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• 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, […]

 

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• Raag Prabhateshwari •

S-r-g-m-P-D-n-S A seldom-heard raga associated with bansuriya Hariprasad Chaurasia, which (to my ears) resembles a blend of the morning Ahir Bhairav and the late night Bageshri. His student Rajendra Teredesai describes it as having “all the hues…beautiful, complex, yet spiritually uplifting…full of pathos and bhakti ras, a state of perpetual divine bliss”. Prakriti with Ahiri and Jaiwanti […]

 

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• Raag Khamaj •

S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S Among the most popular light-classical ragas, Khamaj’s core form matches the ultra-versatile Mixolydian Mode of Western music. Despite being chosen by Bhatkhande as the titular raga of Khamaj thaat, renditions will usually draw on melodic combinations from outside these main seven swaras. Jairazbhoy discusses the evolution of these ‘mishra‘ features as a natural outgrowth […]

 

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• 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 swara set but focusing more on the use of shuddha Dha as a melodic endpoint – as well as a stronger and more consistent role for Pa. Usually classed as a member of the […]

 

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• Raag Prabhakali •

S-r-G-m-P-d-n-S An Ali Akbar Khan invention, prakriti with the better-known Basant Mukhari. Information is scant – but, as per the liner notes to the raga’s 1964 LP release, “Prabhakali permits only five notes in aroha, dropping [Ga & Ni]. For avroh, it admits all the seven notes…[re & dha] are flats as in Bhairav, and […]

 

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• Raag Nat Bhairav •

S-R-G-m-P-d-N-S A direct combination of Nat in poorvang and Bhairav in uttarang, Nat Bhairav was sitar icon Ravi Shankar‘s first raga creation, released in the pre-Independence music scene of 1945 – inspired by Shankar hearing an allied theme sung in a lecture-demo by legendary musicologist B.R. Deodhar (read the full origin tale below). Flavours of Bhairav tend […]

 

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• 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 […]

 

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• Raag Kalingada •

S-r-G-m-P-d-N-S Kalingada shares the same seven swaras as Bhairav, but approaches them in distinct fashion – generally preferring a simpler, less ornamented character (as per Rajan Parrikar: “Kalingada has a flippant mien…far less austere than Bhairav. Ga and Pa are advanced to positions of influence, and the swara-lagav is mostly linear, without the andolit treatment […]

 

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• Raag Jogeshwari Pancham •

S-gG-m-P-D-n-S Created by Gwalior educator and vocalist Vishwanath Rao Ringe ‘Tanarang’ by adding touches of avroh Pa to Ravi Shankar’s Jogeshwari (itself a blend of Jog and Rageshri). Jogeshwari’s basic phraseology is retained, while also allowing elaborate extensions into Jog’s territory (the inclusion of komal ga means that all Jog’s swaras are now present). In […]

 

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• Raag Jaunpuri •

S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S Jaunpuri is a late morning raga, likely originating in the Sultanate-era music of Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh (as per Subodh Agrawal: “The rulers of Jaunpur were keen patrons of the arts, and the last one – Sultan Hussain Sharqi – was himself a distinguished musician; it is probable that the Jaunpuri flavor of Asavari […]

 

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• 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 ideas from two well-known morning ragas – Jaunpuri and Bhairav. Parrikar points to to the “crowded swara-space”, with both komal and shuddha variants of Re, Ga, and Ni on display: meaning that the entire komal ni […]

 

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• Raag Hemshri •

S-g-m-P-nN-S A night raga created by renowned Gwalior composer and vocalist Vishwanath Rao Ringe ‘Tanarang’, essentially equivalent to ‘Tilang komal ga’. In his own summary (seemingly the only source of melodic information): “the mood is light…a very sweet melody that manifests readily in the following combinations [e.g. SgmPm, gmPnPNNS; PNSnP; PNSgNS]”. Re is banned entirely, while […]

 

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• Raag Gaoti •

S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S Sarodiya Rahul Bhattacharya describes the late-afternoon Gaoti as “an underutilised gem…a pleasant, fulfilled feeling…like enjoying a perfume without actually knowing why”. Also known as ‘Gawati’, differences of opinion persist as to whether the raga is identical to Bheem: while some claim that Bheem can be distinguished by its occasional use of komal ga in […]

