S-r-gG-M-d-n-S A Todi variant known, as of 2025, through a single rendition: Supriyo Maitro’s spellbinding vocal tribute to his Dagarvani forebear Zia Fariduddin Dagar, live from the 2018 Faridi Samorah Festival in Bhopal with Aditya Deep on pakhawaj (“in remembrance of [Zia’s] 86th birthday, the festival was a musical tribute to the Ustad by his […]
• Raag Faridi Todi •
• Raag Salagavarali •
S-r-g-P-D-n-S A rare ‘Ahiri no ma’ scale, combining a Bhupali Todi-like poorvang with an Ahir Bhairavic uttarang (Srg+PDnS) As per Parrikar: “S.N. Ratanjankar conceived of this raga…ma is eliminated to yield the following contour: SrgPDnDS; SnDPgPrgrS. Brilliantly exploited by Jitendra Abhisheki in a celebrated natyageeta. Watch out for the injection of a vivadi dosha via […]
• Raag Mudriki Kanada •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Described by Rajan Parrikar as “an uncommon Kanada variety, on which there prevails no consensus”. Basing his analysis of Ramrang’s renditions, he considers the raga to be formed via “introducing a shuddha Dhaivat into the Adana stream…[although] the Agra-Atrauli edition comes in a different flavour, involving a recurring phrase of RmRP” (evident in Sharafat […]
• Raag Milan Gandhar •
S-gG-P-D-n-S An enchanting yet ultra-rare raga created by pioneering Punjabi vocalist Salamat Ali Khan, running along the lines of ‘Kalavati with komal ga in avroh’ (often as PDPgS or SngS), bringing shades of Kafi. A 1965 Salamat & Nazakat performance in Kabul (bandish: Piya More Angan Aaye & Tana Dhere Na Dhim), emphatically places the […]
• Raag Desi •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Desi (not to be confused with Desh) is a diffuse raga lineage, spanning several intertwined variants. Generally prakriti with Kafi, it may also follow the komal dha swara set of Asavari, as well as arriving in double-Dha form (Parrikar also discusses a rare double-Re variant known as ‘Utari Desi / Komal Desi’, likely connected […]
• Raag Sundarkali •
S-r-G-P-n-S A relatively straightforward audav raga, Sundarkali takes the swaras of ‘Ahir Bhairav no ma/dha’. Anjani Kumar Gupta’s concise bansuri rendition is the only full recording I could find (alap transcribed below), although Tanarang’s disciple Prakash Vishwanath Ringe has released a brief selection of khayal demos (and sax player Mister D Cell has used it to […]
• Raag Rajeshwari •
S-g-m-D-N-S Taking the swaras of ‘Chandrakauns shuddha Dha’, Rajeshwari’s five tones bring an idiosyncratic spin to the Kaunsi-ang, coloured with diffuse tensions. All poorvang swaras are set to their lowest specific position (Sgm), and all uttarang swaras are set to their highest (DNS), with the relief-bringing Re–Pa axis banished throughout. The resulting scale presents significant challenges […]
• Raag Mangal Gujari •
S-r-g-M-d-n-S A strange shadav scale matching the swara set of ‘Gujiri Todi komal ni’ or ‘Meladalan minus shuddha ma’. Its structure presents a unique combination of geometric quirks: Sa is ‘detached’ (=Pa and ma are both varjit), and all other swara positions are vikrit (rgdn: komal, M: tivra) – leaving the ultra-rare ‘tivra Ma, no […]
• Raag Gunakri •
S-r-m-P-d-S Taking the swaras of ‘Bhairav no Ga & Ni’, Gunakri – described by AUTRIM as “serious and peaceful” – brings out the character of its parent raganga via an oscillating komal re, and movements patterns including Sd, dP and SdSr, rS (although Jairazbhoy prefers to analyse it via the geometries of Basant Mukhari). Bose gives a […]
• Raag Bhinna Shadja •
S-G-m-D-N-S Often characterised as the ‘older form’ of today’s Kaushik Dhwani, Bhinna Shadja’s lineage stretches back well over 1000 years. It appears in numerous ancient shastras: notably including Matangamuni’s Brihaddeshi (~8th-century), Abhinavagupta 11th-century writings (“Bhinnashadaja, Kaushiki, and Bhinnapanchama are favoured in Summer”), and Sarangdeva’s 13th-century Sangita Ratnakara – which describes its scale form in remarkably […]
• Raag Bangal Bhairav •
S-r-G-m-P-d-S A distinctive Bhairav raganga offshoot with uncertain origins, summarised in oddly poetic fashion by MeetKalakar: “Being Nishad-taboo, its caste is shadav. Dhaivat and Rishabh are used softly…which are respectively the plaintiffs”. Performed by only a handful of khayal vocalists (e.g. Abhirang, Purnima Sen, and Yunus Hussain Khan) – but remains a staple of the […]
• Raag Suha •
S-R-g-m-P-n-S 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 […]
