S-g-m-d-nN-S

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A barely-recorded creation of Maihar sitarist Kartik Kumar, matching the swara-set of ‘Malkauns double-Ni’ (or ‘Malkauns + Chandrakauns’). A consistently strong ma–murchana summons unmistakable flavours of the famous Western ‘Blues Scale’ (SgmMPnS), further accentuated by extended meend between the consecutive Ni positions (…I’ve used the exact same scale as a ‘modal sitar hack’ to play with Open G-tuned blues guitarists). Seemingly unperformed by anyone outside the Kumar family, although Kartik once recorded an astonishing surbahar/pakhawaj rendition, and his son Niladri has played it live and on a 2010 album (also see their duet below). The word ‘Tulsi’ refers to the ‘holy basil’ plant (ocimum tenuiflorum), renowned as an ayurvedic ingredient and used as an aromatic ‘blessed leaf’ in Hindu temple ceremonies, dedicated to the goddess Tulasi (an avatar of Lakshmi). Pleasingly, the raga forms an exact murchana of Marwa (from shuddha Ni).

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Aroha: SgmdnNS

Avroh: SNndmgS

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Chalan: (uncodified)

—Kartik & Niladri Kumar (1980s)—

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[refrain, e.g. 6:14] d, d, d, NNS, ggm, mdnNnd, ggN, S/m\g, g\S, SS(n/)S, gSn\d; NSgm…

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• More •

Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

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—Imagery: ocimum tenuiflorum—

“The holy basil plant is revered in Hinduism as a manifestation of Lakshmi, the principal consort of Vishnu. The plant is especially sacred to Vaishnavites – and Lord Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, is said to wear a garland of holy basil flowers around his neck. The plant is grown in many Hindu homes, often in the courtyard, and the presence of a holy basil plant is believed to increase piety, foster meditation, purify, and protect. Devotees worship with mantras and offerings of flowers, incense, or water from the Ganges…”

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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: (none found)

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–g–m–d–nN–S

• Reverse: SrRGPDS

• Negative: 4-1-2-2-1-2 (e.g. Saheli Todi)

• Imperfect: 2 (Sa, Ni)

• Detached: 1 (Ni)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Marwa set

–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: (~Hindolam)

S-G₂-M₁-D₁-N₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Mixolymic

1-b3-4-b6-b7-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-3-5-8-10-11-0

(3–2–3–2–1–1)

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o • • o • o • • o • o o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–ma

• Names: Tulsikauns, Tulsi Kauns

—Kartik Kumar (~1970s)—