 

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• Raag Gagan Vihang •

S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S As per Ocean of Ragas, Gagan Vihang (Sanskrit: ‘Birds of Heaven’) “was composed by Pandit Dinkar Kaikini…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 others also point to the influence of Shankara. The Agra khayal innovator […]

 

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• Raag Deen Todi •

S-r-g-m-D-n-S A near-extinct raga of uncertain origin, Deen Todi takes an ‘Ahiri no Pa’ form. Best preserved via an astonishing rendition by Kamalesh Maitra on the tabla tarang (a semicircle of 13 sruti-tuned dayan drums: below), accompanied by a multiphonic cluster of tanpura drones (tuned D-n-r-S). Parveen Sultana has also sung it live, and seems to […]

 

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• Raag Dagori •

S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S The seldom-heard Dagori features prominent use of shuddha Ni and characteristic slides and glides between ma and Re. Seemingly invented by Jaipur-Atrauli gharana founder Alladiya Khan (also the progenitor of Maru Bihag and Jait Kalyan), and still near-exclusively performed by the khayal singers of that tradition, although detailed information is scant. While I initially […]

 

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• Raag Bheem •

S-R-gG-m-P-D-n-S Near-identical to Gaoti, Bheem is sometimes said to be marked out by its allowance of komal ga in taar saptak – although this distinction now seems moot: there are plenty of Gaoti performances with this characteristic too. Debate persists: while Agra-Gwalior vocalist Prabhakar Karekar considers the ragas indistinguishable (having remarked that he “had been taught […]

 

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• Raag Arun Malhar •

S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S A rare and ancient Malhar variant, said to be 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 only in the sketchiest of terms”. Described as a mix of […]

 

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• Raag Anand Bhairav •

S-r-G-m-P-D-nN-S A rarely-heard member of the Bhairav raganga, which seems to have no precise prakritis. As per Rajan Parrikar, “the komal dha in Bhairav is replaced by its shuddha counterpart, and 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, […]

 

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• Raag Amiri Todi •

S-rR-g-m-P-dD-n-S Created by sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan in 1974, catalysed by the untimely passing of legendary vocalist Amir Khan the same year. As recounted to Indian Express in 2009: “My love and reverence for Khansaheb does not stem only from his music, but for his truly kind and humble nature. When he died, it appeared […]

 

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• Raag Adi Basant •

S-rR-G-m-P-D-N-S An ancient form of Basant (‘Springtime’), named for its connections to the ceremonies of that season. Many see Adi Basant as the latter’s main ancestor, highlighting its historic prevalence in Dhrupad and Haveli Sangeet – and some, including Maihar musicians, consider it inseparable from Shuddha Basant (‘shuddha’, as well as referring to ‘pure’ or […]

 

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• Raag Adana •

S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S Though prakriti with Darbari, Adana favours a ‘lighter, flittering’ treatment: often summoned via skipping ga in aroha, limiting ornaments on komal dha, and focusing more on madhya and taar saptak (exemplified in Budhaditya Mukherjee‘s concise rendition: gat transcribed below). Komal ga is reintroduced via the gmRS Kanada signature in avroh – and some artists may […]

 

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• Raag Badhans Sarang •

S-R-m-P-D-nN-S A seldom-heard Sarang variant which appears in several different guises. All main forms include the swaras SRmPDnS, and most add shuddha Ni, while some also include shuddha Ga amidst other quirks. Thankfully, rare raga explorer Moumita Mitra recently conducted a survey of known renditions (read in full below), categorising them into three streams: ‘komal […]

 

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• Raag Rangeshwari •

S-R-g-m-P-N-S Like Parameshwari and Gangeshwari, Rangeshwari (‘Lordess of Colours’) was created in 1968 via murchana rotation of Ravi Shankar’s Kameshwari (itself dreamed up during a car journey through Bengal). Resembles a ‘no Dha’ filtering of either Patdeep or Kirwani, although its shape seems to be unique – with Shankar’s takes tending towards wide-open, poorvang-dominant movements. […]

 