• Raag Savani •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S An evening raga, which, despite its regular titling of ‘Savani Kalyan’, usually lies closer to Bihag than the Kalyan family – chiefly via avoiding tivra Ma, and giving greater strength to the Sa–Pa sangati. In the raga’s main incarnation, Dha and Ni are often rendered durbal, and may be skipped via PSP turnarounds (although […]
• Raag Rampriya •
S-r-G-M-P-D-n-S A mysterious sampurna form which follows the swara set of ‘Ahir Bhairav tivra Ma’, ‘Vachaspati komal re’, or ‘Puriya Kalyan komal ni’ (I’ve also seen the scale referred to as ‘Persian Vachaspati’ and ‘Ram Puriya Kalyan’). The ‘Rampriya’ moniker derives from a congruent Carnatic raga, although it is unclear whether this is a post-hoc […]
• Raag Raisa Kanada •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Despite regional variances, Raisa Kanada is generally considered to be distinguished by an idiosyncratic sequence involving shuddha Dha – given by Ramrang as nDPDPmP. Most interpretations fall close to Shahana (the two names have similar meaning: shahana: ‘of royal demeanour’, ‘raisa’: ‘rich, noble-born’) – with some also linking the raga to Nayaki Kanada, Kafi, […]
• Raag Madhuranjani •
S-g-m-P-N-S The name ‘Madhuranjani’ is used in reference to several distinct forms. The best-known incarnation is based on the SgmPNS swara set of ‘Dhani shuddha Ni’ (or ‘Patdeep no Re/Dha’) – as exemplified by vocalists such as Abhirang, Sawani Shende, and Jitendra Abhisheki, who also includes flourishes of shuddha Re in avroh. Some suggest that […]
• Raag Lilavati •
S-g-P-D-n-S Confusion persists around which melodic forms assume the name ‘Lilavati’, with several incongruous examples in sporadic modern circulation – as per Biswarup Ghosh Dastidar, “Lilavati/Leelavati can be sung in [Asavari] thaat [SRgPdS], Khamaj thaat [SgPDnS] and Bhairav thaat [SrGmPnS]”. Abhirang sets his to the tones to the second of these (as a ‘komal ga Kalavati’), […]
• Raag Kambhoji •
S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S Sometimes summarised as ‘Dhrupad Jhinjhoti’, Kambhoji also invites shades of Kalavati via omitting ma in upward motions (Parrikar: GPD; PD; GPDnD; nDS). The raga’s history stretches back to pre-Medieval times: listed as a derivative of Shree in Narada’s 8th-century Sangita Makaranda, and as a spouse of Nat-Narayani in Pundarika Vittala’s 16th-century works (n.b. some speculate […]
• Raag Durgawati •
S-R-m-P-D-n-S A rare shadav raga, matching the swara set of ‘Durga plus komal ni’ (or ‘Kafi/Khamaj no Ga’). The inclusion of ni in avroh opens up Bageshri-like uttarang motions (SnDm…), with the rest of the raga generally trending towards Durga (e.g. RmPD; PDm; mRDS). Seemingly an invention of Maihar bansuriya Hariprasad Chaurasia, based on the […]
• Raag Sakh •
S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S Despite their historic renown, the Sakh family is seldom-heard in the modern era. While nomenclature varies, the ‘main’ Sakh raga is generally held to be a Khamaj–prakriti form, with mood and movements proximate to Rageshri and Gaoti – evident in Patiala pair Amanat & Fateh Ali Khan’s soothing ma-focused rendition, built around characteristic phrases […]
• Raag Manjari Bihag •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Produced via a chalan bheda of Bihag, Manjari Bihag also lies close to Pat Bihag, typically differing from both these forms via the exclusion of tivra Ma (compare to other members of the Bihag raganga). Most prominently recorded by Aslam Khan ‘Khusrang’: his 1989 album rendition (bandish: Sohat Kanha & Sughara Banara More Ghar […]
• Raag Manavi •
S-R-g-P-D-n-S A shadav scale resembling ‘Kafi no ma’ (or ‘Shivranjani plus ni’), said to have been adapted from a congruent Carnatic form (Madhyamavarali). Most prominently performed by Patiala star Parveen Sultana: her enchanting 1982 album rendition places a swooping Pa–ga sangati centre-stage (e.g. P\gP; P(g)PgR), often traversing wide interval jumps such as gPgD; nDgPgRS (bandish: […]
• Raag Malavi •
S-r-G-M-P-D-S An enchanting sandhiprakash raga, which has different melodic characteristics depending on the time of day. Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar’s demo lesson describes its ‘morning form’ as “a complex raga combining Hindol and shuddha Dha Bibhas…you might also find a glimpse of Deshkar” – whereas she places the ‘evening form’ closer to Shree (“There are several […]
• Raag Kesari Kalyan •
