S-R-G-M-P-D-N-S Among the first-learned and most-performed ragas, Yaman’s influence on modern Hindustani music is impossible to overstate. Linked to the early night hours (‘when lanterns are lit’), the disbalancing effects of tivra Ma – the only non-shuddha swara – allow for a kaleidoscopic emotional range, with Sa and Pa often being skipped in aroha to […]
• Raag Yaman •
• Raag Vachaspati •
S-R-G-M-P-D-n-S Vachaspati (‘lord of speech’) is a recent import from the South, adapted from Carnatic music’s 64th parent scale in the mid-20th century. Consequently, its Northern form is still in a state of flux, with few firm melodic conventions aside from staying within the scale’s bounds. The swaras resemble overtones 8-14 of the harmonic series […]
• Raag Todi •
S-r-g-M-P-d-N-S Pivotal to Hindustani history, the Todi raganga overflows with musical ideas found nowhere else on the planet. Some link its ambiguous geometries with “existential unsettlement”, while others hear “the playfulness of a newborn, content and smiling”. Rajan Parrikar hails it as “the most profound, finespun idea in melodic music…from ecstasy, to frolic, to pathos, […]
• Raag Tilak Kamod •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Mirroring the Western Major scale, Tilak Kamod’s seven swaras offer robust melodic flexibility across a range of sentiments (“heroic courage, philosophic poise, devotional contentment, suggestive eroticism…”). One tale traces the raga to Pyar Khan, a rabab pioneer said to have devised it after overhearing a village woman sing while grinding corn in Uttar Pradesh. […]
• Raag Puriya Dhanashree •
S-r-G-M-P-d-N-S Like the scale-congruent Shree, Puriya Dhanashree’s hemitonic clusters outline a major triad (SGP) with the first and last steps ‘enclosed’ by their immediate neighbours to give two sets of three adjacent swaras (NSr, MPd). Pa exerts the strongest gravity, easing the tension of the tivra Ma and providing temporary anchor for melodic lines which […]
• Raag Poorvi •
S-r-G-mM-P-d-N-S Poorvi is a long-lived sunset raga from East India, which to many evokes a serious mood of mystical contemplation. Mixing wide and narrow intervals (all swaras have at least one immediate neighbour), its complex twists and turns belie the base scale’s neat, symmetrical nature – with Sa and Pa often being omitted in ascent […]
• Raag Patdeep •
S-R-g-m-P-D-N-S Derived from the Dhanashree family, Patdeep somewhat resembles a ‘shuddha Ni Bhimpalasi’: ascending pentatonically before revealing Re and Dha in descent (and thus mirroring the Melodic Minor). Its distinctive interval structure, featuring a run of adjacent whole-tone jumps (gmPDN), can be rotated via murchana to form Charukeshi, Vachaspati, and Ahiri. • Raga Megalist (365+) • […]
• Raag Kafi •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Perhaps more like an compendium of folk tunes than a fully codified raga framework, Kafi offers unusual chromatic freedoms. Almost always appearing in mishra (‘mixed’) form, renditions will often borrow from affiliated ragas as well as semi-classical styles such as thumri, dadra, and ghazal. Lyrical material tends towards the romantic, matched by free-roaming melodies. […]
• Raag Darbari •
S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S Darbari has been described as “the emperor of ragas, and the raga of emperors”. Its majestic tones famously echoed across the marble floors of Mughal palaces in centuries past, bringing solemn relief to kings, warlords, and diplomats alike. Consequently, renditions tend to retain a grave, reverential patience, laden with heavy, vocalistic ornaments and turns. […]
• Raag Charukeshi •
S-R-G-m-P-d-n-S Adopted from Carnatic music, Charukeshi calls for wide-open melodic exploration, favouring long melodies which wind around themselves while visiting the furthest reaches of all three octaves. Like many Southern scales, it is often used as a canvas for reshaping and recolouring ideas from adjacent ragas, while itself presenting an odd marriage of major and […]
