S-R-g-m-P-n-S A popular Kanada raga said to have been created by Gopal Nayak – the legendary poet-composer of Alauddin Khilji’s 12th-century Delhi durbar, fabled to have catalysed Amir Khusro’s invention of qawwali via Khusro seeking to outdo Nayak’s Sufi syllabic singing (although other origin myths relate the raga to Nayak Bakshu of Raja Man Singh’s […]
• Raag Nayaki Kanada •
• 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 Meghranjani •
S-r-G-mM-N-S A truly odd scale form, Meghranjani can be interpreted as either ‘Bhairav minus Pa & dha‘ (SrGmNS) or ‘Lalit minus dha‘ (SrGmMNS) – producing a strange shape which omits two consecutive generic swaras (as far as I can discern, Adbhut Kalyan, Devranjani, and Malashree are the only other such ragas). Originally borrowed from the Carnatic […]
• Raag Khat •
S-rR-gG-m-P-dD-n-S Often described as one of the most complex Hindustani forms, Khat (Sanskrit: ‘six’) is based on the idea of combining six different ragas – although the precise six chosen may vary between performers. Subbha Rao’s Raga Nidhi volumes cites two main forms (“Suha, Kanada, Sarang, Desi, Gandhari, & Sughrai” and “Ramkali, Asavari, Todi, Gujiri, […]
• 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 Gaudgiri Malhar •
S-R-g-m-P-n-S An engrossing raga of uncertain origin, Gaudgiri Malhar is most prominently associated with Mewati pioneer Pandit Jasraj – although Gwalior stalwart Haribhau Ghangrekar and others were performing it even before this. Also sung by Jasraj’s brother Pratap Narayan and disciple Hemang Mehta, as well as Kirana vocalist Moumita Mitra – who describes it as a […]
• Raag Virat Bhairav •
S-r-G-m-P-dD-n-S A ‘double Dha Bhairav’ raga with a unique swara set, associated with Jaipur-Atrauli vocalists including Nivruttibuwa Sarnaik (who, according to gharana stablemate Gandhar Digrajkar, invented it). In addition to Bhairav’s classic G\rS swoop and general poorvang-focus, Parrikar notes “a rather busy uttarang: shuddha Dha is used sparingly, in special sancharis such as GmPDnDn and […]
• Raag Palas •
S-R-g-m-P-n-S Now close to extinction in its own right, Palas (a.k.a. ‘Palasi/Palashri’) is best known for its historic confluence with Bheem – a union which produced Bhimpalasi. Subbha Rao’s Raga Nidhi Vol.3, published in 1965, states that (p.211): “These days Palas and Bhimpalasi are considered to be one and the same raga, but the aroha […]