S-R-G-P-D-N-S Kesari Kalyan is formed by removing Kalyan’s most characteristic swara – tivra Ma – leaving a curious shadav scale (prakriti with Shankara). Legendary Gwalior vocalist and educator Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’ appears to have created the raga: hear his own rendition, and also listen to him discuss it in the context of “two key ideas […]
• Raag Hussaini Kanada •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Cited by Aarshin Karande as a creation of Hussain Shah, the last Emperor of Jaipur’s Sharqi Dynasty (1458-1505) – who found time for musical innovation amidst a perpetually violent, invasion-laden reign (also see Jungala). Karande considers Hussaini Kanada to be a blend of Nayaki Kanada and Shuddha Bahar (“this raga uniquely extracts a mood […]
• Raag Vijayanagari •
S-R-g-M-P-D-S A scale of Southern origin, seemingly imported North by Gwalior guru Balabhau Umdekar, which matches the swara set of ‘Madhuvanti minus Ni’ (although the Carnatic original is classed as a ‘janya‘ derivative of Hemavati). While I can’t trace any of Umdekar’s recordings, Malini Rajurkar has performed a pair of his bandish: Sajana Ghara Avo […]
• 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 Malayalam •
S-R-G-m-P-d-n-S A barely-documented morning raga created by Ali Akbar Khan sometime around the 1970s – named in honour of his mother (‘Malaya’) and father (‘Alam’: also the name of Khan’s son, born in 1982) [n.b. the Tamil-derived Dravidian language family of the same title is of a separate etymology, derived from ‘mala+alam’: ‘the land near the […]
• 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’ (SRgM+PDnS: i.e. ‘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] […]
• Raag Jungala •
(S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S) The term ‘Jungala’ (or ‘Jangla’) generally indicates a ‘reworked’ variant of a well-known raga rather than a specific set of swaras – for example Yunus Hussain Khan’s ‘Jangla-Gara‘ restricts Gara‘s melodies to shuddha Ga and Ni only, and Jagdish Prasad’s ‘Jangla-Bhairavi‘ adds a prominent double-Ni to Bhairavi‘s basic shape. Usually associated with folk-derived forms, several […]
• Raag Sameshwari •
S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S An intriguing experiment in drawing direct inspiration from the distant past, Sameshwari is a creation of musicologist and vichtra veena maestro Lalmani Misra, inspired by his study of ancient Vedic chant practices. As explained by his daughter Ragini Trivedi, “Sameshwari is an attempt to preserve the notes used in Sāmgana [Vedic hymn singing]…Sāmik chanters […]
• Raag Loom •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S A rare but charming all-shuddha raga, said by some to be an older form of the Bilawal lineage. Most commonly associated with Ali Akbar Khan, who performed several variants over the course of his long career: including the ‘pure’ Loom, as well as Loom Nat and Loom Mand (all SRGmPDNS). During one concert, Khan recounted […]
• Raag Gaud •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Now lying dormant, Gaud – assumed to have been named for its origins in the archaic Gaudadesha region – is best-known via its parental role in compounds such as Gaud Malhar, Gaud Sarang, and Gaud Bahar. In spite of its modern scarcity, the raga played a vital role in Hindustani history, turning up in numerous […]
• Raag Japaniya •
S-R-g-P-d-S The SRgPdS swara set – equivalent to ‘Shivranjani komal dha’ or ‘Bhupali Todi shuddha Re’ – exists in several distinct Hindustani guises. Patiala vocalists title it ‘Lilavati’, however this name is also applied to a separate ‘Kalavati komal ga’ raga by others. The same scale also appears under the intriguing title of ‘Japaneeya / […]
• Raag Audav Meladalan •
S-g-mM-n-S For the 366th page in the project, I offer something a little different. Instead of documenting an already-existing raga, I humbly present a fresh scale form, intended as a challenge for intrepid artists who wish to break new melodic ground. The SgmMnS sequence – as far as I can tell, untouched in Hindustani raga […]
• Raag Asa •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Asa (‘Hope’) is a historically influential raga which still enjoys widespread fame in Sikh musical traditions. Long popular in the Punjab, it is mentioned over a hundred times in the Guru Granth Sahib (1604), connected to the Kafi and Asavari lineages of that era. Most major Gurus have composed shabads in it – as […]