• Raag Bhairav •
S-r-G-m-P-d-N-S Revered as the primary raga of Lord Shiva, Bhairav takes its name from Kala Bhairava (‘fearsome form’) – an apocalyptic manifestation of the deity fabled to have cut off one of Brahma’s five heads to silence his arrogance. Renditions reflect the gravity of this ancient lore, depicting Shiva’s tandav (‘dance of destruction’) with wide-roving […]
• Raag Basant Mukhari •
S-r-G-m-P-d-n-S Blending the poorvang of Bhairav (SrGm) with the uttarang of Bhairavi (PdnS), Basant Mukhari bears the imprints of multiple musical cultures. While its main modern inception is traceable to S.N. Ratanjankar’s eclectic Carnatic borrowings, some also link it to the near-extinct Raag Hijaz, itself derived from Arabic maqam. Scale-congruent forms turn up across the […]
• Raag Ahir Bhairav •
S-r-G-m-P-D-n-S Inextricably linked with the Indian sunrise, Ahir Bhairav draws on ideas from both the North and South of the Subcontinent. Possibly named for the Ahir cattle-herding caste, the raga is fabled to mimic the ringing of cowbells at dawn – with patient ascent patterns often settling into extended oscillations on the komal re (seen […]
• Raag Shahana •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S A late night raga, Shahana (literally: ‘of royal demeanour’) is a close cousin of the more famous Bageshri, sharing the same swaras but focusing more on the use of shuddha Dha as a melodic endpoint. Usually classed as a member of the Kanada family, Deepak Raja notes that Shahana is linked in medieval texts […]
• Raag Rang Malhar •
S-R-g-mM-P-D-nN-S From my 2018 Darbar interview with Rupak Kulkarni: “Rang Malhar happened by chance. It was the rainy season, and I was playing in a monsoon festival. I was the last performer, and by the time my turn came then all types of Malhar family ragas had been played already. I thought I should come […]
• Raag Ramkali •
S-r-G-mM-P-d-nN-S Resembling ‘Bhairav with touches of tivra ma and komal ni in avroh’, Ramkali is an early morning raga, often associated with Sikh saintly traditions (“the emotions in Ramkali are like those of a wise teacher disciplining their student, who is aware of the pain of learning…”). Though generally similar to Bhairav, Ramkali focuses more on […]
• Raag Purba •
S-r-G-mM-P-dD-N-S A rare raga of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, described by Rajan Parrikar as “essentially Raag Poorvi adorned with bells and whistles” (namely, the Ma-mixing catchphrases Sm, mGP and M, MP Pd, dNdP). Mewati innovator Pandit Jasraj also recorded his own captivating rendition, seasoned by the liberal inclusion of shuddha Dha. Also hear Vilayat Khan on surbahar. […]
• Raag Pancham se Pilu •
S-R-G-mM-P-D-nN-S A murchana rotation of Pilu (literally: ‘Pilu from Pa’) – i.e. if you treat this raga’s Pa as the ‘new Sa’, Pilu is produced (…in its ‘komal dha-less’ form). Pilu’s doubled gG–nN swaras, separated by a Perfect 5th, are thus transformed into Pancham se’s nN–mM (i.e. the murchana’s main effect is to trade Pilu’s […]
• Raag Monomanjari •
S-r-G-M-P-D-nN-S Created by Maihar sitar legend Nikhil Banerjee (“…I’m quite satisfied with one of my Sonodisc LPs: Raag Monomanjari”). From Narendra Datar’s 1989 review of this record: “A jod raga…a remarkable combination [of] Kalavati and Marwa. Kalavati is a very joyful late night melody, whereas Marwa is an early evening melody that portrays pathos. In […]
• Raag Lalita Gauri •
S-r-G-mM-P-dD-N-S Created by Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Kesarbai Kerkar, who often employed it as a concert centrepiece. Blending Lalit and Gauri via, respectively, “the close coupling of the two madhyams…[and] appropriate clusters on and in the vicinity of the mandra Ni”, the raga typically takes a shuddha Dha (giving a Poorvi inclination), but can use the komal variant instead […]