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• Raag Chandrakauns •

S-g-m-d-N-S Chandrakauns is a spacious raga of relatively modern origin, only becoming distinct from divergent strains of ‘shuddha Ni Malkauns’ by around the mid-20th century. This Ni-for-ni replacement removes much of Malkauns’ symmetry and intervallic balance, with the chromatic leading-tone resolution (Ni>Sa) bringing more prominence to both swaras. Given these sharper tensions, it is often played […]

 

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• 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 (archaic spelling: ‘Jilha’) places significant emphasis on the double-Ga, while the rest of the raga tends to fit into the thumri-allied Mishra Kafi framework. Virtually all […]

 

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• Raag Zeelaf •

S-G-m-P-d-S A rare audav raga fabled to have been created by 13th-century qawwali pioneer Amir Khusrau, somewhat resembling ‘Bhairav minus re & Ni’. As per Rajan Parrikar, “this haunting pentatonic melody is composed of the following swaras: SGmPd. Jitendra Abhisheki gives a superb account with his own composition [transcribed below]: notice the strong ma and […]

 

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• Raag Sundarkauns •

S-g-m-D-n-S There are at least two ragas in modern circulation which go by the title ‘Sundarkauns’, which appear to share no connection other than their name. One version, taking the swaras SgmDnS (‘Malkauns shuddha Dha’), is described by Tanarang as having been unjustly sidelined by previous generations, who have tended to misinterpret it as a ‘Bageshri-ang Chandrakauns’ […]

 

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• 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 […]

 

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• Raag Kaushiki •

S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S A mysterious Malkauns-adjacent raga of great historic renown, now seldom heard in its traditional form. Instead, it is known through its influence on Kaunsi Kanada (still called ‘Kaushiki Kanada’ by some). Ragas entitled ‘Kaushika/Kaushiki’ are mentioned in numerous ancient texts, including the 11th-century writings of Abhinavagupta (“Bhinnashadaja, Kaushiki, and Bhinnapanchama are favoured in Summer”), […]

 

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• Raag Tilang Bahar •

S-R-gG-m-P-D-nN-S A sparsely-recorded form which uses all the swaras of both Tilang and Bahar, appraised by Tanarang as “a fine blend of the two melodies…both [ragas] provide sweet tonal embellishment” (who gives characteristic phrases of GmPm; GmRS; mDNS; DNSRS; SnPmG; mPm; DNSnP; GmRS). Kirana singer R.D. Jadhav’s performance (described on the cover as a “bright […]

 

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• Raag Swanandi •

S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Fashioned by Agra vocalist Jagannathbuwa Purohit ‘Gunidas’ (also the creator of Jogkauns and Jaun Bhairav), fusing material from Bhatiyar, Bihag, and Bhinna Shadja into an engrossing new whole. Bhatiyar forms the main base, with its phrases being reworked to match the swaras of Bilawal thaat (e.g. PGRS; SD NDP, PDPm), with Bhinna Shadja contributing […]

 

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• Raag Shobhawari •

S-R-m-P-d-S A rare ‘audav Asavari’ raga, matching the swaras of ‘komal Dha Durga’ (or ‘shuddha Re Gunakri‘). While relatively free of specific melodic constraints, the dha assumes natural prominence due to its disbalancing effects: it is involved in the only hemitonic pairing (Pd) and also the widest adjacent jump (dS), while serving as the only […]

 

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• Raag Rasaranjani •

S-R-m-D-N-S A rare, oddly-shaped audav raga formed by omitting Ga and Pa from Bilawal thaat – essentially, ‘removing the major triad from the major scale’ (it can also be seen as ‘Bhavani plus Ni’, Rajeshwari Re-for-ga’, or ‘Durga Ni-for-Pa’). Vocalist Sakuntala Narasimhan, introducing a drut khayal, cites Rasaranjani as an innovation of her Rampur gharana […]

 

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• Raag Rageshri •

S-R-G-m-D-n-S Working along the lines of a ‘shuddha Ga Bageshri with shades of Khamaj’, the early-night Rageshri enjoys popularity among vocalists and instrumentalists alike. Like Bageshri, Re is often weak in ascent, and the ma–Dha sangati is strong – while unlike Bageshri, Pa is varjit throughout (likely as a result of shuddha Ga destroying the whole-tone […]

