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• Raag Sughrai •

S-R-g-m-P-D-nN-S An afternoon raga of the Kanada family, Sughrai shares significant historic and melodic overlap with Suha (the two are sometimes fused as ‘Suha-Sughrai’) – with Mewati vocalist Aarshin Karande describing it as “a ‘higher-shruti‘ version of the more popular Suha” and “an ancient compound of Sarang and Malhar, featured prominently in Haveli Sangeet“. Shuddha […]

 

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• Raag Saraswati Sarang •

S-R-mM-P-D-nN-S Despite the prachalit status of both its parents, the Saraswati + Sarang compound remains relatively rare. The best longform performance is that of vichitra veena maestro Gopal Krishnan (which revolves around an ear-catching nD MPDS pakad), who – as per a direct message from his grandson Akshat Sharma – created the raga (along with Tilak […]

 

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• Raag Samant Sarang •

S-R-m-P-D-nN-S A Sarang raga which, while infrequently performed, has found stable root in several vocal and instrumental gharanas. As per Parrikar, “shuddha Dha taken in vakra prayogas is the definitive theme, including tonal sentences of the type RmP; RmPDnDPmR; RmR; mDP. Some employ both Ni, others have use for only the komal…There is an occasional […]

 

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• 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 […]

 

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• Charju ki Malhar •

S-R-g-m-P-D-nN-S A diffuse branch of the Malhar lineage which exists in several modern forms. Pandit Jasraj, probably the raga’s most prominent interpreter, sings it as a Miyan ki Malhar variant with Desi-ang traits, including a distinctive treatment of shuddha Dha, which is emphasised in phrases such as mPDNS – echoed in Hemala Khare-Ranade’s recital preface […]