• Raag Kirwani •
S-R-g-m-P-d-N-S Despite its congruence with the Western Harmonic Minor, Kirwani has origins in the Carnatic Keeravani: thus leading to its popularity in North-South jugalbandi duets, offering artists from both cultures a rich expanse of shared melodic territory. Like many Southern imports, Kirwani is comparatively ‘open’, allowing for near-free use of all seven swaras in ascent […]
• Raag Kalingada •
S-r-G-m-P-d-N-S Kalingada shares the same seven swaras as Bhairav, but approaches them differently – preferring a straighter, less ornamented character (as per Rajan Parrikar: “Kalingada has a flippant mien…far less austere than Bhairav. The Ga and Pa are advanced to positions of influence, [and] the swara-lagav is mostly linear, without the andolit treatment prevalent in […]
• Raag Jaun Bhairav •
S-rR-gG-m-P-d-nN-S A jod raga fashioned by Agra vocalist Jagannathbuwa Purohit ‘Gunidas’ (also the creator of Jogkauns and Swanandi), combining Jaunpuri and Bhairav. Described as having a “crowded swara-space”, with both komal and shuddha variants of Re, Ga, and Ni on display. Abhijith Shenoy ‘Abhirang’ offers catchphrases including SRmP; rNSdP; dmPG; PgRS; GmrS. • Raga Megalist […]
• Raag Gagan Vihang •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S As per Ocean of Ragas, “composed by Pandit Dinkar Kaikini…in Gagan Vihang we find features of Bihag, Savani, Nand, and Mand, although the raga maintains its independent melody…[via] unique phrases such as: SRPGm, GmRS, NDmP” – while other sources also point to the influence of Shankara. The Agra vocal innovator (also father of tabla […]
• Raag Darjeeling •
S-r-g-m-P-d-n-S Unveiled by sitarist Niladri Kumar in a 2014 Taj Mahal tea commercial, launching a new Darjeeling-themed range described in marketing materials as “definitely our most premium offering” (Niladri: “I have composed [it] in honour of the superlative flavour”). Status as a ‘real raga’ (rather than just a Mishra Bhairavi) is highly dubious – and […]
• Raag Dagori •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Dagori draws from Bilawal thaat, featuring prominent use of Ni and characteristic slides between ma and Re. Possibly invented by Jaipur-Atrauli founder Alladiya Khan (and still near-exclusively performed by singers of that gharana), some consider the raga to be a Bilawal–ang interpretation of the now-lost Deepak (Tansen’s legendary fire raga). Dagori’s name also resembles that […]
• Raag Bheem •
S-R-gG-m-P-D-n-S Near-identical to Gaoti, Bheem is distinguished by its allowance of komal ga in taar saptak. Tanarang notes that “in uttarang, komal ni is always rendered [via a] meend from Sa, as a kanswar like GmP, (S)nS…Similarly in Avroh, ni is generally skipped like SP/DP“. The vakra GmRS is taken instead of mGRS. (n.b. Parrikar notes the […]
• Raag Bhankari •
S-r-G-mM-P-D-N-S A mega-mix of several ragas, Bhankari originates with Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’, guru of Rajan Parrikar – who describes it as a “tantalizing melody, blend[ing] facets of Bhatiyar, Jait, Bibhas, and Deshkar while retaining an aesthetic coherence in the end product”. To my ears, Bhankari also appears to draw from Marwa (particularly in the weak […]
• Raag Arun Malhar •
S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S An ancient Malhar variant, marked out by a DDnPDGPm pakad. As per Rajan Parrikar, “although it finds a mention in [Bhatkhande], no details are forthcoming. There are a couple of other works where the raga is treated, but again only in the sketchiest of terms”. Described as a mix of Bilawal, Gaud Malhar, and […]
• Raag Anand Bhairav •
S-r-G-m-P-D-nN-S As per Rajan Parrikar, “the komal dha in Bhairav is replaced by its shuddha counterpart. The komal ni is parachuted into the scheme in an [avroh phrase] SDnP, inspired by Bilawal (in Bhairav-ang ragas where either re or dha is rendered shuddha, the ma tends to assume a powerful role, and is often elevated to a […]