 

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• Raag Pancham Malkauns •

S-g-m-P-d-n-S A loose collection of melodic strands which fall under the general banner of ‘Malkauns with Pa in avroh’ (thus sharing conceptual overlap with Kaunsi Kanada and Sampurna Malkauns). Ascents typically stay true to the pentatonic structure of Malkauns, and the Pa is usually rendered in vakra avroh lines (e.g. ndmgmdP or gmdndmP). Beloved by […]

 

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• Raag Narayani •

S-R-m-P-D-n-S Adapted from the Carnatic ragam of the same name, Narayani takes the swaras of a ‘komal ni Durga’ (or ‘Khamaj no Ga’). Pa is a nyas, while Dha is rendered deergha (e.g. mPnD, DP), with a general melodic focus on madhya and taar saptaks. Tanarang describes the raga as “soothing”, while Parrikar traces its Northern […]

 

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• Raag Malgunji •

S-R-gG-m-P-D-n-S Roughly describable as a ‘Khamaj–ang Bageshri with a Rageshri-like shuddha Ga in aroha’, Malgunji is a multicoloured form, beloved by Gwalior vocalists (as well as Maihar sitarist Nikhil Banerjee). Some artists also feature a vivadi of shuddha Ni (often as mDNS, likely indicating the influence of Gara). Tanarang, aiming to evoke a “deep atmosphere”, gives […]

 

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• 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 […]

 

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• Raag Madhuradhwani •

S-G-m-D-nN-S As per Parrikar, “Durga Khamaj-thaat is also known as ‘Madhuradhwani’. This is not a popular raga, its base eroded by the popularity of Rageshri…but is part of the Dagar family repertoire”. While some renditions will skip Ni in ascent, traditional Dhrupad presentations will render it shuddha in aroha and komal in avroh – along with […]

 

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• 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, […]

 

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• Raag Kalashri •

S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S Introduced by Kirana legend Bhimsen Joshi, via combining Kalavati and Rageshri to span the full seven swaras of Khamaj thaat. Aarshin Karande notes that the raga’s origins lie in Gopalkrishna Bhobe’s 1969 sangeet natak [Marathi musical drama] ‘Dhanya Te Gayani Kala‘ (“Bhimsen-ji developed upon the melody, becoming Kalashri…He even named his home in Pune […]

 

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• Raag Jogiya •

S-r-m-P-d-N-S Jogiya (from Sanskrit yogi: ‘State of Union’) is a shadav raga of considerable mystique. Tanarang recounts “a characteristic mood of devotion and detachment…Jogiya has komal re and dha like Bhairav, however they are not oscillated…and shuddha ma is powerful as nyas and vadi”. Generally expandable in madhya and taar saptaks, the raga’s geometries revolve […]

 

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• 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 Jaijaiwanti’s distinguishing feature”) – while modern performers tend to ‘enclose’ the komal ga in the avroh phrase RgR, preferring the shuddha […]

 

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• Raag Hem Bihag •

S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Often cited as an invention of Ravi Shankar, Hem Bihag was in fact devised by his teacher Allauddin Khan – as noted by Shankar & Ali Akbar Khan when they chose it to open a tribute concert just a few weeks on from their guru’s 1972 death, at the reputed age of 110 (below: […]

 

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• 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 catchphrase of RnSRG, Gm (also found in Dev Gandhar) into the broader framework of the latter – although some sources also cite vital influences from Adana and Bahar (e.g. mDnS). Modern renditions tend to take the komal dha, although a […]

 

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• 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 raga 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 […]

 

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• Raag Gopika Basant •

S-g-m-P-d-n-S A hexatonic raga of bewitching beauty, Gopika Basant matches the swaras of ‘Asavari no Re’ (or ‘Malkauns add Pa’) – while also inviting shades of Bhairavi from ga upwards. The Sa–ma sangati is strong, and, as noted by Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy, descents can mirror the Malkauns-style scheme of “parallel conjunct tetrachords by oblique use […]

 

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• Raag Dhani •

S-g-m-P-n-S Despite its ‘Minor Pentatonic’ scale form enjoying global popularity as the predominant mode of blues, rock, pop, and countless other guitar-driven genres, Dhani is comparatively rare as a raga in its own right – with its swara set mostly being heard as the ‘aroha of Bhimpalasi’ rather than in isolation (…it may be the […]

