang, while also sharing significant overlap with the prakriti Nayaki Kanada and Gaudgiri Malhar (also see the overlapping Sughrai, and their hybrid ‘Suha-Sughrai‘). Information regarding the raga’s melodic movements is scant: Ocean of Ragas gives a vadi–samvadi of ma–Sa, noting that komal dha may sometimes appear in the descent (somewhat mirroring shuddha Dha’s optional status in Sughrai), with the Kanada-ang presented via m\g meend and gmRS conclusion phrases. Rajan Parrikar recommends renditions by Mushtaq Hussain (“adopts the RmRP cluster on the mukhda…and an avirbhav of Sarang”), Latafat Hussain Khan (“deviates from the canonical Suha [via] SRmg”), and Kishori Amonkar (“a strong ma is suggested, although never quite realised…”) – also peruse a demo lesson by Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar (transcribed in full below). Compare to Suha Todi.

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राग सुहा

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: nS, gm, PnmPS

Avroh: SnP, mP, gm, Pgm, RS

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Chalan: signature, e.g. nS(m)g; (m)gm; (m)g; m(P)nP; (P)nmPS; Pn; P(m)gm; RS (Parrikar)

—Manilal Nag (1985)—

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[refrain, e.g. 20:09] RR g(mgPmgm) R(g) R(g) S, n(Sn) SR(gS)R g(mgmgmg), R(gRgRgR), S, n(RS) S(gR) g(m), R(SR) nS(RSn), P(nP)…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar: Amodini—

Here’s a transcription of Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s demo lesson, covering her tradition’s incarnation of the raga (from her superb Amodini: The Joy of Rare Ragas series):

 

“Namaskar – today I will talk about Suha, a complex Kanada raga. I will begin with the bandish: nP m(PmPnPmg)m, mm mnP, PS nPnP, mPn (m)gm, RSR S; S(m)gm mmP, mnP m(g)m, RSR S; nP, m(PmPnPmg)m, mm mnP, PS, mPnP, P(Sn)S nSS, SS(nSnS)R, S(Rn)S nPnP, mPnSR (m)RS, S(RnSPn)P mP, (m)nP, m(PmPnPmg)m, mm(n)P, PS nPnP.

 

Suha is a combination of Kanada, Malhar, and Megh. I will now demonstrate each of these elements with the overall raga structure. Normally, a Malhar element consists of the phrase RP(m)gm – but here, the following phrase is used instead (m)gm mP (m)gm…Here, you find the Kanada element: mmP, mPn (m)gm, RSR S. And the Megh element: mPnP, (P)S, PRS RnS, PRSRnSPnP.

 

These three elements are very closely knitted and interlinked – it is very intricate, and so it can be hard to tell the elements apart. Now I will demonstrate the whole structure: S(m)gmP, mmP n(m)gm, RSR S, nP, nnPmP (P)S, nSRS, RnnS PnP, nnPmPS PnPmP(m)gm, nnPmP(m)gm, RSR S. Suha is an uttarang-pradhan raga: being more developed in the upper octave. I will conclude with a composition in tintal…”

 

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—Suha (Amodini demo)—

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Also see Manjiri’s other Amodini demos: Abhogi Kanada, Bahaduri Todi, Baradi, Dagori, Dev Gandhar, Gauri, Hussaini Todi, Jait Kalyan, Jaitashree, Kabiri Bhairav, Kaunsi Kanada (Nayaki-ang), Khat (Asavari-ang), Khokar, Lalita Gauri, Lanka Dahan Sarang, Malavi, Maligoura, Mudriki Kanada, Ramdasi Malhar, Raisa Kanada, Shukla Bilawal, Sughrai, Suha, Vihang

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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

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.

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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: Palas, Nayaki Kanada, Gaudgiri Malhar

Also see other shadav ragas which omit Dha

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–g–m–P–n–S

• Reverse: SRmPDnS (=Gorakh Kalyan)

• Negative: 2-3-2-2-1-2 (=itself)

• Imperfect: 1 (Re)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (Rg—dD)

• Murchanas: Shankara set

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• Quirks: ‘self-shadowing‘ (negative form=core form) • ‘atritonal‘ (no available tritones)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Pushpalathika

S-R₂-G₂-M₁-P-N₂-S

• Jazz: Aeolian (no 6th)

1-2-b3-4-5-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-5-7-10-0

(2–1–2–2–3–2)

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o • o o • o • o • • o • o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Suha, Suha Kanada, Suhakanhara

• Transliterations: Hindi (सुहा)

—Nagaraj Hegdere Shirnale (2022)—