• Raag Zila Kafi •
S-R-gG-m-P-D-nN-S A springtime raga described by Satyaki Dutta as “a flow of a thousand feelings…the advent of new beginnings, painted with gleaming colours and shimmering joy”. Its Zila component places greater emphasis on the double-Ga, while the rest of the raga tends to fit into the thumri-allied Mishra Kafi framework. Almost all recordings are on either […]
• Raag Sonakshi •
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 […]
• Raag Shivmat Bhairav •
S-r-gG-m-P-d-nN-S Shivmat Bhairav can be described as a blend of Bhairav, Bhairavi, and Todi, with the former being the most dominant over the sound (‘Bhairav double Ga/Ni’). Relatively rare in modern times, the raga brings out Bhairav via GmrS phrases and oscillations on the komal re – while also incorporating komal ga and ni in […]
• Raag Simhendra Madhyamam •
S-R-g-M-P-d-N-S Borrowed from a South Indian ragam (melakarta scale #57), Simhendra Madhyamam takes the form of a ‘Kirwani tivra Ma’, ‘Todi shuddha Re’, or ‘Madhuvanti komal Dha’. Despite the popularity of its Carnatic congruent (hailed by Charulatha Mani as “regal, meditative, bold, and striking”), the raga remains relatively rare in the North – with its […]
• Raag Rampriya •
S-r-G-M-P-D-n-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Amir Khan (~1960s)— [Swaras] • 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 […]
• Raag Ramdasi Malhar •
S-R-gG-m-P-D-nN-S A diverse sankirna raga, fabled as a creation of Guru Ram Das – a 16th-century Sikh saint said to have opened Emperor Akbar’s eyes to the unity of the divine (“these jagirs [feudal land grants] are sources of evil passions, pride, and ego…it is by the name of God that all creatures, continents, worlds, […]
• Raag Prabhat (Bhairav) •
S-r-G-mM-P-d-N-S A morning form summarised by Bose as “a combination of three or four ragas dominated by the Bhairav-ang…with a touch of Lalit-ang only in the avroh (where both Ma come together)…The vadi Ma separates Prabhat Bhairav from Bhairav, while Pa keeps it away from Lalit” (also see the congruent-but-distinct Lalit Pancham). Pakad include GmG; rSrS; […]
• Raag Madhukant •
S-R-g-M-P-D-n-S An oddly-shaped and thinly-analysed sampurna raga, taking the shape of ‘Madhuvanti’s poorvang + Kafi’s uttarang’ (or ‘Kafi tivra Ma’). Analysed by Jairazbhoy in 1971: “Ragas in which the Pa has a leading note [MP], while the Sa does not [nS]…Madhukauns and Madhukant are both modern ragas which appear to be evolving rapidly…Madhukant [is] unstable […]
• Raag Lakshmi Todi •
S-rR-gG-m-P-dD-n-S A complex multi-melodic blend named after the Hindu goddess of power, beauty, prosperity, and good fortune (Lakshmi: ‘she who leads to the goal’) – which imports the movements of several other ragas into a general Todi framework. Abhirang’s breakdown discusses “shades of Jaunpuri (RmPSdP; nSRndP), Dev Gandhar (RnSRGm), Gaud (SRGmGm; mGRGm), Kafi (RmPDnS), Gandhari […]
• Raag Khat Todi •
S-r-g-mM-P-d-nN-S In Parrikar’s summary, Khat Todi is described as an “uncommon [double-Ma] prakar…mostly sung by Jaipur-Atrauli and Agra musicians. In the main body of Todi, a small phrase of Khat is introduced” (i.e. the raga is more like ‘Todi seasoned with Khat’ rather than a more evenly-weighted combo). He cites two different Khat strains used by […]
• Raag Khat •
S-rR-gG-m-P-dD-n-S Often described as one of the most complex Hindustani forms, Khat (Sanskrit: ‘six’) is said to combine six different ragas – although it remains unclear precisely which they may be (Subbha Rao’s Raga Nidhi cites either “Suha, Kanada, Sarang, Desi, Gandhari, & Sughrai” or “Ramkali, Asavari, Todi, Gujiri, Baradi, & Gandhari“). Often, Asavari is […]
• Raag Kamod •