 

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• Raag Devranjani •

S-m-P-d-N-S Stretched by the emptiness of a vast Sa–ma poorvang jump, Devranjani is formed by removing the re and Ga from Bhairav. Abhirang offers up both ‘shuddha Ni’ and ‘double Ni’ variants, with the former appearing to be predominant – while Bhatkhande’s early 20th-century works discuss the importance of the ascending phrase Sm, mP as […]

 

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• Raag Devgiri Bilawal •

S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S A fusion of Bilawal, Kalyan, and Shuddha Kalyan, which either avoids the tivra Ma throughout or relegates it to an ornamental role. Balancing an uttarang-focus with a tendency for melodic development in mandra and madhya saptak, the raga (as per Thakurdas) prioritises Ga and Dha, also using Pa as a nyas – with komal […]

 

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• 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 […]

 

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• 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, reminiscent of […]

 

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• Raag Des Malhar •

S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S A well-established fusion of the pastoral-themed Desh and the rain-bringing Malhar, spanning the full swara sets of both via characteristic movements such as RmP, PNSRmGR; mPnDP, PNS. Steadily popular with both instrumentalists (e.g. Ali Akbar Khan’s many renditions) and singers (e.g. the Bodas clan’s duets). Dinkar Kaikini’s daughter Aditi Upadhya recounts the tale behind the […]

 

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• Raag Chaya Malhar •

S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Profiled by Parrikar as “a compound melody formed by joining elements of Chaya to the Malhar raganga signature [mRm\RP]…The nyas on Pa is important, but an inapposite nyas on Re or undue brightening of ma may tilt the development towards Nat Malhar”. Listen to his Gwalior guru Ramrang’s rendition, seasoned with a particularly prominent […]

 

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• Raag Bhavani •

S-R-m-D-S Distinguished by permitting only four swaras (and sometimes titled ‘Chatuswari’: ‘four-toned’), Bhavani’s symmetrical shape is akin to ‘Durga no Pa’. Its intriguing surtar sparsity necessitates a multipolar approach to melodic resolution, tempting a murchana-like refocus towards the triads available from Re (RmD: minor) and ma (mDS: major). Associated with the 20th-century experiments of Gwalior […]

 

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• Raag Chandrakaushiki •

S-R-g-m-P-d-nN-S An invention of Nikhil Banerjee, combining Chandrakauns and Kaushiki. Expanding on a Malkauns base, the Kaunsi Kanada-like shuddha Re opens up a broader array of intervals to and from the twin-Ni positions – with the komal dha playing a similarly vital role below. (n.b. While some online sources refer to the raga as having been “created […]

 

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• Raag Bihagda •

S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S A Khamaj-seasoned Bihag variant with historic connections to the Carnatic Behag, which appears in several overlapping variants. Raja notes that the raga’s main ‘double-Ni’ form (indistinguishable from some types of Khokar) is associated with Jaipur-Atrauli vocalists, who apply a pakad of Gm PDnDP, GmG PmPG, and limit Bihag’s tivra Ma to swift ornamental movements […]

 

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• Raag Bihad Bhairav •

S-r-gG-m-P-D-nN-S A ‘double-Ga, double-Ni’ creation of Bhairav-loving vocalist Kumar Gandharva (also see Bhavmat Bhairav and Rati Bhairav – as well as Saheli Todi, Lagan Gandhar, and Madhusurja). Bose describes how “the projection of the raga is done mainly around Sa…the aroha poorvang is similar to Jogiya [Srm: also Gunakri], and it has a small portion […]

 

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• Raag Bhairav Bahar •

S-rR-gG-m-P-D-nN-S A ten-toned multi-jod raga, Bhairav Bahar’s descent blends the melodic signatures of several disparate ragas, notably including the springtime Bahar – although, as per Darbhanga Dhrupad vocalist Premkumar Mallick, flavours of Bhairav should dominate the overall impression. Bose gives a vadi–samvadi of ma–Sa, while also mentioning the existence of an alternate ‘double-Dha’ version (thus […]