Shivranjani | SRgPDS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-R-g-P-D-S

A spellbinding scale resembling ‘Bhupali komal ga’ (or ‘Kafi no ma/ni’), Shivranjani’s melodies, described by Kalakar as “plaintive, haunting”, are said to appease the destructive rage of Lord Shiva (also see Malkauns). Tanarang gives essential combinations including SRgP; PDPgR; gRgSR DS, although it may arrive in mishra form – rare for a pentatonic raga (e.g. the double-sitar jugalbandi below by my own gurus Shivnath & Deobrat Mishra: technically, a ‘mishra-Mishra’ rendition). Derived from the Carnatic Sivranjani – and generally more popular with instrumentalists than vocalists (although Lata Mangeshkar has set it in filmi). Also see my collaborator Jesse Bannister’s solo saxophone take, recorded in a highly resonant Cumbrian Cave.

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राग शिवरंजनी

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—Shivnath & Deobrat Mishra (2013)—

[mishra refrain, e.g. 3:37] DSgg, gRS, RRgR, (R)SSGG, GPDP, ggRS(R)S…

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Histories, melodies, mythologies, etc…

—Imagery: Shiva’s Tandav (Badami)—

“Salutations to Lord Shiva, whose hair is like a dense forest, whose throat is wet by the pure, flowing water of the Ganga; the snakes resting around his neck are like garlands; ‘Dhaga-dhaga-dhaga’ sound the drums, describing the passionate dance of the fearless Shiva…” (Shiva Tandava Stotra)

• Carnatic Origins •

—Ragam Shivaranjani—

(A. Kanyakumari & V. Sanjeev)

–All ragas of Carnatic origin–

• Recent Raga Index Updates (Nov 2025): Added new ragas: e.g. Asa, Basant Bahar, Badhans Sarang, Bayati, Chandni Todi, Chandraprabha, Deepavali, Firozkhani Todi, Gaud, Japaniya, Kaushiki, Kokilapriya, Latangi, Maru, Palas, Sarangkauns, Shanmukhpriya, Shivanjali, Shrutivardhini • Analysed the overlap of DoGa Kalyan and 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: (none found)

Also compare to other ragas matching the generic swaras ‘Sa-Re-Ga-Pa-Dha’: including Bhupali Todi (S-r-g-P-d-S); Bibhas, Reva (S-r-G-P-d-S); Bhupali, Deshkar, Pahadi, Jait Kalyan (S-R-G-P-D-S); & Lagan Gandhar (S-R-gg̃G-P-D-S)

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–R–g–P–D–S

• Reverse: SgmDnS (=Sundarkauns)

• Negative: 2-3-1-1-2-2-1 (e.g. Kedar)

• Imperfect: 2 (ga, Dha)

• Detached: 1 (ga)

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: Shivranjani set

–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: Sivaranjani

S-R₂-G₂-P-D₂-S

• Jazz: Dorian (no 4th/7th)

1-2-b3-5-6-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-7-9-0

(2–1–4–2–3)

o • o o • • • o • o • • o

• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+ga)

• Names: Shivranjani, Sivranjani

• Transliterations: Hindi (शिवरंजनी); Kannada (ಶಿವರಂಜನಿ); Malayalam (ശിവരഞ്ജനി); Tamil (சிவரஞ்சனி); Telugu (శివరంజని); Sinhala (ශිවරංජනී)

—Jesse Bannister (2011)—

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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!