S-R-G-mM-P-D-N-S An intricate raga which draws together elements from many others (Tanarang: “this dynamic melody is rather complex…one can see clear shadows of Malhar [SmRP], Hameer [GmDP], and Kalyan [SRS, SDP], together with glimpses of Kedar [MPDP] and Chayanat [PDPS, SRS]”). Distinguishing sequences include RRP, GmPGmRS, the taar Sa is accentuated with long P/S slides, […]
• Raag Jaijaiwanti •
S-R-gG-m-P-D-nN-S A much-beloved but highly intricate raga, featuring both variants of Ga and Ni. Dhrupadyas hold NSDNR as the essential pakad (with some bemoaning the loss of the “slow glide from Ga to Re…as the distinguishing feature of Jaijaiwanti”) – while modern performers tend to ‘enclose’ the komal ga in the avroh phrase RgR, preferring […]
• Raag Gunji Kanada •
S-R-gG-m-P-d-n-S A Gwalior gharana favourite which blends Malgunji and Kaunsi Kanada, principally via inserting the former’s RnSRG, Gm phrase into the broader framework of the latter – although some sources also cite the vital influences of Adana and Bahar (e.g. mDnS). Modern renditions tend to take the komal dha, although a shuddha-Dha variant has also […]
• Raag Gaurimanjari •
S-rR-G-mM-P-d-nN-S An intricate ten-toned raga created by Ali Akbar Khan via blending ideas from across the Lalit–Gauri spectrum (Gaurimanjari: ‘Bouquet of Gauris’) – notable for its winding melodic motions and dense, crowded swara-space (some renditions employ all specific positions except komal ga). Its core form also possesses the ultra-rare property of rotational symmetry (i.e. the […]
• Raag Gauri •
S-r-G-m-P-d-N-S Described by Deepak Raja as “difficult to render in its purity”, Gauri is associated with viraha shringara (‘the piety arising from the separation of lovers’). The raga had at least two distinct forms as far back as the 16th century, and continues to manifest in several variations – spanning a main Bhairav-ang ‘shuddha ma‘ […]
• Raag Enayetkhani Kanada •
S-R-gG-m-P-d-nN-S Invented by sitarist Vilayat Khan as a tribute to his father, legendary Imdadkhani innovator Enayet Khan (although when the raga first surfaced, circa 1981, he was instead calling it ‘Vilayat Khani Kanada’…). As per fellow Imdadkhani sitarist-scholar Deepak Raja’s ever-excellent analysis, the raga runs along the lines of “Darbari with the addition of two […]
• Raag Devgandhari Todi •
S-rR-gG-m-P-d-n-S A modification of Dev Gandhar, devised by Agra vocalist S.N. Ratanjankar via the addition of a Todi-like komal re – thus filling the entire Sa-to-ma swara space. Also recorded by his student K.G. Ginde, who extends this hemitonic run (and leans further into Todi’s geometries) by including touches of shuddha Ni, also reworking some […]
• Raag Devata Bhairav •
S-r-gG-m-P-d-N-S A double-Ga Bhairav derivative, introduced by Agra gharana pioneer Azmat Hussain Khan ‘Dilrang’. As per Parrikar, the raga is distinguished from its parent with “the introduction of [an] avroh pragoya via the komal ga [mgrS]”. Some artists include subtle touches of komal ni, including Jitendra Abhisheki – who sings a madhyang-focused bandish (to me, somewhat reminiscent […]
• Raag Deepak •
(S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S) Strictly speaking, Deepak is a ‘lost raga’, known to us through its status as Tansen’s fabled fire-bringing melody – said to have set off uncontrollable blazes when he sung it with full force at Emperor Akbar’s royal palace (…and requiring Megh to extinguish it). But, while its original swaras have been lost to the […]
• Raag Chayanat •
S-R-G-mM-P-D-N-S A longstanding combination of Chaya and Nat, creating (as per Tanarang) an “attractive, sweet, and emotionally swaying” mood – the latter in particular summoned via ‘simple vakra’ phrases such as DNDP; RGRS. The Pa–Re sangati is vital, and shuddha ma is stronger than tivra Ma – with the raga inviting a range of expressive […]
• Raag Chaya Malhar •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Profiled by Parrikar as “a compound melody formed by joining elements of Chaya [particularly its characteristic P\R swoop] to…the Malhar raganga signature [mRm\RP]…The nyas on Pa is important…[whereas] an inapposite nyas on Re or undue brightening of ma may tilt the development towards Nat Malhar”. Listen to his guru Ramrang’s rendition, seasoned with a […]
• Raag Champak •
S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S A seldom-heard neighbour of Khambavati, distinguished (often very subtly) by stronger use of shuddha ma, and sometimes involving a Gm\S catchphrase. Both ni swaras are used, with the komal introduced via vakra avroh motions (e.g. SRn). Named after a huge evergreen tree species with fragrant yellow-orange flowers, used in perfumery and featured in many […]
• Raag Bilawal •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Approximates the Western Major Scale, thus taking an ‘all-shuddha’ sampurna swara set – and selected by the great V.N. Bhatkhande as the titular raga of Bilawal thaat – although its popularity has declined in the century since (partly in favour of prakritis such as Tilak Kamod and Gaud Malhar). Dha and Ga assume vital […]
• Raag Asa Bhairav •
S-rR-G-m-P-D-N-S A joining of Bhairav and the archaic Sikh form Asa (Sanskrit for ‘hope’), matching the swaras of ‘Bilawal double-Re’ – with the shuddha taken in ascent, and the komal in descent. Parrikar notes that “the Bhairav-ang is expressed in the poorvang [e.g. Gm(G)rS], and the rest of the contour looks to Asa [e.g. S, S(m)RmP, […]
• Raag Anjani Kalyan •
S-R-g-M-P-D-N-S A creation of vocalist Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’, named in honour of Lord Hanuman. As per his student Rajan Parrikar, “the basic idea involves rendering the aroha of Madhuvanti sampurna, by taking in both [shuddha] Re and Dha. The aroha contour thus…permits the advance of Kalyan-like clusters”. Abhirang’s rendition of Ramrang’s bandish (below: Hanana Hanumana […]
• Raag Alhaiya Bilawal •
S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S While essentially summarisable as ‘Bilawal plus komal ni’, Alhaiya also presents other quirks. Most distinctively, Dha is treated as the vadi, but not as a nyas (Pa and Ga are used as stopping tones instead, often being reached via meend). Dha is also used to support komal ni via ‘up-and-down’ phrases such as SNDP, […]
• Raag Adarangi Todi •
S-r-g-mM-P-d-nN-S A double-ma, double-ni Todi variant linked to 18th-century composer Naimat Khan ‘Sadarang’ and his nephew Feroze Khan ‘Adarang’, who served at the court of Mughal Emperor (and prolific arts patron) Muhammad Shah. While the raga’s historical lineage remains half-sketched, Ali Akbar Khan took to performing it later in his career. Sometimes given the alternate […]
• Raag Abheri Todi •
S-rR-gG-m-P-d-n-S Described by musicologist and critic Rajan Parrikar as “another obscure [Todi] variant, in which strands of Asavari and Khamaj are tied to the Todi-anga”. His guru Ramrang’s rendition of the raga revolves around phrases such as PmPm\g; mPn\d; SRnS; rnSRG – while the name presumably derives from the mostly-congruent Carnatic Abheri. Remains rare on […]
• Raag Ahiri •
S-r-g-m-P-D-n-S Somewhat resembling a ‘Bageshri komal re’, ‘Ahir Bhairav komal ga’, or ‘Bhairavi shuddha Dha’, Ahiri favours long, kaleidoscopic melodies, laden with shapes from proximate ragas. Artists may seek to accentuate the ‘equilateral triangle’ of nyas (r–m–D: an augmented triad), also drawing from its murchana-set neighbours Patdeep, Charukeshi, and Vachaspati. Matches the Carnatic Natakapriya, although origins remain […]
• Raag Patmanjari •
(S-rR-gG-mM-P-dD-nN-S) Said by some to be more of a ‘performance concept’ than a single raga, ‘Patmanjari’ translates as ‘Bouquet of Five Ragas’. Debate persists over whether the form should be interpreted as an open challenge to blend five ragas of an artist’s own choosing, or whether it entails five specific ragas – and, if so, […]
